How Much Does Cabinet Refacing Cost in 2026?
By Michael JohnsonUpdated 10 sources comparedHow we estimate
Cabinet refacing typically costs $4,500 to $13,000 for an average kitchen, or about $150 to $450 per linear foot, with a national average near $8,200. We get that average from three independent figures: HomeAdvisor's $7,230 average, the midpoint of HomeGuide's $5,000–$13,000 range, and the midpoint of Block Renovation's $4,000–$13,000 range. The length of your cabinet runs and the door material (laminate, wood veneer or solid wood) drive most of the price.
- Typical cost
- $4,500–$13,000
- National average
- $8,200
- Full range
- $1,000–$23,300
The typical range covers professional refacing of an average 100–200 sq ft kitchen (roughly 20–30 linear feet of cabinets) with new doors, drawer fronts, veneer on the cabinet boxes, hinges and pulls; a small laminate job can cost far less, and big-box full-service packages with new boxes and lighting reach the national high. Prices are per kitchen.
What cabinet refacing includes
Refacing keeps your existing cabinet boxes and layout. Installers replace the doors and drawer fronts, apply a matching veneer to the exposed box faces and side panels, and usually install new hinges, drawer glides and pulls. The Home Depot's cost guide describes minor refacing exactly that way, while its major tier also adds new cabinet boxes, in-cabinet accessories and under-cabinet lighting. Because countertops, plumbing and appliances stay put, most refacing jobs take three to five days (Angi, Kitchen Cabinet Kings).
Cabinet refacing cost by material
| Material | Per linear foot | Average kitchen total | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rigid thermofoil or laminate | $80–$125 (avg. about $100) | $1,000–$4,000 | HomeGuide, HomeAdvisor, Bob Vila |
| Wood veneer | $100–$250 (avg. about $200) | $2,500–$8,000 | HomeGuide, HomeAdvisor, Bob Vila |
| Real-wood veneer, premium | about $455 average | $6,000–$14,000 | Bob Vila |
| Solid wood doors | $200–$500 | $5,000–$16,000 | HomeGuide, HomeAdvisor |
The material-only figures above look lower than the all-in $150–$450 per linear foot that HomeGuide and HomeAdvisor quote for full projects. That's because per-material ranges mostly cover doors, fronts and veneer, while the all-in figure includes labor, hinges, glides and pulls. Block Renovation estimates that choosing real-wood veneer over laminate adds $1,500 to $3,000 to a full kitchen, and that inset doors cost 25% to 40% more than overlay shaker doors.
Estimate your cost
Enter the total length of your upper and lower cabinet runs, pick the door and veneer material, and tick any extras.
Ranges come from the sources listed at the end of this guide. The labor portion is adjusted for your state with BEA price data. Your final price depends on site conditions and local codes.
The calculator starts from the all-in $150 to $450 per linear foot, which centers on wood veneer. Its material options scale that range by the price gaps in HomeGuide's and Bob Vila's material data: laminate and thermofoil run about 0.5 to 0.6 times the cost of wood veneer, and solid or real wood about 2 times. We use 0.6 and 1.8.
Cost by kitchen size
| Kitchen size | HomeGuide | Kitchen Cabinet Kings (2024) |
|---|---|---|
| Small (under 100 sq ft) | $4,000–$10,000 | $1,000–$3,500 |
| Average (100–200 sq ft) | $5,000–$13,000 | $2,500–$10,000 |
| Large (200+ sq ft) | $9,000–$22,000+ | $5,000–$20,000 |
Bob Vila, using Angi data, puts a full-size kitchen with about 30 linear feet of cabinets at $7,000 to $12,000. To measure your own kitchen, add up the length of every upper and lower run along the wall. An island counts once.
Cost per door and drawer front
Block Renovation puts refacing at roughly $200 to $300 per door or drawer opening when priced as part of a full kitchen. Custom solid-wood doors can cost $500 or more each (Angi). Counting openings is a useful cross-check on a linear-foot quote: a kitchen with 30 doors and drawers at $250 each comes to about $7,500 before extras.
Big-box pricing: The Home Depot
The Home Depot's guide gives an overall average of about $15,000 for 27 linear feet in a 200 sq ft kitchen. Minor refacing runs $7,600 to $14,900 and major refacing $15,200 to $23,310. Those figures sit well above independent averages because they include project management and premium custom doors, and the major tier includes new boxes. That's why Home Depot's major tier sets our national high, not our typical range.
Refacing vs. refinishing, painting and replacement
| Option | Typical cost | What changes | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Refinishing (strip and re-stain or clear coat) | $1,500–$4,500 | Finish only; same doors | HomeGuide, HomeAdvisor |
| Professional painting | $2,000–$7,000 | Color only; same doors | HomeGuide, Block Renovation |
| Door and drawer front replacement only | $2,200–$6,600 | Doors and fronts; boxes not covered | HomeGuide |
| Refacing | $4,500–$13,000 | New doors, fronts, veneer and hardware | Our range |
| Full replacement | $6,000–$30,000+ | Everything, layout can change | Kitchen Cabinet Kings, Block Renovation |
Choose painting or refinishing if you like your door style and the doors are solid wood in good shape. Choose refacing when the boxes are sturdy but you want a new door style, and the layout works for you. Kitchen Cabinet Kings estimates refacing saves 30% to 50% over replacement. Choose replacement if boxes are water-damaged, sagging or particleboard that's falling apart, or if you want to move appliances or add storage. If you're weighing a bigger project, our kitchen remodel cost guide shows how cabinets fit into the full budget.
Thumbtack's national figures are much lower ($508 to $2,049, about $985 on average). Those reflect smaller, partial jobs on its platform, such as a few doors or a bathroom vanity, rather than full kitchens.
Labor vs. materials
Refacing is labor-intensive: removing doors, cutting and applying veneer to every box face, hanging and adjusting new doors, and fitting hardware. HomeGuide puts labor at $3,100 to $6,500, or 50% to 70% of the total, and materials at $1,500 to $6,500. Angi and Bob Vila also say labor makes up more than half of the project cost. We use a labor share of 55% in our state adjustments. That's at the low end of HomeGuide's range, because premium doors push the materials share up on many jobs.
What drives the price up or down
- Cabinet length. Price scales almost directly with linear feet or the number of openings.
- Door material and style. Solid wood and inset doors cost the most. Flat-panel laminate is the cheapest.
- Hardware. Pulls and knobs cost $6 to $60 per piece installed (HomeGuide), and Thumbtack lists hinges at $4 to $20 each. A full hardware upgrade runs about $200 to $800 in parts (Block Renovation).
- Box condition. Kitchens over 15 years old may need $500 to $2,000 of repairs before refacing (Block Renovation).
- Add-ons. Crown molding adds $210 to $570 (HomeGuide), under-cabinet lighting $200 to $350 per fixture, and pull-out organizers $100 to $400 per opening installed (Block Renovation).
- Drawer boxes. Swapping worn drawer boxes or adding soft-close glides is an upgrade most companies price separately. None of our sources gives a per-box price, so ask for it as its own line item.
- Location. Block Renovation says coastal metro labor runs 30% to 50% higher than in the Midwest or inland South.
Cabinet refacing cost by state
Because more than half the bill is labor, location matters. Kitchen Cabinet Kings gives the example of a job costing about $5,000 in Boise that would cost roughly twice as much in New York City. The table below starts from our national range, compiled from the sources above, and adjusts only the labor portion (55%) using the Bureau of Economic Analysis Regional Price Parities for each state.
| State | Typical range | Average | vs. U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $4,250–$12,300 | $7,750 | -5.5% |
| Alaska | $4,550–$13,100 | $8,300 | +0.9% |
| Arizona | $4,550–$13,100 | $8,250 | +0.6% |
| Arkansas | $4,150–$12,000 | $7,600 | -7.4% |
| California | $4,800–$13,900 | $8,750 | +6.9% |
| Colorado | $4,550–$13,100 | $8,250 | +0.8% |
| Connecticut | $4,600–$13,300 | $8,350 | +2.0% |
| Delaware | $4,500–$12,900 | $8,150 | -0.4% |
| District of Columbia | $4,750–$13,800 | $8,700 | +5.9% |
| Florida | $4,600–$13,300 | $8,350 | +1.9% |
| Georgia | $4,400–$12,800 | $8,050 | -1.8% |
| Hawaii | $4,700–$13,600 | $8,600 | +4.7% |
| Idaho | $4,300–$12,400 | $7,800 | -4.7% |
| Illinois | $4,450–$12,900 | $8,150 | -0.6% |
| Indiana | $4,300–$12,400 | $7,850 | -4.3% |
| Iowa | $4,200–$12,200 | $7,700 | -6.2% |
| Kansas | $4,250–$12,300 | $7,750 | -5.5% |
| Kentucky | $4,250–$12,300 | $7,750 | -5.2% |
| Louisiana | $4,200–$12,200 | $7,650 | -6.4% |
| Maine | $4,450–$12,800 | $8,050 | -1.6% |
| Maryland | $4,600–$13,300 | $8,400 | +2.2% |
| Massachusetts | $4,700–$13,600 | $8,550 | +4.5% |
| Michigan | $4,350–$12,600 | $7,950 | -3.2% |
| Minnesota | $4,450–$12,900 | $8,150 | -0.9% |
| Mississippi | $4,200–$12,100 | $7,650 | -7.0% |
| Missouri | $4,300–$12,400 | $7,850 | -4.5% |
| Montana | $4,250–$12,300 | $7,750 | -5.4% |
| Nebraska | $4,250–$12,300 | $7,750 | -5.3% |
| Nevada | $4,450–$12,800 | $8,050 | -1.7% |
| New Hampshire | $4,650–$13,400 | $8,450 | +2.9% |
| New Jersey | $4,700–$13,600 | $8,600 | +4.9% |
| New Mexico | $4,250–$12,300 | $7,750 | -5.3% |
| New York | $4,700–$13,500 | $8,550 | +4.2% |
| North Carolina | $4,350–$12,600 | $7,950 | -3.2% |
| North Dakota | $4,200–$12,200 | $7,700 | -6.3% |
| Ohio | $4,300–$12,400 | $7,850 | -4.5% |
| Oklahoma | $4,200–$12,200 | $7,650 | -6.4% |
| Oregon | $4,600–$13,300 | $8,400 | +2.6% |
| Pennsylvania | $4,450–$12,800 | $8,100 | -1.4% |
| Rhode Island | $4,550–$13,100 | $8,250 | +0.8% |
| South Carolina | $4,350–$12,500 | $7,900 | -3.7% |
| South Dakota | $4,200–$12,100 | $7,650 | -6.5% |
| Tennessee | $4,300–$12,500 | $7,850 | -4.1% |
| Texas | $4,450–$12,800 | $8,050 | -1.5% |
| Utah | $4,400–$12,600 | $7,950 | -2.7% |
| Vermont | $4,400–$12,800 | $8,050 | -1.9% |
| Virginia | $4,500–$13,100 | $8,250 | +0.4% |
| Washington | $4,700–$13,600 | $8,600 | +4.7% |
| West Virginia | $4,250–$12,300 | $7,750 | -5.6% |
| Wisconsin | $4,350–$12,500 | $7,900 | -3.8% |
| Wyoming | $4,250–$12,300 | $7,800 | -5.1% |
Prices also vary within a state, and refacing specialists or franchise companies may price differently from general contractors in the same area.
DIY vs. hiring a pro
DIY refacing is possible but demanding. HomeAdvisor puts DIY materials at $1,645 to $6,570, so the savings come almost entirely from labor. You'll need accurate measurements, careful veneer work on every face frame, and patience hanging and aligning doors. Mistakes in veneer and door alignment are very visible.
Hire a pro if you want real-wood veneer, inset doors, or a factory-matched finish. If your home was built before 1978 and the job involves sanding or stripping painted cabinets, the EPA's lead-safe rules require anyone paid to disturb painted surfaces to be certified and follow lead-safe work practices.
How to save money on cabinet refacing
- Keep the boxes and layout you have. That's the whole point of refacing; moving or adding cabinets adds new-cabinet costs.
- Choose overlay shaker or flat-panel doors over inset or raised-panel styles.
- Use thermofoil or laminate on less visible runs, or for a rental or a home you plan to sell soon.
- Reuse good hardware or buy it yourself, if the installer allows it.
- Get at least three quotes priced the same way, either per linear foot or per opening, so you can compare them.
- Ask about the value. The 2025 Cost vs. Value report (Zonda and JLC) found a minor midrange kitchen remodel, the kind of project that often includes refacing, recouped about 112.9% of its $28,458 cost at resale.
How to compare refacing quotes
A fair quote should list:
- The total linear feet or the number of doors, drawer fronts and false fronts.
- Door style, material and finish, plus the veneer material for the box faces.
- Hinges (and whether they're soft-close), drawer glides, pulls and knobs.
- Any new drawer boxes, end panels, toe kicks, crown molding or light rails.
- Box repairs, and how unexpected damage found during the job will be priced.
- Timeline, cleanup and the warranty on both materials and workmanship.
Red flags: a price given without measuring; vague "premium veneer" with no material named; no line items for hardware or panels; or pressure to sign on the day of an in-home sales visit.
Hidden costs people forget
- End panels and filler strips to cover exposed cabinet sides.
- Countertop or backsplash damage if old trim is pried off; a backsplash update runs $200 to $2,000 (HomeGuide).
- New sink base or interior repairs under the sink, where leaks are common.
- Matching other rooms. Refacing a bathroom vanity at the same time is common; see our bathroom remodel cost guide.
- Wall touch-ups after new trim goes on; our interior painting cost guide covers repainting.
Bottom line
Refacing an average kitchen costs $4,500 to $13,000, and about $8,200 is a realistic national midpoint, or roughly $150 to $450 per linear foot. Laminate and thermofoil keep costs low, while solid wood and big-box full-service packages can push a large kitchen past $15,000. Refacing beats replacement on price when your boxes and layout are sound, but painting is cheaper still if you like your doors. Measure your linear feet, then compare three itemized quotes priced the same way.
Frequently asked questions
How much does it cost to reface kitchen cabinets?
Most kitchens cost $4,500 to $13,000 to reface, and about $8,200 is a fair national midpoint. HomeGuide puts an average 100–200 sq ft kitchen at $5,000 to $13,000, and HomeAdvisor reports a $7,230 average with most jobs between $4,234 and $10,226. Small laminate jobs can cost around $1,000 to $5,000, while large solid-wood projects pass $16,000.
How much does cabinet refacing cost per linear foot?
Refacing usually costs $150 to $450 per linear foot, depending on material (HomeGuide, HomeAdvisor). Rigid thermofoil and laminate sit at the low end, wood veneer in the middle, and solid wood at the top. Bob Vila's figures, based on Angi data, are higher at $210 to $750 per linear foot including all materials.
How much does cabinet refacing cost per door?
When doors are priced as part of a full refacing project, Block Renovation puts the cost at roughly $200 to $300 per door or drawer opening. Custom solid-wood doors can cost $500 or more each (Angi). Prices per door are lower for flat-panel laminate and higher for inset or specialty styles.
Is refacing cheaper than replacing cabinets?
Usually, yes. Refacing a typical kitchen costs $4,500 to $13,000, while replacement ranges from about $6,000 to $21,000 (Kitchen Cabinet Kings) and $12,000 to $30,000 installed for semi-custom cabinets (Block Renovation). Kitchen Cabinet Kings estimates refacing saves 30% to 50% over replacing, as long as the existing boxes are sound.
Is it cheaper to paint or reface cabinets?
Painting is cheaper. Professional cabinet painting runs about $2,000 to $6,500 (HomeGuide) and refinishing $1,500 to $4,500, compared with $4,500 to $13,000 for refacing. Painting keeps your existing door style, while refacing replaces the doors and drawer fronts, so it changes the look more.
How much does Home Depot charge for cabinet refacing?
The Home Depot's cost guide puts minor refacing at $7,600 to $14,900 and major refacing, with new cabinet boxes, accessories and under-cabinet lighting, at $15,200 to $23,310. Its overall average is about $15,000 for 27 linear feet of cabinets in a 200 sq ft kitchen, including project management.
What are the problems with refacing kitchen cabinets?
Refacing keeps your existing cabinet boxes and layout, so it can't fix a poor layout, water-damaged or sagging boxes, or worn interiors. Block Renovation notes that older kitchens can need $500 to $2,000 of box repairs before refacing. It also doesn't add storage unless you pay extra for pull-outs or new boxes.
Sources
We compared these sources to build the QuoteRuler range. State figures adjust the labor portion (55% of the total) using the BEA Regional Price Parities.
- How Much Does Cabinet Refacing Cost? — HomeGuide. Used for: Undated. Average kitchen (100–200 sq ft) $5,000–$13,000; $150–$450 per linear foot; small kitchen $4,000–$10,000; large $9,000–$22,000+; laminate/thermofoil $80–$125/lf ($2,000–$4,000), wood veneer $100–$250/lf ($2,500–$8,000), solid wood $200–$500/lf ($5,000–$16,000); materials $1,500–$6,500; labor $3,100–$6,500, 50%–70% of total; refinishing $1,500–$4,500; painting $2,000–$6,500; door replacement $2,200–$6,600; stock cabinets $100–$400/lf installed, custom $500–$1,200/lf; hardware $6–$60 per piece installed; crown molding $210–$570; under-cabinet lighting $200–$350 per fixture..
- How Much Does Cabinet Refacing Cost? — HomeAdvisor (Angi Inc.). Used for: Undated. Average $7,230; typical $4,234–$10,226; $150–$450 per linear foot; small laminate or veneer project about $1,200; large solid-wood project $16,135; wood veneer $100–$250, rigid thermofoil $80–$125, solid wood $200–$500 (page labels these per square foot); refinishing $1,800–$4,200; replacement $10,000+; DIY materials $1,645–$6,570..
- How Much Does Cabinet Refacing Cost? — Angi. Used for: Same parent company and dataset as HomeAdvisor (not counted separately). Labeled 2025 data: average $7,229, range $4,233–$10,224; small project $1,000–$5,000; major $7,000–$15,000+; custom doors $500+ each; labor more than half of project cost; hardware $100–$1,000; crown molding $700–$2,100; refacing takes three to five days..
- Cost to Reface Cabinets — The Home Depot. Used for: Undated (accessed November 2026). Overall average about $15,000 for 27 linear feet in a 200 sq ft kitchen including materials, installers and project management; minor refacing $7,600–$14,900 (custom doors, drawers, hinges, glides, pulls, box finishing); major refacing $15,200–$23,310 (adds in-cabinet accessories, a new cabinet box and under-cabinet lighting)..
- Refacing vs. Replacing Kitchen Cabinets: A 2026 Cost and Value Guide — Block Renovation. Used for: Published May 8, 2026. Refacing $4,000–$13,000 for most kitchens; large real-wood veneer kitchens $15,000–$20,000; roughly $200–$300 per door or drawer opening; real-wood veneer vs laminate adds $1,500–$3,000; inset doors 25%–40% more; pre-work repairs $500–$2,000 on kitchens over 15 years old; hardware swap $200–$800 in parts; pull-out retrofits $100–$400 per opening; semi-custom replacement $12,000–$30,000 installed; sprayed repaint $3,000–$7,000; coastal metro labor 30%–50% higher than the Midwest or inland South..
- Cabinet Refacing Cost — Thumbtack. Used for: Last updated July 8, 2026. Per-linear-foot pricing tiers from $50 to $500; Thumbtack project average about $985 (range $508–$2,049), which reflects smaller partial jobs; door removal labor $7–$8 per door; knobs and pulls $2–$4 each; hinges $4–$20 each..
- Cabinet Refacing: What Does It Really Cost? — Bob Vila. Used for: Updated May 1, 2024 (older; cross-check, figures from Angi/HomeAdvisor): average $7,220; $210–$750 per linear foot; material averages per linear foot: laminate $100, high-quality veneer $200, real-wood veneer $455 (used with HomeGuide for the material multipliers); full-size kitchen about 30 linear feet $7,000–$12,000; labor more than half of total cost..
- Cabinet Refacing Cost: Is It Cheaper to Replace or Reface? — Kitchen Cabinet Kings. Used for: Last updated April 30, 2024 (older; cross-check): refacing $4,500–$13,000; replacing $6,000–$21,000; refinishing $1,500–$5,000; refacing saves 30%–50% vs replacing; refacing takes 3–5 days vs 5–14 days for replacement; Boise about $5,000, about half of New York City..
- Cost vs. Value 2025: National — Remodeling / Journal of Light Construction (Zonda). Used for: Minor midrange kitchen remodel $28,458, 112.9% of cost recouped at resale (also cited by Block Renovation)..
- Renovation, Repair and Painting Program — U.S. EPA. Used for: Anyone paid to perform work that disturbs painted surfaces in pre-1978 homes must be certified and use lead-safe work practices..
- Regional Price Parities by State, 2023 — U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Used for: state cost adjustments.