Can I update old kitchen cupboards without spending a lot of money? Yes, you absolutely can update old kitchen cupboards cheaply using simple DIY methods, clever material swaps, and smart planning. This guide will show you many ways to give your kitchen a fresh look without draining your savings account.
Why Update Cabinets on a Budget?
Replacing kitchen cabinets is one of the biggest home renovation costs. Many homeowners simply do not have the budget for a full tear-out. Good news! Most old cabinets are structurally sound, even if the style looks dated. A budget kitchen cabinet update focuses on the visible parts: the doors, the finish, and the hardware. This saves thousands of dollars. You get a big visual impact for a small price.
Initial Steps Before Starting Your Project
Before you grab any paint or tools, you must take stock of your current cabinets. This planning step saves time and money later.
Assessing Your Current Cabinets
Look closely at what you have. Are the doors solid wood? Are they particleboard? Do they have a shiny, smooth coating?
- Wood Cabinets: These are the easiest to refinish kitchen cabinets. Wood takes paint or stain well.
- Laminate or Thermofoil Cabinets: These often need special preparation. You must update old laminate cabinets correctly, or the paint will peel right off.
- Condition: Check for loose joints, deep scratches, or water damage. Fix these small problems first.
Choosing Your Project Scope
Decide how much work you want to do. There are three main levels for a cheap kitchen cabinet makeover:
- Cosmetic Refresh: Painting and new hardware.
- Surface Change: Refacing or covering existing doors.
- Full Door Swap: Replacing just the doors.
Method 1: Painting for a Dramatic Change
Painting is the most popular and often the most impactful budget solution. It completely changes the look of the kitchen.
Preparing for the Paint Job
Proper prep work is crucial. Do not skip these steps, especially if you want your finish to last.
Cleaning and Degreasing
Kitchen grease builds up over years. This grease prevents paint from sticking.
- Remove all doors and drawers. Take off all the hardware (knobs and pulls).
- Wash the surfaces well. Use a strong degreaser like TSP (Trisodium Phosphate) substitute or a strong mix of dish soap and water.
- Rinse all surfaces thoroughly with clean water. Let them dry completely.
Sanding Matters
Sanding creates a “tooth” for the paint to grip onto. This is vital for durability.
- For raw wood, use 120-grit sandpaper first, then finish with 220-grit.
- For glossy, old finishes (like laminate), you must dull the shine completely. Use a sanding block with 180-grit sandpaper. If sanding feels too hard, use a liquid deglosser product. This chemical removes the shine without heavy sanding.
Priming: The Secret to Success
Primer seals the surface and helps the topcoat stick firmly. This is where many DIY projects fail.
- If painting wood: Use a stain-blocking primer. This stops old wood tannins from bleeding through your new light paint color.
- If updating laminate or metal: You need a specialty bonding primer. These primers are designed to stick to slick, non-porous surfaces. This step is non-negotiable when you update old laminate cabinets.
Selecting the Best Paint for Kitchen Cabinets
You need paint made for high-traffic, high-moisture areas. Standard wall paint will chip fast.
| Paint Type | Pros | Cons | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oil-Based (Alkyd) | Very durable, smooth finish. | Strong fumes, slow drying, yellows over time. | High-use cabinets where durability is key. |
| Water-Based Acrylic Enamel | Low odor, fast drying, cleans easily. | Requires excellent prep, less durable than oil unless high quality. | Most DIY projects; excellent modern choice. |
| Cabinet Specific Paint | Formulated for adhesion and hardness. | More expensive. | Achieving professional results with less risk. |
Most experts now recommend high-quality water-based acrylic enamel paints specifically formulated for cabinets. They offer the best balance of ease of use and durability for a DIY kitchen cabinet resurfacing.
Painting Techniques
Use the right tools for a smooth finish. Avoid using cheap brushes.
- Use a good quality synthetic brush for cutting in edges and corners.
- Use a foam roller or a short-nap microfiber roller for the flat surfaces of the doors and boxes. Roll gently. Do not overwork the paint.
- Apply Thin Coats: Two or three thin coats look much better and last longer than one thick coat. Let each coat fully cure according to the manufacturer’s directions.
Method 2: Hardware and Accent Updates
New hardware is like jewelry for your cabinets. This is the simplest way to achieve a cheap kitchen cabinet makeover.
Install New Kitchen Hardware
Swapping knobs and pulls is fast, easy, and instantly modernizes a space.
- Measure First: Always measure the distance between the existing holes (the “center-to-center” measurement) before buying new pulls. If you buy a pull with a different spacing, you will have extra holes to fill and deal with, adding complexity to your budget kitchen cabinet update.
- Style Choice: Matte black, brushed brass, or sleek stainless steel are popular modern choices that contrast beautifully with painted cabinets.
Updating the Look of Hinges
If your hinges are visible (external hinges), they might look very dated (often yellowish or shiny brass).
- Paint Hinges: You can clean and paint external hinges the same color as your hardware, or a contrasting color like matte black. Use a specialty metal spray paint designed for hardware.
- Cover Hinges: If the hinges are ugly but functional, sometimes you can purchase decorative plates that screw over the existing hinge base, giving a cleaner look.
Method 3: Refacing and Resurfacing Options
If painting seems too risky, or if the cabinet faces are too damaged, refacing kitchen cabinets or using overlays might be the answer.
Refacing Kitchen Cabinets
Refacing means keeping the existing cabinet boxes (the frames attached to the wall) but replacing the doors and drawer fronts. This is a step up from painting but cheaper than a full replacement.
- Pros: New look without tearing out the structure. Faster installation than new cabinets.
- Cons: Requires precise measurements for new doors. Can still be costly if you buy high-end materials.
If you want to DIY refacing, you can order custom doors and just stick thin veneer or laminate over the existing door frames, effectively creating a new surface.
DIY Kitchen Cabinet Resurfacing with Peel-and-Stick Products
For the absolute lowest effort and cost, consider contact paper or peel-and-stick vinyl. This works well for update old laminate cabinets that are too slick to paint easily.
- Materials: Look for high-quality vinyl wraps designed for furniture or cabinets. They are thicker and more durable than standard shelf liner. Faux wood grains, marble patterns, or solid colors are available.
- Application Tips:
- Clean the surface extremely well (as if you were painting).
- Measure carefully and cut pieces slightly larger than needed.
- Use a squeegee or credit card to apply the vinyl slowly, pushing out air bubbles as you go. Work from the center outward.
This method is fast, but durability depends heavily on the quality of the vinyl and how well you seal the edges against moisture.
Method 4: Cabinet Door Replacement
If the door style is the main issue, replacing only the doors and drawer fronts can provide a major overhaul.
Cabinet Door Replacement Strategy
You can buy brand new, unfinished doors online or from home improvement stores. This allows you to change the style completely (e.g., moving from flat panel to shaker style).
- Measure Existing Doors: Carefully measure the height and width of every existing door and drawer front. Also, measure the overlay—how much the door overlaps the cabinet frame when closed.
- Order New Doors: Order new doors that match your frame measurements and overlay style.
- Paint or Stain New Doors: Paint or stain the new doors before installation. It is much easier to paint a door lying flat than one attached to the box.
- Transfer Hardware: If the hole placement is different on the new doors, you will need to drill new holes for your install new kitchen hardware.
This technique is a fantastic way to refinish kitchen cabinets when the boxes are solid but the doors look like they belong in a different decade.
Changing Door Styles Affordably
If you have basic flat panel doors but want a more custom look, you can create an inexpensive faux shaker look.
- Purchase thin strips of wood molding (often called “stop molding”).
- Cut the molding to size to form a square or rectangle border on the flat door panel.
- Glue and nail (or just use strong adhesive) the trim pieces onto the flat door face.
- Prime and paint the entire door surface, including the new trim. This gives the appearance of expensive shaker doors for very little money.
Deep Dive: Tackling Old Laminate Cabinets
Update old laminate cabinets presents specific challenges due to the slick, non-porous surface. Standard paint slides right off.
The Key to Laminate Success: Etching and Bonding
To make paint stick to laminate (thermofoil or melamine), you must change the surface energy so the primer can grab hold.
Option A: Chemical Etching (Deglossing)
Use a liquid deglosser (like liquid sandpaper) or specialized etching solution. This slightly dulls the surface chemically, creating microscopic roughness without the dust of sanding.
Option B: Heavy Sanding
If you choose to sand, you must use very fine grit (220+) and sand until every bit of shine is gone. You should see a dull, slightly scratched surface. Vacuum all dust thoroughly before moving on.
The Primer Must Bond
Whether you chose Option A or B, the primer is the hero. You must use a specialized bonding primer. Look for primers labeled for “difficult surfaces,” “laminate,” or “melamine.” These often have stronger adhesion properties that grip the slick plastic or laminate coating. Follow the primer drying time exactly.
Final Touches for a High-End Look
A few small details can elevate your budget kitchen cabinet update from DIY project to professional remodel.
Drawer Boxes and Organization
If you have the budget for one splurge, consider drawer slides. Old drawers sag and stick. Replacing worn slides with new, soft-close metal runners makes opening and closing drawers feel luxurious, even if the boxes themselves remain old.
Toe Kicks and Filler Strips
If your old cabinets don’t meet the floor or have awkward gaps near the ceiling or walls, cover them up.
- Use thin pieces of wood (filler strips) to cover the gaps where the boxes meet the wall.
- Use matching wood or painted board to create a clean toe kick base if yours is missing or damaged. This makes the cabinets look built-in and solid.
Comparing Costs for Your Update
Here is a rough idea of how different options compare in terms of cost and effort for a standard 15-cabinet kitchen.
| Update Method | Estimated Cost Range (Excluding Labor) | Effort Level | Durability Potential |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paint Only | \$200 – \$500 | Medium to High | High (If prepped perfectly) |
| New Hardware Only | \$50 – \$250 | Very Low | Very High |
| Peel-and-Stick Vinyl | \$150 – \$400 | Medium | Medium (Varies by quality) |
| Faux Shaker Trim | \$50 – \$150 (for trim wood) + Paint Cost | High | High |
| New Doors (Refacing) | \$800 – \$2,500+ | Medium (Installation required) | Very High |
These figures confirm that painting remains the top choice for the most dramatic transformation on a shoestring budget.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Updating Kitchen Cabinets
Q: What is the fastest way to update kitchen cabinets?
A: The fastest method is installing new hardware and cleaning the existing doors thoroughly. If you must change the color, painting the boxes only (leaving the doors on, if they are simple slab doors) is quicker than removing everything, but the finish won’t be as professional.
Q: Can I paint over glossy cabinets without sanding?
A: It is strongly advised against painting glossy surfaces without sanding or using a chemical deglosser. Paint needs a slightly rough surface (a “tooth”) to adhere. If you skip this, the paint will likely peel off within weeks or months. You must use a strong bonding primer if you absolutely must skip sanding.
Q: What should I do about damaged veneer on my cabinets?
A: If the damage is minor on a flat surface, you can use wood filler or Bondo (for larger chips) to patch the area. Once patched, sand it smooth. You can then proceed with priming and painting. If the damage is widespread, consider vinyl wrap or cabinet door replacement.
Q: Should I paint the cabinet boxes or the doors first?
A: Always remove the doors and drawer fronts. It is nearly impossible to get smooth, professional results painting doors while they are attached to the boxes. Paint the boxes first while the doors are drying, then paint the doors laid flat on sawhorses or covered tables.
Q: How do I deal with the smell after painting oil-based cabinets?
A: Oil-based paints have strong odors that linger. Ensure maximum ventilation—open windows, use fans pointing outward, and wear a respirator. For the residual smell, place bowls of activated charcoal or coffee grounds in the kitchen for a few days; they help absorb lingering fumes. For future projects, consider using low-VOC or zero-VOC best paint for kitchen cabinets.