Cabinets Buying Guide

Cabinet buying is not as easy task with all the options available on the market. This guide will help you through the process and get you acquainted with the features you should consider when selecting cabinets for your home.

In the first place, it's important to realize that there are two basic cabinet types to choose between. Framed cabinets are popular in country and traditional kitchens. In this style, the edge of the cabinet frame around drawer fronts and doors is left exposed.

• The doors and drawers can fit flush inside the frame, partially inset, or overlay the frame entirely.
• This type of cabinetry is very stable because the solid wood frames are rigid - even if the bottoms, sides, and backs are made of thinner material, the overall structure is strong.
• The downside is that frames allow for smaller openings, and as a result, offer less storage space.

Frameless cabinets give rooms a modern look because the drawer fronts and doors have no frames. People love this type of cabinetry because it's clean and makes accessing utensils and other supplies very easy. At the same time, frameless cabinets are difficult to install because the doors and drawers butt up against each other and require door clearances.

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Materials

Solid wood: You can choose either real wood or wood veneer. Real wood is usually present in the doors, drawer fronts, and face frames on custom cabinets. Pre-fabricated components are always constructed of wood veneer.

Manufactured wood: Plywood, medium-density fiberboard, particleboard, and even hardboard (in drawer bottoms) are examples of wood materials you can find in some cabinetry.

To make particleboard, wood particles are mixed with resin and bonded under pressure. When shopping for cabinets, if you are considering particleboard, look for grade and thickness, as low grades (under 45 pound rating) don't hold screws as well and have a tendency to warp.

Medium-density fiberboard is of a higher quality than particleboard, made of finer fibers. As a result, the surface is smoother and you can shape and paint the edges.

Plywood is constructed of thin layers of wood plies, put together by laminating them with the grain running at right angles in alternate plies for strength. Grade A plywood is ¼ inch to 1-1/8 inches thick.

Finishes

Cabinets can have wood and laminate finishes, or you can paint or stain the surface. Foils and vinyl films are also an option - this material is less expensive than laminate but also less durable.

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