How to Replace Cabinet Doors for an Instant Kitchen Upgrade

Replacing Cabinet Doors

1. Measure for a New Door

   Measure the width and height of the cabinet opening. Next, determine the desired overlay width. Overlays range from 1/2- to 1-1/2 inches, with 1/2-inch being a common overlay width. Double the overlay width and add it to both the width and height. So, for a cabinet with a 14-inch by 26-inch opening and a 1/2-inch overlay, the door would need to be 15 inches wide by 27 inches high.

   Tip

   If you intend to keep the same overlay, simply duplicate the size of the old doors when ordering the new doors as this is the most reliable way to calculate their size.

2. Remove the Cabinet Door

   Use a manual screwdriver or electric drill with a driver bit to remove the cabinet door hinges from the cabinet frame. Remove the hinges and set them aside if you intend to reuse them.

   Tip

   Avoid landfilling cabinet doors in good condition. Donate them to a local Habitat for Humanity ReStore, sell them on Facebook Marketplace, or give them away through your local Buy Nothing group.

3. Paint the Cabinet (Optional)

   The cabinet box face frames and sides may need to be painted to harmonize with the new cabinet doors. If so, paint the cabinets soon after removing the doors. This gives the paint more time to cure before you install the new doors.

4. Bore the Hinge Holes

   Use the drill, Forstner bit, and the concealed hinge jig to drill holes in the cabinet door for the concealed hinges. Use the old cabinet door as a reference guide for where to bore the holes on the new door. Or, if you are establishing new locations, hinge holes on 1/2-inch overlay cabinets should be 3-1/2 inches on-center from the top and the bottom.

5. Attach the Hinges to the Door

   Flip open the door hinges. Place the cup portion of one of the hinges in the hinge hole. Use the provided screws and a manual or electric driver to attach the hinge to the door. Begin with pilot holes to avoid splitting the wood. Repeat for the other hinge.

   Tip

   Keep the hinge in line by holding a Speed Square against the side of the hinge-side mounting plate.

6. Mark the Mounting Plate Locations on the Cabinet

   Mark a line 2-1/4 inches from the edge of the cabinet on the inside of the cabinet. Measure up 3-1/2 inches from the bottom of the cabinet and make a mark on the line. Repeat by measuring down 3-1/2 inches from the top and making a mark.

7. Install the Mounting Plates on the Cabinet

   Remove the cabinet-side mounting plates from the hinges. Attach the mounting plates to the marked locations on the cabinet.

8. Attach the Door to the Cabinet

   Slide the door into the hinges and tighten the screws to hold the hinges in place.

9. Install the Cabinet Handles

   Install the cabinet handles on the cabinet door.

Other Ways to Update Cabinets

Replacing cabinet doors is one way to update cabinets, but it’s not the only way. Other methods, like refacing, staining, and painting, might be a better fit for you than door replacement.

Refacing Cabinets

Cabinet refacing is a professional service where cabinet doors and drawers fronts are replaced, cabinet interiors are painted, and wood veneer or hardwood panels are added to the cabinet faces and sides.

Because so many elements are replaced, cabinet refacing is as close as you can get to replacing the cabinets without actually doing so. Specialized skills, like veneering, are involved, so it’s not a DIY-friendly project. Reface the cabinets only when the cabinet boxes are in good condition.

Staining Cabinets

Staining cabinets involves removing all hardware and fixtures, removing cabinet doors and drawers fronts, and then cleaning, sanding, staining, and re-coating all pieces.

For cabinets that are in good structural shape, re-staining can have a dramatic effect. This project is time-consuming because the original protective coating must be completely sanded off before you can apply the new stain. For this reason, many homeowners decide to have professionals stain their cabinets.

Painting Cabinets

Painting cabinets means removing all doors and drawers fronts, taking off hardware and fixtures, cleaning all pieces, scuffing the surfaces, and painting them.

Painting cabinets is an inexpensive DIY project. Unlike the staining method, the cabinets’ original protective coating doesn’t need to be stripped off completely. It only needs to be scuffed or roughened for the new paint to stick.