Hi,
Family member wants me to replace cabinet doors and drawer fronts. The lowers are toast, the uppers pristine for their age. The faceframes are also in fine condition.
They would like me to match the profile of the uppers and just replace the lowers but I’m finding it difficult to locate the profile/detail with stock selections from Kraftmaid or the like. It would take a custom shaper knife to match the uppers. This is an older higher end “tract home” from the late 1960’s.
Now I’m of the opinion that it would be better to redo all of the fronts with a new style which I can make on site. This way we’re redoing the entire job for what I imagine the cost of “custom” lowers.
Ever try to match old 1960’s type profiles/designs? In the hour or so I gave it so far I’m finding it difficult to find a custom shop that will even give a quote. Should I waste another day or 2 tracking this down or is my thinking right about replacing all of the fronts?
I’m ready to quote about $2500 which includes all materials, Blum HW, and a couple custom drawers, stainless steel HW, cleaning uip and refinishing faceframes, crown moulding, new base etc… And of course labor to build it all from scratch and work around their schedule.
The lumber is pecan/hickory/ash
Thanks,
10saw
Replies
Firsly, you don't say how many cabinets you are replacing the fronts on, and secondly, you say it's a family member you are working for so I would imagine you have a little extra pull? Work out the details to the point where you feel comfortable trying to sway your family member towards replacing all of the faceframes and doors, etc. I am working on a restoration project presently on a 1799 federal style and have had to run thousands of feet of new mouldings to match the old moulding profiles. That is even more difficult, because they drew all the mouldings by hand. At least in your case the profiles were machine made, and probably a little simpler. But, that doesn't make it easy to find replacments. I would go for the new faceframes if one of my family members was convincing enough....!
Thanks all for the responses,There are:
22 doors
11 drawers
2 false frontsFace frames are in fine condition and need very little attention here and there, they are staying.
The finish is a golden honey type and I believe it was a Minwax PU rub on put on a few years ago. No problem matching (as I cross my fingers<G>)I'm convinced the best bet is to replace all the doors and drawers but like I said I've not contacted ALL the custom shops around and am concerned if I should waste another hour on the phone and trips to the mills to be told what I imagine: too expensive!.Thanks, I'll let ya know how it works out10saw
My turn...
I'd replace the upper doors too. the main reason is that it almost impossible to get the lower doors and sripped frames to match the uppers doors.
For 1 1/2 years , I did about 2 reface jobs ever 3 weeks) No matter how close you think you'll get, it is never an exact match. Based on 22 doors at 18"x30", you will have $375 worth of doors at $15 sqft. Usually less #of upper doors than lowers. That possible extra $300-$400 in Uppper doors will be alot cheaper than trying to strip door details/profiles and you also will not have a problem matching profiles and stain(more$$$)
As for stripping face frames, you have 3 options.
1) strip to raw wood with no stain in the grain. If you leave any stain/color, it will make matching the doors even harder
2) tear of the face frames(my preference) this can work, depending on the construction method. You do have the potention of cracking the topsif they are tile. Usuallly this is not the case, because most people wanted new tops, too
3) Skin over the existing frames with venner plywood or thin stips of solid wood.(second choice) sand down the frames to strip the finsh so the glue will stick. I used titebond glue, not contact cement. all end panels were new plywood skins and crown.
Actually, there is a forth... replace,specially if you plan on new tops
This really is the best over all, specially since sheet goods have come along way. Makes the home worth more. But finances have alot to do in making decisions.
As for you price..... TOO LOW Most finishers I know would chage more athan $2500 just to finish and NEW kitchen
family is one thing, but you also (probably) have your own family
Check out QUALITY DOORS; division of Texwood Industries. 1-800-950-3667
They are out of Texas and make around 50 different styles of cabinet doors. I have used them in the past, it is very good quality, fair price and quick turn-a-round
I design & build custom cabinets and run into this situation a lot. Most of the time, it's cheaper to do a complete replacement than to try to beat the old cabinets into submission.
The carcasses are the least expensive part of the cabinets and - if the old faceframes are glued to them - are gonna be toast anyway if you try to remove them.
Those 40 year old cabinets have done their job. Put them out of their misery - lol.
There are lots of options for you or the family member. You should present the options to them,
Replace the entire kitchen,
Have custom bits (shaper/router) to match the exsisting doors / drawers.
Find some profiles which though not a perfect match but will work
replace the entire lower set of cabs which means you would have to replace the doors / drawers of the existing upper cabs so they would match the lowers.
You might not beable to match the finish which means the lowers would have a diferent finish then the uppers....Ive seen this and in some cases it works with a painted/ antique set of bottoms and a old finish for the tops.
So there are options but you need to discuss it with the HO and find out which is right for them.
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Sancho -
You responded to the wrong person - lol
I present options to folks and trying to "save" old cabinets is seldom on the list. It's 10saw who posted the question. - lol
Oops well it aient the first time :>)
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