DIY Network

Refacing Bathroom Cabinets From "DIY to the Rescue" episode DTTR-307F

The refaced cabinet was taken from plain-Jane to prima donna.

With the flooring in place in both the bedroom and the bath, host Amy Devers will teach homeowner Chris DeWitte to reface the bathroom cabinet and give it a whole new look.

Materials:

For this Rescue, the crew used -

2 doors measuring 16-1/4" x 17-1/4"
6 drawer fronts measuring 16-1/4" x 4-1/2"
2 drawer fronts measuring 16-1/4" x 10-1/4"
1/8" matching furniture grade 3-ply plywood for facing the existing cabinet boxes
(2) 2 x 8 sheets of 1/8" plywood
Molding for the top of upper cabinets, scribe for cover raw edges and trim to walls, and base shoe molding to go to floor
Self-closing concealed hinges
Knobs and/or handles
Clear plastic adhesive bumpers for the backs of drawer fronts and doors
Wood screws
Color matched wood filler
Wood cleaner
Degreaser
Denatured Alcohol
Lint-free cloths
Tape measure
Sandpaper
Putty knife
Laminate cutter

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	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D

1. Remove all doors (figure A) and drawer fronts, then lightly sand all exterior surfaces of cabinets and clean away any grease or oils. Use a sanding block and 150-grit sandpaper -- avoid using a power sander, which can warp openings.

2. Make a "cut list" by measuring the size of each veneer piece needed to cover the existing cabinet. The face frame of the cabinet will be covered with individual strips that have the wood grain running in the same direction as the original cabinet. Make precise cuts to ensure that strips meet tightly (figure B).

3. After the cuts are made, paint the entire cabinet with contact cement (figure C) and to the back of the veneer pieces. (Contact cement must be applied to both surfaces in order to properly adhere). Paint enough cement so that the veneer pieces look as if they've been quickly dipped in milk.

4. Apply the veneer to the cabinet, taking your time to align properly (figure D) -- one the product is pressed into place, it won't budge. Tip: Wax paper can be place between the cabinet and the veneer to keep the cement from adhering until the veneer is perfectly aligned.

5. After all veneer has been applied, trim edges of the face frame with the scribe molding to cover any raw edges. Then, trim the cabinet to the wall with the scribe molding. Finally, add the crown molding at the top of the cabinet and the base shoe molding at the floor.

6. Use the concealed hinges to install the doors. These hinges require that two 35mm holes be bored into the back surface of the door -- and it's better done at the factory, rather than doing it yourself.

7. Install the drawer front, aligning with doors at top and bottom.

8. Finally, fill holes and seams with wood filler and clean the cabinets to remove excess wood filler and any other residue.

Cost of Professional Cabinet Refacing = $1,000
Cost of Materials = $450
Amount Saved by Doing it Yourself = $550