Foiled Again! Update Your Cabinets with RTF
The kitchen is the most expensive room to remodel in the home, and new cabinets can account for more than half of remodeling costs. Instead of spending $30,000 to replace your cabinets, you can reface them for a third of the cost. Kitchen cabinet replacement doors and panels made of rigid thermal foil (RTF) may be ideal for your kitchen, here's why.
RTF 101
Ready to call your contractor to remodel your kitchen? Consider RTF kitchen cabinet doors. RTF is made of inexpensive fiberboard that is covered with pressure-molded foil laminate that is vacuum-sealed. Here are a few facts about RTF replacements to help you decide if they will spice up your kitchen:
- RTF resembles natural wood. If you are accustomed to the look of natural wood cabinet doors, RTF replacements look just like the real thing. And you won't need to paint or re-stain them.
- RTF doors can be ordered to fit your existing set of standard kitchen cabinets. You can also have your contractor make them to custom specifications.
- RTF doors are heavier than natural wood doors and will require your contractor to carefully mount them on exposed hinges.
- Always hire a contractor to install RTF replacements. If they aren't mounted squarely the first time, you can't modify them as you might wood kitchen cabinet replacements.
- Some RTF replacement manufacturers profess to have around 60 different available colors. Buyer beware because you may have trouble matching your new cabinet doors to your existing kitchen décor. However, a variety of RTF styles are out on the market including traditional, raised-panel, and cathedral arched doors.
You may have your heart set on the warmth and character of natural wood cabinet doors, but with RTF you can save on remodeling cost, wear and tear, and maintenance time in the long run.
Sources:
Replacing Kitchen Cabinet Doors
Foiling an Old Kitchen Cabinet Villain-Face Your Kitchen
