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Custom Cabinet Questions To Ask Yourself
There are many factors to consider in selecting cabinets, and like anything it is best that you become knowledgeable in the subject. This way the quote you obtain will be realistic and tailored to your needs based on the type, size and style of cabinet selected.
Here are 12 questions to ask yourself when considering new cabinets:
1. How much durability do I need and
what type of cabinet construction am I looking for?
Cabinets can either be stapled and glued or dadoed and glued. The difference
is a matter of quality and determines for how long your cabinets will
last. Consider your lifestyle and the wear and tear
that your cabinets will have to endure.
2. How thick do I need the sides of the cabinets (walls)
to be - 3/8" or 1/2"?
Your use will determine which is best suited for you. 3/8" is fine
but 1/2" is more heavy duty. Consider what level
of quality and for what price point are you striving.
3. How thick do I need shelves to be
- 1/2" or 3/4"?
Depending on your use the difference may determine whether the shelves
will sag in 6 to 12 months. 1/2" does tend to sag over time.
4. How thick do I want drawer box sides
(1/2" or 3/4") and bottoms to be?
Consider how much abuse they will need to withstand. How
much do you store in the ones you currently have.
5. Can I get away with drawer boxes
that are stapled and glued, or do I want drawer boxes that have English
dovetails or other joinery? Can I get away with a particleboard drawer box or do I want
them do be made out of wood?
English dovetailed joinery is nice to have, and on some cabinetry lines
they are standard. However doweled joinery will hold up just fine. Stapled
and glued wood may hold up just fine depending on the wear and tear expected. Naturally a
wood (plywood or solid) drawer box will outlast one made out of particleboard.
6. Do I want my drawer boxes to come with
undermount or sidemount runners?
On some cabinet lines undermount runners are standard. Side-mount runners
should do just fine though. The choice is yours.
7. How tall do I want my wall cabinets
to be - 30", 36" 42"? Do I want soffit above my wall
cabinets, do I want to leave space between the cabinets and ceiling, or do I want my cabinets
to go right to the ceiling (leaving room for crown molding of course)?
The height of your ceiling will help determine what size is best for you and
formulate a basis for this discussion.
8. Do I want cabinet sidewalls, top
and bottom, shelving and drawer boxes to be made out of wood, or is furniture
board (particleboard) acceptable for my needs? Do I want frameless or
framed cabinetry?
Some cabinet lines are constructed out of maple melamine furnitureboard
(although it looks like wood). Those lines offer an optional 1/4" plywood
finished end for sides that will be exposed. Others lines are constructed out
of wood (technically plywood). Either should hold up just fine. The choice is yours.
The standard for the faceframes of a framed cabinet (the front part of a cabinet that
shows between the doors when the doors are closed) is 3/4" thick solid
wood (cherry, maple, oak; etc). Some cabinets are framed, others are frameless.
Frameless cabinets do not have a faceframe and tend to cost less. Some people prefer
a contemporary full-overlay look. This provides the same look as do frameless cabinets
but with faceframes that are almost fully covered with oversized doors. Do you have a
preference? Have you ever noticed the difference? Know what you are buying.
9. What do I need or want cabinet doors
to be made of? Am I looking for solid wood or veneered doors?
Doors can be made of solid wood, plywood veneer, particleboard or a combination.
Solid wood costs more than veneered or flat panel doors. It is easy to be fooled if you
don't have a trained eye. Ask the question. Know what you are buying. The door
and the hinge take most of the abuse. A poorly constructed door will break
down over time, and a low quality hinge will loosen and give you trouble
as well.
10. What door style am I looking for
- flat panel, raised, slab, shaker or contemporary; and how much detail and I looking
for?
Your answer impacts the price. Flat panel, standard shaker and veneered doors cost less
than raised panel doors.
11. Which wood specie (cherry, maple,
oak, hickory, walnut, knotty alder) and stain (light, medium, dark or custom-match) am I
looking for? If I want a painted wood look are there any more affordable
options to painted maple wood?
Maple and cherry are still far more popular than other wood species, but you decide what
looks best in your home based on the style of your home and what look you are trying
to achieve. Yes, a good quality thermofoil door is a great alternative to painted maple
wood, or even if you simply want a lower priced alternative to wood. In fact maintenance
of a thermofoil door is mild soap and water.
12. For how long are the cabinets
and labor guaranteed?
Most people never ask this question. Some people I visit tell me that
their old cabinets were of better quality than their new ones - that their new cabinets
have already begun to fall apart. Some people show me how the finish on their
three year old cabinets has already begun to peel and chip, and ask me if there is anything
I can do to repair them - their guarantee has run out and they are frustrated.
Before you buy new cabinets ask for how long they will be guaranteed. For how long are the
hinges guaranteed? Ask what can be done in several years if the cabinets get
scratched, nicked or otherwise damaged?
A little bit of thought and knowledge will increase the likelihood that you will get the quality cabinets that you expect and need.
If you are ready to make your dream kitchen become a reality call Kitchen Tune-Up of Stoneham for a free consultation with no obligation or sales pressure.
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Kitchen Tune-Up® of Stoneham
Stoneham, MA 02180
781-224-1220