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Sometimes an existing kitchen still works. It may look a little worn and out of date, but you like the layout, and the cabinets remain sturdy and functional.

With cabinet refacing, "you can have a kitchen that looks brand-new" without having to replace what you like about it, says Don Carpenter, owner of Carpenter's Custom Cabinets.

Think of refacing as giving cabinets a new wardrobe. A skin of laminate or wood veneer is glued to the outside of the cabinet. It's accessorized with new matching doors, drawer faces and molding.

Installers also do minor repairs and enhancements, such as shoring up sagging cabinets, installing sliding shelves and replacing hinges and drawer slides.

Hundreds of colors and wood grains are available to choose from. Doors come in several designs with raised panels, inset panels and glass inserts.

Refacing cabinets takes less than a week, compared to the weeks it takes to replace cabinets. The process does not disturb the rest of the kitchen, so you can have it done after you've installed other elements such as counters and flooring.

At a cost of 40 to 60 percent less than replacing cabinets, refacing provides a less expensive kitchen update. For example, a $10,000 cabinet replacement would be cut to $2,500 to $4,000 with refacing, says Mike Banner, owner of Arizona Laminate Fabricators Inc.

"As far as spending your money wisely," he says, "it's probably the best thing you can do for completely changing the look of your kitchen."

Banner suggests that with the money saved, you can purchase other kitchen face-lift items such as new countertops or flooring.

Candidates for refacing include:

● Older cabinets — which are sturdier than ones found in newer homes — that are in good condition.

● Kitchens in which you're satisfied with the configuration of the cabinets.

● Existing cabinets that provide enough storage space.

● Cabinets that require only minor repair.