Low Budget Kitchen Cabinet Doors Remodeling Idea

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I’ve seen many nice looking low budget kitchen upgrades in my thirty years of cabinet building. To succeed at remolding this way you just need a couple of ideas that look good, but don’t cost a lot of money. I’m going to give you one proven way to make your cupboards look better without spending a ton of cash.

If your kitchen has flat Formica cabinet doors or older painted wood, you can spruce them up by adding some decorative molding around the edges. The only things you really need to be cautions about is the positioning of the molding in relation to how they open.

It may be necessary to inset the fancy trim an inch or so from the edges of the doors so that they will open without any problem. You can paint or stain the molding prior to attaching it onto the cupboard doors.

Adding Decorative Molding to Cabinet Doors

Tools Needed:

Miter Saw
Electric Drill With Small Bit
Hammer
Nail Punch
Paint Brush
Pencil
Tape Measure

Materials Needed:

Decorative Wood Trim
Paint
Colored Caulking
220 Sand Paper
Paint Brush
Small Finish Nails
Wood Putty Stick

You have two options for finishing your door trim. You can either paint it with a solid color or stain it and then put a clear coat over the stain

Using Solid Color Paint on the Molding
First off, you can get colored caulking that will match Formica sample chip colors from a local cabinet supply company. I suggest that you choose the color that you want to paint the decorative door molding from a Formica plastic laminate chip chain. Then, order colored caulking from the cabinet supply company to match your selection. The caulk will be used to fill-in the miter joints and also to fill the nail holes.

Staining the Kitchen Cabinet Door Molding
When you choose to stain your molding, you are going to need to pick up a wood filler putty stick to match the stain color.

You will need to measure for the amount of decorative molding that you will need for your kitchen cabinet door remodeling idea. Make sure to double and triple check your calculations and then add a little extra.

Make a trip to your nearest home center (Home Depot)  to purchase the materials and tools you need. If painting the trim, use your Formica sample color to have your paint custom mixed to match it. While you are there, discuss the cabinet door remodeling project with the paint department expert so that you get all of the proper primer and paint that you will need.

During your kitchen remodel, be patient. If you do not take your time, you will blow your budget by making mistakes. Allow plenty of time. You are trying to get professional results on an affordable budget.

Prime, paint or stain the wood molding pieces for your cabinet remodel job while they are in full-length pieces. Allow them to thoroughly dry.

After the final finish coat is painted on the door molding pieces, use your miter box or saw and start cutting your pieces. MAKE SURE YOUR MITERS ARE NICE AND TIGHT. This will be a good time to get out the calculator and figure the decorative trim piece sizes. Work on one door at a time and always start with the largest and move to the smallest, getting the best use out of your materials.

Pre-drill the holes for the finish nails and attach the molding onto the kitchen cabinet doors. Use the nail punch to sink the nail heads deep enough so they can be covered over with the caulking or wood putty.

Now, you can add additional stain or paint if you need to touch things up a bit. The final stage is to use the colored caulking or wood putty stick to fill in all of the flaws and nail holes.

Even though this is a low budget remolding project, it can really add a rich look to your flat kitchen cabinet doors. I do highly suggest that you take the time to remodel the drawer faces as well.