I get the appeal of just swapping hardware and calling it a day—sometimes that’s all you need for a quick facelift. But honestly, in my experience, there are limits to how far a “targeted update” can take you, especially with older cabinetry. Deep cleaning and new hinges can help, sure, but if the cabinet faces are warped, cracked, or have years of grime baked in, you’re still left with something that feels tired underneath the surface.
I’ve worked on a few kitchens where folks tried to preserve the patina, but it just ended up looking dingy instead of charming. There’s definitely a fine line between vintage character and plain old wear and tear. Sometimes a full sand and repaint is the only way to actually revive those cabinets—otherwise you’re just dressing up problems that’ll keep nagging at you.
That said, I do think people jump into gut renos too fast. There’s a middle ground: refacing doors or even just replacing them while keeping the original boxes. It’s less wasteful than a full rip-out but goes further than hardware swaps. Just depends how much effort you want to put in versus what you’re willing to live with day-to-day...
I hear you on that—sometimes a “quick fix” just highlights the flaws more. I’ve got cabinets from the 1920s, and I wrestled with whether to keep their quirks or just start over. Ended up sanding and repainting, but man, it was a slog. Curious if anyone’s tried those cabinet refinishing kits? Do they actually hold up over time, or is it just another band-aid?
I tried one of those cabinet refinishing kits on a rental a couple years back—figured it’d be a good middle ground instead of a full gut job. Honestly, the results looked pretty sharp at first, especially if you don’t mind a bit of DIY mess. But after a year or so, heavy use started to show... edges wore down, and I had to touch up spots. Not terrible, but definitely not the same as a real refinish. If you’re hoping for a long-term solution, I’d say it’s more of a temporary facelift than a full fix.
Tried those kits myself a while back—totally get where you’re coming from. Here’s my take:
- Quick win for sure. If you need to make things look good for photos or a short-term rental, they’re hard to beat for the price and time investment.
- Durability’s always the catch. I’ve noticed the same thing—edges and high-touch spots start looking rough after a year or so, especially if you’ve got kids or heavy kitchen traffic.
- Prep work seems to make a difference, but even with obsessive sanding and cleaning, it’s not bulletproof. Had one cabinet door near the sink that started peeling after six months... water and steam just find their way in.
- On the plus side, it’s way less disruptive than ripping out cabinets or hiring someone for a full refinish. Sometimes that’s worth it alone if you’re living in the space.
I wouldn’t call it a waste, though. Sometimes “good enough” is exactly what you need, especially if budget or time is tight. I’ve seen some folks get creative—adding new hardware, swapping out doors, even mixing paint colors for touch-ups when things wear down.
If you want something that’ll last ten years? Probably not the answer. But as a stopgap or a way to stretch your budget until you can do something more permanent, I think these kits have their place.
Curious if anyone’s found a brand or technique that holds up better long-term? I’m always on the hunt for something that doesn’t require redoing every couple years...
I’m right there with you on the durability thing—mine started chipping around the handles after about eight months, and I don’t even have kids, just a clumsy partner who’s hard on cabinets. I did try sealing with a clear topcoat, but honestly, it didn’t make a huge difference. Has anyone tried those peel-and-stick veneer sheets? I keep seeing ads but not sure if they’re any better for long-term wear...
