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Kitchen Needs New Cabinets – 5 Signs

Unless your kitchen cabinets are broken by accident (kids and cabinet doors don’t get along), it’s almost impossible to tell when they need to be replaced. To drive the point, think about a time you’ve walked into someone else’s kitchen and noticed immediately how old and undesirable the kitchen cabinets look. It’s easy to not realize the condition of your cabinets when you are using them daily. Zooming out or getting an opinion can be helpful. 

Wear-and-tear and a decades-old appearance are two pretty clear signs, sure, but there are more. If you are wondering if your old cabinets may need replacing, they probably do. We will help you figure it out. Here are 5 signs your kitchen needs new cabinets:

Something Smells Fishy

Cooking, baking, and everything else that goes on in kitchens creates some amazing aromas, as well as some awful ones if left unchecked. With the right ventilation, both the good and the bad should pass. If there are lingering odors left unchecked over long periods of time, you probably need new kitchen.

They Are Un-Cleanable

Over time, like all kitchen surfaces, cabinets will get so dirty and worn down that you can’t seem to clean them. Even if they’re clean, they look permanently dirty. At that point, they’re almost impossible to salvage, meaning you need new cabinets.

Cabinets Are The First Thing Everyone Sees

Cabinets, alone, can be quite the sight. No matter how beautiful, though, they’re never the focal point of a kitchen. If they are, it’s because they need to be replaced. In other words, if your kitchen cabinets are the first thing everyone sees when entering your kitchen, they’re prominently old, outdated, dirty, and/or just plain ugly.

Too Damaged

There are so many ways that kitchen cabinets sustain damage. The damage can be purely cosmetic or be such that your cabinets don’t function properly. It can be on the interior, exterior, or both. Cosmetic damage that is irreparable is definitely a sign that your cabinets need to be replaced, unless you don’t mind the appearance. Damage that hinders your ability to use your cabinets, like doors that don’t open or close, jammed drawers, broken side panels, and sagging bottoms, are signs you need new cabinets that you can’t ignore.

They’re Too Old

Even if your kitchen design style hasn’t changed since your cabinets were installed, meaning they don’t look outdated even if they definitely are, the shelflife (pun intended) of kitchen cabinets is anywhere from 20 to 30 years. Some experts say that kitchen cabinets can last upwards of 50 years with high quality materials, installation, and adequate maintenance, but that’s unlikely. Whether you had your cabinets installed or they’re the same ones when you bought your property, and even if they’re well-maintained, an age of 20+ years is a sign that your kitchen cabinets need replacing!