Painting Vs Refacing Kitchen Cabinets: Which Gives The Best ROI?

Giving cabinets an upgrade is arguably one of the most important aspects of a kitchen remodel. After all, the storage feature is often the first element most people notice when walking into a kitchen. Many homeowners either paint or reface kitchen cabinets to give them a new look. Before you decide between those two options yourself, you might want to know which technique offers the best return on investment. Eric Bramlett, Broker & Co-Owner of Bramlett Residential, revealed that painting is the better choice.

"Without a doubt, painting provides a much better return on investment simply because it's affordable, visible and quick to complete," he shared while speaking exclusively to House Digest. Although refacing your cabinets is a great way to save money when remodeling your kitchen, there is also long-term value to refacing them. "When you reface cabinets, you offer the furniture a new, second life, you modernize its look in a way similar to renovation," Bramlett explained. With this in mind, it's important to note that painting old cabinets will be the overall better choice for some homeowners, while refacing them is the right option for others. Ultimately, it depends on factors like budget, goals, and the condition of the cabinets.

While speaking exclusively to House Digest, Bramlett shared more insight into the return on investment of painted cabinets compared to refaced cabinets. Let's look at the breakdown for painted cabinets first. "Most people report an average ROI of 77%," the broker said of the cabinet transformation method. "Of course, this percentage varies depending on the quality of the paint, and overall condition of the cabinets. In fact, in some cases, people have reported a 100% ROI."

The ROI of refacing kitchen cabinets is only slightly lower. "The most prominent figure of 2023 showed that minor kitchen remodels can achieve up to 72% of ROI," Bramlett revealed. "This is highly affected by the high initial investment, limited structural improvements, material expenses and even the days of work that refacing demands." Despite the lower return on investment, refacing your kitchen cabinets is typically the only practical option if your cabinets are severely worn down. Painting them will not undo structural damage on the outside of the material. As you can see, there are reasons to opt for either cabinet transformation method beyond just return on investment. You may want to consider all of the pros and cons before you finalize your decision.

Return on investment aside, there are quite a few pros and cons of both cabinet upgrade methods that could impact your decision. The three main benefits of painting cabinets are environmental sustainability, modern appeal, and increased home value. Bramlett explained that painting is more eco-friendly because it allows you to make use of the cabinet material you already have rather than purchasing resurfacing supplies. The expert went on to share that painting cabinets results in a more modern look because you can easily switch out colors as trends change to appeal to potential home buyers. As for the value increase, this method may add $2,000 to $10,000 in total home value. The cons of painting cabinets include limited compatibility with certain materials, inability to enhance the actual structure of the cabinets, and a need for professional assistance.

Bramlett revealed that the three main pros of refacing cabinets are adaptability, workability, and potentially, eco-friendliness. According to the expert, this method is adaptable because it allows you to change the surface and pattern of most cabinets. As for the workability perk, this is thanks to the fact that refacing does not require you to vacate the space while ventilating to release paint fumes. You can use other areas of the kitchen while refacing cabinets. Lastly, while painting is the more sustainable method, refacing can be eco-friendly as well, if you opt for sustainably sourced materials. As for the cons of this method, you will need to ensure the new cabinet surface and texture is compatible with the rest of the kitchen. Additionally, resurfacing does not tackle structural issues and it costs more upfront than simply painting cabinets.