Cabinets should usually be replaced when the issues go deeper than appearance. If the boxes are water-damaged, warped, swollen, or no longer structurally sound, refacing won’t solve the real problem. The same is true if the layout doesn’t work for your household and you want to change where things go.

Refacing is a surface update. It can make the kitchen look very different, but it can’t correct serious damage or redesign how the room functions.

So if your frustration is mostly about style, refacing may be enough. If it’s about layout, structure, or long-term performance, replacement is usually the better investment.