There are differences between refinishing cabinets and going for a custom made. If you are going for refinishing, it is usually assumed that you have already purchased the cabinets and most likely have gone through some use over time. However, this might not be the case; you could buy a brand new cabinet and decide to refinish because the one you could afford does not have the color you like. When deciding whether to refinish your cabinets, it is always about changing the color and the material covering the cabinet’s wood.
Custom Cabinets, however, presumes that you are just getting new cabinets; rather than purchasing already made ones, you are building one from scratch which could fit your taste and specification. When deciding whether to buy custom cabinets, it is not just about changing the color and the material that covers the cabinet’s wood; but also about the size, the type of wood, and many other factors.
Advantages of Refinishing
Relatively, refinishing is cheaper. It is advisable to refinish if the quality of the cabinet’s wood has not deteriorated significantly. The only thing that needs changing in the refinishing process is the finish or the skin of a cabinet.
Also, refinishing does not take much time; depending on the level of planning and professionalism, refinishing can take a couple of hours.
Advantages of buying Custom Cabinets
Custom cabinets are desirable if you want to expand your storage capacity or minimize your space. A custom cabinet is also desirable if your interior decoration taste has changed, and you are interested in changing the color and the style, and the aura of your home.
Therefore, if you are weighing the decision to refinish your cabinets or buy custom ones, you should consider the following questions: Do you have enough money? Are the existing cabinets still functioning optimally? Are the existing cabinets occupying more space than needed? Has the existing color or finish faded? Is there enough time?
The questions listed above are a guide in deciding whether to refinish or go for custom cabinets. For instance, you might be financially buoyant, but your cabinet is still functioning optimally. If your need for space has not changed significantly, it might be economically unwise to request custom cabinets.
Conclusively, custom cabinets are advisable if your cabinet’s wood has worn out or the style is no more in vogue, and you can foot the bill of a new design that can be fashioned to your need and taste. However, if a cabinet is in good condition and the style is not out of tune with the present reality, but the color has faded or the finish has flaked off, refinishing is advisable.
However, it should be noted that not all cabinet’s skin can be refinished, but all cabinets can be custom made provided your specifications are realistic. It is equally difficult to design a custom cabinet yourself, but with the appropriate “do it yourself” guide, you could refinish your cabinet yourself; however, it is advisable to seek professional help.