No matter how eager you are to remodel your kitchen, upgrading the cabinets is a process that requires time, thought and a lot of research. From refacing existing cabinets to buying prefabricated units, you have plenty of options. Considering the investment you’re making, you’ll want to fully explore them before you dive in.
When I decided to upgrade my kitchen cabinets, I shopped the big-box stores but didn’t like what they had to offer. Besides being made of cheaper materials, the cabinets would have left dead space between the back and the wall, which would have invited unwanted critters to make a home in there. In addition, the standard depth was 12 in., and I needed 14-in. cabinets, which cost more.
New cabinets and …?
To save money, I considered refacing the cabinets with laminate and adding new doors, but that would have been more expensive than buying the standard cabinets. Tip: So I stopped by a local cabinet shop — the best move I made on this project. I found cabinets constructed of solid maple with no back for critters to hide behind. The upper cabinets were 14 in. deep, and the lower cabinets perfectly fit my existing cabinets’ footprint, which meant I wouldn’t have to replace the kitchen carpet. Best of all, the price wasn’t much more than I would have paid for the big-box stores’ standard cabinets.
When you’re installing new cabinets, it’s the ideal time for any other upgrades you’ve been considering: for example, replacing countertops, the sink, faucets, flooring, windows and built-in appliances such as a dishwasher or over-the-range microwave; refinishing woodwork; repainting the walls and ceiling; and installing new lighting. You should also upgrade wiring to meet code, installing GFCI outlets as well as increasing the number of outlets and circuits as necessary. (Check your local codes.) An over-the-range microwave requires a dedicated circuit, and a new electric range will require a four-prong outlet. If you replace the stove with a different type (trading gas for electric or vice versa), leave the old service in place; this can be a selling point in the future.
Remove the cabinets
Removing old cabinets is not difficult. It irritates me when workers on home-improvement shows take a sledgehammer to cabinets instead of saving them: They can always be used in a basement or workshop, and someone will gladly take them off your hands.
To get started, mark or number each door and its respective cabinet for later reinstallation. Tip: Removing the doors makes the cabinets lighter and easier to handle.
To remove the top cabinets, determine how the long run of cabinets is fastened to the corner cabinets. Older cabinets are typically nailed together, whereas newer cabinets are fastened with screws. Mine were fastened with finishing nails underneath the cabinet edges and along the front edge. Tip: I used a nail set to drive the nails all the way in, which is easier than trying to remove them.
I removed the main supporting nails with a small pry bar that maneuvered well inside the cabinets. It had sharp claws and was easy to drive under the nail head when I pounded the back edge with a hammer. Tip: Be sure to wear safety glasses, and either install bracing or have a helper support the upper cabinets as you remove the nails (Photos 1 and 2).
Remove the sink
The sink will have to be removed before the countertop can come out. First disconnect the water and drain lines so the sink is free. Tip: I used a utility knife to cut the caulk, holding the blade flat so it sliced under the sink. This process takes several passes, as sink caulk is also an adhesive that holds the sink in place and is harder to remove than regular caulk (Photo 3).
Remove the countertop
To remove the countertop, you’ll have to remove the brackets inside the lower cabinets. In my case, the top was secured to the base cabinets with adhesive. Tip: To pry off the top, I fashioned a lever that fits into a drawer opening; there was a block on the end that reached the countertop but did not touch the cabinet (Photo 4). The bottom was built up to match the opening height on one end. The other end rested in the cabinet opening to hold the cabinet down when I was prying. The top popped off nicely. If the top is too large to remove in one piece, you’ll have to cut it. I wasn’t going to use the sink in the new location, so I cut the top at the edge of the sink opening and removed it in two pieces.
Remove the lower cabinets
Lower cabinets are typically toe-nailed to the floor along the base. You may have to cut around some of the plumbing to remove the lower cabinet in that area.
In with the new …
With the cabinets removed, it is easy to work on windows, painting, installing flooring, etc. This is also the time to do any necessary electrical work. Once that’s done, installing the new cabinets is simple. In my case, the long run is one assembly that is screwed to the corner cabinet (Photo 5).
And re-cycling the old
Tip: I installed the old cabinets in my basement hobby/craft area (Photo 6). Behind the doors under the range hood, which is vented outside, is the paint booth for my airbrush. The compressor is in the cabinet below that, and the hoses are in the narrow door to the right of the compressor. I am very happy with how this turned out.