QUALITY OF CONSTRUCTION.
Let’s talk about the quality of construction of higher-end cabinets compared to the big box store stock cabinets.
Our Cabinets Have ALL these Features;
Once built these cabinets will have strength, durability, and with all cabinets being KCMA certified, you can rest assured the quality will last. The pocket-screw joinery ensures that your cabinets will stand up over time along with the dovetail box joints to construct the drawer boxes. Our skilled tradesmen customize, and hand assemble every cabinet that you order to perfection.
Our Cabinets Have ALL these Features;
- Solid Wood face frames with high-quality finishes for years of everyday use.
- Base cabinet boxes built with 8 layer ½" Cabinet Grade Plywood for structural integrity to hold up to today's demand for higher-end countertops.
- 5-piece Drawers made of solid wood and 5/8 inch thick hardwood drawer boxes that are dovetailed together for the traditional quality of fine furniture.
- Wood Doors, and Drawers- Unlike others that may use MDF for drawer slab fronts or the center panels of their doors.
- Lifetime warranty slow-close Full extension drawer glides on all standard cabinets.*
- Lifetime warranty 6-way adjustable slow-close door hinges on all doors.
- 3/4 depth shelves in base cabinets, 5/8 inch thick edgebanding all around.
- All cabinets are assembled with Pocket screws not staples and glue
Once built these cabinets will have strength, durability, and with all cabinets being KCMA certified, you can rest assured the quality will last. The pocket-screw joinery ensures that your cabinets will stand up over time along with the dovetail box joints to construct the drawer boxes. Our skilled tradesmen customize, and hand assemble every cabinet that you order to perfection.
INSPECT THE CONSTRUCTION.
Well-built cabinets have hardwood drawers with dovetail joinery instead of stapled particleboard; full-extension under-mount drawer guides rather than an integrated rail; and doors with solid wood frames surrounding a solid wood or plywood panel instead of veneered particleboard or a medium-density fiberboard (MDF) panel. Better manufacturers compensate using a thicker box (1/2-inch plywood instead of 1/2-inch particleboard.
Regarding the reinforcing features, material selection plays an important role too. Its preferable reinforcing parts are made from solid wood or plywood and are secured into dado slots cut into the cabinet's side, front, and back panels and attached with pocket hole screws.
Some cabinet manufacturers make corner gussets from plastic. Thick, substantial plastic securely fastened to the side panels is preferable over flimsy plastic parts. Hardwood corner supports will come on higher-end cabinets and are liked by countertop manufacturers. Again, your eye can usually spot the superior products over the inferior ones (keep asking yourself, "Does it look/feel solid or flimsy?").
Regarding the reinforcing features, material selection plays an important role too. Its preferable reinforcing parts are made from solid wood or plywood and are secured into dado slots cut into the cabinet's side, front, and back panels and attached with pocket hole screws.
Some cabinet manufacturers make corner gussets from plastic. Thick, substantial plastic securely fastened to the side panels is preferable over flimsy plastic parts. Hardwood corner supports will come on higher-end cabinets and are liked by countertop manufacturers. Again, your eye can usually spot the superior products over the inferior ones (keep asking yourself, "Does it look/feel solid or flimsy?").
ALL-PLYWOOD CONSTRUCTION.
Cabinet boxes will be mostly all-plywood construction or particleboard. The most durable cabinets have full plywood sides and backs to stay square during delivery and installation, handle the weight of heavy countertops, and resist warpage from moisture. Particleboard is a less expensive alternative. It is vulnerable to damage from moisture and crushing, as well as difficult-to-repair blow-outs at screws and joints.
ALL-PLYWOOD CONSTRUCTION (APC)
Plywood has more holding power with screws, fasteners, and glue than particleboard. Plywood is layers of wood running both lengthwise and crosswise in a way that makes plywood stronger. It has a much higher moisture tolerance than particleboard, which is a crucial feature to consider around areas with sinks, faucets, and running water. Plywood will bear weight over long periods and is much more resilient to damage, such as blow-outs, dings, and dents.
BOX CONSTRUCTION.
In a broad sense, better, more durable cabinet boxes possess thicker, rather than thinner, side/end panels, floor, and back panels. Some form of box reinforcement, such as corner braces or I-beam braces
A substantial hanging rail in the back of the cabinet that's well-joined to the cabinet box itself (the hanging rail is what the cabinets are attached/hung from the walls with).
3/4-inch solid hardwood front frame (for framed cabinets)
This is because thicker, reinforced panels with a solid front frame make for a more rigid and sturdy box with less chance of the box going out of square.
Your cabinets hold substantial weight, from stacked dishes to canned goods. The shelves that directly support that weight relies on the brackets attached to the sides of the cabinet box. Thinner panels might bow or twist, particularly if not reinforced somehow.
The thickness of typical cabinet box side panels varies by manufacturer and product line. Back panels range from 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Thicker panels provide more rigidity.
A substantial hanging rail in the back of the cabinet that's well-joined to the cabinet box itself (the hanging rail is what the cabinets are attached/hung from the walls with).
3/4-inch solid hardwood front frame (for framed cabinets)
This is because thicker, reinforced panels with a solid front frame make for a more rigid and sturdy box with less chance of the box going out of square.
Your cabinets hold substantial weight, from stacked dishes to canned goods. The shelves that directly support that weight relies on the brackets attached to the sides of the cabinet box. Thinner panels might bow or twist, particularly if not reinforced somehow.
The thickness of typical cabinet box side panels varies by manufacturer and product line. Back panels range from 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Thicker panels provide more rigidity.
PARTICLEBOARD.
Particleboard has many names: medium-density fiberboard (MDF), engineered wood, hardboard, substrate, furniture board, etc. However you call it, particleboard is made by pressing wood particles together at high temperatures with glue. It doesn’t typically expand or contract as the climate becomes warmer or colder but is more susceptible to damage caused by collision or moisture. The particles do not have the same per-square-foot strength as plywood. Sagging cabinet shelves are often a sign of deteriorating particleboard construction.
DOOR & HINGES.
Cabinet hinges are one of the most critical components of a kitchen cabinet – you can’t open and close a door without them. Inferior hinges can cause stiff, loose, or uneven doors and doors that won’t close. Soft-close hinges are adjustable and eliminate the sound of slamming doors and drawers. A slow-close adjustable hinge is the best.
6-WAY ADJUSTABLE HINGES.
A quality cabinet hinge has a soft close mechanism built into the nickel-plated, hardened steel hinge. The hinge should be adjustable in-out, up-down, and left-right so that the hinges can be adjusted when cabinet doors expand and contract during seasonal changes.
There are thousands of hinges available to cabinet manufacturers. Watch out for the ones that only adjust 2 or 4 ways. The better-quality ones adjust in 6 ways. Be wary of cabinet manufacturers that use low-end hinges or don’t back their product with a warranty.
Well-built drawers are critical because they get the most use. The best ones have wood sides, dovetail joinery, and a plywood bottom that fits grooves on four sides and under-mount full-extension drawer slides. Avoid stapled particleboard. Most manufacturers offer a similar range of door-style options for all their price levels. Look for a solid-wood frame surrounding solid wood.
There are thousands of hinges available to cabinet manufacturers. Watch out for the ones that only adjust 2 or 4 ways. The better-quality ones adjust in 6 ways. Be wary of cabinet manufacturers that use low-end hinges or don’t back their product with a warranty.
Well-built drawers are critical because they get the most use. The best ones have wood sides, dovetail joinery, and a plywood bottom that fits grooves on four sides and under-mount full-extension drawer slides. Avoid stapled particleboard. Most manufacturers offer a similar range of door-style options for all their price levels. Look for a solid-wood frame surrounding solid wood.
UNDER-MOUNT, SOFT-CLOSE DRAWER GLIDES.
High-quality drawer glides (slides) are critical to supporting your cabinet drawers' smooth and silent movement over years of hard use. The more weight your drawers carry, the more critical under-mount, soft-close drawer glides are. Weak glides could lead to sagging, loose, or sticking cabinet drawers.
Under-mount, steel, soft-close drawer glides should extend to provide full access (full extension) to the entire drawer. Ball bearings and steel guides provide smooth operation and last longer. The glides mounted beneath the drawer box should be rated to support a heavy load: at least 90 pounds.
Adjustable glides with a soft-close (anti-slam) dampening system will be almost silent when opening and closing the drawer. Adjustable drawer slides are another excellent feature to have. They allow the drawers to be realigned in height and side-to-side as needed should they go out of alignment over time due to wear or shifting.
Under-mount, steel, soft-close drawer glides should extend to provide full access (full extension) to the entire drawer. Ball bearings and steel guides provide smooth operation and last longer. The glides mounted beneath the drawer box should be rated to support a heavy load: at least 90 pounds.
Adjustable glides with a soft-close (anti-slam) dampening system will be almost silent when opening and closing the drawer. Adjustable drawer slides are another excellent feature to have. They allow the drawers to be realigned in height and side-to-side as needed should they go out of alignment over time due to wear or shifting.
OTHER DRAWER GLIDE SYSTEMS.
There are hundreds of drawer-glide systems and mechanisms used by cabinet manufacturers. A standard construction uses epoxy-coated metal with plastic rollers. These materials are subject to wear.
Center-mount and side-mount glides rarely provide full access; instead, about 25 percent of the drawer remains inside the cabinet, making it difficult to reach the back of the drawer.
Side-mounted glides reduce the width of the drawer, thus reducing storage space. At the bottom of the scale is a single center-mounted wooden or metal glide sliding through a plastic brace on the cabinet.
Mounting location – drawer slides mounted on the sides (side mount) result in a narrower drawer and less interior space for a given cabinet width compared to under-mount slides because of the room the slides occupy on the side of the drawer.
While this isn't necessarily a durability issue related to quality, having more drawer space using under-mount slides is usually preferable over a smaller drawer. Higher-quality cabinet lines use under-mount drawer slides over side-mount slides.
Center-mount and side-mount glides rarely provide full access; instead, about 25 percent of the drawer remains inside the cabinet, making it difficult to reach the back of the drawer.
Side-mounted glides reduce the width of the drawer, thus reducing storage space. At the bottom of the scale is a single center-mounted wooden or metal glide sliding through a plastic brace on the cabinet.
Mounting location – drawer slides mounted on the sides (side mount) result in a narrower drawer and less interior space for a given cabinet width compared to under-mount slides because of the room the slides occupy on the side of the drawer.
While this isn't necessarily a durability issue related to quality, having more drawer space using under-mount slides is usually preferable over a smaller drawer. Higher-quality cabinet lines use under-mount drawer slides over side-mount slides.
HARDWOOD DOVETAIL DRAWER BOXES.
It used to be that dovetail joints to assemble the drawers were practically all you needed to distinguish high-end cabinets. That distinction has blurred as manufacturers offer premium features, even on low-end lines.
The drawer boxes and joints are among the first to fall apart in low-end kitchen cabinetry. Lesser quality construction, usually secured with staples and notched butt joints, does not have the strength of hardwood dovetail drawer boxes, milled to include interlocking teeth.
The drawer boxes and joints are among the first to fall apart in low-end kitchen cabinetry. Lesser quality construction, usually secured with staples and notched butt joints, does not have the strength of hardwood dovetail drawer boxes, milled to include interlocking teeth.
HARDWOOD DOVETAIL DRAWER BOX.
Solid hardwood drawer boxes with dovetail joints and heavy plywood bottoms set the standard for quality cabinetry because of their long-lasting durability and joint beauty. A high-quality hardwood drawer box will have sides of 1/2-inch or thicker hardwood. The side ends meet at dovetail joints, where the strength of the joint comes from the wood itself. A sturdy 3/8” plywood drawer bottom is fully captured on four sides in a dado (grooved) joint.
OTHER MATERIALS AND CONSTRUCTION.
A wide range of materials and construction methods are used for cabinet drawers. Particleboard, plywood, metal, and plastic are common materials. Construction methods vary greatly. Lesser quality drawer boxes use butt or rabbet (notched) joints secured with staples to hold the sides together. These may have particleboard drawer bottoms.
CABINET FACE FRAMES.
A framed cabinet has a solid hardwood frame attached to the front of the cabinet box. Door hinges and drawer glides should be attached to the cabinet face frame. A frameless cabinet connects doors directly to the cabinet box sides. The two construction methods are significantly different in appearance and, depending on the construction methods can vary widely in strength and stability. Installation costs are typically higher for frameless cabinets.
FRAMED CABINETS.
The face frame provides a solid, hardwood base for hinges and drawer glides. Furthermore, the face frame provides stability to help keep the cabinet box square during shipping and installation. There are three styles of framed cabinetry, referred to by the amount of frame revealed: partial overlay, full overlay, and inset.
FRAMELESS (EURO) CABINETS.
Frameless, also known as European-style, cabinets have no frame on the front of the cabinet box. Frameless cabinets are a full overlay, revealing 1/8" around drawer fronts and cabinet doors. The side panels are thicker than in a framed cabinet, allowing drawer glides and door hinges to be attached directly to the cabinet sidewalls. The installation of frameless cabinets must be exact, and the installation area must be perfectly level and plumb since even tiny misplacements will be perceivable. Therefore, some installers will charge more to install frameless than framed cabinets.
CUSTOM MODIFICATIONS.
Cabinets with custom modifications provide many sizes, styles, and specialty features tailored to your kitchen's unique needs and space. Many homeowners find that stock manufacturers offer too few styles and sizes, but fully custom cabinet manufacturers cost too much. There is a middle ground: semi-custom cabinets with modifications.
Semi-custom cabinets with modifications provide a wide range of sizes, styles, and specialty cabinets at a reasonable price.
Modifications allow a high degree of customization, and that cost is restricted to specific cabinet units. Modifications include glass-ready open-front or mullion doors, storage units, angled end cabinets, and non-conventional uses of standard cabinet boxes. With those options, an experienced kitchen designer can provide you with a high degree of personalization.
Semi-custom cabinets with modifications provide a wide range of sizes, styles, and specialty cabinets at a reasonable price.
Modifications allow a high degree of customization, and that cost is restricted to specific cabinet units. Modifications include glass-ready open-front or mullion doors, storage units, angled end cabinets, and non-conventional uses of standard cabinet boxes. With those options, an experienced kitchen designer can provide you with a high degree of personalization.
SHELF THICKNESS, RETENTION, AND ADJUSTABILITY.
Despite their simplicity, the shelves are another critical component in your cabinets because they carry the major part of the load within the cabinet. The thickness and material choice are important factors since they govern both the rigidity and strength of the shelf.
Plywood is one of the best choices for shelf material as they provide better rigidity than MDF or particleboard for a given thickness and shelf span.
Don't underestimate the weight of some of these items - lift your entire stack of dinner plates sometime to get a feel for what your cabinet shelves experience. The weight of a pile of plates, bowls, or canned goods can add up quickly, and the closer to the center of the shelf you store them, the more strength that shelf will need.
Plywood is one of the best choices for shelf material as they provide better rigidity than MDF or particleboard for a given thickness and shelf span.
Don't underestimate the weight of some of these items - lift your entire stack of dinner plates sometime to get a feel for what your cabinet shelves experience. The weight of a pile of plates, bowls, or canned goods can add up quickly, and the closer to the center of the shelf you store them, the more strength that shelf will need.
RETENTION AND ADJUSTABILITY.
Adjustable shelves are more versatile than fixed shelves. Good quality cabinets will have adjustable shelves or at least more than fixed shelves.
For adjustable shelves, ensure you're satisfied with the clips holding the shelf. Metal clips are sturdier than plastic clips. Also, look for supports that appear "Right-sized" for the shelf span. There's no hard and fast rule here, but brackets with a longer "Reach" under the shelf are better than small ones, provided they're made from a solid material appropriate for their size.
For adjustable shelves, ensure you're satisfied with the clips holding the shelf. Metal clips are sturdier than plastic clips. Also, look for supports that appear "Right-sized" for the shelf span. There's no hard and fast rule here, but brackets with a longer "Reach" under the shelf are better than small ones, provided they're made from a solid material appropriate for their size.
CABINET FINISH.
Good quality finish not only makes your wood cabinets look nice, but it also goes a long way in protecting your investment. Why is that? Well, consider the environment that your cabinets are in.
ELEMENTS OF A QUALITY FINISH.
Look for the following components in a quality cabinet finish:
CATALYZED VARNISH OR LACQUER.
A catalyzed varnish or lacquer has properties that enhance the durability beyond non-catalyzed varnish/lacquer. These qualities allow it to weather the harsher environment that kitchen cabinets endure. Non-catalyzed coatings aren't as durable and will be more susceptible to damage.
HIGH-SOLIDS CONTENT IN A FINISH.
Usually a varnish, with a high solids content provides more protection for the underlying wood and stain. "High solids" means that there are more solid 'particles' within the coating system. Those solids help to build up the coating thickness, which ultimately provides a durable shield over the material underneath.
UV PROTECTION.
Finishes and coatings that include constituents that resist fading from ultraviolet light are desirable over those that don't. Cabinets in a sunny kitchen can be exposed to fading from the uv light present in the sunlight.
WARRANTY AND INDUSTRY CERTIFICATION.
While the warranty might not tell you about the quality of the cabinet per se, it gives you a clue about how far the manufacturer is willing to stand behind their product. If they assure a warranty and have industry certifications, it implies that their cabinet quality is higher. If they provide no warrant, you can decide for yourself what that means.
Lower-quality cabinetry will often begin to break down after 1 to 2 years of use. By that time, their warranties may have expired. Since kitchen cabinets are one of the most expensive items you will ever purchase for your home, a 5 year warranty can be the assurance you need for your cabinets.
Lifetime Warranties? Read the fine print, they cover the same things as the 5 and ten-year warranties, and it’s the stuff that if it didn’t go wrong in the first 90 days, it will not go bad at all.
No warranty.
A large percentage of manufacturers only offer a one-year limited warranty, while others offer no warranty at all. Be cautious if considering cabinets with no or very limited warranties. If the cabinets fail, there is no recourse for the consumer.
Lower-quality cabinetry will often begin to break down after 1 to 2 years of use. By that time, their warranties may have expired. Since kitchen cabinets are one of the most expensive items you will ever purchase for your home, a 5 year warranty can be the assurance you need for your cabinets.
Lifetime Warranties? Read the fine print, they cover the same things as the 5 and ten-year warranties, and it’s the stuff that if it didn’t go wrong in the first 90 days, it will not go bad at all.
No warranty.
A large percentage of manufacturers only offer a one-year limited warranty, while others offer no warranty at all. Be cautious if considering cabinets with no or very limited warranties. If the cabinets fail, there is no recourse for the consumer.