One of the most common questions Ontario homeowners ask before starting a kitchen refacing project is: how long will it actually take? The honest answer has two parts — the installation itself is remarkably quick (3–5 days for most kitchens), but the full project from consultation to completion typically spans 4–6 weeks. Understanding each phase helps you plan realistically and avoid surprises.
Questions about your kitchen refacing timeline in Cambridge, Kitchener, or Waterloo? Call (519) 281-1000 — Blackwood Kitchens provides free in-home consultations across southwestern Ontario.
Cabinet door styles — Blackwood Kitchens Cambridge Ontario
Phase 1: Consultation and Measurement (Week 1)
The refacing process begins with a free in-home consultation. A Blackwood Kitchens designer visits your home to measure every cabinet box, assess the structural condition of the existing carcasses, and walk you through design options — door styles, finishes, hardware, and veneer colours.
This appointment typically takes 60–90 minutes. Most homeowners come away from their consultation with a clear picture of what refacing will look like in their kitchen, including physical samples of door profiles and finish colours.
At the end of the consultation, you receive a fully itemized written quote. There is no pressure to decide on the spot.
Phase 2: Design Sign-Off and Material Ordering (Week 1–2)
Once you approve the quote, the design is finalized — door style, paint or stain colour, hardware selection, and veneer material. You may visit our Cambridge showroom at 131 Sheldon Dr to see door samples in person under natural light, or we can send digital samples and finish swatches directly to your home.
Material ordering begins immediately after sign-off. Cabinet doors and drawer fronts are custom-cut to your cabinet box dimensions — they are not stock items. This is why some lead time is required before installation can begin.
Phase 3: Fabrication (Weeks 2–4)
Fabrication is the longest single phase of the refacing process — but it runs entirely in the background without disrupting your kitchen. Custom doors and drawer fronts are cut, finished, primed, and painted (or stained) at our facility. Quality is checked at every step. Soft-close hinges are mounted. Hardware is prepared. Veneer sheets are cut to your specific panel dimensions.
For most Ontario kitchen refacing projects, fabrication takes 2–3 weeks from order confirmation to ready-for-installation. Premium finishes (particularly multi-step custom painted colours or stained solid wood doors) may take 3–4 weeks.
Phase 4: Installation (3–5 Days in Your Kitchen)
This is where the dramatic transformation happens — and it happens fast. A professional Blackwood Kitchens installation team arrives at your home and works systematically through each section of your kitchen:
- Day 1: All existing doors, drawer fronts, and hardware removed. Cabinet box surfaces cleaned and prepared. Face frame veneer applied and pressed.
- Day 2: End panel veneer applied. New hinges and mounting hardware installed on all cabinet boxes. First doors fitted and initial alignment checked.
- Day 3–4: All doors and drawer fronts hung, adjusted, and aligned. Hardware (pulls, handles, soft-close mechanisms) installed throughout.
- Day 4–5 (if needed): Final adjustments, touch-ups, and walk-through inspection.
Most standard Ontario kitchens (15–25 doors and drawer fronts) are complete in 3–4 installation days. Larger kitchens with 25+ components may take 4–5 days.
Total Timeline Summary
Total project time from first consultation to finished kitchen: 4–6 weeks for most Ontario projects.
Watch: Kitchen Cabinet Refacing Process from Start to Finish
See how a professional refacing project unfolds from removing old doors to installing new shaker fronts and hardware in this step-by-step walkthrough.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8ervsOwl8_I
Factors That Can Extend the Timeline
- Custom colours: Especially dark, non-standard paint colours or multi-tone painted kitchens may add 1–2 weeks to fabrication.
- Solid wood doors: Hand-stained solid wood doors require longer finishing time than painted MDF.
- Large kitchens: Kitchens with 30+ cabinet doors may require 5–6 installation days.
- Combined projects: If new countertops are being added at the same time, the countertop template is taken after doors are installed. Stone fabrication typically adds 5–7 business days after templating.
Ready to plan your Ontario kitchen refacing project? Call (519) 281-1000 — free in-home consultations across Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo, Guelph, Brantford, and Woodstock.
Frequently Asked Questions — Kitchen Refacing Timeline Ontario
How long does kitchen refacing take vs. full renovation?
Kitchen refacing installs in 3–5 days. A full kitchen renovation takes 3–8 weeks of active construction — plus design, permit (if applicable), and material lead times, making the total timeline 10–20 weeks or more. Refacing is significantly faster and causes far less disruption to daily life.
Can I use my kitchen during the refacing project?
Yes — to a significant degree. Unlike a full renovation, refacing doesn't involve plumbing, electrical, or structural work. You can access your sink, refrigerator, and stovetop at the end of each workday. The main inconvenience is that cabinet interiors are temporarily inaccessible while doors are being replaced.
How long does kitchen refacing fabrication take in Ontario?
Fabrication takes 2–3 weeks for standard painted MDF or laminate doors. Solid wood stained doors may take 3–4 weeks. Custom colour matching or specialty finishes can add 1–2 additional weeks to the fabrication timeline.
Is 3 days realistic for kitchen refacing installation in Ontario?
For a standard-size Ontario kitchen (15–22 doors and drawer fronts) with straightforward door styles and colours, 3 days is realistic. Larger kitchens and kitchens with complex details (glass inserts, multiple colour zones, large island) typically take 4–5 installation days.
Does Blackwood Kitchens offer a warranty on kitchen refacing in Ontario?
Yes. Blackwood Kitchens provides a warranty on all refacing workmanship. Contact us at (519) 281-1000 for full warranty terms at the time of your consultation — we are transparent about coverage before any contract is signed.
About the Author: Marcus Draper is a Certified Kitchen Designer (CKD) with 14 years of experience across 400+ kitchen renovation projects in Ontario's Waterloo Region. NKBA Canada and CKCA member. Leads the design team at Blackwood Kitchens in Cambridge, Ontario.
Plan your kitchen refacing project today. Call Blackwood Kitchens at (519) 281-1000.
Serving Cambridge, Kitchener, Waterloo, Guelph, Brantford & Woodstock
Blackwood Kitchens provides custom kitchen design, kitchen refacing, quartz countertops, walk-in closets, and bathroom vanities across southwestern Ontario:
- Custom Kitchen Cambridge | Kitchen Refacing Cambridge | Quartz Countertops Cambridge | Walk-In Closets Cambridge | Bathroom Vanities Cambridge
- Custom Kitchen Kitchener | Kitchen Refacing Kitchener | Quartz Countertops Kitchener | Walk-In Closets Kitchener | Bathroom Vanities Kitchener
- Custom Kitchen Waterloo | Kitchen Refacing Waterloo | Quartz Countertops Waterloo | Walk-In Closets Waterloo | Bathroom Vanities Waterloo
- Custom Kitchen Guelph | Kitchen Refacing Guelph | Quartz Countertops Guelph | Walk-In Closets Guelph | Bathroom Vanities Guelph
- Custom Kitchen Brantford | Kitchen Refacing Brantford | Quartz Countertops Brantford | Walk-In Closets Brantford | Bathroom Vanities Brantford
- Custom Kitchen Woodstock | Kitchen Refacing Woodstock | Quartz Countertops Woodstock | Walk-In Closets Woodstock | Bathroom Vanities Woodstock