Is there a budget-friendly way to update 90s kitchen cabinets by filling them with wood filler, staining, and adding new hinges?
Asked by Madison Herrera 
3 months ago
Last Updated: September 13, 2024
We could use some help with our kitchen from the 90s! When we bought the house, it needed a lot of work, and we’ve tackled other projects, but now it’s time for the kitchen. We can’t afford new doors or cabinets, so we’re looking for other options. The doors are in bad shape and the hinges are even worse. They’re a special type, so replacements are pricey. I was thinking of just taking everything out and giving it a deep clean, but I’m wondering if we could fill the holes with some wood filler or a piece of wood, stain it all, and then install new soft close hinges. What do you think?
If you’re putting in the effort to restain, might as well consider painting instead to cover the fillers.
Recommends using a gel stain that provides full coverage.
Just sand, throw on some primer, paint with advance cabinet paint, add new hardware, and it will totally transform the look. Just make sure to label all the doors and drawer faces.
When you mention the drawer faces, our drawers do not actually have faces. It is simply a complete drawer that can be inserted and removed. It would definitely be more convenient if they had faces!
Always makes sure to label everything so they can be placed back in the right spots. Are you positive the faces are not removable? If they are not secured with individual screws, they may be attached by the pulls. Otherwise, they might simply not come off, which is quite uncommon.
Is that so? I thought the same, especially with older cabinets. Here’s a picture. I changed the pulls when we first moved in, so that’s not what’s keeping them in place.
You’re absolutely right! I never doubted you, just wanted to share my thoughts. Take your time, follow every step, and your paint job will last for years. I recommend cleaning them before gently sanding to avoid dirt getting trapped in the old finish. Use tack cloths to remove any dust, lightly sand again after priming, use a tack cloth once more, and then start painting.
Thank you so much for sharing the information. 🙌 We’ll have her looking great in no time!
I really recommend using cabinet paint like Benjamin Moore Advance or Cabinet Coat. It truly makes a difference. Also, make sure to use a quality primer like BM Fresh Start to prevent the old finish from showing through.
These are attached, but just barely. Consider swapping out the faces.
Actually, you might still notice the repair unless you go ahead and paint the cabinets. Consider painting the hinges black or in an oil-rubbed bronze finish.
I’m thinking we should go with the paint method for now. It should work until we can afford a full remodel.
Is a fan of Rust-Oleum hammered finish paint because it’s more durable than other brands. She has used it on hardware before, and recommends cleaning and soaking the hardware in a solution of TSP powder mixed with hot water.
Expresses gratitude and plans to investigate further.
Says no problem, you can do this!
Check out Amazon for these hinges. They do exist and they are more affordable than what you were planning to do. Euro soft close hinges can get pretty pricey compared to what you currently have.
Looks like double demountable hinges. They offer a bit more than soft close. If you have some red oak, you could cut pieces to size, glue them in, and sand them down. Since you have overlay doors, it may not be very noticeable. You could also drill the 35mm cup holes for the soft close hinges where the original hinge was.
Hey , I think we might have some extra wood left over from when we installed our hardwood floors. If we sand it down, do you think it would be better to paint it or stain it? We really like the natural wood look, but these pieces are not the best quality.
Hey Amy, you can also find red oak at the large retail stores. If you’re referring to the entire kitchen rather than just the hinge patch pieces, staining and refinishing would require more effort compared to painting. You’d need to strip and sand off the old finish.
My son recently purchased a new house. I redid their kitchen cabinets, which had the same hinges. I filled the holes with wood filler, sanded, and then painted them. The outcome was fantastic. This picture was taken before adding the knobs, but it’s the only one I have from the renovations.
Before photo.