What kind of cabinets should i buy

Credit: Jean Allsopp. Credit: Kim Cornelison. Credit: Andreas Trauttmansdorff. Grain: Except at the very high end, veneered cabinets are likely to give you better grain-matching than solid wood cabinets. Color: You're not always wedded to a wood's natural color. Stain can replicate the color of maple on a birch base, for example.

Painting wood cabinets is also always an option. Construction: Wood cabinet drawers can be constructed using dowels or rabbets, as well as dovetails.

Drawers with dovetails generally last longer but consume more wood to produce, and therefore are more expensive. Credit: Ed Gohlich. Availability: Laminate and Thermofoil cabinets are readily available at home centers and even some assemble-it-yourself home stores. If you need new cabinets in a hurry and don't have a lot to spend, these cabinet materials can be a good choice.

Durability: The construction of particle board-substrate cabinets is not as strong as other options. The joinery on the least expensive options is likely to use staples, which are not as sturdy as other construction options. Door style: Your choice is likely limited to a flat front, although the laminate and Thermofoil processes can accommodate the curves of raised-panel doors. Particleboard is made from wood particles mixed with resin and bonded by pressure.

It serves as the base for most cabinetry covered with laminate and vinyl film. New technology and improved resins make particleboard a strong, reliable building material. In poor grades, however, hinges and other fasteners tend to fall out, and particleboard that's too thin will buckle or warp under the weight of kitchen gear.

Medium-density fiberboard is a high-quality substrate material made from smaller fibers than particleboard. It offers superior screw-holding power, clean edges, and an extremely smooth surface.

Additionally, its edges can be shaped and painted. Plywood is made by laminating thin layers of wood to each other with the grain at right angles in alternate plies. Varying the direction of the grain gives plywood equal strength in all directions. The layers are bonded with glue under heat and pressure. Thinner plywood is typically used on cabinet backs; thicker plywood forms the sides.

Comments 2 Add Comment. View Comments. Hides cabinet tops and gives a neater look. Drawers and runners Make sure drawer runners are full-extension. This provides a full view of the contents and will prevent items getting lost in the backs of drawers.

Always check the load capacity of drawer runners, particularly on wide pan drawers. Inner storage solutions Pull-out swing larders, corner storage carousels, wicker drawer baskets — there are many options for your storage needs.

Soft-close hinges and drawer runners These gently and quietly bring drawers and doors to a close. The extra cost is minimal, and worth it when you consider the alternative — the crash and bang of cupboards being slammed shut. Check out our guide to the best paint for kitchen cabinets to transform your existing cupboards whilst you save for your dream kitchen.

Home Kitchen Kitchen Planning Advice. We earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article. Image credit: Robert Sanderson. Image credit: Joanna Henderson. Image credit: Veronica Rodriguez. Image credit: Matt Antrobus. Image credit: David Giles. Image credit: Future PLC.

Image credit: Darren Chung. Image credit: Rachael Smith. Video Of The Week. How to plan a kitchen — step-by-step guide to planning the perfect space. Kitchen worktop ideas — how to choose the right material for your work surfaces. Kitchen appliance layout ideas — smart ways to arrange your appliances. The Aldi Christmas advert is out! If you want the European look but also want a framed cabinet, choose a full-overlay door.

It covers all or most of the face frame. Inspect the Construction Well-built cabinets have solid wood drawers with dovetail joinery instead of stapled particleboard; full-extension 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. Focus on Features Although they can increase cost by more than 20 percent, useful features include a pullout trash can and built-in charging station.

A lift cabinet, with a spring-loaded shelf that swings up and out, offers easy access to your stand mixer or food processor.

Consider Revitalizing Your old Cabinets If your current cabinets are plumb, square, and sturdy, consider repainting or refinishing them. Cabinet refacing is also an option.

It's ideal for framed units and involves replacing the doors and drawers, and applying new veneers to the face frames and ends. You can also make old cabinets easier to use by adding pull-out shelves, lazy Susans, and other inexpensive upgrades. The final touch: Install under-cabinet LED task lights. Cabinets can vary greatly in price. Here's an overview of the three types of cabinets in broad price segments that you'll find at stores. Keep in mind a typical kitchen has 25 to 30 feet of cabinets.

Often called stock, these are inexpensive, off-the-shelf cabinets. Some are fully assembled while others will need to be assembled onsite. Many use frameless construction where the door has no lip or "reveal" around it.

Pros: A money-saving choice if you aren't too picky about style options or don't demand a perfect fit. Some brands offer better drawer construction, solid-wood doors, and other once-pricey features. And past tests found some basic models that perform better in our wear tests than more expensive models.

Cons: Often made of thinly veneered particleboard, rather than higher-quality plywood. Style and trim options, sizes, and accessories are limited.

Figure on an hour or more of assembly time for each set of base and wall cabinets. These semi-custom models are a sound choice for most kitchens. Even in the case of most preassembled cabinets, customization is possible. It is possible to obtain the door hardware like hinges, channels, handles, etc, or doors from particular manufacturers. Similarly, you can opt for custom doors in some cases too.

As mentioned above, kitchen cabinets are the focal point of attention in your kitchen. Choosing the right cabinet can thereby make or break the look here. We recommend choosing something that complements the countertop and the existing features of the space.

It follows that the final layout of the kitchen will be largely determined by the choices you make here. It is something that you can be creative with based on your personal style sensibilities. Solid wood has always been a favored choice with architects as well as designers. Wood cabinets have always enjoyed the attention of being classy and timeless.

Rightly so in many cases, if we may say. Since the material is flexible, it can be used in a variety of colors, forms, and designs. Wooden cabinets are also affordable even with customizations. Besides, they are available in a diversity of textures like Maple, oak, hickory, cherry, and pine. However, there are certain drawbacks to this material too. It is prone to water damage as well as bug infestations. You are better off opting for woods that are more resistant to these threats like teak cabinets or cedar.

Else, you can get termite control as well. Keep a watch out for leaks. Make it a point to keep your cabinets clean and moisture-free as much as possible.