1990s cabinets with heavy face frames
Cabinets from the 1990s often have wide face frames and small door openings. Full-overlay doors cover more of the frame and make the cabinets look current.
Serving Crystal Lake & nearby Lake Zurich, Elgin
Cabinet Refacing in Crystal Lake, IL
New doors, drawer fronts and matching skins on the cabinet boxes you already have in Crystal Lake, with your counters left in place.
- Crews working in Crystal Lake ZIP 60014, 60012, 60098
- Most jobs done in days, with your kitchen still usable
- Samples and a written quote before we start
Cabinet problems refacing solves in Crystal Lake
We reface kitchen cabinets in Crystal Lake for owners who like their layout and their counters but not the look of the cabinets. Old doors come off, the frames and ends are covered in new veneer or laminate, and new doors, fronts and hinges go on.
Good boxes, worn-out finish
When the cabinet interiors are dry and sturdy, replacing them is wasted effort. Refacing covers the outside and keeps the boxes that still work.
Oak frames that don't suit a new look
If you want white or gray cabinets but the frames are golden oak, refacing skins them to match the new doors exactly.
Peeling thermofoil
Vinyl film lifting near the oven or dishwasher cannot be glued back for long. Refacing replaces those doors and fronts and gives the frames a new matching surface.
Door style that dates the kitchen
Arched cathedral doors and heavy raised panels say a lot about when a kitchen was built. New Shaker, slab or flat-panel doors change the style on the same boxes.
Want to keep granite or quartz counters
New cabinets usually mean new countertops, because stone rarely survives removal. Refacing leaves the tops exactly where they are.
Can't be without a kitchen for long
Refacing happens with the kitchen mostly usable. The doors are made ahead of time, and the on-site work usually takes a few days.
Need a few extra cabinets
New cabinets can be built to match the refaced ones, so an added pantry or a wider range of storage fits in.
What we do on the job
- Surface prepWe degrease and scuff every surface that will receive veneer or laminate.
- Veneer on face framesFace frames are covered with wood veneer or laminate that matches the new doors, trimmed tight at every edge.
- New doors and drawer frontsEvery door and drawer front is built to your sizes in the style and color you chose.
- Concealed hingesWe install concealed soft-close hinges and adjust each door for even gaps.
- Trim, crown and toe kickCrown molding, light rail, scribe and toe-kick are replaced or added to match.
- Drawer boxes and slidesDrawers can be rebuilt with smooth slides while the fronts are being changed.
- Final adjustment and cleanupDoors and drawers are aligned, the kitchen is vacuumed and we walk the job with you.
Materials and finishes
Rigid thermofoil (RTF)RTF suits clean, solid colors; we keep it away from direct oven heat or add heat shields.
Painted MDF and solid wood doorsPainted doors use MDF panels that will not crack at the joints; stained doors use hardwood.
Real wood veneerWood veneer gives frames and ends the same grain and color as stained wood doors.
Two-tone and wood-plus-paintWe can reface the island in one finish and the wall cabinets in another.
Door stylesShaker suits almost any house; slab doors fit a modern, minimal kitchen.
Before and after: kitchens near Crystal Lake
Before
In progress
After
DetailBefore and after: a 1990s two-story colonial in Crystal Lake
A 1990s two-story colonial in Crystal Lake, a typical kitchen for Crystal Lake. The kitchen as it was: honey-oak cathedral raised-panel cabinets with worn finish near the handles, brass knobs. The main complaint was a door style they no longer liked. After: new flat slab doors with a thin edge in white uppers and deep green lowers on the existing boxes, matching face-frame veneer and satin brass pulls. The job covered trim, crown and toe kick, drawer boxes and slides, plus final adjustment and cleanup.
Before
AfterLake Zurich kitchen, two-story colonial from the 1990s: cabinet refacing
The site: a two-story colonial from the 1990s in Lake Zurich. The kitchen as it was: white thermofoil cabinets peeling at the edges, oak trim. The main complaint was peeling thermofoil doors. Finished kitchen: new five-piece shaker doors in sage green on the existing boxes, matching face-frame veneer and satin brass pulls. Work included surface prep, new doors and drawer fronts, plus drawer boxes and slides.
Cabinet Refacing in Lake Zurich →
Before
AfterElgin kitchen, 1980s two-story: cabinet refacing
The site: a 1980s two-story in Elgin. Before: golden-oak cabinets with oak soffits above. The main complaint was dated wood doors on solid boxes. The result: new five-piece shaker doors in warm white on the existing boxes, matching face-frame veneer and satin brass pulls. On site this meant surface prep, concealed hinges, plus final adjustment and cleanup.
Cabinet Refacing in Elgin →
Before
AfterCrystal Lake kitchen, 1980s two-story: cabinet door & drawer front replacement
What changed: new five-piece shaker doors and drawer fronts in muted blue-gray with satin brass pulls.
Cabinet Door & Drawer Front Replacement in Crystal Lake →
Before
AfterA Crystal Lake 1990s two-story colonial: before and after
Finished: new cabinets in light greige uppers and muted blue lowers with satin brass pulls, installed level and ready for charcoal concrete-look quartz counters.
Kitchen Cabinet Installation & Replacement in Crystal Lake →Day by day
- Visit and box checkAt the visit we confirm the boxes are worth keeping and take exact measurements.
- Choose style and finishDoor samples and finish chips help you decide in your own lighting.
- Doors are madeProduction happens off-site; nothing changes in your kitchen until the parts are ready.
- Install on siteWe skin the boxes, hang the new doors and fit hardware, typically in a few working days.
- Adjust and walk-throughFinal adjustments, cleanup and a walk-through to check every detail.
Cabinet Refacing questions from Crystal Lake homeowners
What is the downside of cabinet refacing?
It keeps your layout and your cabinet interiors as they are. If the boxes are damaged or the layout does not work, refacing will not fix that.
Can water-damaged cabinets be refaced?
Only after the damage is fixed. A swollen sink base gets a new floor or is replaced before we put new veneer over it.
How long does cabinet refacing take?
Expect a few working days in your kitchen once the doors are ready. Most of the timeline is production, not installation.
Can I use the kitchen during refacing?
Mostly, yes. The sink, appliances and counters stay connected. A few cabinets will be open at a time while we work.
Is it worth it to reface kitchen cabinets?
Yes, when the boxes are solid and the layout works. You get new doors, frames and hardware without tearing out cabinets, counters or plumbing.
Which Crystal Lake homes do you most often see for cabinet refacing?
In Crystal Lake we see Many older lakeshore homes varying in size and style and Downtown homes range in size and age. Each comes with its own walls, wiring and plumbing, and we plan the job around them.
Do I need a permit for cabinet refacing in Crystal Lake?
It depends on the scope. Crystal Lake's rule in short: Kitchen alteration handout (Nov 2019) requires a contractor list and two sets of plans showing floor plans, electrical layout, structure and plumbing changes; inspections for rough electrical, plumbing, framing, insulation and final. We handle the permit when one is needed with City of Crystal Lake Community Development - Building Division.
Do you work in my part of Crystal Lake?
Yes. Our crews work across Crystal Lake, including Downtown, Coventry, Four Colonies, The Villages — ZIP 60014, 60012, 60098 — and nearby Lake Zurich, Elgin, Hoffman Estates.
Working in Crystal Lake
- A lot of Crystal Lake kitchens date from the 1990s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Most Crystal Lake homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
- Live in a historic district? Interior kitchen work is usually not reviewed. We check before anything touches the exterior.
DowntownCoventryFour ColoniesThe VillagesWedgewoodBurtons Bridge
ZIP 60014ZIP 60012ZIP 60098
Cabinet Refacing nearby
- Cabinet Refacing in Lake Zurich 12.9 mi
- Cabinet Refacing in Elgin 13.4 mi
- Cabinet Refacing in Hoffman Estates 15.2 mi
- Cabinet Refacing in Palatine 16.9 mi
More for Crystal Lake homeowners
- All kitchen services in Crystal LakeRemodels, cabinets, counters, plumbing, appliances and repairs
- Cabinet Refacing across ChicagolandEvery town we cover for this service
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Other kitchen services in Crystal Lake
Cabinet Door & Drawer Front ReplacementReplacement doors and drawer fronts in any style.
Kitchen Cabinet Installation & ReplacementNew cabinets installed, leveled and ready for counters.
Custom Kitchen CabinetsBuilt-to-fit cabinetry up to the ceiling.
Kitchen RemodelingFull kitchen remodels, from layout to last cabinet pull.
Kitchen Cabinet PaintingFactory-smooth painted cabinets without replacing them.