pre-1940 cabinets with heavy face frames
Wide frames and lots of visible wood between the doors look dated. Larger, full-overlay doors hide most of the frame after refacing.
Serving Elgin & nearby St. Charles, Bartlett
Cabinet Refacing in Elgin, IL
New doors, drawer fronts and matching skins on the cabinet boxes you already have in Elgin, with your counters left in place.
- Serving Elgin ZIP 60123, 60124, 60120, 60140
- A new look without tearing the kitchen out
- Clean, protected work area every day
Cabinet problems refacing solves in Elgin
We reface kitchen cabinets in Elgin 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.
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.
Laminate cabinets with loose edges
Peeling edge strips on flat laminate doors are a common reason to reface. We check how well the surface will hold a new skin before quoting.
Scratched or damaged end panels
Chipped and scuffed cabinet sides are covered with new panels that match the doors and frames.
Drawers that stick or slam
While the fronts are being replaced, we can fit new full-extension, soft-close slides and new dovetail drawer boxes.
Can't be without a kitchen for long
There is no demolition, no plumbing disconnect and no weeks of takeout. Most of the waiting happens while the doors are being built.
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.
Peeling thermofoil
Once thermofoil starts to bubble and peel, more doors usually follow. A full reface is the lasting fix, with the same boxes underneath.
What we do on the job
- Surface prepWe degrease and scuff every surface that will receive veneer or laminate.
- End panels and exposed sidesVisible cabinet sides get new plywood or laminate panels in the same finish as the doors.
- Concealed hingesWe install concealed soft-close hinges and adjust each door for even gaps.
- Pulls and knobsNew hardware is installed with a drilling jig so every pull lines up.
- 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 cleanupWe fine-tune every gap, clean the kitchen and go through the work together.
Options to choose from
High-pressure laminateLaminate resists scratches and moisture well and works for a flat, modern look.
Soft-close hinges and slidesConcealed hinges and slides that close the last inch gently and quietly.
Painted MDF and solid wood doorsPaint-grade MDF center panels stay flat, and solid hardwood frames hold hinges well.
Door stylesShaker suits almost any house; slab doors fit a modern, minimal kitchen.
Real wood veneerThin sheets of oak, maple, cherry or walnut, stained and clear-coated to match solid wood doors.
Before and after: kitchens near Elgin
Before
In progress
After
DetailCabinet Refacing in a 1990s two-story colonial, Elgin
The site: a 1990s two-story colonial near West Side. What we started with: golden-oak cabinets with oak soffits above. The reason for the call: heavy wood frames that made the room feel old. After: 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, pulls and knobs, plus final adjustment and cleanup.
Before
AfterSt. Charles kitchen, two-story colonial from the 1990s: cabinet refacing
This one is a two-story colonial from the 1990s in St. Charles. The kitchen as it was: white thermofoil cabinets peeling at the edges, oak trim. What bothered the owners most: peeling thermofoil doors. After: new five-piece shaker doors in sage green on the existing boxes, matching face-frame veneer and satin brass pulls. The job covered surface prep, end panels and exposed sides, plus pulls and knobs.
Cabinet Refacing in St. Charles →
Before
AfterA Hoffman Estates 1970s split-level: before and after
The site: a 1970s split-level in Hoffman Estates. What we started with: dark stained oak cabinets with wide face frames and a scalloped wood valance over the sink. What bothered the owners most: heavy wood frames that made the room feel old. After: new flat slab doors with a thin edge in warm white on the existing boxes, matching face-frame veneer and brushed nickel bar pulls. The job covered surface prep, pulls and knobs, plus final adjustment and cleanup.
Cabinet Refacing in Hoffman Estates →
Before
AfterAn Elgin two-story colonial from the 1990s: before and after
Finished: new five-piece shaker doors and drawer fronts in pale sage with polished nickel pulls.
Cabinet Door & Drawer Front Replacement in Elgin →
Before
AfterAn Elgin two-story colonial from the 1990s: before and after
What changed: new cabinets in light terracotta with brushed nickel bar pulls, installed level and ready for black honed granite counters.
Kitchen Cabinet Installation & Replacement in Elgin →Day by day
- Visit and box checkWe inspect the boxes, measure every opening and show door styles and samples.
- Choose style and finishDoor samples and finish chips help you decide in your own lighting.
- Doors are madeDoors, fronts and skins are built to your measurements while the kitchen stays as it is.
- Install on siteOld doors come off, frames and ends are skinned, new doors and hardware go on, usually over a few days.
- Adjust and walk-throughFinal adjustments, cleanup and a walk-through to check every detail.
Cabinet Refacing questions from Elgin homeowners
Is it cheaper to reface or replace cabinets?
Refacing usually costs much less than new cabinets, mainly because counters, plumbing and the boxes stay in place.
What is the downside of cabinet refacing?
The limits are the same footprint and the same insides. We check the boxes first and tell you if refacing is the wrong job.
Is it worth it to reface kitchen cabinets?
It is worth it if you like the layout and the boxes are in good shape. If either one is the problem, new cabinets are the better spend.
Refacing or just new doors?
If your frames are in good shape and easy to paint, new doors may be enough. If the frames are worn oak or laminate, refacing gives a cleaner match.
Which cabinet colors will age well?
Pick a color you like with your floor and counters rather than chasing a trend. Warm neutrals and real wood tones tend to last.
Elgin contractor registration: do kitchen contractors need it?
City requires a notarized letter of intent from all licensed contractors; general contractors submit one for each licensed subcontractor. We take care of that before work starts.
Which Elgin homes do you most often see for cabinet refacing?
In Elgin we see Cobblestone homes, Victorian and Sears catalog kit homes. 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 Elgin?
It depends on the scope. Elgin's rule in short: No kitchen-specific rule; interior remodeling (including kitchens) uses the general Remodeling Permit Application. We handle the permit when one is needed with Community Development Department (Building permits), City of Elgin, 150 Dexter Court.
Do you work in my part of Elgin?
Yes. Our crews work across Elgin, including Gifford Park, West Side, Downtown — ZIP 60123, 60124, 60120, 60140 — and nearby St. Charles, Bartlett, Hoffman Estates.
Working in Elgin
- A lot of Elgin kitchens date from the pre-1940. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Most Elgin homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
- Live in the Spring-Douglas Historic District? Interior kitchen work is usually not reviewed. We check before anything touches the exterior.
Gifford ParkWest SideDowntown
ZIP 60123ZIP 60124ZIP 60120ZIP 60140
Cabinet Refacing nearby
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Other kitchen services in Elgin
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.