When homeowners think about cabinet refacing, the biggest changes that come to mind are usually new doors, drawer fronts, colors, and hardware. But there is another part of the kitchen worth looking at while the cabinets are being updated: the drawer boxes themselves.
One of the advantages of cabinet refacing is that you do not automatically have to replace everything. If your existing cabinet boxes and drawers are still in good condition, they may be perfectly suitable to keep. But if your drawers are worn, difficult to operate, shallow, or simply no longer function the way you want them to, a refacing project can also be a good opportunity to upgrade them.
At Home Improvements of Colorado, homeowners have the option of keeping their existing drawer boxes or installing new dovetail drawer boxes as part of a cabinet refacing project in the Denver area. The right choice depends on the condition of your current drawers, how you use your kitchen, and what you want to improve.
What Happens to Drawers During Cabinet Refacing?
Cabinet refacing focuses primarily on updating the visible portions of your cabinetry while keeping structurally sound cabinet boxes in place. Existing doors and drawer fronts are removed, the cabinet boxes are refaced, and new doors and drawer fronts are installed.
The actual drawer box—the part that slides inside the cabinet—is different from the decorative drawer front you see from the outside.
That means homeowners can often keep existing drawer boxes while still completely changing the appearance of the kitchen. If the drawers are in good condition and operate smoothly, there may be little reason to replace them.
However, refacing also creates an ideal opportunity to look beyond appearance and decide whether the inside of the cabinetry could function better.
When Does It Make Sense to Keep Your Existing Drawer Boxes?
Replacing drawer boxes is not something every refacing project needs.
If your current drawers are structurally sound, slide smoothly, provide enough storage, and have held up well over the years, keeping them can help you focus your remodeling budget on the improvements that matter most.
Existing drawer boxes may be worth keeping when:
- The sides and bottoms are sturdy and undamaged.
- Drawers open and close easily.
- The existing depth and size work well for your storage needs.
- There is no significant warping, cracking, or separation.
- You are satisfied with how the drawers function.
This is part of what makes cabinet refacing so flexible. Rather than automatically tearing out usable cabinetry, you can preserve what still works and upgrade the areas that do not.
Signs It May Be Time for New Drawer Boxes
Older drawer boxes can sometimes show their age even when the cabinet frames themselves remain in excellent condition.
A drawer that sticks every time you open it might seem like a small inconvenience, but those little frustrations add up when you use your kitchen every day.
Consider replacing your drawer boxes if you notice cracked or loose joints, sagging bottoms, damaged sides, drawers that frequently come off their tracks, difficult operation, or boxes that simply feel flimsy compared with the rest of your updated cabinetry.
This can be especially worthwhile when you are already investing in new cabinet doors and drawer fronts. Updating the internal components at the same time helps the finished kitchen feel new when you open the drawers—not just when you look at them.
New Drawer Boxes Can Improve More Than Appearance
New drawer boxes are primarily a functional upgrade.
Home Improvements of Colorado offers new dovetail-joint drawer boxes, with the option of standard or soft-close drawer slides. Dovetail construction creates strong interlocking joints at the corners, making it a popular choice for cabinetry designed for everyday use.
Soft-close slides are another upgrade many homeowners appreciate because drawers close smoothly rather than slamming shut.
These types of improvements pair especially well with other smart kitchen storage solutions, such as roll-out shelves, pull-out trash systems, built-in organizers, and other accessories designed to make existing cabinetry easier to use.
Instead of viewing refacing strictly as a cosmetic update, you can use the project to improve how your kitchen works from the inside out.
Think About How You Actually Use Your Kitchen
One of the best ways to decide whether new drawer boxes are worthwhile is to pay attention to your current kitchen for a few days.
Which drawers frustrate you?
Do you have deep cabinets where items disappear in the back?
Are you constantly bending down and searching through lower cabinets?
Would you rather have more drawers than traditional cabinet doors?
These questions can reveal opportunities that might not be obvious when you are simply choosing a new cabinet color.
For homeowners who want easier access to cookware, dishes, food storage containers, or small appliances, changing the storage configuration can sometimes make an even bigger difference than replacing an individual drawer box.
You Can Even Convert Base Cabinets Into Drawers
Another option homeowners may not realize is available during cabinet refacing is converting traditional lower cabinets into drawer bases.
Instead of opening two cabinet doors and reaching into a deep cabinet, large drawers can bring stored items toward you. Pots, pans, mixing bowls, food containers, and other kitchen essentials become easier to see and access.
This approach is common in newer high-end kitchens because drawers can make better use of lower-cabinet space.
It also means that if your existing storage does not work well, you are not necessarily locked into the same configuration simply because you are refacing instead of installing entirely new cabinetry.
For even more ways to improve storage without a full kitchen tear-out, see our guide to smart kitchen storage and cabinet refacing.
Consider Your Overall Kitchen Update
Your drawer decision should also fit into the bigger picture of your kitchen.
If you are choosing a dramatically different door style or finish, you may want the functionality of your cabinetry to feel just as updated as the exterior.
Modern Shaker doors, slab-style cabinetry, two-tone kitchens, and natural wood finishes can completely change the character of a space. Our guide to the best kitchen cabinet styles for Colorado homes can help you explore some of the current options.
A new cabinet style paired with worn or difficult-to-use drawers may leave the project feeling only partially finished. On the other hand, perfectly functional drawer boxes do not need to be replaced just for the sake of replacing them.
The goal is to invest where the improvement will actually make a difference.
Refacing Lets You Upgrade Selectively
One of the biggest benefits of cabinet refacing is flexibility.
A full cabinet replacement generally means removing everything and starting over. With refacing, homeowners can keep the parts of the kitchen that work while changing the areas that need improvement.
That might mean keeping your cabinet boxes and countertops while adding:
- New doors and drawer fronts
- New drawer boxes
- Soft-close slides
- Roll-out shelving
- Built-in trash or recycling storage
- Additional cabinetry
- New hardware
- Storage modifications
The result can still be a dramatic transformation.
For an example of just how much an existing kitchen can change while preserving much of its original structure, see this Denver cabinet refacing before-and-after transformation.
Should You Replace All of Your Drawer Boxes?
Not necessarily.
There is no rule saying every drawer has to be replaced during a cabinet refacing project. If some drawers are in great condition while others have worn out, your options can be evaluated as part of the project.
The important thing is to look beyond the exterior of the cabinetry before making the final decisions.
If you are already updating your kitchen, this is the right time to ask whether the drawers provide enough storage, whether they are easy to use, and whether upgrading them now would prevent you from wishing you had done it later.
Drawer Boxes vs. Drawer Fronts: What’s the Difference?
This distinction can be confusing when homeowners first begin researching cabinet refacing.
The drawer front is the finished piece visible from the outside of your cabinetry. It is replaced to match your new cabinet doors and finish.
The drawer box is the functional container behind that front that holds everything inside the drawer.
During refacing, a new drawer front does not automatically mean you need an entirely new drawer box. The two components can be evaluated separately.
That flexibility helps homeowners customize the scope of their project based on condition, function, and budget.
Is Replacing Drawer Boxes Worth It?
If your existing drawers are sturdy, smooth, and functional, there may be no meaningful advantage to replacing them.
If they are damaged, outdated, difficult to use, or limiting your storage, however, new drawer boxes can be one of those upgrades you appreciate every single day.
The best cabinet refacing projects balance appearance with function. A beautiful new door style can completely refresh the room, while thoughtfully chosen drawer and storage upgrades can make the kitchen easier to live with.
Upgrade Your Denver Kitchen Without Starting Over
Cabinet refacing gives Denver-area homeowners the ability to transform an outdated kitchen while keeping quality cabinet boxes that still have years of life left in them.
At Home Improvements of Colorado, your project does not have to follow a one-size-fits-all package. We can help you determine which existing components make sense to keep and where upgrades such as new dovetail drawer boxes, soft-close slides, roll-outs, or additional storage can improve your kitchen.
Learn more about our Denver cabinet refacing services and explore the options available for creating a kitchen that looks—and works—better.
