Kitchen cabinet doors - replace? sand and paint?

5 years ago

last modified: 5 years ago

1969 house with original cabinets. They are solid, no problem there,

Just don' like the medallion on the front of the doors and the color. Really can't afford a complete redo of the kitchen, we need a new boiler, probably new septic etc. People keep telling me that replacing the doors alone is almost as expensive as all new cabinets.

I got my fingernail under one corner of a medallion, only on one, the others seem tight. But it lead me to wonder if they are glued on as opposed to routed into the wood.

If so, I wonder if its possible to pop them off (they seem quite attached) sand them down a bit, then paint the whole thing. Personally I kind of hate the idea of painting nice quality wood. The wood is a dark stained, something fine grained, not oak.

Featured Answer

rocketjcat

5 years ago

What do the back of the doors look like? That may give you a clue, but also maybe the possibility of turning the doors around as a temporary fix?

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Comments (13)

User
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
Keep saving. Your whole kitchen, not just the cabinets, needs a gut and redo. Wasting half your budget for that on cosmetic improvements now only takes away from that.

Taking a 460K Miles 1999 Tahoe to the body shop for a 7K sand and repaint does nothing for the 460K chassis underneath, or ratty interior.
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mary
Original Author
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
I think the back of the doors are plain/smooth but I can't remember the color. (I am moving in little by little from another state and not there now). Interesting idea. Pretty sure the insides of the cabinets themselves are lighter like they weren't stained. Not sure about the other side of the doors. I will consider this as a good option though, even if it means paint. Thank you.

Hmm. Edit to just realized that isn't going to work for the drawers is it?
nosoccermom
5 years ago
Turning doors around May be an option. It also should work for drawer fronts, which are just attached to the sides.
User
5 years ago
Everything - the cabinets, the floor, the counters - looks solid.

Until you can afford to redo the entire kitchen - leave it alone!
mary
Original Author
5 years ago
Anyone want to hazard a guess as to whether these are maple or cherry? Just wondering.
clt3
5 years ago
They could also be birch - a pretty common wood for '60's cabinets.
wiscokid
5 years ago
Judging by the age of the cabinets, I would bet they’re inset (most likely 3/8”) and probably not able to be reversed.
User
5 years ago
Plywood. 3/8” inset. Site built. Not removable without collapsing. Interiors unfinished virtual sponges. No adjustable shelving. Terrible drawers. Worse drawer glides. Not remarkable in any way, or worth preserving. Not worth any effort to do anything to either.
mary
Original Author
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
I wondered what was meant by inset, googled and found this.

Inset Cabinet Doors are set into the cabinet frame and fit flush with the face of the cabinet when closed.

These are NOT inset but flap closed onto the outside of the frame. From the website pictures I'm guessing these wouldbe called partial overlay. (Did you even look at the picture?)

Its just curiousity about the wood, if I can't figure it out I'll take it to a cabinet shop and see what they say.
User
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
No, they are 3/8” inset. Popular in the late 60’s to early 70’s. Virtually unknown by anyone who didn’t live through that, and not done today.

Slapping housepaint on them is a quick way to make sure that the full gut remodel happens sooner rather than later. Taking 6 months of nights and weekends to do it correctly DIY isn’t what most people would be willing to do. The end result isn’t “improvement” to what needs improvement. Just a different color.

Start looking at IKEA or other low cost replacement solutions if you are handy.
ci_lantro
5 years ago
Partial inset commonly known as 'lipped' doors.

Because fully inset doors take a lot more time and skill to accomplish.

Actually, the partial inset doors are a bit more 'dust-tight' because the rabbeted edge helps seal the cabinet. (As compared to overlay doors w/ Euro hinges that hold the door proud of the frame by about 1/8".)

Partial overlay doors pretty much replaced them because it eliminated the rabbeting step.

They're in great shape for 50 year old cabinets. Probably all solid wood/ plywood construction with no mdf or particle board. Will be good for at least another 50 years but those years would be better served as basement or garage cabinets (with care taken when removed and some overhauling--adding plywood backing, etc.) because they generally have no bells & whistles w/ the possible exception on pullout bread boards.

I doubt that you can remove the medallions. Suspect that they are glued and tacked on. But you might get lucky & find that they're only tacked on.
geoffrey_b
5 years ago
last modified: 5 years ago
It's a 1969 kitchen - almost 50 years old. Looks pretty good for 50 years. But so many things have changed in 50 years - it's not worth the labor or time. You won't be any happier for having done it.