Cabinet Refacing Cost: $7,220–$8,250 Average in 2026
Author: CostGuideHQ Editorial·✓ Fact-checked·Updated July 2026·4 min read·3 sources Quick answerQuick answer: Cabinet refacing averages $7,220 to $8,250 nationally (about $7,567), and most full-kitchen projects land between $3,000 and $13,500. Per linear foot, expect $80 to $500 depending on material, from laminate on the low end to solid wood on the high end (Fixr, Bob Vila, HomeAdvisor).
- ✓National average cost is about $7,567, based on Fixr ($8,250), HomeAdvisor ($7,230), and Bob Vila ($7,220).
- ✓Typical full-kitchen projects range from $3,000 to $13,500 (Fixr), with a 30-linear-foot kitchen running $7,000-$12,000 (Bob Vila).
- ✓Laminate refacing runs $80-$125 per linear foot, while solid wood runs $200-$500 per linear foot (Fixr, HomeAdvisor).
- ✓Labor typically accounts for 50-70% of the total project cost (Fixr).
How much does cabinet refacing cost?
National average
$7,567
total project
Typical range
$3,000–$13,500
Most projects
High end
$13,500+
Premium / complex
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Cost by material / type
| Type | Low | High |
|---|
| Plastic laminate / thermofoil | $1,000 | $3,000 |
| High-quality wood veneer | $2,500 | $6,500 |
| Real wood veneer | $6,000 | $14,000 |
| Solid wood or plywood | $5,000 | $10,000 |
What affects the cost?
- Material choice (laminate, wood veneer, or solid wood) is the single biggest price driver
- Kitchen size and total linear footage of cabinets being refaced
- Labor, which typically makes up 50-70% of the total project cost
- Hardware replacement (new pulls, hinges) and add-ons like crown molding or under-cabinet lighting
- Ease of access and layout complexity of the kitchen
- Local labor rates and geographic location
Why does cabinet refacing cost so much?
Cabinet refacing costs $3,000 to $13,500 for a typical kitchen because the price covers two expensive line items: new door and drawer fronts in your chosen material, and the skilled labor to fit them to your existing cabinet boxes. Labor alone eats up 50-70% of the total bill (Fixr), since a contractor has to measure, order, and precisely install new fronts and veneer around cabinets that were never designed to be disassembled.
Material is the other half of the equation. Laminate is the budget option at $80-$125 per linear foot, while solid wood climbs to $200-$500 per linear foot (Fixr, HomeAdvisor). That spread alone explains why one homeowner’s project lands near $3,000 and another’s tops $13,500: the same size kitchen in laminate versus solid hardwood can cost three to four times as much (Fixr).
Refacing still runs well below full cabinet replacement, which HomeAdvisor prices at $10,000 or more, because you’re keeping the existing cabinet boxes and only replacing what’s visible.
What affects the cost?
The biggest factor is material. Plastic laminate or rigid thermofoil totals $1,000-$3,000 for an average kitchen, high-quality veneer runs $2,500-$6,500, real wood veneer runs $6,000-$14,000, and solid wood or plywood runs $5,000-$10,000 (Bob Vila). Kitchen size matters just as much: Bob Vila’s benchmark project, 30 linear feet of cabinets, costs $7,000-$12,000, and Fixr’s size breakdown shows small kitchens (under 150 sq ft) averaging $4,400-$6,875 versus $8,250-plus for larger kitchens over 250 sq ft.
Beyond material and size, layout complexity plays a role. HomeAdvisor notes that cabinets that are harder to access, tight corners, tall runs, or awkward angles, add labor time and cost. Hardware replacement (new pulls and hinges) and optional add-ons like crown molding or under-cabinet lighting also stack onto the base price. Finally, local labor rates shift the total, which is why the same project can price differently across regions even with identical materials.
How to lower your cabinet refacing cost
- Choose laminate or thermofoil over solid wood. It’s the single biggest lever: laminate runs $80-$125 per linear foot versus $200-$500 for solid wood (Fixr, HomeAdvisor), often cutting the total bill by half or more.
- Keep your existing cabinet layout. Refacing only works out cheaper than replacement when you’re not moving cabinet boxes or changing the footprint. Reconfiguring the layout pushes you toward full-replacement pricing, which HomeAdvisor puts at $10,000-plus.
- Skip non-essential add-ons. Crown molding, under-cabinet lighting, and extra storage inserts are optional upsells on top of the base refacing price, not part of the core estimate.
- Reuse hardware where possible. New pulls and hinges are a line item HomeAdvisor and Fixr both call out separately from the door/veneer cost; keeping hardware you already like avoids that add-on.
- Get multiple quotes. Since labor is 50-70% of the total (Fixr), and labor rates vary by region and contractor, comparing bids is one of the few ways to meaningfully move the price without downgrading materials.
- Consider refinishing instead of refacing if you like your current cabinet doors and just want a new color or sheen. HomeAdvisor prices refinishing-only at $1,800-$4,200, well under the $7,230 refacing average, though it won’t change the cabinet style.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does cabinet refacing cost on average?+
Nationally, cabinet refacing averages about $7,567, based on figures from Fixr ($8,250), HomeAdvisor ($7,230), and Bob Vila ($7,220). Most homeowners end up spending somewhere between $3,000 and $13,500 for a full kitchen, depending on size and material.
How much does cabinet refacing cost per linear foot?+
Expect roughly $80 to $500 per linear foot depending on material. HomeAdvisor puts the typical range at $150 to $450 per linear foot, while Fixr's average across all materials is about $275 per linear foot.
Is laminate or wood veneer cabinet refacing cheaper?+
Laminate is the cheapest option, at $80 to $125 per linear foot (Fixr, HomeAdvisor) or roughly $1,000 to $3,000 total for an average kitchen (Bob Vila). Real wood veneer costs far more, averaging $455 per linear foot or $6,000 to $14,000 total (Bob Vila).
How much of the cost is labor?+
Labor makes up 50 to 70 percent of the total refacing bill, or roughly $4,125 to $5,775 on an average-size kitchen, according to Fixr. Bob Vila similarly notes that labor accounts for more than half of the total project cost.
Does kitchen size change the price much?+
Yes. Fixr breaks it down by size: a small kitchen under 150 square feet runs $4,400 to $6,875, a medium kitchen (150-250 square feet) runs $6,875 to $8,250, and larger kitchens can run $8,250 and up.
Is refacing cheaper than replacing cabinets entirely?+
Generally yes. HomeAdvisor lists full cabinet replacement at $10,000 or more, well above the $7,230 refacing average. Refinishing only (no new doors, just recoating existing surfaces) is the cheapest option at $1,800 to $4,200, but it doesn't change the cabinet style the way refacing does.
Sources
Figures synthesized and cross-checked across these sources (retrieved 2026-07-24):
- Fixr — National Average: $8,250; Typical Range: $3,000-$13,500 (extreme range $1,600-$27,000); average $275 per linear foot (range $100-$450); by material per linear foot: Laminate $80-$125, Wood Veneer $100-$250, Solid Wood $200-$500; by kitchen size: small (under 150 sq ft) $4,400-$6,875, medium (150-250 sq ft) $6,875-$8,250, large (over 250 sq ft) $8,250+; labor is 50-70% of total cost ($4,125-$5,775 for an average kitchen)
- Bob Vila — National average: $7,220; typical cost range $4,501-$10,546; per linear foot: laminate $100, high-quality veneer $200, real-wood veneer $455; by material total cost: plastic laminate $1,000-$3,000, rigid thermofoil laminate $1,000-$3,000, high-quality veneer $2,500-$6,500, real wood veneer $6,000-$14,000, solid wood or plywood $5,000-$10,000; refacing 30 linear feet of cabinets in an average full-size kitchen costs $7,000-$12,000; more than half of total project cost goes to labor
- HomeAdvisor — Average $7,230, most homeowners spend $4,234-$10,226, roughly $150-$450 per linear foot; by material per linear foot: RTF (rigid thermofoil) $80-$125, Wood Veneer $100-$250, Solid and Plywood $200-$500; refinishing only (no new doors) $1,800-$4,200; full cabinet replacement $10,000 or more
National averages from three independently fetched sources cluster tightly: Fixr $8,250, HomeAdvisor $7,230, Bob Vila $7,220 -- averaged here to $7,567. Typical full-kitchen spend runs $3,000-$13,500 (Fixr), with Fixr also citing a wider extreme range of $1,600-$27,000. Bob Vila's benchmark is a 30-linear-foot average kitchen costing $7,000-$12,000. Per-linear-foot pricing ranges roughly $80-$500 depending on material, with laminate cheapest and solid wood most expensive; real wood veneer runs $100-$250/linear foot per Fixr and HomeAdvisor, or averages $455/linear foot per Bob Vila. Figures cover new door and drawer-front replacement plus veneer applied over existing cabinet boxes; they exclude full cabinet box replacement. HomeAdvisor separately notes refinishing-only (no new doors) runs $1,800-$4,200, while full cabinet replacement runs $10,000+.