Kitchen cabinets are one of the most essential parts of a kitchen– they store everything we need; they pull the whole look of the kitchen together. While they may just seem like mounted boxes with shelves, cabinets actually have a lot more going into them than you would think. Between deciding on the material(s) they’re made out of, how you would like them constructed, and which features you would like to include, it is completely possible to control the quality of your cabinets– and make sure that they turn out exactly as you desire. In order to make the right decisions though, you must first be aware of all of your options.
In this blog, I will describe 4 different materials that can be used, 4 different ways cabinets can be constructed, and 6 different features that can be added to your cabinet set. With all of this information, you should be able to make all of the decisions you need to regarding your kitchen cabinets with confidence, intelligence, and ease.
TYPES OF MATERIALS USED:
Example of Particle Board
1) PARTICLE BOARD
Think of the quality of college dorm furniture
Least expensive option
Swells when wet
Unreliable and not durable
Example of MDF
2) MDF- MEDIUM DENSITY FIBERBOARD
Stronger and more dense than particle board
Reasonably priced
Easy to paint
Swells and distorts when it gets wet
Example of plywood with real wood veneers
3) PLYWOOD WITH REAL WOOD VENEERS
Stronger than MDF and particle board, due to its multiple, crisscrossing layers
Provides interior and exterior strength
More expensive than particle board and MDF, but less expensive than solid wood
Maple or birch are most commonly used as the veneer on many cabinets
Example of solid wood
4) SOLID WOOD
Very durable
Can be paint or stain grade
Most expensive, and typically seen in high-end homes
ATTRIBUTES TO A QUALITY CABINET:
(In order of lowest quality to highest)
STARTER CABINETS: The lowest end of cabinets are made of particle board that is sealed in with a laminate or wood veneer.
BUILDER GRADE CABINETS: The next level of cabinets are made of particle board for the sides, back, shelves and bottoms. The face frame of the cabinet will be made of real wood, while the cabinet door will be made of MDF.
UPGRADED CABINETS: In the next level up, plywood bases will be used for the sides, back and bottom, and the face frame will be made up of real wood, and MDF or real wood will be used for the cabinet door.
HIGH-END CUSTOM CABINETS: Finally, the highest level, the cabinet of the highest quality, is made of real wood for all of these pieces- the sides, back and bottom, the face frame, and the door.
PUTTING THE PIECES TOGETHER:
STARTER CABINETS: Use camlocks, dowels, and glue.
BUILDER GRADE CABINETS: Use nails.
UPGRADE CABINETS: Use a combination of camlocks, glue, nails, dovetail drawers, soft-closed hinges, and full extension drawers.
HIGH-END CUSTOM CABINETS: Uses both nails, and glue.
CABINET FEATURES:
1) HINGES
Example of inset (concealed) hinges
INSET (CONCEALED) HINGES: Inset hinges cannot be seen from the outside when the cabinet door is closed. These are often featured in upgraded, and high-end custom homes.
Example of overlay hinges
OVERLAY HINGES: Overlay hinges are visible to the outside while the cabinet door is closed. These are often included in starter, and builder grade homes.
SOFT-CLOSE HINGES: Soft-close hinges prevent the slamming of cabinet doors while they’re closing. These are often seen in upgraded, and high-end custom homes.
ADJUSTABLE HINGES: Adjustable hinges allow the installer to move the door up, down, side to side, and backwards/forwards, ensuring that the cabinet doors will line up perfectly. These are mostly used in upgraded, and high-end custom homes.
2) DRAWER GLIDES
FULL-EXTENSION: This drawer glide allows for the drawer to be pulled all the way out so that the back of the drawer can be made visible without it falling out. These are seen in upgraded, and high-end custom homes.
SOFT-CLOSE SLIDES: In upgraded, and high-end custom homes, these types of glides ensure that drawers cannot be slammed shut; they will shut quietly and smoothly.
Example of roll-out trays
3) ROLL-OUT TRAYS
Roll-out trays are mainly seen in upgraded, and high-end custom homes, and allow for the entire cabinet shelf’s contents to be pulled out for easy access and full visibility.
Example of cookie sheet dividers
4) COOKIE SHEET DIVIDERS
These dividers allow for easy and organized storage for your pans, cookie sheets, and cutting boards- hiding them inside the kitchen cabinet. These are seen in upgraded, and high-end custom homes.
Example of a pop-up shelf
5) POP-UP SHELVES
In upgraded, and high-end custom homes, these handy shelves are great places to store small kitchen appliances, such as mixers or blenders. They also allow for easy lifting and removal from the space.
Example of a pull-out trash can
6) PULL-OUT TRASH CANS
These cabinets are included in upgraded, and high-end custom homes, and store and hide your trash cans, also allowing for them to be pulled out for easy access.
As can be seen, cabinets themselves are actually much more intricate than what meets the eye. It is important to choose the cabinets that best fit your visible aesthetic, your lifestyle, and your needs; making these decisions will ensure that you get the quality cabinets you desire. At the end of the day though, the quality of the cabinet is no match for the integrity of the installer– make sure you choose to hire someone that you know does quality work, and is somebody that you can trust. If you are still searching for the right person for your project, JMLegacy Remodeling would be happy to be that person for you. Don’t settle for less than what you feel safe with– ever.