How to Reface Bathroom Cabinets and Replace Doors

How to Reface Bathroom Cabinets and Replace Doors
Written By
Jon Olson
Jon Olson
Published: Jul 31, 2009
Updated: Nov 20, 2021
1 minute read

Refacing Cabinets

  1. Remove the cabinet doors and drawers. Remove any hardware.

  2. Scrape off any areas of flaky finish and lightly sand the face and sides of each cabinet. This will slightly rough up the surface.

  3. Use warm, soapy water to clean all surfaces. Let the surfaces dry.

  4. Paint the cabinet with an interior latex primer. Let it dry. Repeat with a second coat.

  5. Apply two coats of cabinet, door and trim enamel, allowing dry time between coats. This paint provides an ultra-smooth, factorylike finish and is extremely durable.

  6. Reinstall all doors, drawers and hardware.

Replacing Doors

  1. Remove cabinet door and hardware.

  2. Purchase a sheet of MDF (medium-density fiberboard) or comparable material to create the new cabinet doors.

  3. Using a table saw, cut the MDF to the same size as the original door.

  4. Prime and paint the new cabinet door.

  5. Install hardware on the new cabinet door and reinstall door on cabinet.

Tips

Searching on Craigslist will often yield free cabinets and cabinet doors. Changing the cabinet hardware changes the look of the entire cabinet.

Warnings

Follow all manufacturer's recommendations when using paint.

Photo Credits

Jon Olson Photography

Jon Olson

Jon Olson holds a Bachelor of Science in industrial technology education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He also has a Master of Science in curriculum and instruction, as well as a master's degree in educational administration.…

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