Changing Kitchen Cabinet Doors - Is It Possible To Match?

pinkfloydian

I am looking to change my kitchen cabinet doors to a shaker style, but would like to keep the existing colour scheme (solid oak).

Is this possible? Most kitchen shops I ask say no!

Photo attached.

Tommy

kadman

I assume when you say you want to keep the existing colour scheme,

you do of course mean existing doors.

Of course the answer is yes, with a bit of ingenuity.

Shaker style is basically doors fitted between uprights, as opposed

to doors fitting onto uprights, or surface fitting, and flush fitting.

You would or course need to have suitable carcases made, and possible machining of your doors to suit.

But the right cabinetmaker can do this easily.

Kitchen shops of course cannot sell you off the peg carcases to suit.

Or make your own carcases to suit.

Or get flush fitted frames with doors made to plant onto your existing carcases.

Right cabinet maker can make this happen easily, but could workout cheaper getting complete new carcases.

pinkfloydian

Thanks kadman.

My existing carcasses are fine. I'm just looking to "reface", so that would mean changing all the doors to a new shaker style.

Most of the kitchen shops are telling me that I will never get a match to e.g. the existing side panels and trim.

So that is my question. Is matching possible.

Tommy

kadman

If your existing carcases are fine, it basically means narrowing the width and height of your doors

to fit internally inside your carcase. And then make a frame face to go onto your carcase face.

This depends on whether your shelving allows this to happen.

Any side panels you have already match your doors, new ones may or may not.

Like I said, kitchen shops are not the best to do this for you. Kitchen manufacturing work shops

are the best option.

Graham

Take one of your existing doors off and go an view some doors with it.

It's unlikely you'll get an exact match, your doors are probably a different colour now compared to when they were fitted. You may get a close match somewhere.

Kadman, I think you're confusing shaker with in-frame.

Shaker doors are predominantly lay-on doors the same as the OPs.

kadman

Graham wrote: »

Take one of your existing doors off and go an view some doors with it.

It's unlikely you'll get an exact match, your doors are probably a different colour now compared to when they were fitted. You may get a close match somewhere.

Kadman, I think you're confusing shaker with in-frame.

Shaker doors are predominantly lay-on doors the same as the OPs.

Lay on doors with frame between doors . In order to frame between the doors, he will have to reduce his existing door widths, and then lay on a frame.

pinkfloydian

Guys, if I gave the wrong impression, my apologies.

I'm not interested in making the doors fit into the frames of the carcass.

I just want to replace the existing doors changed to a Shaker "style" or similar (see photo).

Tommy

kadman

Shaker style construction showing doors clearly fitted between the
framework.

If the op wants this effect, then it means resizing his doors to fit between the new frame he has to plant on his existing .

kadman

My apologies, but like my post 4 says, frame up your existing carcase,

and fit doors of your choice, which will be narrower and shorter than your existing.

Graham

That's an in-frame shaker, not common in the Irish market. Trying to retrofit an in-frame to an existing kitchen would cost more than a new kitchen.

Almost all 'shaker' kitchens sold in Ireland use lay-on doors. It is by far and away the most popular style of kitchen/door on the market (although usually in a painted finish).





Pinkfloydian, your last photo is indeed a lay-on (standard) shaker door. The first thing to check is if your door sizes are all standard. If they are you can do a DIY job relatively reasonably.

pinkfloydian

Thanks Graham. That's exactly what I was referring to.

Almost all would be standard sizes, but a couple of non standard.

Any ideas where to start looking for these?

Tommy

westgolf

Did something similar recently. Measure all your doors and drawers fronts. If they are standard sizes then somewhere like Chadwick's can do the new doors from stock. Bring one door with you as a template of where the router needs to cut out a site for the hinges. I did 7 doors plus four drawers reasonably easily, only delay was waiting for a door to front the pull out extractor.

Graham

What size are the non-standards?

pinkfloydian

List of requirements attached

Graham

If you round up the widths to end in a 7 and stick to 570s rather than 575s, you'll probably get away with standard sizes for everything apart from your extractor cover.

Would 355x997 fit your pantry drawers?

pinkfloydian

Hi,

I don't understand the rounding to 7.

As far as I can see from looking around is that widths of 295/345/395/445/995 are standard.

Tommy

tabby aspreme

OP, I think that's what was known as a "Tudor Oak" finish on your doors, I doubt you will find ready-made shaker style doors with that finish. Some of the smaller kitchen supply businesses may spray doors for you as a custom job.

ShamNNspace

tabby aspreme wrote: »

OP, I think that's what was known as a "Tudor Oak" finish on your doors, I doubt you will find ready-made shaker style doors with that finish. Some of the smaller kitchen supply businesses may spray doors for you as a custom job.

There are plenty of shaker "style" doors on the market with the oak finish even b&q do them. In regards to the 7 some manufacturers doors would be say 497 instead of 495. They fit fine on any carcass whether the carcass is made of 16mm or 18mm chip. Personally I would prefer the 497. So for instance you have a 1000mm unit with 2 497 doors then you have 3 gaps at 2mm each(2gaps at hinge sides and 1 in the middle) hope that helps