Making a decision to replace your kitchen cabinet for your kitchen isn’t easy. There are many things to consider like budget, especially when it comes to replace your kitchen cabinets. You will be thinking is it worth replacing your kitchen cabinet when you stand in your cooking space.
If you want to replace your kitchen cabinet, you may want to take these into consideration. They need to be sturdy and have enough space to hold dishes, utensils, pots and pans, and other kitchen supplies. They need to be able to withstand sauce splatters, water spills, dings, and scratches from heavy kitchen traffic, and hands dirty from cooking messes.
HOW LONG DO KITCHEN CABINETS LAST?
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Depending on the quality of the cabinets you purchase and the maintenance, the amount of time they will last will vary. In general, high-quality cabinets can last up to 50 years. Among all kinds of furniture, cabinets are in fact one of the longest-lasting components of your entire kitchen.
Since kitchen cabinets last so long, it is important to pick out cabinets that match your current appliances, as well as appliances you plan to get in the future. In order to prepare for possible future renovations, classic-style cabinets make the safest long-term investment.
SIGNS TO REPLACE YOUR KITCHEN CABINET
1. It is Time to Replace Your Kitchen Cabinet When It Is Not Functioning Optimally
If the overall function of your cabinets does not live up to your expectations, this is a sign that you may want to fully replace your kitchen cabinet rather than repair.
Possible signs include if your cabinets are hard to access and require removing items in order to reach other items tucked in the back, if the cabinets open up and slam into one another, or if the drawers do not open without getting stuck. Cabinets have peeling paint, missing hinges, or the drawers make an odd noise when you open or close them.
No matter how aesthetically pleasing your cabinets look refinished, if they do not function efficiently, you are better off replacing your kitchen cabinet.
2. Kitchen Cabinet Structure is Beyond Repair
If the skeleton of your cabinets is too worn, frames are rotten, or bitten by termite, you won’t be able to re-drill new holes or mount new hinges. This means that you won’t be able to replace the doors or the countertops successfully as the structure won’t be able to support it. This is the time to replace your kitchen cabinet or you may be wasting money on unsuccessful repairs.
If you want to know whether your cabinet walls are badly damaged, one way you can try is to push on the sides of the walls. If they feel soft, this is a major red flag that they won’t take long before they completely fall apart. This will be the time to replace your kitchen cabinet.
3. Kitchen Cabinet Suffer Water Damage?
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If your cabinets are swollen due to water damage, the wood will warp so that you can’t close your cabinets properly. Since most kitchen cabinets are made from wood, water damage is a likely occurrence.
Kitchen cabinets are exposed to more water, steam, and other damaging elements than cabinets in most other parts of your home. Wood can easily be damaged by water, especially if you have a leak somewhere. Because of this, kitchen cabinets often need to be replaced before other cabinets in your home. Signs of water damaged cabinets include: Wood has begun to warp
- Bubbling up on the inside or outside of the cabinet
- External laminate is peeling
- The wood has started to blacken or change colors
- Mold is apparent
- Cabinets doors do not open or close properly
When dealing with a leak, finding the source of water getting into the wood is always the first step. Once located, adequately closing or redirecting the leak will ensure this does not happen again. Next, you’ll want to sufficiently dry the cabinet. Once dry, review the extent of the damage, appropriate repairs maybe able to make. This will include replacing certain parts and bleaching out stains. If not, you will need to replace your kitchen cabinet.
4. Is The Kitchen Cabinet Dirty and Smelly?
When will your cabinets smell bad? When kitchen cabinets are old and maintenance isn’t done well, there comes a time when you can’t save them from dirt, grime, and musty smells. Often, these unpleasant smells coming from your kitchen cabinets are the result of years of cooking odors working their way into the wood.
There’s not much you can do to salvage musty cabinets. This is the point when you should consider to replace your kitchen cabinet with something new, fresh, and clean.
5. Your Kitchen Cabinet Will Be Mouldy
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There are many reasons that your kitchen cabinets will be moldy. Most of the time, mould build-up is due to a water leak or as too much steam. Mould can just be cleaned away if found early and your cabinets will be as brand new cabinet. If it is left unidentified and let continues to grow, it will compromise the integrity of your cabinets and impact your family’s health. If it reaches this point of irreparable damage, you will need to replace your kitchen cabinet.
The above are some warning signs to replace your kitchen cabinet. There can be many other reasons to replace your cabinet, such as making room for new appliances, lack of storage space, etc. But before replacing, consider if your cabinet can be repaired.
