The kitchen is the busiest room of almost every home – where everybody goes to prepare food and drinks, cook, and dine on a daily basis.
Whether you have a large open plan kitchen or the smallest galley kitchen, the high amount of traffic will inevitably lead to wear and tear on your kitchen units.
Here at Kitchen Warehouse, we understand that complete kitchen units are an integral part of the overall kitchen structure. However, it’s not always possible or practical to replace the whole room’s worth just to freshen up your kitchen’s appearance – buying a new kitchen isn’t cheap.
The average cost of a new kitchen is less than you might think, but it can still be expensive for many people. It can take years to save up enough to cover the costs of your dream kitchen, but there’s an alternative route that’s both faster and cheaper than a total refit.
If your existing cabinets are fine but the frontages look a little tired, why not replace just the cabinet doors instead?
The most cost-effective solution for a kitchen makeover is to replace the cupboard doors and drawer fronts while retaining the fitted units, reinventing the room for a fraction of the price.
Replacement kitchen doors are far more affordable than whole units, and installing them is easy and quick compared to a full kitchen renovation.
Giving your kitchen a trendy new look can even increase the value of your home, which is a win-win if you intend to sell the property in the future.
Interested in swapping your kitchen cupboard doors? This guide goes through everything you need to know about replacing kitchen cabinet doors, including the why, when, and how. Keep reading to find out more about replacement kitchen cabinet doors with design and installation tips from Kitchen Warehouse.
Don’t worry, replacing kitchen doors is straightforward and simple!
How to Replace Your Kitchen Doors
One of the biggest concerns you might have about ordering replacement kitchen doors is how difficult it might be to install them. You don’t have to worry, though, because attaching new cabinet doors is easy. Even if your DIY skills are lacking and you get a bit stuck, Kitchen Warehouse has some helpful ‘how to’ videos, where our expert team members show you exactly what to do.
If you’re not a visual learner and prefer to read written instructions, we’ve provided a step-by-step guide to replacing kitchen cupboard doors below, covering everything from measuring to fitting.
Order Replacement Kitchen Doors Online
Once you have the sizing details for your kitchen doors and drawers, you can look through the collections available on the Kitchen Warehouse website and check the dimensions of each design against your current doors. We offer a wide selection of sizes, including standard, short, and tall, so you should be able to find replacement doors of all kinds that fit your existing kitchen units.
When you’ve chosen your favourite design, you can either order a sample first to see how it looks in person, or purchase a set of all the doors you need right away. Simply add the kitchen doors, drawer fronts, and any panels or plinths to your cart, then check out and pay when you’re ready.
You should receive your replacement door delivery within 7 working days (excluding acrylic or painted doors, which can take 15-30 days to produce). We’ll send them well-packed to prevent damage in transit, but you can always contact usif they arrive in less than perfect condition.
Prepare the Handles for the Doors and Drawers
Once all your kitchen doors and drawer fronts are drilled, fitted, and lined up nicely, you can finish the job by attaching the handles. The handle style can make a massive difference to the aesthetic of your new kitchen, so it’s important to choose new handles that look good against your doors.
To fit the handles, first place a piece of low-tack masking tape on the front of each door where you want the handle to sit. Hold the handle in place against the surface to decide where you prefer it to be. Use your pencil again to draw a line on the masking tape to the left and right of the handle.
New Doors, New Kitchen
Using your tape measure, make a third pencil line exactly in the centre of the two lines you’ve just drawn. Measure from the outside edge of the door to the centre line and write down this number. Every handle should be the same distance from the door edge when you drill a hole at this point.
Repeat the measurement, masking tape, and pencil line process for every door and drawer. Avoid drawing directly on the surface, and remember to make the lines a little longer than the handle.
Now you can place the handle on its side against the lines and make sure it sits at the right height. Mark where the bottom screw hole will be when it’s in place, so the pencil lines now form a cross.
Next, measure the handle itself from the bottom screw hole to the top screw hole. Measuring from the top of one screw hole to the top of the other makes it easier to achieve an accurate figure than measuring from centre to centre. Measure this distance up from the bottom screw hole marking you’ve already made on the door and make a second cross where the top screw hole should be.
When Should You Replace Your Kitchen Doors?
Like most furniture or appliances, kitchen cabinet doors have a limited lifespan, meaning they’ll only last a certain amount of time before you’ll need to replace them. This could be 5 years, 10 years, or even several decades, depending on the construction materials and how rigorously you use it.
When you see the room every day, it’s easy to become used to it, no longer noticing how shabby your cabinets look. It might take a passing comment from a family member, friend, or other visitor to see your kitchen through an outsider’s eyes and realise that it desperately needs an upgrade.
At Kitchen Warehouse, we want everyone to take pride in their kitchen and achieve the look and level of finish that they really want. This is why we recommend updating a run-down kitchen with replacement doors, which is a relatively fuss-free and quick way to give your cupboards a facelift.
It’s fine to endure minor cosmetic damage for months or even years, but if super-scruffy doors are making your kitchen a dingy and unpleasant place to be, then it’s definitely time to do something about it. With replacement cabinet doors, you won’t have to wait long to get the kitchen you deserve.
You’ll only need to save up for longer and invest in new kitchen units if the carcasses themselves are damaged or old and incompatible with the doors you want. Since hardwearing kitchen cabinets can last for a decade or more with proper care, replacing kitchen doors allows you to refresh shoddy frontages more frequently and at less expense. So, is it time for you to take the initiative?
There’s no time like the present for replacing kitchen doors.
Benefits of Buying Replacement Kitchen Doors
Want to know one of the best-kept secrets about reinventing your kitchen? Spending money you don’t have to spare isn’t the only way to do it, but most people aren’t aware of the affordable alternative – . Here are five major benefits of deciding to replace kitchen cabinet doors.
Spending Less Money
As we know, buying kitchen units complete with doors and drawer fronts costs a lot more than just buying the doors separately. In times of economic strain, consumers are likely to gravitate towards cheaper options. Carcasses will last a lot longer than moving parts like doors and hinges, so why fix what isn’t broken? Changing the doors achieves the desired effect without breaking the bank.
If you just replace kitchen cabinet doors, you can save yourself a lot of money.
Saving Time and Effort
Not only can replacement kitchen cabinet doors save you money, but they’re also less time-consuming to order and install, so you can enjoy your new kitchen sooner. Production and delivery will be faster than it would for entire units, and removing the old doors and attaching the new ones takes less time and doesn’t leave as much mess. It’s easy to DIY, too, instead of paying a professional fitter.
Providing a Stylish New Look
When the cabinet doors are closed, you’re unlikely to even notice the colour of the units behind them. It’s the style and finish of the outward-facing doors that leaves the biggest impression. By switching to a trendier type of door, you can create the illusion of a total kitchen transformation – without shelling out for new units. This is the number one hassle-free way to spruce up a kitchen. All you have to do is simply replace kitchen cabinet doors.
Adding Modern Mechanisms
Replacing doors doesn’t involve any radical layout changes, but it does give you a chance to take your cabinets to the next level. At Kitchen Warehouse, all of our replacement doors come with soft-closing hinges from the German manufacturer Hettich, making it safe, smooth, and quiet to open and close them. You can also add kitchen accessorieslike built-in storage and new handles.
Getting More Out of Your Units
Even the most well-made kitchen units will need replacing eventually, but they’ll hold up for many years beyond the doors. Due to all the pulling and pushing, swinging and slamming, and the light, temperature, and moisture changes that come with their location, exposed doors will deteriorate at a faster rate. When you replace them, you’re making your kitchen last for longer by maintaining the still-functional framework. You can just get new kitchen cabinet doors several times throughout the unit’s lifespan.
How to Choose Replacement Kitchen Doors
If you’re considering new kitchen cabinet doors, you might not know where to start, especially if it’s been a while since you last browsed through kitchen designs. Luckily, Kitchen Warehouse has years of industry experience in supplying a vast range of high-quality kitchen units and doors. Here are some tips on shopping for replacement kitchen doors and choosing the best design.
Where to Find Replacement Cabinet Doors?
The first step is searching online for kitchen ideas to narrow down what you’re looking for. Our kitchen installation gallery has plenty of inspiration for both classic and colourful cupboard doors. You can also browse our replacement door collections directly on our site to see product images.
However, viewing in person is often preferable, as the photography in online kitchen brochures can’t always capture how a colour and finish looks in real life. If you’re within travelling distance of Ripon in Yorkshire, then we’d recommend visiting the Kitchen Warehouse showroom to check out our stock with your own eyes. You’ll also have the opportunity to speak directly with our staff.
Even if you can’t make a trip to our showroom, you can still order kitchen door samples online. We’ll send you a small sample of the chosen door style so you can see how it looks in your kitchen. If you order a set of doors in that style, we’ll even deduct the cost of the samples from your order!
Which Kitchen Colour Scheme to Use?
The big question now is what colour scheme to go for!
Graphite units give kitchens a modern look
When you’re updating the doors but not the units in your kitchen, the first major decision is whether or not you want the new doors to match the units.
If there are no outwardly visible edges, matching isn’t too important. If there are, you’ll either have to choose a colour as close as possible to the unit or commit to creating a contrasting look. The style of your worktops will also influence this choice.
Bear in mind that exact colour-matching for products from different brands and suppliers isn’t very likely, so only go down this route if you’re fine with settling for a close approximation. It’s crucial to order a sample to test against your units if you intend to do this. Even if you decide on another hue, it’s advisable to stick with the same finish – such as matt doors with matt units, or gloss with gloss.
Don’t forget about the fittings, either. Everything from your light fixtures to electrical outlets to appliances also affects the harmony of your kitchen design, so take those colours and styles into consideration, too. You can always select suitable new kitchen accessories like handles and taps.
Modern or Traditional Kitchen Cupboards?
There are dozens, if not hundreds, of different kitchen designs out there to choose from. However, we can most easily categorise kitchens under the umbrella of ‘modern‘ or ‘traditional’ styles. For example, solid wood kitchens are considered traditional, while high gloss kitchens are modern.
Contemporary kitchens tend to go for minimalism, such as handleless cabinet doors, while ‘old-fashioned’ kitchens focus on textures. Things can get confusing when traditional kitchens designs are given a contemporary twist, like modern Shaker-style kitchens or handleless wood kitchens, but these mixed styles can offer the best of both worlds. It all comes down to your personal preferences.
If your existing kitchen feels old and drab, replacement doors can modernise the room. If high gloss slab doors are too much of a step forward, you can find a middle ground with combinations like textured matt kitchen doors or colourful painted wood kitchen doors. Or maybe you long for a classic country-style kitchen, in which case, oak kitchen cupboard doors would be your best bet.
Ready to Replace Your Kitchen Cabinet Doors?
Whether you’re still shopping for replacement kitchen doors or you’ve proudly finished fitting them yourself, we’ve outlined everything you should consider when installing new doors and drawers. It’s amazing that you can upgrade your home with a small amount of money and work.
As industry experts at Kitchen Warehouse, we’re always happy to share our secrets and build a rapport with our clients, ensuring that every customer achieves the result they’re hoping for. Our replacement kitchen doors are some of the most affordable yet high-quality products of this type on the market. We work directly with manufacturers – no middle-men – to give you the best deals.
We’ve been selling quality kitchens and replacement doors at trade prices for years from our base in the North Yorkshire area, earning ourselves a reputation for accommodating every customer’s needs and budget. Take a look at our completed projects and testimonials to see for yourself.
Our services are unparalleled by any other kitchen door supplier. If the standard doors we supply aren’t available in the sizes you need, we may still be able to help. We can manufacture made-to-measure kitchen doors with your custom measurements for Acrylic and Luxury Shaker designs. Simply email the details to contact@kitchenwarehouseltd.comto request a bespoke quotation.
For more guidance on our products, or how to change your kitchen doors, simply get in touch with a member of our friendly team today. Give us a call on 01765 640 000 or fill out our online enquiry form for a swift response. If you’re in the Yorkshire area yourself, why not come and visit our kitchen showroom at Hutton Moor Farm and speak to our knowledgeable staff in person? We’re open 6 days a week – 9am to 6pm from Monday to Friday and 10am to 3.30pm on Saturdays.
