Buying Guides: Kitchen Cabinets

Stock, Semi-Stock or Custom
A good starting point in selecting your cabinets is to determine the options, availability and specialization your kitchen project timeframe and budget requires, then decide if stock, semi-stock or custom cabinets best suit your needs.

Stock – These cabinets offer economical pricing, a wide range of standard sizes, styles and finishes and are often available the same day or within a few days of purchase. Stock cabinets typically offer some options for specialty functions, and can be an ideal solution for projects with limited budgets. They are often built in widths of 3” increments ranging from 12” to 60” wide. Standard heights range from 30”-36” with above-stove cabinets in heights of 12”-18”.

Semi-Custom – These cabinets offer more flexible options for storage, design and style as well as a wider selection of wood and finish choices. Semi-custom cabinets offer more functionality, with enhancements such as pull-out shelves, lazy Susans and vertical dividers, to name just a few. They usually require a longer lead time for delivery and are priced in the mid-range. Available sizes are typically the same as those for stock cabinets.

Custom – These cabinets are constructed by hand to fit your kitchen to your specifications. Custom cabinets make use of all available space and are an ideal solution when non-standard sizes are needed to fit irregular-shaped spaces. Delivery time can take up to nine or more weeks, depending on the cabinet maker’s schedule. The most expensive of the three options, they typically feature high-quality materials and construction features. Custom cabinets can be built in increments up to 1/32”. Price varies based on size, materials and options.

Construction
Understanding cabinet construction and knowing a few basic features to look for can go a long way in helping you match cabinets to your décor, lifestyle and budget.

Framed or Frameless
There are two basic styles of cabinets: framed and frameless. While both of these cabinet types share similar construction, the difference lies primarily in their appearance and the amount of storage they provide.

Framed cabinets, also known as face-framed cabinets, have a frame on the front of the cabinet that makes the box highly stable and helps keep it square. Door hinges attach to the frame. Framed cabinets complement both traditional and contemporary décor.

Frameless cabinets, also known as European-style cabinets, have no frame around the face of the cabinet box. Thicker side panels lend stability, and drawers and hinges attach directly to the cabinet’s side walls. Because drawers do not have to fit in a frame’s opening, they can be as wide as the cabinet, providing more storage. Frameless cabinets are often used with contemporary décor.

Materials
While you might think cabinets are made solely of wood, they are often constructed from other materials or combinations of materials as well. These materials are often combined to provide cost-effective, high-quality durability for the parts of your cabinet that are typically unexposed or behind the scenes. Materials commonly used for cabinet boxes and shelves include:

Particleboard – This material is made of wood chips or shavings bonded together with resin and compressed into rigid sheets. An economical alternative to solid wood, particleboard is very stable and is often used in stock cabinets as an underlayment for plastic laminates and wood veneers in the panels for the box and shelving. Particleboard doesn’t warp, shrink or swell due to humidity, but should be properly sealed to avoid moisture. Particleboard is assembled using glue or mechanical fasteners.

Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF) – An engineered wood made from fine wood particles and glue formed into sheets, MDF is often used as a backing material for laminates and other finishes. MDF is very dense, resists warping and has a smooth surface suitable for veneers, laminates and paints. It is often used in mid-priced cabinetry. Strong and durable, MDF provides many effective benefits for limited budgets.

Plywood – This engineered wood is composed of layers of veneers stacked and glued together with alternate layers oriented at right angles, providing strength in its length and width. Furniture-grade plywood is used in custom cabinetry. Because heat and moisture cause wood to expand and contract in the direction of the grain, plywood’s cross-grain pattern makes it more stable and stronger than solid wood. Plywood is often used for cabinet boxes and shelves in higher-priced cabinetry.

Wood Veneers & Laminates
Exposed areas of particleboard, MDF and plywood are typically covered with wood veneers or durable laminates and other synthetic materials.

Wood veneers are thin layers of wood sliced from trees that are adhered to plywood or particleboard and treated with a variety of stains, varnishes and other finishes. Factors to consider when choosing a veneer include grain, pattern, thickness and color. Popular choices include cherry, maple, oak, hickory, birch and pine.

Door Design Once you’ve selected the wood type for your doors, you can choose the design from literally hundreds of styles. While manufacturers offer a wide variety from which to choose, below are some of the most popular:

	Slab Offers a flat, clean canvas for hardware with a streamlined and minimalistic style ideal for contemporary designs.

	Recessed Panel Similar to slab with a minimal style that adds depth and interest. Versatile enough to go with country or modern designs.

	Raised Panel A classic style that blends well with formal classic, traditional looks.

	Shaker Known for its simplicity and favored for its warm and casual feel, the Shaker style is ideal for understated looks.

	Cape Cod Reminiscent of bead-board and ideal for a cottage look with a casual, timeless style that blends well with informal kitchens.

	Arch Adds sweeping elegance to most kitchens. Styles include a raised panel topped with an "eyebrow" arch or a "cathedral" arch.

Door designs can be further enhanced by replacing wood panels with decorative glass, turning storage into displays, especially when paired with in-cabinet lighting. Manufacturers offer a variety of clear, textured and frosted glass from which to choose, with the additional option of vertical and horizontal strips on the glass, called mullions, which divide the glass into panes.

Finishing Touches Carved hardwood details transform standard cabinets into one-of-a-kind design statements. Options include:

	Mouldings Enhance the look of cabinets that run to the ceiling by adding crown mouldings or stamped trim, or use moulding along cabinet bottoms.

	Corbels Corbels’ visual size and weight lend character to cabinets, particularly for shelving in open areas or countertop overhangs.

	Onlays Add a touch of elegance and an eye-catching focal point to your cabinets with decorative onlays.

	Columns Columns add a stately elegance and handcrafted look to cabinets.

	Fillers and Blocks Fillers "fill in" cabinet gaps. Decorative blocks and ornaments provide a finished look with classic designs like grapes, pyramids and rosettes.

	Feet Enhance and decorate toe kicks with carved feet that give your cabinets the appearance of handcrafted furniture.

Accessories & Add-Ons Get the most out of your kitchen cabinets with accessories that help maximize storage, provide easy access to cabinet contents and reduce clutter on countertops.