From Outdated Cabinets to a Rift-Sawn White Oak Wood Kitchen
Wood kitchen cabinets in MI are trending upward—not replacing classic solid white painted kitchens—but catching up as more homeowners shift to a neutral, natural look in the most used area of their home.
Our recent clients in Dewitt, MI agreed, making the choice to updated their outdated space with rift-sawn white oak.
Check out this before and after:
The homeowners approached me to see what we could do in this outdated space. On the whole, the layout was fine and the cabinets were in good shape, but the cabinetry needed some modernization before they continued to remodel the rest of the space.
There wasn’t a clear design direction at first, but we worked together to figure out what would work best in their space. The suggestion to pursue a natural wood finish instead of a painted finish was ultimately where we landed and, I think was the right decision.
Why Cabinet Refacing? Lansing’s Top Choice for a Kitchen Refresh
Cabinet refacing offers the benefits of updated cabinets without the price tag of new cabinet boxes. It’s an affordable, stress-free solution that involves replacing cabinet doors and veneering the face frames to match.
Cabinet refacing:
- Saves money. Because it doesn’t require all new cabinet boxes, cabinet refacing is typically a fraction of the price of new cabinets.
- Saves time. The refacing process typically takes us 3-8 days in your home.
- Is less invasive. We paint and finish all products in our shop ahead of time, which leaves less mess in your space. You’ll be able to use your kitchen before and after work hours even during install days.
Learn more about what cabinet refacing is or look into our process.
Dewitt, MI Wood Kitchen Cabinet Transformation—The Process of Updating to Natural Finish White Oak Cabinets
Step 1: Why Choose Wood?
As design trends wax and wane, the solid white painted kitchen cabinet trend seems to be in decline.
Homeowners are wanting a warmer, calming, more inviting space that the natural tones and textures of natural wood can provide.
Beyond the intangible ambience, natural wood boasts of traditional, well-crafted workmanship that can stand the test of time. In a world of mass produced, composite and synthetic materials made to mimic the real thing – with real wood, you have the real thing!
One other great benefit is the durability of natural finished solid wood. The variation and movement in the grain is able to hide to the naked eye many dings, knicks, and scratches better than a solid painted surface might. This is especially important in an active home with small children, pets, or even clumsy adults.
Step 2: Material Finishing
At Veracity, we strive to provide the best quality product at the best value possible. One aspect that can never be overlooked to achieve high quality products is a high quality finish. Not only does it need to look good when installed, but it needs to hold up to years of good use.
We use 2-component cabinet grade coatings to ensure a durable, long-lasting finish that will keep its luster for years to come. Everything is sprayed with our cabinet grade coatings to achieve a glassy smooth finish.
These cabinets also received a “natural look” topcoat, which leaves a closer-to-the-grain natural ultra matte look and feel.
Step 3: Removing Old Materials
We take pride in a clean jobsite. That means prepping and protecting the workspace before demo to ensure your space stays clean. We de-face the existing cabinetry and dispose of the old doors, moldings, drawers, etc. After a thorough cabinet cleaning and preparation, we’re ready to start bringing new life to these old cabinets.
Here’s another before look of our Dewitt client’s old wood cabinets before the refacing process.
Step 4: Adding New Wood Doors and Veneer
After de-facing and prep, we’re ready to start veneering the cabinet boxes with the new solid wood paneling and veneer. This is where the transformation really begins to take shape. Typically we will apply a ¼” ply panel to the exposed sides of the cabinet boxes, and then apply our pressure-sensitive backed veneer sheets to the face frames and trim them to size.
After that, depending on the project, we’ll begin applying new moldings, toe kick, other paneling, and drawer boxes. The final touch that brings it all together are the new doors and soft-close hinges and drawer fronts get installed and new handles are mounted.
Step 5: Kitchen Cabinet Upgrades
Some of the additional options these clients opted for were new adjustable height pull-out shelves. Especially in tall pantry units, pull out shelves add a lot of functional value in cabinets that are often accessed – instead of digging through the cabinet to access the contents in the back, all of the contents are able to be easily brought out to you with the full-extension soft-close drawer glides.
These clients also opted for new wainscoting panels around the perimeter of the otherwise bland and flat peninsula. These solid wood panels add a lot of depth and sophistication to an otherwise boring part of the cabinetry.
Step 6: A Newly Refreshed Kitchen for a Fraction of the Price
In just a week, our Lansing area clients went from outdated, worn-out cabinets to new, rift-sawn white oak.
Looking for Cost-Effective Wood Cabinets in the Lansing Area?
If you’re searching for a cost-effective wood cabinet solution in the Lansing, MI area, we can help. At Veracity Cabinet Refacing, each home gets the time and attention it deserves. Whether you have a clear vision or no direction for your kitchen update, we’ll meet with you and offer personalized advice and direction for your cabinet update.
Schedule a call today to get started.