What is the difference between cabinet refacing and cabinet refinishing for Edmonton kitchens?

Both refacing and refinishing transform an Edmonton kitchen without the cost and disruption of full replacement, but they solve different problems. Cabinet refacing replaces the doors and drawer fronts entirely with brand new ones in a modern style and veneers the existing cabinet boxes to match. Cabinet refinishing strips your existing doors down to bare wood and spray-applies a new finish, but the door profile stays the same.

Side-by-Side Comparison

• Door style change: Refacing replaces doors entirely (can go from raised-panel to shaker). Refinishing keeps the existing door profile.
• Cost: Refacing typically $5,000 to $12,000. Refinishing typically $3,500 to $7,500. Refacing is higher because of new door hardware and materials.
• Timeline: Refacing 5 to 10 business days. Refinishing 7 to 10 business days.
• Hardware: Refacing includes new soft-close hinges and handles. Refinishing can keep existing or upgrade separately.
• Final look: Refacing gives you a completely new kitchen style. Refinishing updates the colour and finish but keeps the door shape.

Choose Refacing When...

• You want a completely different door style (raised-panel to shaker is the most common Edmonton request, especially in newer executive builds near Anthony Henday Drive, Windermere, and The Hamptons).
• Your existing doors are chipped, warped, or thermofoil-wrapped and peeling.
• You want new soft-close hinges and modern hardware as part of the project.

Choose Refinishing When...

• Your door style is fine but the colour or finish is dated or worn.
• You have solid wood doors (oak, maple, birch) that are worth preserving.
• You want the lowest-cost path to a dramatic colour transformation.
• Your cabinets have heritage or character value (common in Glenora, Highlands, Old Strathcona).

Still Not Sure?

During your free in-home consultation we assess the condition of your doors, face frames, and boxes, then give you a straightforward recommendation. We quote both options in many cases so you can see the full tradeoff. Call 780-938-9555 or request a free estimate.

Refacing vs. Refinishing in Edmonton

We work kitchens across every era and neighbourhood in the Edmonton service area, and the decision between refacing and refinishing often comes down to house age and street. Character and heritage homes in Glenora, Highlands, Westmount, Garneau, Belgravia, and Old Strathcona almost always point toward refinishing: the solid-wood doors from the 1910s through 1950s were built from tight-grain fir, oak, and birch that take spray finish beautifully, and replacing them would mean losing the character of the home. Mid-century kitchens in Riverbend, Westbrook Estates, and Mill Woods sit in a middle zone where either option can work depending on door condition. Newer executive kitchens in Windermere, Summerside, Heritage Valley, Walker, Cavanagh, and The Hamptons, along with 1990s and 2000s Landmark, Qualico, and Cameron builds, almost always point toward refacing because the thermofoil or builder-grade MDF doors were never designed to be refinished.

Geography matters too. Homes along Jasper Avenue, 109 Street, and the River Valley corridor tend to be older character stock where refinishing wins. Homes off Whitemud Drive, Yellowhead Trail, and the outer stretches of Anthony Henday Drive tend to be newer builds where refacing is the stronger call. For context on the city's neighbourhood history, see the Old Strathcona heritage district.