Kitchen Makeover on a Budget: An In-Depth Look

Published: January 28, 2021

By the Estate Millwork Design Team | Craftsmen since 1997

When it comes to kitchens your budget can explode fast and be hard to tame if you're not paying attention. One of the biggest hits to a kitchens budget outside of appliances is the cabinets. You can avoid some of these expenditures by simply refacing your cabinets with new cabinet doors and drawer fronts .

Reface with Style

Maybe you're looking at outdated kitchen or cabinets that just don't fit your style. This is no issue when it comes to replacing your cabinet doors and drawer fronts with a new fresh look that fits you and your look. Replacing just your cabinet doors and drawer fronts versus replacing the entire cabinet can save you a bundle when it comes to your overall budget.

Replacing your cabinet doors and drawer fronts is a lot easier than replacing the entire cabinet which can bring more work than you may be prepared for. Replacing the cabinet doors can be as simple as taking down the existing door and hanging the new one in its place. However when it comes to replacing the entire cabinet box you need to factor in things like mounting hardware and additional labor costs or finding someone willing to help you hang and set all the boxes properly.

Updating your cabinet doors and drawer fronts provides you the perfect opportunity to update your hardware without having to worry about filling any holes from the prior hardware. This is also the perfect time to change the color your cabinets to provide an even more dramatic facelift to your kitchen.

Frequently Asked Questions

What wood species work best for interior doors?

Poplar is the most popular choice for painted interior doors due to its smooth grain and affordability. For stained doors, Red Oak, Maple, Cherry, and Walnut each offer distinctive grain patterns and color tones. The best species depends on whether you plan to paint or stain.

Custom wood doors are built to your exact dimensions using solid hardwood and traditional joinery methods like mortise and tenon. Big-box store doors are typically hollow-core or use engineered materials. Custom doors offer superior sound insulation, durability, and a solid feel that mass-produced doors cannot match.

Yes. Estate Millwork builds every door to your specified width and height. Whether you need a narrow pantry door, an oversized entry door, or a door to fit a historic opening with non-standard dimensions, we can accommodate your requirements.

We offer louvered, raised panel, flat panel, French, barn, arched, and mission style doors. Each style is available in multiple wood species and can be ordered painted or unfinished. Our online designer lets you configure every detail and see an instant price quote.

Design Considerations for Custom Wood Doors

• Measure the rough opening, not the existing door, when ordering a replacement. Include the width, height, and wall thickness so the door and jamb fit correctly.
• For high-traffic areas like kitchens and hallways, choose a harder wood species like White Oak or Maple that resists dents and wear better than softer species.
• Louvered doors are an excellent choice for closets, laundry rooms, and utility spaces because the slats promote air circulation, reducing moisture buildup and musty odors.
• When matching new doors to existing trim, bring a sample of your current wood or finish to compare. Estate Millwork offers the same species and can match stain colors for a cohesive look.

Build your new Custom Millwork and get a Free Instant Quote Today

Our state of the art designers allow you to design and build completely customized millwork to fit your exact needs.

Questions or concerns contact us contact us or via 412.641.0177 .

Why Custom Millwork Makes a Difference

Mass-produced doors, shutters, and cabinets are built to standard dimensions using the fastest possible construction methods. Custom millwork takes the opposite approach: every piece is built to your exact measurements using time-tested joinery techniques that have proven themselves over centuries. The result is a product that fits perfectly, operates smoothly, and lasts for generations rather than years.

Estate Millwork builds every product in our Pennsylvania workshop using traditional mortise-and-tenon joinery. This technique interlocks the rails and stiles with precisely cut joints reinforced by hardwood dowel pins, creating a mechanical bond that does not rely solely on adhesive. Unlike pocket-screwed or biscuit-joined alternatives, mortise-and-tenon joints actually strengthen over time as the wood fibers compress and lock together.

Our manufacturing process begins with hand-selected, kiln-dried lumber graded for architectural appearance. Each board is inspected for grain pattern, color consistency, and structural integrity before entering production. CNC machinery cuts joints to thousandth-of-an-inch tolerances, and skilled woodworkers assemble, sand, and inspect every piece before it ships. This combination of modern precision and traditional craftsmanship is what separates custom millwork from stock alternatives.

Explore our product lines and design something uniquely yours:

• Design Custom Shutters
• Build Custom Doors
• Browse Cabinet Door Options

Need Help?

Contact Us @ 412.641.0177

Build this door to your exact size

Estate Millwork has built custom solid hardwood doors in Pennsylvania for over 20 years — any size, 12 wood species, no standard-size compromises. Price and preview yours online in minutes.

Custom Kitchen Cabinet Doors →    Browse every door style    Talk to us @ 412.641.0177

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