What is the difference between cabinet refinishing and cabinet refacing?

Cabinet refinishing and cabinet refacing are both excellent alternatives to full cabinet replacement, but they solve different problems and suit different situations.

Cabinet Refinishing

Cabinet refinishing strips and re-finishes your existing cabinet doors, drawers, and frames with a new professional-grade coating. Your original cabinet doors stay — they're just restored to a like-new (or better) condition. This is ideal when your cabinets are structurally sound, the door style works for your kitchen, but the finish is worn, outdated, or damaged.

Cabinet Refacing

Cabinet refacing replaces the cabinet door and drawer fronts entirely with new ones, and applies a new veneer or laminate to the visible cabinet boxes. The cabinet structure stays in place — no demolition, no plumbing or electrical work — but you get entirely new doors in a new style. This is the right choice when you want to change the door style itself (for example, from raised panel to shaker) or when the existing doors are warped, cracked, or otherwise beyond refinishing.

Quick Comparison

• Cost: Refinishing is typically 30–40% less expensive than refacing, since you're restoring existing doors rather than replacing them.
• Timeline: Both take roughly 7–10 business days for a standard Edmonton kitchen.
• Durability: Both deliver professional, long-lasting results when done correctly with quality materials.
• Best for: Refinishing = colour/finish change with same door style. Refacing = new door style + colour/finish change.

Not sure which is right for your kitchen? Book a free estimate — Mourad will assess your cabinets in person and recommend the best approach.