LOVE WHERE YOU LIVE

BY SAM MOSER 
Published in Naples News

Sharon Hanson faced a dilemma recently. She wanted to replace the dated cabinetry in her kitchen at The Strand in Naples. She was happy with her Corian countertops. The overall kitchen was fine, but her cabinet doors were worn and scratched, and she was not fond of the light-toned wood.
After seeing a few estimates, she realized that she did not need to pay the price for a complete overhaul. “At first I wanted new cabinets,” she admits. “For the quality that I wanted, though, it would have cost $40,000.”
Hanson opted for a solution that many homeowners are choosing. She decided to reface her existing cabinets, and selected Custom Cabinet Refacing of Naples, a division of 3rd Generation Construction, to do the work. Robert Weeks, owner, completed the job in three days. For $13,000, she received the dark wood cabinets of her dreams. Weeks stained the cabinet doors to match her reproduction antique dining room table. In addition to the solid wood doors and drawer fronts, he refaced around the existing cabinetry using wood veneer backed by strong 3M adhesive. He refaced the kitchen’s island and added wood molding throughout.
Refacing is not for everyone. When the kitchen or bathroom layout will benefit from modification, or when the cabinet boxes are made of inferior product and warping or falling apart, the cabinets need to come out. If the cabinets are small and space for expansion exists, new cabinets might be in order. Refacing will not increase storage space with most cabinet companies, but when you’re working with a master craftsman, modifications go hand-in-hand with the project. Improvement of cabinet and kitchen functionality is a major component of the service provided by Custom Cabinet Refacing of Naples.
Refacing is a smart solution when the layout really cannot be changed. Many kitchens in high-rise condominium buildings, for instance, are built to take advantage of every square inch of space. In such a residence, refacing is sensible because it gives new life to a dated room and saves time. Even better, when done correctly, refacing should not affect existing floor tile, walls or countertops. Within days, a traditional design can be contemporary, and a dreary space can be transformed.
“Refacing causes less pain,” explains Weeks. “When you go in and tear everything out, somebody is without a kitchen for days and even weeks while many steps are completed and you wait for parts to be delivered. With a complete remodel, many people have to move out until it’s done. Not to mention, you’ll never find the high-quality doors that I offer in the factory-made cabinets sold at the big-name home centers.”
Weeks, a third-generation carpenter, learned the trade from his grandfather, who opened Weeks Cabinets & Millwork in St. George, South Carolina in 1934. His storefront — the largest custom cabinet refacing showroom in Southwest Florida — displays doors finished with custom detail such as inlay, exotic woods, hand-rubbed finishes and a wide variety of hardware and glass for cabinet doors, tile for backsplashes and gorgeous granite. In addition to remodeling and custom carpentry, the company offers turn-key service with appliances.
More and more, Weeks finds that refacing pleases a wide audience. In addition to those that cannot fathom being without a kitchen for even one week, refacing is attractive to the environmentally-conscious. His website, www.3rdgenconst.com, shows a row of cabinet boxes in a landfill. By changing out just doors and drawers in a 20 linear-foot run of cabinetry, he estimates that approximately 2,400 pounds of waste, which includes drywall and other material torn out along with a complete remodel, is spared from a landfill.
Sharon Hanson did her homework up front and is pleased with the result. “You really cannot tell that I’ve kept the same cabinets,” she says. “This looks like a brand new kitchen. It’s gorgeous.”