Are your cabinets starting to look old? Upgrading a kitchen can be expensive, do you want to bring your kitchen into this century without spending a fortune to replace all the old cabinets? Don’t worry, it can be done. Check out these inspiring tips on how to make old cabinets look modern.
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Problems with Old Cabinets
Let’s take a look at exactly what’s bugging you about your current old cabinets.
Material. Two kitchen cabinet materials, shouting “post-90s nostalgia!” are oak and cheap thermal foil. While decades-old thermal foils often have issues beyond outdated styles (like peeling and delamination) that may require replacing doors or entire old cabinets, oak generally stands the test of time. It just needs a modern tweak.
Condition.Carefully assess the condition of the old cabinets. If the door is ugly, faded, or damaged (due to heat, humidity, and aging), but the box (the part that attaches to the wall) is intact, the old cabinets are a good choice for a facelift. However, if the box itself is not in good shape, you may need to completely replace the old cabinets.
Style. Not so long ago, there was an era when “more is more” was a popular theme in the kitchen. Now, the aesthetics are much simpler. If your old cabinets have intricate cathedral motifs or other signs of a dated style, it’s long overdue for a change, not to mention easy DIY.
How To Update Old Cabinets
Replace or Paint the Hardware
In some cases, simply replacing or painting hardware can give an old cabinet a new and modern look, especially if the cabinet itself doesn’t look like it belongs to another century. Look for hardware that matches the finish and style of your kitchen appliances. For example, glossy silver hardware looks great in a modern kitchen with stainless steel, black or white appliances. Silver hardware looks great on any cabinet surface color.
Before buying hardware, measure the distance between the screw holes on the drawer handles, as well as the length and diameter of the screws. If necessary, bring sample handles, knobs and hinges to the home improvement store to find suitable replacements.
Painting rather than replacing hardware offers another way to save a lot of money when updating kitchen old cabinets on a budget. This method works best when the shape and style of the hardware is still suitable for the kitchen, but the surface of the hardware is worn or has an outdated color. Thoroughly remove and clean hardware before painting. Also, make sure to paint the screw heads that mate with the hinges and any other screw heads you can see after reinstalling on the cabinet.
Redo Old Cabinets with Paint
Renovate old cabinets with a new paint color to make them look completely different. This can be done whether the old cabinets are made of wood, laminate or fiberboard, or have been previously painted or painted. Painting kitchen old cabinets requires some serious cleaning, so skipping this laborious part of the process can result in paint not adhering properly or coming off in a short amount of time.
Cleaning products like trisodium phosphate (TSP) are handy for removing greasy buildup, especially on old cabinets near the stove. Remove the cabinet hardware and doors, noting which doors and pieces belong to which old cabinets so you can replace them after painting. Be sure to clean the hardware as well, so it looks good when you reassemble things after painting.
After cleaning everything, put on a dust mask and sand the old cabinets with fine sandpaper. Remove the dust with a vacuum cleaner, then remove any remaining dust with a sticky cloth. Apply an antifouling primer or an acrylic urethane primer designed for old cabinets. After the primer dries, acrylic polyurethane cabinet paint is also a great choice as it dries to a hard and durable surface.
A Touch of Trim
Decorative basic square old cabinets a custom look by adding trim or top molding. According to the cabinet, a starter or riser molding on the top of the cabinet increases the height of the top molding. Common domain name format. The combination of top and riser molding gives the old cabinets a more sophisticated look. Light rail moldings are installed along the bottom front edge of wall-mounted old cabinets, providing a convenient way to add and hide ambient and task lighting fixtures.
Decorative trim can also be added to door fronts to give them a completely different look. Create the look of a vibrating door cabinet door by adding flat strips of wood around the perimeter of each slab door, like a simple picture frame.
Tips To Update Old Cabinets
- Get these cabinets clean before any upgrades are made. Wipe off every bit of grease with TSP.
- Coordinate the look of your new cabinets with existing appliances and furniture and any woodwork that shares the same space (especially in open kitchen/living/dining areas).
- To update the cabinet style, add plywood slats or MDF on a budget to create a “Shaker” door. Or fill in outdated engravings with putty. Then cover your piece with paint.
Summary
The old Cabinets looks bad, which will also make the whole family decoration look cheap. Then take action now to transform your old cabinets and make them look more modern.
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