Can You Replace Kitchen Cabinet Doors Only? Know This First

When it comes to kitchen renovations, replacing cabinet doors is often an enticing proposition. It might seem like a quick fix that can give your kitchen a much-needed facelift with minimal expenditure and disruption - but is this really the case? Before you go ahead and order new doors - let’s take the time to understand the advantages and disadvantages and work out what’s right for you. 

The advantages of replacing kitchen cabinet doors only

It’s cost-effective

There’s no doubt that one of the biggest advantages of replacing cupboard doors over the entire cupboard is that it saves you money. And when you’re renovating, managing costs is important. So by keeping your existing cupboards but updating your doors with a fresh new look does help to make things more budget-friendly. 

That being said, it’s worth checking what the prices of the doors may be before committing to this plan of action. If you have more unusually shaped or custom cabinetry, finding doors that fit may be more difficult and add to the price. In the end, there may not be significant savings so measure and do a little research on the type of cabinet doors available before committing to this route. 

It’s a simple but high-impact aesthetic update

Cabinet doors are definitely a main feature in any kitchen and play a crucial role in defining the overall style. By replacing just the cupboard doors, there’s an opportunity to really change the look and feel of your kitchen. You may prefer modern, boho or a rustic style, and choosing cupboard doors to match can really transform the appearance of your kitchen. And you don’t need to replace everything to get this look. 

Minimal disruption - a significant advantage

When you picture ripping out all the cabinetry in a kitchen, it seems like such a big undertaking and also - where do you put everything? So it involves a lot of disruption and a lot of mess. But focusing on only doors allows much of your kitchen to stay intact. Replacing only the cabinet doors is pretty straightforward. It takes less time, effort and disruption compared with complete cabinet replacement. It’s also much more straightforward. Overall, it allows you to update your kitchen without a prolonged period of inconvenience.

The disadvantages of replacing kitchen cabinet doors only

Mismatched appearance

One of the bigger disadvantages of replacing the doors only is the possibility of the doors not matching the appearance of other parts of the kitchen. If the existing cabinet carcasses are worn, damaged, significantly different in design or just slightly different in wood type or colour, this could result in an inconsistent look that you don’t like all that much. One other issue that tends to pop up is the doors not aligning properly as older cabinets may have warped or sagged leaving you with the hard decision of cutting up your new doors to fit or not! 

So if you’re set on choosing new doors only, really pay attention to:

• wood grain and direction
• wood colour
• if the cabinet carcasses need some updating or fixing before attaching new doors
• if your new doors will flow in design or really stand out

Structural issues

When you replace cabinet doors only, you may neglect underlying structural issues that may exist within the cabinets themselves. If the cabinet boxes are deteriorating, warped or have extensive wear and tear, replacing the door alone won’t address these problems. It’s important to confirm that the cabinet structure is in good condition to support new doors before moving ahead.

Functionality issues aren’t addressed

If one of the things you’d really love to do with your kitchen renovation is improve functionality and ease of use of the kitchen, then new doors may not be the answer. If upgrading storage options, incorporating modern features and changing the layout of the kitchen cabinetry is really what you need to do, then changing the kitchen cabinetry entirely may be a better long-term solution. Our kitchens Bundaberg team has helped people navigate this issue so reach out if you’d like help. 

There are advantages and disadvantages to replacing kitchen cabinet doors only and as you’ve seen, a number of factors come down to your situation, including: 

• how old are your cabinet carcasses?
• can you find new doors you like that will fit?
• is functionality a big issue and more important to be addressed?
• is your kitchen in pretty good shape but just needs a fresh look?

Considering that and also speaking with professionals, like our kitchen Bundaberg design team, will help you make a great decision. Happy renovating!