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Cabinets, Furniture, Woodworks/Decoratoring plain drawer fronts on bathroom cabinet
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Question
Hi Greg, We bought a new house last year and after paying more than we wanted to for upgrades, we went with the standard cabinet for the master bathroom vanity. It turns out I'm not happy with the cabinet as the drawer/faux drawer fronts are flat and unattractive (see picture). I'm considering having the entire cabinet refaced which would mean getting new drawer boxes and cabinet doors, but the cabinet is new and in good shape and I know refacing can be expensive. Short of that, I thought about hiring a woodworker to apply wood trim around drawer fronts to jazz them up. Here are my questions. Do you feel that would work since the doors are raised panels and the drawer fronts would be recessed? If you feel it world work, what is the best procedure to follow for staining the trim? Do we find the closest stain to the cabinets as we can and stain the trim before it's applied or do we apply the trim and then restain the entire cabinet? If we pre-stain, is it "acceptable" that the trim may not turn out the exact same shade as the rest of the cabinet? Or do you recommend just refacing the entire cabinet? I appreciate any insight you can share. Thank you!
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Hi Barnette, the labor and cost of trying to trim out the drawers, and match the finish, would probably be very similar in cost to buying new drawer fronts and door...and the new ones will be finished with a durable catalyzed finish for longevity. The doors and drawer fronts should be easily removable, and the cabinet itself could probably remain, and be refaced. The cabinets are not just stained...they are finished with a sprayed on, tough, multipart finishing process, that will be very difficult to match for the average Carpenter...I would look into refacing if you want these to turn out professionally and with the least amount of frustration....there are likely several companies in your area, (including Sears), and I would get 3 or 4 estimates and see what type of investment this will be. It's paramount to make these design decisions carefully and with certainty to eliminate this type of "buyers remorse"......if it turns out to be too expensive, then another solution might be sought...hope that helps a little- post back if need be- regards- Greg
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| Rating(1-10) | Knowledgeability = 10 | Clarity of Response = 10 | Politeness = 10 |
| Comment | Thank you for your excellent advice. I was leaning towards refacing and you've helped reinforce that for me. You're right about buyer's remorse....if I were to buy this house all over again, I would change quite a few previous decisions. | ||
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Answers by Expert:
Greg Scholl
Expertise
Questions on Woodworking, wood finishing and refinishing of all kinds, repairing furniture and wooden objects, Architectural details, Woodturning, carving, tool usage, product usage, some chemistry as it applies to woodworking and related interests,cabinet making and furniture construction/design, etc. I have experience with all manners of colorants, finishes, paints, stains, dyes, glazes, and coatings, wood species recognition and usage,tool recommendations, blade types and recommendation,techniques and methods for many Woodworking related issues, etc.
Experience
Fine furniture restorer and cabinet maker for over 30 years,serving high end Antique dealers, Interior designers, Collectors in the CT area. Consulting for area Painting/Decorating and Building contractors on non painting issues..(staining, wood prep.,clear finishing, floor restoration and architectural detail restoration and repair, etc.) Sold, built, serviced, setup Home, Industrial, and Commercial stationary woodworking tools for a major tool retailer in CT. for three years, sold hand and power tools , provided knowledge, parts replacement, service, and on site service, Trade show Demo, and training as well.
Publications
Published in Fine Woodworking Magazine (12/97), included on Fine Woodworkings first "Best of Fine Woodworking" CD-ROM (2002) ...("27 year compilation of expert know-how")
Education/Credentials
Art School at Silvermine Guild in Norwalk, CT., 9 year apprenticeship in a European run Cabinet and Restoration shop in CT., various classes on subjects having to do with the field. Seminars from major Tool manufacturers, Skil/Bosch, Delta, Powermatic, Ritter, Porter cable, Milwaukee, Dewalt/B&Decker, Performax.
Past/Present Clients
Many varied clients including work on Martha Stewarts' Westport, CT. show house, many fine Antique dealers and private collectors in and around Fairfield County and in Woodbury, CT. (the Antiques capital of CT.), Golden Age of Trucking Museum, Wilton Historical Society.
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