Kitchen Cabinets: Tips for Finding and Buying the Right Cabinets for You
With the number of home sales declining and tighter restrictions in the mortgage industry, many homeowners are finding it more difficult than ever to sell their homes and upgrade to a larger home. Due to this trend, home renovation projects are on the rise as homeowners find ways to make their current homes more livable, while adding value to their home. The easiest way to add value and create the feeling of a new home is to renovate your kitchen.
In a kitchen renovation, kitchen cabinets represent the largest expense in your remodeling budget. Since they are the centerpiece of your kitchen, many of the other decisions about your kitchen will be based on your choice of cabinetry. Your decisions about countertops, appliances, and hardware will depend on the style and design of your kitchen cabinets.
The biggest problem with traditional store-bought cabinets is that it can take 8-10 weeks before delivery, so it is very important to make your cabinet selection before beginning any demolition or remodeling of your kitchen. There are cabinets available online, which could be delivered within 2-3 weeks, but it will depend on the style and construction you are looking for. We’ll talk about the differences in cabinets later in the article.
Before looking at cabinets, it’s important to come up with an objective budget and a basic plan or layout. Since the average kitchen remodel costs between $40,000 and $50,000, it’s important to accurately estimate all expenses related to your project. While it may seem like a challenging project, even a DIY homeowner with minimal experience can design and layout their own kitchen with precise measurements and a couple of templates. This could save you a significant amount of money by not using a kitchen designer.
In the event that you think this is a project that you feel comfortable tackling, you can use a kitchen designer or go to one of the home improvement centers and take advantage of their free design services.
There are several factors that will affect the cost of your cabinets: cabinet brand, construction, type of wood, and features. It is important to research all of your options. What you’ll find is that higher price doesn’t always equate to higher quality, and some of the lesser-known cabinet lines will actually have stronger construction.
However, there are some general kitchen cabinet buying tips that can help you in your kitchen cabinet research.
wood options for kitchen cabinets
Whether you’re buying custom cabinets, standard cabinets, or RTA cabinets, they’ll all offer a wide range of wood options. Solid wood cabinets, such as cherry, maple, birch, hickory, and oak, typically cost much more than cabinets with a laminate or veneer finish.
Face Frame Kitchen Cabinets
Face frame kitchen cabinet construction is the most prevalent type of kitchen cabinet construction in the United States and is generally the lowest cost. This construction technique involves building a kitchen cabinet out of hardwood pieces. Typically, the cabinet front is constructed of several 1″x2″ vertical and horizontal hardwood pieces. The front frame is then married to the front of a solid plywood or particle board kitchen cabinet box. It is highly recommended that you try to find cabinets that use solid wood or solid plywood for the cabinet box.
Particleboard and fiberboard will have a tendency to warp or warp over time due to moisture. Even mid-priced RTA cabinets are available that are made from solid plywood sides. Hardwood or veneered/laminate cabinet doors and drawer fronts are attached via hinges and roller mechanisms to the cabinet face frame and box.
Frameless Kitchen Cabinets (European Style)
Frameless kitchen cabinet construction is becoming more and more popular today as frameless kitchen cabinets are considered more contemporary. With frameless cabinets there is no front frame. Kitchen cabinet doors connect directly to the sides of the cabinet and are secured with latches and dowels. The advantages of this type of construction is that there is wider access to the cabinet space and the hinges are completely hidden. Typically, “ready-to-install” kitchen cabinets are built this way.
kitchen cabinet finishes
There are many kitchen cabinet finishes to choose from when using natural woods. Cabinet finishes include stain, paint and glaze options. Also, there are my types of distressing techniques that can be employed on kitchen cabinet surfaces as well. Some options include scraped, old-fashioned, and rubbed.
There are also many types of laminates that you can choose from.
kitchen cabinet sizes
Kitchen cabinets come in a variety of standard shapes and sizes, however custom sizes can also be easily specified and manufactured, at a price. Standard kitchen cabinet sizes, known as standard cabinets, are often much more affordable than custom or semi-custom cabinets and typically have shorter lead times. Most manufacturers, unless custom built, stock universal sizes, so if you have a kitchen designed at a supply store or by a designer, it can usually be transferred to another cabinet line.
quality kitchen cabinet
If you plan to live in your home for many years, don’t skimp on your kitchen cabinets. They are constantly used and abused, and only the toughest will stand the test of time.
The best kitchen cabinets employ solid frames, doors, and drawers and are completely self-contained (closed backs), with reinforced corners. As I mentioned before, it’s important to look for cabinets that have a plywood case versus particleboard or fiberboard. That’s why it’s important to look at all of the cabinet lines that are available, including cabinets that are sold online.