Last updated: September 9, 2026
Cabinet refacing in Montgomery County typically runs $8,000 to $16,000, against $18,000 to $40,000+ to replace the same cabinets. Refacing takes three to five days. Replacement takes three to six weeks.
That gap is why the question comes up on nearly every kitchen estimate we write. The honest answer is that refacing is the right call in some kitchens and a waste of money in others, and the deciding factor has almost nothing to do with how the doors look.
It comes down to the boxes. Refacing keeps your existing cabinet boxes and changes everything you can see. If the boxes are sound, you save a great deal of money. If they are not, you are putting new doors on a failing structure.
What Cabinet Refacing Actually Includes
A proper reface replaces the doors and drawer fronts entirely, covers the visible box frames in matching veneer or laminate, and installs new hinges and hardware. Most homeowners also add soft-close hardware and new drawer boxes at this stage, since the cabinets are already open.
What does not change: the layout, the box sizes, the interior shelving, and the position of every appliance and outlet. If your kitchen frustrates you because of where things are rather than how they look, refacing will not fix it.
Refinishing is a third option, and different again — sanding and repainting the existing doors rather than replacing them. It is cheaper still, roughly $3,500 to $7,500, but it only works on solid wood doors in good condition. It cannot be done on thermofoil or laminate.
Cabinet Refacing Cost in Montgomery County (2026)
| Option | Typical Cost | Timeline | What Changes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Refinishing | $3,500 – $7,500 | 3–5 days | Doors sanded and repainted. Solid wood only. |
| Refacing | $8,000 – $16,000 | 3–5 days | New doors, drawer fronts, veneer on frames, new hardware. |
| Refacing + new drawer boxes | $13,000 – $22,000 | 5–8 days | All of the above plus soft-close drawer boxes and slides. |
| Full replacement | $18,000 – $40,000+ | 3–6 weeks | New boxes, new layout possible, plumbing and electrical can move. |
Kitchen size drives most of the variation. A standard 10×10 kitchen sits at the lower end of each range; a large kitchen with an island and a pantry wall sits at the upper end. Door material matters too — a solid wood shaker door costs noticeably more than a laminate one.
For where this fits in a whole-kitchen budget, see our kitchen remodeling cost guide for Montgomery County and our 10×10 kitchen remodel cost breakdown.
When Refacing Is the Right Choice
Reface when all of the following are true:
- The boxes are solid. Open a door and press on the bottom shelf. If it flexes, or if the base under the sink is soft or swollen, the boxes are done. Refacing them is money thrown away.
- The layout works. You are not moving the sink, the range or a wall.
- Your cabinets are plywood or solid wood. Particleboard boxes from the 1990s often will not hold new hinges reliably.
- You want it done quickly. Three to five days with a usable kitchen most of that time, against weeks without one.
This describes a lot of Montgomery County housing stock — solidly built kitchens from the 1980s and 1990s with sound boxes and dated doors. Those are excellent refacing candidates.
When You Should Replace Instead
Replace when any one of these applies:
- Water damage. Under-sink swelling, delamination or soft edges anywhere means the boxes go.
- You want a different layout. No amount of refacing moves a sink or opens a wall.
- The cabinet heights waste space. Older kitchens often stop at 30 inches with a soffit above. Replacement lets you go to the ceiling and gain real storage.
- You are already opening the walls. If plumbing or electrical is moving anyway, the saving from refacing shrinks fast.
We turn down refacing jobs where the boxes are failing. It looks acceptable for a year and then the doors start sagging, and nobody is pleased with that outcome.
The Ten-Minute Check You Can Do Yourself
Before you call anyone, open the cabinet under your sink with a torch and look at four things:
- The base. Any softness, staining or swelling means water has been sitting there.
- The shelves. Press down in the middle. Real flex means particleboard that is giving up.
- The face frames. Solid wood is fine. Peeling laminate over particleboard is not a good refacing surface.
- The hinges. If screws spin without tightening, the wood is stripped and will not hold new hardware.
Three or four good answers and you are a refacing candidate. One bad answer and get a proper opinion before spending anything.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does cabinet refacing take?
Three to five days for a typical kitchen. Your kitchen stays broadly usable throughout, unlike a full replacement.
Do I need a permit to reface cabinets in Montgomery County?
Generally no, as long as no plumbing or electrical moves. Replacement often does require one. See our guide to remodeling permits in Montgomery County.
Can I change my countertops at the same time?
Yes, and it is the sensible moment to do it. Countertops come off during refacing anyway. If you are weighing materials, see quartz vs granite for Maryland kitchens.
Is refacing worth it before selling?
Often yes. It updates the most-looked-at surface in the house for a fraction of a full remodel. But if the boxes are failing, a buyer’s inspector will find it.
What about painting the cabinets myself?
Possible on solid wood, and the cheapest option by far. Be realistic about the prep — degreasing, sanding, priming and spraying is what separates a professional finish from a visibly brushed one.
Can you reface only part of the kitchen?
Technically yes, but matching new doors to existing ones rarely looks right. We generally advise doing the whole run.
Cabinet Refacing in Montgomery County
Think2Remodel is a licensed and insured remodeling contractor based in Rockville — MHIC #159517. We handle cabinet refacing, refinishing and full kitchen replacement, and we will tell you honestly which one your kitchen actually needs.
We work throughout Montgomery County, including Silver Spring, Rockville, Olney, Chevy Chase and Potomac.
See our full kitchen remodeling services in Montgomery County, or try the free remodeling cost calculator.
Call (240) 258-8885 for a free consultation and a straight answer on whether refacing makes sense for your kitchen.
Related reading: Planning the whole kitchen? See our guide to 10×10 kitchen remodel costs in Montgomery County.