Cabinet Refacing vs. Replacing: Which Makes Sense for Your Kitchen?

By the MJC design team, Orlando. Updated November 2026.

What is cabinet refacing?

Cabinet refacing is a cosmetic update. The cabinet boxes stay on the wall and on the floor exactly where they are. The installer covers the face frames and exposed sides with a new veneer or laminate, then installs new doors, new drawer fronts and usually new hinges and pulls.

Everything behind the doors stays the same: the shelves, the drawer boxes, the sink base, the corner cabinets and the overall layout. If those parts work well today, refacing can change the look of the kitchen without the cost and disruption of tearing everything out.

What does replacing cabinets include?

Replacing means removing the old cabinets and installing new ones. With custom cabinets, the new boxes are built to the exact size of your walls, so the layout can change: a wider sink base, deep drawers instead of base shelves, a pantry wall, cabinets that run to the ceiling or a new island.

Replacing cabinets almost always means a new countertop too. Old countertops rarely survive removal in one piece, and new boxes often sit at a different size or position. Plan the cabinets and the countertop as one project. Our page on kitchen remodeling in Orlando shows how the pieces fit together.

When does refacing make sense?

• The boxes are solid, with no soft spots, swelling or stains in the sink base.
• Shelves are flat and drawers slide without sagging.
• You like where everything is, and the work triangle between sink, range and refrigerator feels right.
• You are keeping the same appliances in the same openings.
• The countertop is in good shape and you want to keep it.
• You mainly want a new color or door style.

When should you replace your cabinets instead?

• Water damage. A swollen or soft sink base, peeling bottom panels or a musty smell mean the box itself has absorbed water. New doors on a damaged box only hide the problem. Our guide to cabinet materials for Florida humidity explains why this happens so often in Orlando.
• Sagging or crumbling boxes. Shelves that bow, drawer bottoms that drop and screws that no longer hold usually point to tired particleboard.
• A layout that does not work. If two people cannot cook at the same time, the corner cabinet is a black hole or there is nowhere to land groceries, new doors will not fix it.
• New storage needs. Deep pots and pans drawers, a pull-out pantry, a trash and recycling cabinet or an appliance garage all require new boxes.
• Changing heights or adding an island. Running uppers to the ceiling, raising a counter or adding an island means building new cabinets.
• New appliances. A larger refrigerator or a different range width changes the openings, and refacing cannot resize a box.

Refacing vs. replacing: a quick decision table

Situation	Refacing	Replacing
Boxes solid, layout works, want a new look	Good fit	Possible, but you pay for boxes you did not need
Water damage in the sink base	Not recommended	Good fit
Want an island, pantry or uppers to the ceiling	Not possible	Good fit
Changing appliance sizes	Usually not possible	Good fit
Keeping the current countertop	Usually possible	Usually a new countertop
Shelves sagging, drawers failing	Hides the problem	Good fit

How do the costs compare?

Refacing usually costs less up front because the boxes stay and the countertop often stays too. The tradeoff is that you keep whatever is inside those boxes, including their age and any hidden damage.

For replacing, it helps to look at real numbers for the Orlando area. HomeAdvisor reports an average of $7,623 for custom cabinet projects in Orlando, with most projects between $2,825 and $13,932. That range covers cabinet jobs of many sizes, not complete kitchens. For full remodels, the 2024 Cost vs Value report for Orlando lists $28,206 for a minor midrange kitchen remodel and $79,410 for a major midrange remodel.

At MJC, complete custom kitchens start at $15,000, and the final price depends on the size of the kitchen, the materials and the countertop. If the budget is the deciding factor, financing is available through Hearth, subject to credit approval. See the financing page for details.

How long will each option last?

Refacing renews the surfaces you see, so its life depends on the boxes underneath. On healthy boxes, a refaced kitchen can look good for years. On boxes that already show moisture damage, the new surfaces sit on a failing base.

New custom cabinets start from zero: new boxes, new shelves, new drawer boxes and new hardware, built for the room and the way you use it. That is the main reason homeowners who plan to stay in the house for many years tend to replace rather than reface.

Questions to ask yourself before deciding

1. Open the sink base. Is the floor of the cabinet firm, dry and flat?
2. Pull out every drawer. Do they slide smoothly and stay level?
3. Is there anything about the layout you complain about every week?
4. Will you change the refrigerator, range or dishwasher in the next few years?
5. How long do you plan to stay in the house?

If most answers point to a healthy kitchen with the right layout, refacing may be enough. If the sink base is soft or the layout is the real problem, new cabinets solve what new doors cannot.

How MJC looks at your current cabinets

MJC builds new custom kitchen cabinets in Orlando in its own shop at 5014 Forsyth Commerce Rd. At the free design visit, the designer checks the boxes, the sink base and the layout with you before anything is drawn, so the decision is based on what is actually inside your cabinets. Then you see the new kitchen in 3D before anything is built.

Frequently asked questions