DIY Cabinet Makeover Ideas

Whether you’re up for a small, weekend job or ready to complete a weeklong remodel, there is a do-it-yourself project for you. Everyone wants to have an attractive and appealingly decorated home, and adding a personal touch to the decor can make your house feel even homier. You can do many easy and affordable projects to make your house look fantastic.

Some of the most popular projects for DIYers are kitchen cabinet or bath cabinet makeovers. After all, the kitchen is one of your house's most important rooms, and getting cabinet makeovers in your kitchen increases your home's value more than any other room in the house. And, of course, an upgraded kitchen means you get to impress your neighbors!

How do you make old cabinets look modern? Here are some inexpensive ways you can renovate the cabinetry in your home.

SHORT-AND-SWEET UPGRADES

Weekend DIY projects are manageable for most homeowners. For those wondering how to redo kitchen cabinets on a budget, these DIY projects are the solution you need. Some popular cabinet upgrades that fall under this category include:

• Painting/staining your cabinets
• Changing your cabinet hardware
• Upgrading your cabinet door hinges to soft-close hinges
• Replacing your cabinet doors and drawer fronts
• Upgrading your particleboard drawer boxes to solid wood dovetail drawer boxes

If you want to give your cabinets a new look but don't have a whole week to commit to the job, these shorter projects are perfect for you! All these projects will give your cabinets a fresh look while simultaneously increasing their value.

To learn how to update kitchen cabinets without replacing them, follow our guides below. You can get started on one of these weekend projects today!

PAINTING/STAINING YOUR CABINETS

This project might take all weekend, but the result is worth it! The keys to your success lie in the preparation,so make sure you have the right tools and materials. This project will likely cost between $150 and $300, depending on the types of primer, paints or stains you purchase. It may be tempting to skimp on painting supplies, but the higher-quality paints you get, the better your newly painted cabinets will look.

If you're wondering how to make old cabinets look modern, this could be what you need. A fresh, vibrant coat of paint can instantly update your kitchen.

For an in-depth walkthrough, check out our blogs to read our complete guide on how to stain unfinished cabinet doors and drawer fronts and our best tips for painting kitchen cabinets. Here, we'll give you the fundamentals you need to start staining or painting your cabinet doors and drawer fronts.

1. Remove the drawer fronts and cabinet doors: Your drawers and cabinets will be much easier to paint once you put them down flat in a protected area. Don't forget to mark which cabinets and drawers each piece came from.
2. Choose a finish or paint color: Here is your opportunity to get creative! Decide if you want to go straight to finishing, leaving a natural wood color on your cabinets or apply your choice of paint colors.
3. Sand the doors and drawer fronts: Your cabinets probably came sanded before you purchased them. However, gently sanding the wood again will help you achieve a smoother paint or finish. Be sure to remove all dust from the pieces once you've finished.
4. Prepare the panels: Using a primer or pre-stain conditioner will help fill in pores in the wood and boost the wood's ability to absorb the stain or paint.
5. Apply the stain or paint: Work carefully and methodically for the best results. You will likely want two or three coats.
6. Apply the finish: Finally, to protect your wood panels against damage, apply your chosen finish to the cabinets.

With that finished, you've successfully learned how to make old wood cabinets look new! You can enjoy the look and feeling of upgraded cabinets while safe in the knowledge that you didn't break your budget.

CHANGING YOUR CABINET HARDWARE

While staining or painting might take a more considerable chunk of time, changing your cabinet hardware can be a quick and easy update. Most cabinet knobs and pulls cost roughly $4 to $8, so if you have 20 cabinets, it will only cost $80 to $160.

 If you want to replace an existing cabinet knob or pull, all you'll need is a screwdriver or drill.Depending on the number of cabinets you have, you can pull off this project in a couple of hours. Here's a quick guide to replacing your cabinet hardware:

1. Choose new hardware: Be sure to find new cabinet hardware that looks great in your kitchen and is practical for everyday use.
2. Remove old hardware: Unscrew the existing hardware and remove it from your cabinet door. If your new hardware won't go into the same spot, fill in the holes with wood-filling putty.
3. Attach new hardware: If you need to make new holes for your hardware, mark out where you want your holes and grab your drill. Otherwise, screw in your new hardware, and you're finished!

Upgrading or changing the hardware on your cabinet doors and drawer fronts can make a significant difference in how your entire kitchen looks and feels.

UPGRADING YOUR CABINET DOOR HINGES TO SOFT-CLOSE HINGES

If you currently have concealed European hinges for your cabinet doors, an excellent upgrade for your cabinets is to replace your hinges with concealed soft-close hinges. Soft-close hinges allow the cabinet doors to close slowly and gently — no slamming! Concealed soft-close hinges range from $5 to $6, though it might be cheaper to buy them in bulk to save even more money.

Before you upgrade, make sure you buy the correct soft-close hinge for the overlay of your cabinets. The most common size is 1/2" for partial overlay cabinets and 1 1/2" for full overlay cabinets. 

The replacement process is similar to changing your cabinet hardware. Once again, all you need is a drill or screwdriver, and it shouldn't take much time at all. Remove the doors and old hinges, attach your new hinges, then reattach your cabinet doors.

REPLACING YOUR CABINET DOORS AND DRAWER FRONTS

Replacing your cabinet doors and drawer fronts is a relatively easy DIY project and a cost-effective way to upgrade your kitchen or bath. This affordable solution is a dramatic and aesthetic way to completely renovate the look of your cabinetry without the mess or expense of a full-scale remodel. And even better, you can reface cabinets yourself!

Available from the online cabinet component experts at Cabinet Doors ‘N’ More, cabinet doors and drawer fronts have a clean, ready-to-paint surface that’s easy to customize with the finish of your choice.

Cabinet Doors 'N' More offers an array of 12 replacement cabinet doors ranging from traditional recessed and raised panel cabinet doors to more contemporary Shaker and slab-style designs. In addition, we sell decorative mullion cabinet doors and separately sold glass panels that can bring an entirely new look to your kitchen.

Our solid wood replacement cabinet doors are available in the most popular wood species, including hard maple, red oak, cherry, paint-grade hard maple and medium-density fiberboard. All our solid wood doors are unfinished, allowing you to match your new cabinet doors to your existing cabinets with a matching stain or paint. If painting, be sure to order a paint-grade or MDF cabinet door.

Our replacement white cabinet doors are available in raised and recess panel, Shaker designs, a contemporary slab style and decorative white mullion cabinet doors. All our white cabinet doors consist of MDF with a durable white rigid thermofoil finish. RTF cabinet doors are high-quality because they feature seamless construction, a smooth finish and color consistency throughout,and they're a breeze to maintain and clean.

Finally, we also offer matching drawer fronts for all our cabinet door styles!

Follow these steps to learn how to replace your cabinet doors.

1. Remove the old doors: Take off the old doors by removing the hinges from the mounting plate inside the cabinet. If you want to reuse your cabinet hardware, you can unscrew all hardware from the old doors — but this could be a good opportunity to update your hardware, too.
2. Measure and order new doors: Measure what size doors you need and place your order with Cabinet Doors 'N' More, and we'll ship you cabinet doors that match your exact specifications.
3. Install new hinges: Measure and mark where you want your hinges, both inside the cabinet and on the cabinet door, then install the hinges on the door. If you want to upgrade to soft-close hinges, now is the perfect time to do so.
4. Install new doors: It could be helpful to have a partner for this final step. Align the cabinet door and hinges perfectly along the markings you made inside the cabinet. Drill the hinges into the cabinet, and you should have level, upgraded cabinet doors.

UPGRADING YOUR PARTICLEBOARD DRAWER BOXES TO SOLID WOOD DOVETAIL DRAWER BOXES

Today, most new homebuilders focus on and invest in cabinet styling and countertops in the kitchen. However, though it's often less of a consideration, what comes behind the cabinet doors and drawer fronts should also be up to your standards.

Drawer boxes are some of the most crucial parts of your cabinetry. You want to have a quality drawer box that will stand the test of time, especially in an area like the kitchen where your drawers receive constant use. Most builders will use 1/2" particleboard side drawer boxes with stapled or pinned sides. If you're looking to replace your current drawer box with an upgrade, Cabinet Doors 'N' More offers 5/8" solid wood dovetail drawer boxes with a UV-cured finish and a 1/4" bottom panel captured on all four sides for added strength.

Replacing your drawer boxes follows a similar pattern as our other projects — measure your current drawers, order sturdier replacements from Cabinet Doors 'N' More, strip the hardware off the old drawers, apply it to the new drawers and finish the installation! Check out our blog for an in-depth look at how to replace your drawer boxes.

PROJECTS FOR THE DIY EXPERT

Once you’ve successfully added new cabinet doors and drawer fronts, you can consider yourself a seasoned DIYer. If you’re feeling up for a challenge, here are some more demanding DIY cabinet projects that will take your upgraded kitchen to the next level:

• Adding crown molding to the top of upper cabinets
• Adding trim to your cabinet doors

ADDING CROWN MOLDING TO THE TOP OF UPPER CABINETS

If you want your cabinets to have a more traditional or refined look, installing crown molding could be the perfect option. Crown molding creates a seamless transition between your cabinets and the ceiling.

You've had a lot of practice in DIY projects, so you're well-prepared for this upgrade! Depending on how many cabinets you want to add crown molding to, this project might only take a few hours.

Here's how to add crown molding to the top of cabinets.

1. Determine where to mount your molding: If there is enough space above your cabinet doors or if your cabinets extend to the ceiling, you can add your molding to the cabinet itself. If that won't work for your cabinets, attach wood strips to the tops of your cabinets to give your molding a mounting surface.
2. Prepare the molding: Carefully measure your cabinets to be certain how long you want your molding. Once you have the correct measurements, cut the molding down to size.
3. Install the molding: Nail the molding to the mounting wood. You'll need a lot of nails to properly install the crown molding across your cabinets, so either be ready to work with your hammer for a while, or invest in a nail gun.
4. Add the finishing touches: If you couldn't nail the molding directly into the ceiling, you might want to apply wood glue to the corners of the molding to make sure they stay together. You can also caulk the edges between the molding and the cabinets. With that, you've successfully installed crown molding!

ADDING TRIM TO CABINET DOORS

To add dimension and a refreshing new look to your cabinetry, consider adding trim to your cabinet doors. This cabinet door makeover will have the added benefit of making your existing cabinets look like high-end products!

Here are the steps you can take to add trim to your cabinet doors.

1. Choose your trim: If you have scrap baseboards from another DIY project lying around your house, this is the perfect chance to use them. Apply a fresh coat of paint to them that will match your cabinets, and they'll be ready to go! Otherwise, you can head to your local hardware store and find a trim option that works well with your cabinets and kitchen design.
2. Prepare the trim: Measure the lengths you need for your trim, mark where you want the edges and cut your trim to the correct size.
3. Remove cabinet doors: Taking the cabinet doors off their hinges will make adding the trim a lot easier.
4. Apply trim to the cabinet door: Using wood glue is the easiest option to attach your trim pieces to the cabinet door. After applying the wood glue, use clamps to hold the trim in place as the glue dries.
5. Reinstall cabinet doors: If you wanted to repaint your cabinet doors, now is the perfect time to do so. If not, once you have secured your trim to the doors, all you have to do is reinstall them, and you're finished!

MAKE YOUR DIY GOALS A REALITY WITH CABINET DOORS 'N' MORE

Ready to get started on your DIY cabinetry project? Our three-step selection process makes it easy for you to design, order and receive high-quality cabinet doors, drawer fronts, drawer boxes and accessories. We offer free shipping on any size order with no minimums on all products in our collection, without additional fees, allowing you to transform the cabinets in your home quickly and affordably.

For new, replacement cabinet doors, drawer fronts and drawer boxes, and for all of your cabinet remodeling needs, turn to the leader in the online kitchen cabinetry industry – Cabinet Doors ‘N’ More. Order as little as one cabinet door front for a quick repair or as much as a multitude of cabinet components for a large-scale project. Whatever you need, we have the custom, high-quality replacement cabinet components you can count on for your DIY project. Browse our extensive collection and start our easy-to-use ordering process today!

Buy $750 or more in any combination of cabinet doors, drawer fronts, drawer boxes or accessories and get 10% off your entire order. Discount taken at checkout. Discounts cannot be combined.

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