Renovating your kitchen cabinets
In a perfect world, we’d all have enormous bank accounts with endless funds for home renovations. Unfortunately, a lot of people have a hard enough time making ends meet without having to put their hard earned money into home repairs. However, improving the appearance of your kitchen cabinets doesn’t have to be expensive. Check out the following tricks that’ll have your cabinets looking like new for under $ 20, leaving you with extra cash in your pocket.
Simple scrubbing
One of the easiest ways to improve the look of your kitchen is simply by cleaning the doors of your cupboards. If it sounds too good to be true, don’t knock it until you try it! Kitchen cabinets take a beating in everyday life, whether from spills and splatters or frequent opening and closing. Grime and dirt build up over time, so you may not even notice at times. A simple cleaning (according to the manufacturer’s instructions) will have them looking like new in no time at all.
Replace your hardware
Another “Don’t judge it until you try it” kitchen upgrade solution is to simply replace all of the hardware on your cabinets, including the handles, drawer pulls, and hinges (if they show). If they are five years old or more, chances are your kitchen is dated, so you may want to start over. The modern look is sleek, often using brushed metal finishes, and hardware stores will have a selection you can choose from.
When you head into the hardware store, remember to take your old hardware with you to help gauge the sizes you’ll need, as well as the location of the screw holes on your cabinets. The easiest way to swap out your hardware is to purchase new fixtures that are as similar in size and shape as possible to your old ones, although this isn’t your only option. If you’re dead set on new fixtures that don’t line up with the old holes, you may be able to fill the holes with putty, refinish the cabinet door, and then re-drill the screw holes. It’s a little bit more work, but it may be worth it depending on the look you’re going for.
Refinish cabinet doors
Another low-cost kitchen upgrade option is to refinish your cabinet doors instead of completely replacing them. This is a more involved, “hands-on” option, so be prepared to roll up your sleeves and get dirty. If you have painted or stained cabinets, you need to sand the finish off and wipe them down before refinishing the new stain or paint. Be sure to get all of the traces of old finish off the doors, otherwise the new finish will end up streaked.
Obviously, refinishing cabinet doors isn’t a universal option, and some synthetic doors can’t be retouched in this fashion. If you aren’t certain, go to your local home improvement store. Professional advice can help determine whether your cabinets can be refinished, and what you’ll need to do the job.
