Cabinets · Comparisons

Cabinet comparisons

Refacing versus replacing is the decision that moves the most money. Refacing costs $4,000-$9,500 and keeps your boxes and layout. Replacement runs $3,200-$4,800 in stock up to $20,000-$32,000 custom on a 40-linear-foot kitchen. Refacing wins whenever the boxes are sound and the layout already works; replacement wins the moment either of those is false.

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Reface vs replace. This is a condition test, not a taste test. Sound boxes plus a layout you are happy with equals reface. Water-damaged, sagging or swollen boxes, or any desire to move things, equals replace. Modernize puts refacing at $4,000-$9,500 nationally against replacement that commonly starts around $4,000 and climbs steeply with tier. The trap is being sold a replacement for a kitchen that needed doors.

Stock vs semi-custom vs custom. At $80-$120, $150-$300 and $500-$800 per linear foot respectively, this is the second biggest lever. Stock suits standard rectangular kitchens. Semi-custom buys sizing and finish flexibility and is where most well-executed mid-range kitchens land. Custom is for genuinely awkward rooms and specific unavailable designs.

Plywood vs particleboard boxes. Plywood is cross-laminated veneers, stiffer and more tolerant of moisture. Particleboard is compressed wood fiber and resin, flat and stable but prone to swelling if water gets in and the edges are unsealed. Plywood boxes are a real upgrade under a sink or in a laundry. Note, though, that both materials can appear in cabinets carrying the ANSI/KCMA A161.1 certification seal — the certification tests performance, not material, which is why it is a better filter than a materials argument.

Painted vs stained. Painted finishes show hairline cracks at joints over time as wood moves; stained finishes hide wear better. Neither is objectively better. If you have kids and heavy use, stained or a durable factory-applied painted finish is the practical choice.

How to choose

Run the condition test first: Boxes sound and layout working? Reface. Either one false? Replace. That is the whole decision.
Compare on installed price per linear foot: It is the only way to line up a stock quote against a semi-custom quote fairly.
Ask for the KCMA seal: ANSI/KCMA A161.1 certification means the cabinets passed defined structural, drawer, door and finish tests. It is a harder filter than any sales claim.
Spend the plywood upgrade where water lives: Sink base and dishwasher-adjacent cabinets are where particleboard actually fails.
Check drawer boxes and glides separately: Dovetailed drawer boxes and full-extension soft-close glides tell you more about quality than the door style does.
Beware the free-design close: A free 3D rendering is a sales tool. Do not let it commit you before you have a second quote.

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All cabinets comparisons

Refacing vs Replacement Cabinets

Stock vs Semi Custom vs Custom

Painted vs Stained Cabinets

Framed vs Frameless Cabinets

Solid Wood vs Plywood Boxes

Thermofoil vs Painted MDF

DIY Cabinets vs Professional

Soft Close Upgrade vs Full Replace

FAQ

Cabinets comparisons — common questions

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Should I reface or replace my kitchen cabinets?

Reface if the boxes are structurally sound and the layout works — Modernize puts it at $4,000-$9,500 and up to 78% less than replacing. Replace if the boxes are damaged or you want to change the layout.

Are plywood cabinets worth the upgrade over particleboard?

Where moisture is likely — under the sink, next to a dishwasher, in a laundry — yes. Elsewhere, a KCMA-certified particleboard cabinet from a reputable line performs well.

Is semi-custom worth it over stock?

If your kitchen has non-standard dimensions, awkward corners, or you want specific finishes, yes. In a plain rectangular kitchen, stock at $80-$120 per foot often delivers the same visible result.

What does KCMA certification actually prove?

That the cabinet passed the ANSI/KCMA A161.1 test battery, including doors cycled 25,000 times, wall cabinets loaded to 600 pounds, shelves loaded at 15 pounds per square foot for seven days, and a set of finish heat, cold, spill and stain tests.

Sources

Where these figures come from

Modernize — Cabinet Refacing Cost Guide 2026 · retrieved 2026-07-25
SimplyWise — Cost to Install Kitchen Cabinets in 2026 · retrieved 2026-07-25
KCMA — A161.1 Quality Cabinet Certification · retrieved 2026-07-25