Refacing Kitchen Cabinet Doors with Veneer
Give your kitchen cabinet doors an inexpensive facelift. Refacing cabinet doors and frames with a veneer makes them look like new. Here's how you can update the look of your kitchen:
- Remove the cabinet doors, drawers, and hardware. Set everything aside in an organized fashion. Mark the bottom of the drawers with a pencil or write on a piece of tape so you'll be able to match them up to their rightful spots.
- Prep the surfaces. Fill old holes and gouges with putty, let them dry, and sand them flat. Use a household detergent to wash the surfaces and then rough them slightly with sandpaper.
- Attach the end trim and panels. Cover the exposed cabinet ends with ¼-inch plywood panels. Cut the panels slightly oversized. Glue the panels a couple of inches in from the edges.
- Add the veneer. Start with the stiles. Cut the veneer exactly or err a bit on cutting pieces that are a bit too large. Trim with scissors, peel off the backing and then center the veneer on the stiles.
- Use a laminate roller. Apply the veneer to the stiles. Repeat the process to apply veneer to the rails and trim.
- Apply veneer to the doors. Veneer is applied to the kitchen cabinet doors in the same way using the same steps.
Tips for Refacing Cabinet Doors
Trim your veneer to fit prior to applying it by using a scissors. You can also use a utility knife and a metal straight edge or a combination square after installation.
Trimming overlapping veneer where stiles and rails meet is best accomplished by cutting along the edge, removing waste from underneath one strip, and then firmly rolling it down.
About the Author
Greg Keefer has been a do-it-yourselfer with lots of experience in how to do things right and how to do them wrong. He enjoys sharing his experience with the hope of helping others to
