How Long Does Cabinet Refacing Take

One of the best things about cabinet refacing is speed. You keep your cabinet boxes and change the doors, drawer fronts, and finish. There is no tear out, so the work moves fast and your kitchen stays in good shape the whole time.

So how long does cabinet refacing take from start to finish? The short answer is a few weeks of waiting plus a few days of install. Most of that time is the wait for your new doors, and during that wait your kitchen works as normal. Here is the full picture step by step.

Step One, the Free In-Home Quote

The first step is a free in-home visit. A pro comes out, counts your doors and drawer fronts, and measures your space. You look at door styles, colors, and hardware together. This visit takes about an hour, sometimes a little less for a small kitchen.

You are not signing up for anything by booking a quote. It is just a chance to get a real written price and to see your options. After the visit you get a clear price, and once you say yes the order goes in.

Step Two, the Wait While Doors Are Made

Your new doors and drawer fronts are made to order. They are built to match your kitchen and the style you picked. This part takes a few weeks. The exact wait depends on the shop and the door style, but a few weeks is normal.

Here is the good news. During this wait, nothing changes in your kitchen. Your old doors stay on, your cabinets stay full, and you cook and clean just like any other week. There is no mess and no crew in your home yet. You simply wait for the doors to arrive.

Step Three, the Install

The install is the part most people picture when they think about refacing. For most kitchens it takes about three to five days. A small kitchen may wrap up faster. A large kitchen with many doors takes the longer end of that range.

The crew works in a set order so the job stays clean and on track. Here is a day by day look at a typical install.

1. Skinning the frames. The crew covers the front edges of your cabinet boxes with a new skin that matches your doors. This gives every surface a fresh, even look.
2. Hanging the doors. New doors go on with new hinges. The crew lines them up so they sit straight and close clean.
3. Fitting the drawer fronts. New drawer fronts go on next. They are set even with the doors for a smooth, matching face.
4. Adding the hardware. Handles, knobs, and any soft close parts go on. Small touches like these pull the whole look together.
5. Final cleanup. The crew checks every door and drawer, wipes things down, and hauls away the old materials. You get a walk through before they leave.

During the install you may lose the use of a few cabinets at a time. The crew plans the work so the room stays livable. Many homeowners still cook simple meals through the install with no real trouble.

What Makes a Job Take Longer

Not every kitchen runs on the same clock. A few things can stretch the timeline.

• A large kitchen. More doors and drawer fronts mean more pieces to skin, hang, and fit.
• Custom door shapes. Special shapes or arched tops take more care to set right.
• Glass doors. Doors with glass panels need extra steps to fit and finish.
• Crown molding and end panels. These extras look great but add time to the install.
• Box repairs. If a cabinet box needs a small fix first, that adds a bit of time.

What Can Make a Job Go Faster

Some choices help the work move quicker. A small kitchen with fewer doors finishes sooner. A simple door style like shaker or slab is fast to fit. Skipping heavy extras keeps the day count low. A kitchen that is cleared out and ready when the crew arrives also helps the job start without delay.

Refacing Is Far Faster Than a Full Remodel

It helps to compare. A full kitchen remodel tears out the old cabinets, the counters, and sometimes the floor. That kind of project can run many weeks, and your kitchen is out of use for much of it. You may even cook from a hot plate for a while.

Refacing skips all of that. You keep your boxes, so there is no demolition and no long downtime. A few weeks of waiting plus a few days of install gives you a kitchen that looks new. For most homes, that speed is one of the biggest reasons to reface.