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Repurposing Old Cabinet Doors

Posted by Melissa Hollobaugh on May 15th 2024

Replacing your cabinet doors is an affordable and eco-friendly alternative to completely replacing the cabinets in your space. It's also a quick and efficient way to transform the look of your space to align with your aesthetic goals and interests.

Once you order replacement cabinet doors for your project, you may wonder what you do with your old cabinet doors. Before you throw them away, consider some creative and sustainable repurposing ideas.

We have created a list of our favorite ways to upcycle old kitchen cabinet doors, allowing you to show off your creativity while being environmentally conscious:

Here are our favorite ways to repurpose old cabinet doors:

Functional Repurposing Cabinet Door Ideas

Are you looking for a functional way to repurpose old cabinet doors? Here are three ideas to turn the old wood into practical and useful items you can use in your day-to-day:

1. Creating Shelves

Consider sanding down and repainting your cabinet doors to turn them into floating shelves. The standard size for floating shelves is around 10"—11", so depending on the size, you may need to cut the cabinet doors in half.

2. Decorative Trays

Want to add a decorative tray to your living room coffee table? Transform your old cabinet doors into a decorative tray. You can sand them, repaint them to complement your decor, and even add handles to the ends. Once you add your creative touch, you can decorate it with your favorite coasters, candles, or books for a decorative touch.

3. Room Divider

If you have enough cabinet doors, you can repurpose the wood to create a room divider for your home. This is a budget-friendly alternative to buying a brand-new room divider. This fun way to upcycle old cabinet doors is also functional and will let you show off your creative side.

Decorative Repurposing Ideas

If you want to tap into your creative side, there are some fun decorative cabinet door repurposing ideas to consider. Our favorites include:

4. Wall Art

If you love painting and creating, turning your old cabinet doors into artwork is a great way to unleash your inner artist. To do this, you'll want to paint the doors white. So, you have a blank canvas for your design. Then you can paint them however you please. Repurposed cabinet door wall art makes great gifts around the holidays and for birthdays.

5. Headboard

Feel like something is missing from your master or guest bedroom? One of the best cabinet door repurposing ideas is to take the extra cabinet door wood and turn it into a headboard for your room. You can paint, add embellishments, and cut the wood into different shapes to align with your aesthetic goals.

6. Chalkboard

You can repaint the old cabinet doors with chalkboard paint to create a chalkboard your whole family can use. Once you paint it, hang it on the wall in the kitchen. Your family can then use it to write down notes, doctor appointments, or as an ongoing grocery list. You can also consider adding a corkboard to the doors so you can pin business cards and pictures.

Upcycling for Furniture and Home Décor

If you have experience upcycling furniture, you may feel tempted to transform your old cabinet doors into furniture. Some of our favorite ways to upgrade old cabinet doors include:

7. Build a Coffee Table

If you're replacing cabinet doors in your kitchen, you likely have enough wood to create a new coffee table. Depending on the look you plan to achieve, you may need to invest in additional materials to make the legs for the tabletop.

8. Upcycled Kitchen Island

Old cabinet doors can also be used to create an upcycled kitchen island. If the cabinet doors have raised or recessed panels, sand them down until the surface is smooth. Then, you can repaint and stain the wood to your liking.

Once you get them to your liking, you can replace the current counter of your kitchen island with this upcycled version, or invest in a base you can place the wood on top of.

9. Storage Ottoman

A storage ottoman is a great piece of furniture for the living room or bedroom. To make one using old cabinet doors, you'll want to start by sanding down the wood and repainting it to your liking. You'll also want to order the fabric you can staple onto the top and use as a topper for the storage ottoman.

If you want to avoid buying extra materials for your project, consider upcycling the cabinet doors into a bench instead.

Tips for Successfully Repurposing Your Cabinet Door

When repurposing cabinet doors, there are a few steps you'll want to take to ensure you do this in the safest and most eco-friendly way.

  • Upcycle With a Friend: When repurposing cabinet doors into furniture, consider doing it with a friend or family member, especially if you're using a saw or any power tools.
  • Minimize Waste: To minimize waste and maximize efficiency, you may decide to do one or two different upcycle projects.
  • Use What You Have: The best upcycle projects use what you already have. You don't need to buy new paint, materials, or wood to achieve your desired finished product.

Replace Your Cabinet Doors With CabinetDoors.com

Most old cabinet doors are only designed to last 20-30 years, depending on the material used. If you have old cabinet doors that you want to upcycle, consider ordering your replacement doors first from CabinetDoors.com.

Our team is dedicated to superior craftsmanship. Once you find a style you like, we'll hand-cut the cabinet doors to fit the measurements you provide perfectly. Once you've invested in a new set of replacement cabinets, you can enjoy these creative ways to upgrade old cabinet doors.

Explore our custom cabinet doors today to get started!

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