Kitchen Doors Guide

Posts Tagged ‘handles’

Kitchen Cabinets Are Expensive – Here Are a Few Great Ways to Update Their Look Without Spending a Ton of Cash

Kitchen cabinets are an important accessory in the kitchen. Unfortunately, the styles don’t last forever; and neither does the paint or stain. So what do you do when your kitchen needs up an update, but you don’t have the cash to purchase new cabinets? Here are a few tricks on how to update your kitchen cabinets, without spending tons of cash.

The easiest way to update kitchen cabinets is to change out the existing door handles or knobs. These features of the cabinet can make them look outdated and old quickly. Replacing them every once in a while will help you update your kitchen for just a few bucks. Plus, you’ll love the new hardware on the doors. Be sure to replace out of date knobs with new knobs, rather than trying to install a handle; and vice-versa.

To find great hardware for your cabinets, consider hitting up flea markets and bargain stores before hitting the big retailers. You’ll save a few bucks by purchasing someone else’s old handles, and you can clean them up to look as good as new. Chances are, there’s nothing wrong with them except the previous owner no longer liked them. Remember, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

Another great way to update your cabinets is to repaint or re-stain the doors. Sand off the old paint or stain, and then apply a fresh coat. Don’t for about the cabinets themselves. This will take a bit more work than other options; however, the look you’ll get will be just as satisfying as purchasing new cabinets.

If you’re not into repainting or re-staining, why not replace just the doors of the cabinets? You can find cabinet doors to match the existing stain and just replace the doors with newer, updated looks. The look of the cabinet is based on the door itself, not the entire cabinet; so replacing the door is a great way to clean up your kitchen without spending a lot of cash.

Updating a kitchen can be expensive, so don’t waste extra cash buying new cabinets when you can just as easily update them with a little elbow grease. You can even hire a contractor to build new cabinet doors for half the price of purchasing all new cabinets. Chances are, there’s nothing really wrong with the cabinets themselves; so why replace what isn’t broken? Let your imagination create your new kitchen for less than the cost of new cabinets.

The design and appeal of your kitchen will be greatly influenced by the door handles you select, which is why you should consider them as being just as important as the doors themselves. The handles should decorate and accent the style of your kitchen. Keep in mind that they will also be touched and used many times a day, which means they should also be functional. They’ll need to be attractive, stylish, and durable in order to not only make your kitchen beautiful, but also hold up to wear.

There are some questions you should ask yourself before you make your selection for new door handles:

1. Are you replacing your current handles, or is this a new installation?
2. Do you want a door handle or a knob?
3. What style of handle/knob will go well with your kitchen?
4. What size handle would not only look good on your doors, but be functional for you and the other people in your home.
5. Do you have the tools you’d need to install handles?

Handles

Keep in mind that in order to install most handles on new doors, you’ll probably have to make two holes in each door. Make sure you align them vertically by using a level or square before you drill.

To replace an old handle, simply unscrew the old bolts or screws, set the new handle into place, and screw or bolt on the new one. It’s a quick and easy process to replace your old handles, but the rewards can be great; new handles can give a completely new and beautiful look to your kitchen. You’ll be surprised at the change!

Knobs

If you’re installing knobs on new doors, you will again need to drill holes, but the holes for knobs are usually simpler than for handles because they only need to accommodate one small screw. Just keep in mind that you need to be consistent in the placement of your knobs, drilling all the holes the same distance from the edges of the doors.

Changing existing knobs is also an easy process. All you need to do is unscrew the screw or bolt from the back of the door that’s holding the knob on. Then put the new knob into place and screw it on.

Be assured that new handles or knobs can have a huge effect and can greatly improve the appearance of your kitchen. As you can see, selecting and replacing your current handles or knobs can be quite an easy process. If you’re installing new ones, you’ll be in for a challenge, but not a difficult one.

Most kitchen cabinets experience a very large amount of wear just because of what they’re used for. Many experience heat, grease, food residue, and stains that result from cooking anywhere in the kitchen. Sooner or later, you’re going to come to the decision that your kitchen cabinets need replacing or a revamp. However, replacing your kitchen cabinets will probably be the expensive option. A less expensive, and often more creative, option can be replacing or repainting just the doors of your kitchen cabinets.

If you look around a bit, you’ll find you can utilize professional expertise to get custom-made laminate doors for your cabinets. Laminated doors look like wood and don’t require paint. Any professional cabinetmaker will make cabinet doors of any size, shape and color.

Laminated doors are a good option, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get doors made from real wood. A few popular woods for doors are cherry, oak, and maple. But if wood is not your style, you might even think about stainless steel or glass, which is also very popular.

When you’re ready to get them made, make sure that you measure your existing doors carefully and give the measurements to the manufacture so that you’ll get a perfect fit. Remember to also choose a style for your cabinet doors that will go with and accent the rest of your kitchen and home. Styles vary from raised to curved or even flat with intricate moldings.

You might also want to try expressing your own style by painting the cabinet doors yourself. You’ll not only have the satisfaction that you did it yourself, but you’ll also really be able to cut down on the costs of having them painted by a professional. But also keep in mind the time that it’s going to take you.

If you want to paint your own doors, first you’ll need to clean them thoroughly and remove all stains to get an even and uniform finish. You should also fill in any cracks and scratch marks with wood putty. When you’ve got them clean and read, apply a coat of paint with firm strokes. Or you may want to consider spray painting them to get a more uniform and trendy look. Then give them the final touch by selecting elegant knobs or handles for your fresh, new cabinet doors.