1980s 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 Lake Zurich & nearby Palatine, Buffalo Grove
Cabinet Refacing in Lake Zurich, IL
New doors, drawer fronts and matching skins on the cabinet boxes you already have in Lake Zurich, with your counters left in place.
- Crews working in Lake Zurich ZIP 60047
- Most jobs done in days, with your kitchen still usable
- Samples and a written quote before we start
Cabinet problems refacing solves in Lake Zurich
Refacing keeps the cabinet boxes, countertops and plumbing in your Lake Zurich kitchen and replaces everything you see: new doors and drawer fronts, veneer or laminate skins on the face frames and end panels, and new hinges and pulls. The result looks like a new set of cabinets without a tear-out.
Peeling thermofoil
Thermofoil peels when heat and steam soften the glue. We replace the failed doors and add heat shields where a range or wall oven sits close to the cabinets.
Laminate cabinets with loose edges
Older laminate cabinets often lose their edge banding first. If the boxes underneath are solid, we prepare the surface and reface them.
Want soft-close, glass doors or new trim
Many owners use refacing to add details: glass doors on a pair of uppers, taller crown, or new toe-kick and trim.
Good boxes, worn-out finish
Scuffed doors and faded frames on otherwise solid cabinets are the classic case for refacing.
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.
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.
Door style that dates the kitchen
Cathedral tops and ornate raised panels look their age. We replace them with a cleaner profile and skin the frames to match.
What we do on the job
- Box inspection and repairsWe check every box for water damage and loose joints and fix what needs fixing before any skin goes on.
- Veneer on face framesA new skin goes on each frame stile and rail so no old finish shows between the doors.
- New doors and drawer frontsDoors and fronts are made to measure for each opening and arrive finished.
- Pulls and knobsKnobs and pulls go on in the layout you pick, drilled square and level.
- 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
Soft-close hinges and slidesSoft-close hardware stops slamming and takes stress off the doors and boxes.
Painted MDF and solid wood doorsPainted doors use MDF panels that will not crack at the joints; stained doors use hardwood.
Two-tone and wood-plus-paintWe can reface the island in one finish and the wall cabinets in another.
Real wood veneerThin sheets of oak, maple, cherry or walnut, stained and clear-coated to match solid wood doors.
High-pressure laminateLaminate resists scratches and moisture well and works for a flat, modern look.
Before and after: kitchens near Lake Zurich
Before
In progress
After
DetailA Lake Zurich 1990s two-story colonial: before and after
The site: a 1990s two-story colonial in Lake Zurich. The kitchen as it was: white thermofoil cabinets peeling at the edges, oak trim. What bothered the owners most: vinyl film lifting near the oven. Finished kitchen: new five-piece shaker doors in sage green on the existing boxes, matching face-frame veneer and satin brass pulls. On site this meant veneer on face frames, drawer boxes and slides, plus final adjustment and cleanup.
Before
AfterCabinet Refacing in a two-story colonial from the 1990s, Palatine
A two-story colonial from the 1990s in Palatine, a typical kitchen for Palatine. Before: golden-oak cabinets with oak soffits above. What bothered the owners most: heavy wood frames that made the room feel old. The result: new five-piece shaker doors in warm white on the existing boxes, matching face-frame veneer and satin brass pulls. Work included new doors and drawer fronts, pulls and knobs, plus trim, crown and toe kick.
Cabinet Refacing in Palatine →
Before
AfterAn Arlington Heights postwar bi-level: before and after
A postwar bi-level in Arlington Heights, a typical kitchen for Arlington Heights. Before: 1970s dark pecan-stained cabinets. The main complaint was heavy wood frames that made the room feel old. The result: new five-piece shaker doors in creamy white uppers and navy lowers on the existing boxes, matching face-frame veneer and unlacquered brass knobs and cup pulls. Work included veneer on face frames, trim, crown and toe kick, plus drawer boxes and slides.
Cabinet Refacing in Arlington Heights →
Before
AfterA Lake Zurich 1990s two-story colonial: before and after
What changed: new five-piece shaker doors and drawer fronts in pale sage with polished nickel pulls.
Cabinet Door & Drawer Front Replacement in Lake Zurich →
Before
AfterA Lake Zurich 1980s two-story: 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 Lake Zurich →How your cabinet refacing goes
- Visit and box checkWe inspect the boxes, measure every opening and show door styles and samples.
- Choose style and finishYou pick the door style, material, color and hardware from samples in your own kitchen.
- Doors are madeDoors, fronts and skins are built to your measurements while the kitchen stays as it is.
- Install on siteWe skin the boxes, hang the new doors and fit hardware, typically in a few working days.
- Adjust and walk-throughEvery door and drawer is aligned and we go over the finished kitchen with you.
Cabinet Refacing questions from Lake Zurich homeowners
What affects the cost of refacing?
Door count, materials, trim and upgrades drive the price. After measuring we send a written estimate with each line item.
Can you reface laminate or thermofoil cabinets?
Often, yes. The boxes are what matter; we check that the surface is sound and prepare it so the new skin bonds.
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.
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 cheaper to reface or replace cabinets?
Refacing usually costs much less than new cabinets, mainly because counters, plumbing and the boxes stay in place.
Lake Zurich contractor registration: do kitchen contractors need it?
All contractors and subcontractors must register with the Village before work: form, $120 annual fee (Illinois-licensed plumbers exempt), signed $10,000 surety bond. Village pages show differing fee amounts ($110/$120/$125). We take care of that before work starts.
What kind of Lake Zurich homes do you work in?
In Lake Zurich we see Housing development began in the 1950s. 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 Lake Zurich?
It depends on the scope. Lake Zurich's rule in short: Permit required for remodeling (kitchen, bath, basement). We handle the permit when one is needed with Building and Zoning Division (Community Services Department).
Do you work in my part of Lake Zurich?
Yes. Our crews work across Lake Zurich — ZIP 60047 — and nearby Palatine, Buffalo Grove, Arlington Heights.
Working in Lake Zurich
- A lot of Lake Zurich kitchens date from the 1980s. We know these layouts well and what is worth keeping.
- Most Lake Zurich homes are single-family. We protect floors and driveways and leave the site clean every day.
- We know how Building and Zoning Division (Community Services Department) handles kitchen permits and pull them for you.
ZIP 60047
Cabinet Refacing nearby
More for Lake Zurich homeowners
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Other kitchen services in Lake Zurich
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.