Should I paint, reface or replace my kitchen cabinets?

Paint if the boxes and doors are solid and you like the layout. Reface if the boxes are sound but you want new door styles. Replace if the boxes are worn out or the layout doesn't work.

How much does it cost to replace kitchen cabinets?

Angi puts installed cabinets at $100–$300 per linear foot for stock, $200–$650 for semi-custom and $500–$1,200 for custom.

What's the difference between framed and frameless cabinets?

Framed cabinets have a hardwood face frame; frameless don't, which gives a wider opening. A 15-inch drawer base opens 10¼ inches framed vs 12 inches frameless (Dura Supreme).

What does KCMA certified mean?

The cabinet line passed KCMA testing that simulates a lifetime of use: shelf loading, 25,000 door and drawer cycles, and finish tests against heat, humidity and common kitchen stains.

How long does painted cabinet finish take to cure?

It depends on the product. Benjamin Moore Advance can be recoated after 16 hours but can take up to 30 days to reach full hardness.

Kitchen Cabinets: Paint, Reface or Replace?

Q: Are plywood cabinets better than particleboard?

Plywood boxes are stronger and hold screws better; particleboard's main weakness is moisture. Plywood costs roughly 30% more (Deslaurier).

Paint, reface or replace?

Three ways to update cabinets
Option	What happens	Fits when	National cost
Paint	Doors off, clean, sand, prime and paint with a cabinet-grade enamel	Boxes and doors are solid and you like the layout	$30–$60 per linear ft or $100–$250 per door
Reface	New doors and drawer fronts, veneer on the boxes, often new hinges and slides	Boxes are sound, but you want a new door style	$150–$450 per linear ft
Replace	New cabinets, often with a new layout	Boxes are worn out, or the layout doesn't work	Stock $100–$300, semi-custom $200–$650, custom $500–$1,200 per linear ft

National costs: Angi painting, Angi refacing, Angi cabinets. Twin Cities: Angi says refacing runs $175–$525 per linear foot in Minneapolis, averaging about $7,331, 19% more than the national average (Angi Minneapolis). Homewyse's St. Paul calculator puts cabinet painting at $6.16–$12.35 per sq ft of surface (Homewyse). In Houzz's 2026 study, 68% of renovating homeowners replaced all their cabinets, and among those doing partial updates, refinishing the exteriors was the top approach at 50% (Houzz).

Stock, semi-custom and custom

Stock: ready-made, set sizes, no customization. Fastest and cheapest.
Semi-custom: a hybrid, with choices in sizes, finishes and features.
Custom: built to your exact specifications.

Source: Deslaurier.

What the box is made of

Plywood boxes are the stronger option and hold screws better; particleboard's main weakness is moisture. Plywood boxes run roughly 30% more than basic particleboard (Deslaurier). Under the sink is where that matters most.

Look for the KCMA certification seal. KCMA tests the structure, drawers, doors and finish to simulate a lifetime of use: shelves loaded for seven days, doors and drawers cycled 25,000 times, and finishes exposed to heat, humidity and common kitchen stains like coffee, ketchup and vinegar (KCMA, KCMA). Composite wood in cabinets also has to meet EPA formaldehyde limits and be labeled TSCA Title VI compliant (EPA). Minnesota adds its own rule: building materials containing urea formaldehyde must come with a written health notice, and whoever installs them must give the homeowner a copy (Minn. Stat. 325F.18).

Framed vs frameless

Framed cabinets have a solid hardwood face frame on the front; frameless (European) cabinets don't, so you get a bigger opening and easier access. Minnesota cabinet maker Dura Supreme gives an example: a 15" four-drawer base has a 10¼" opening framed, versus 12" frameless (Dura Supreme). Framed cabinets can take standard overlay, full overlay or inset doors; frameless is full overlay only.

Door styles and overlays

Shaker: a frame of two stiles and two rails around a flat, recessed center panel (KraftMaid).
Raised panel: a center panel with a raised, shaped profile (Dura Supreme).
Slab: a flat door with no frame, for a modern look.
Overlay: full overlay covers most of the face frame for a clean look; standard (partial) overlay shows more frame and costs less; inset sits flush inside the frame, the most tailored look (Dura Supreme).

Drawers: where quality shows

Dovetail joints are among the strongest drawer joints; soft-close hardware closes silently on its own; full-extension glides let the drawer open all the way instead of three-quarters (Dura Supreme, Wellborn). Open a drawer in the showroom and pull it all the way out.

Painted vs stained, and thermofoil

Wood moves slightly at the joints, and on painted cabinets that movement can show as a hairline seam; stain hides it better (Dura Supreme). Thermofoil and laminate doors are sensitive to heat. KraftMaid says heat shields near ovens are required for warranty coverage on laminate doors (KraftMaid).

Painting existing cabinets: do it right or don't do it

The finish is only as good as the prep: remove doors and hardware, clean before sanding, sand with 150–220 grit, and prime. Benjamin Moore's Advance, a common cabinet enamel, is recoatable after 16 hours but can take up to 30 days to reach full hardness, so go easy on the doors for the first few weeks (Benjamin Moore).

If you're selling

Updated cabinet fronts are part of what made the Twin Cities' minor kitchen remodel recoup 101% of its cost in the 2025 Cost vs. Value report: new Shaker-style fronts and hardware, not all-new cabinets (Cost vs. Value). Buyers also like storage: 80% want a walk-in pantry and 74% want pull-out shelves (NAHB, 2024).

Where the money is best spent

Keep good boxes. If they're solid, painting or refacing costs a fraction of new.
Spend on the box and drawers (plywood, dovetail, full-extension soft-close) before fancy door details.
Pull-outs and organizers are what you use every day, and they're on buyers' wish lists.