5 Common Kitchen Components — Do They Need to Be Replaced?

Your kitchen is the center of many day-to-day activities, from making the morning coffee to cooking meals to grabbing a snack from the fridge to taking out the trash. As a highly functional room that sees so much use, the kitchen may also need repairs and updates more often than other rooms of the house.

Here are some of the major elements of a kitchen and how to tell if they’ve reached the end of their useful lifespans.

1. Flooring

Kitchen floors can suffer hardships that bedroom or hallway floors are less likely to experience. For instance, food and beverage spills, dropped knives, and appliance leaks can all create wear and tear or damage to the floor’s surface. Different types of floors have different expected lifespans, but the wear they’ll receive in a highly frequented kitchen could shorten the lifespan.

Three signs your kitchen floor may need to be replaced include delamination (layers of the floor separating or peeling away), sagging or uneven areas, and extensive cracking or chipping. When replacing the kitchen floor, look for a material that can hold up to lots of wear and spills, such as a ceramic tile, stone, or concrete floor.

2. Sink

Your kitchen sink may not be completely worn out yet; both ceramic and metal sinks can last up to 30 years. But the sink could have failing seals or a crack, could be scratched and dull from many years of use, or could simply be too small for your needs.

In any of these situations, you could choose to replace and upgrade your sink. This could mean switching to a larger sink, a sink with more basins, or a sink that fits your desired aesthetic better.

3. Cabinets

Kitchen cabinets can take plenty of use, especially if made of durable material, but eventually, they’re going to show wear. In some cases, you may be able to simply spruce up the cabinet doors by refinishing them. But if your cabinets have suffered water damage or smoke damage, are made of particleboard, or are simply too old to refinish, a full replacement is in order. 

Another reason for a full replacement could be that you need more cabinet space and can’t find matching cabinets. Or you may need cabinets that provide something your current ones don’t (such as deeper storage, wider doors, a different layout, or more widely spaced shelves).

4. Countertops

The countertops where you prepare, cook, and clean up after meals may take more abuse than nearly any other surface in the kitchen. Common kitchen countertop materials such as laminates may only last ten years or so under heavy use. A sturdier, more pricey material may last longer.

As a rule of thumb, replace your countertops when damage is conspicuous, when you’re changing the layout or need more counter space, or when the material no longer matches your desired aesthetic.

No matter which aspects of your kitchen need an update or replacement, All Maintenance Electric Inc. can help. Get in touch today to learn more about the extensive range of services we offer for all remodeling or repair projects in your kitchen.