Cabinet Refacing
Cabinet Refacing near you
Refacing keeps the cabinet boxes and replaces everything you see: doors, drawer fronts, end panels, kickboards and hardware, with the exposed carcase edges covered to match. In a kitchen where the layout works and the boxes are sound, it is a genuinely sensible piece of work, and it takes days rather than weeks because the plumbing, the electrical points and usually the benchtop all stay where they are.
Tell us about your cabinet refacing project and we’ll help you find local cabinet installers who serve your area.
Free for homeowners · No obligation to hire
On this page
The thing that makes refacing different from a new kitchen is that there is no adjustment left. A new cabinet is levelled, packed and scribed into the room, so a few millimetres of wall bow is absorbed during installation. A reface is cut to carcases that already exist, already sit where they sit, and cannot be moved. Every front is a made-to-measure component, and a measuring error has nowhere to go.
There is also a benchtop question that did not exist a few years ago. Since 1 July 2024 the use, supply and manufacture of engineered stone benchtops, panels and slabs has been prohibited in Australia, with exceptions only for the removal, repair, minor modification and disposal of engineered stone installed before the prohibition. If a reface was going to include a new matching engineered stone top, that plan needs replacing with natural stone, timber, porcelain, stainless or laminate.
When refacing beats a new kitchen, and when it does not
Refacing is the right call when three things are true: the layout already works, the carcases are structurally sound and square enough to hang a door on, and the services are staying where they are. If any of those is false, the saving evaporates. Moving a sink means plumbing, opening a wall or changing a bench run means the carcases have to change, and a box that has swollen at the base cannot hold a hinge reliably no matter what is screwed to the front of it.
The other honest test is how long you intend to keep the house as it is. Refacing resets the appearance and the hardware but not the carcase, the runners' mounting points or the benchtop. If the boxes are already a couple of decades old and being asked to serve another decade, the arithmetic often favours replacement, even though the headline price does not.
Signs your carcases are not worth refacing
- Swelling or crumbling at the base of the sink or dishwasher cabinet, which is the classic sign of a slow leak that has already done its work.
- Carcase sides that flex when you pull on them, meaning the box is no longer rigid enough to hold a hinge under load.
- Hinge screw holes that have been re-drilled and filled more than once and no longer hold.
- Overhead cabinets that were fixed into plasterboard rather than back to framing, which is a safety issue to be fixed before anything cosmetic.
- Carcases out of plumb or racked far enough that a new door cannot be adjusted into line with its neighbours.
- A layout you already dislike, since refacing will keep it exactly as it is for another decade.
Refacing options, from doors only to full front replacement
- Door and drawer front replacement only, with the existing hinges and runners retained, which is the cheapest and the least transformative.
- Fronts plus new hinges and runners, which is where most of the improvement in daily feel actually comes from.
- Fronts, hardware, end panels and kickboards, so that the visible carcase edges match the new fronts rather than the old ones.
- Adding a filler or bulkhead panel to close dead space above overheads, which changes the proportions of the room more than the door colour does.
- Painting or resurfacing existing fronts in place, which suits solid timber and two-pack far better than wrapped board.
- A partial reface combined with one or two new cabinets, which is common where an appliance has changed size.
How a reface runs, and where the risk sits
The entire job hangs on the measure. Each opening is measured individually, because carcases built years ago are rarely identical even when they were meant to be, and the hinge bore positions have to be recorded as well as the sizes. Reveals and shadow gaps are set at that point, and once the fronts are made to those numbers there is no site allowance to absorb an error.
- An inspection of every carcase for square, rigidity, water damage and how it is fixed to the wall.
- Individual measurement of each opening and each drawer box, with the hinge bore pattern recorded.
- Selection of front material and finish, and confirmation of the reveal and gap the new fronts will run at.
- Manufacture of fronts, panels and kickboards, which is the lead time in the job.
- Removal of the old fronts and hardware, and repair of any carcase problems found underneath.
- New hinges and runners fitted, fronts hung, and the whole run adjusted across the kitchen rather than cabinet by cabinet.
- End panels, kickboards and edge treatment last, so that everything visible matches.
The benchtop decision a reface cannot avoid
Most refaces keep the existing benchtop, which is part of the appeal. Where the benchtop is being changed, or where a new cabinet is being added and the top has to be extended or re-cut, the engineered stone prohibition is now part of the conversation. Since 1 July 2024 the use, supply and manufacture of engineered stone benchtops, panels and slabs has been prohibited, with products containing trace levels of crystalline silica under one per cent by weight exempted.
The exceptions for removal, repair, minor modification and disposal of engineered stone installed before the prohibition are what allow an existing top to be worked on at all, and that work belongs to a business equipped for silica control. Plan the reface around keeping the existing top intact wherever possible, and where it cannot stay, choose from the materials that may lawfully be fabricated rather than trying to match the old one.
What goes wrong with a reface
- Fronts made from a single sample measurement rather than from every opening, so the gaps march out of alignment along the run.
- New hinges that do not suit the existing bore pattern, leaving doors with limited adjustment from day one.
- Old runners retained under new fronts, so the drawers still drag and the improvement feels superficial.
- Edge tape or panels that match the fronts in the showroom but not under the kitchen's own lighting.
- Carcase damage discovered after the old fronts come off, with no allowance in the quote for repairing it.
- A reface carried out over an overhead cabinet that was never properly fixed to framing, which hides a safety problem behind a new door.
- Heavier new fronts hung on carcases that were built for lighter ones, which racks the box over time.
Getting the most life out of refaced cabinetry
- Adjust hinges as soon as a door starts to drift out of line, because most systems are designed to be adjusted repeatedly.
- Keep the silicone at the benchtop and splashback sound, since a reface does nothing to protect the carcase from water.
- Wipe spills from the floor of the sink cabinet rather than letting them sit, which is where board fails first.
- Clean hardware and hinges in coastal homes, where salt film starts corrosion on the new fittings as readily as the old.
- Avoid overloading new drawer fronts on old runners, and have the runners upgraded rather than living with the drag.
- Keep a spare front or a record of the finish batch, because matching a single replacement later is far harder than ordering one now.
Cabinet Refacing: frequently asked questions
Is refacing much cheaper than a new kitchen?
It is usually a good deal less, because the carcases, the benchtop, the plumbing and the electrical work all stay. But the saving only holds if the boxes are sound, the layout is staying and the services are not moving. Once a carcase has to be replaced, a sink relocated or a benchtop re-cut, the gap narrows quickly. Get the carcases inspected before you compare prices, not after.
Can I reface cabinets that have water damage under the sink?
Not sensibly, unless that cabinet is replaced as part of the job. Swollen or crumbling board will not hold a hinge screw reliably, and hanging a new front on it simply moves the failure a year or two down the track. The usual answer is to replace the sink cabinet and reface the rest, which is a common and perfectly reasonable hybrid. Whoever quotes should be opening that cabinet and pressing on the base before pricing anything.
Can the benchtop be matched to my new doors?
It can be replaced, but not with engineered stone. The use, supply and manufacture of engineered stone benchtops, panels and slabs has been prohibited in Australia since 1 July 2024, with only trace-silica products under one per cent by weight exempted and narrow exceptions for removing, repairing, minor modification and disposing of engineered stone installed before then. A new top means natural stone, timber, porcelain, stainless steel or laminate, so it is worth choosing the fronts and the top together.
How long does a kitchen reface take?
The on-site part is usually a few days, because nothing structural is happening and the services are untouched. The lead time is the manufacture of the fronts, which cannot start until every opening has been measured individually. That is the sequence to expect: an inspection and a detailed measure, several weeks of making, then a short, fairly clean installation. A quote that promises fronts next week has almost certainly not measured each opening.
Should I keep my existing hinges and runners?
Usually not, and this is where a reface either feels like a new kitchen or does not. Fronts alone change the appearance; hinges and runners change how the kitchen behaves every day. Old runners that drag and hinges with no adjustment left will undercut the whole job. If budget forces a choice, new hardware with simpler fronts generally gives a better result than expensive fronts on worn hardware.
Sources
Written by the LokalMatch editorial team. Last reviewed 22 September 2026. How we write and check our guides
Find cabinet installers by city
Australian Capital Territory
Show 1 citiesHide cities
New South Wales
Show 8 citiesHide cities
Northern Territory
Show 1 citiesHide cities
Queensland
Show 10 citiesHide cities
South Australia
Show 1 citiesHide cities
Tasmania
Show 2 citiesHide cities
Victoria
Show 5 citiesHide cities
Western Australia
Show 2 citiesHide cities
What affects the cost of cabinet refacing
Prices depend on the details of your project. We only publish price ranges when they’re backed by real LokalMatch quote data or reliable sources. Until then, here’s what usually changes the price:
- Size and complexity of the piece or structure
- Wood species or material
- Custom design compared with standard sizes
- Hardware, railings and finishing
- Removal of what's there now
- Permits and drawings, where needed
How to compare cabinet installers before you hire
- Choose a carpenter whose past work matches your project, whether that's framing, trim, built-ins, stairs or a deck.
- Ask for drawings or a clear description of what will be built, including materials and finishes.
- For decks, stairs and railings, ask whether a permit is needed, since these are safety items.
- Get a written quote that says who supplies materials and whether finishing, such as painting or staining, is included.
- Ask how they'll handle surprises like rot or uneven walls and floors.
Questions to ask cabinet installers before you hire
- Can you show me photos of similar work you've done?
- What materials will you use, and why?
- Does this project need a permit, and will you get it?
- Is finishing, such as sanding, painting or staining, included?
- How will you attach the work to the existing structure?
- What warranty do you offer on your workmanship?
Cabinet refacing permits and local rules
Some cabinet refacing work needs a permit or has to meet local bylaws. Rules vary by municipality, so ask your pro whether a permit is needed and who will apply for it — and check with your city or town if you’re unsure.
Permits and licensingGuides about cabinet refacing
- ✦
Carpenters guide
Carpentry in Australia divides into trades that often arrive on site months apart. Frame carpenters set out and erect the floor, wall and roof structure, fit the bracing and tie the frame down.
Read guide - ✦
Trim & Moulding guide
Skirtings, architraves, window reveals, door stops and sill trims are the joinery that finishes a room, and in an Australian house they do a job people rarely think about: they cover the gap where two materials that…
Read guide - ✦
Cornices guide
A cornice is the moulding that closes the junction between a wall and a ceiling, and in Australia it is almost universal. The reason is structural rather than decorative.
Read guide
Services related to cabinet refacing
Ready to get cabinet refacing quotes?
Tell us about your cabinet refacing project.
Do you offer cabinet refacing services?
Join LokalMatch to get matched with homeowners in the areas you serve.