Kitchen Cabinets
New kitchen cabinets add style, depth and detail allowing a home take on an
entirely new personality. Kitchen cabinets come is a wide selection of choices
from such major brands as Kraftmaid, Ikea, and Thomasville. Picking out cabinets
for your new or remodeled kitchen is not an easy proposition. The choices for
door style, wood grain, finish and options are infinite. You local cabinet dealer might be a good place to start.
Select the wood grain you want and desired finish. Maple, pine, cherry,
hickory, birch and oak kitchen cabinets are some of the most popular choices in
wood design. Signs of quality cabinets are grain that matches from piece to
piece and furniture-quality finishes. Painted white, black or staining a vintage
antique finish are also options.
Choose stock kitchen cabinets when controlling costs is your priority. In
stock, ready to assemble cabinets leave room in your financial plan for upgrades
elsewhere. You'll find fewer finish options but many popular styles, woods and
accessories. Most people spend up to 60% of their budget on kitchen cabinets,
buying factory direct or unassembled do it yourself cabinets might be an option
to explore.
Plan on spending more for custom units if you need to fit exact dimensions.
Top-quality materials and craftsmanship increase both the cost and turnaround.
Semi-custom cabinets are also made to order, but their set widths may require
inserts for a perfect fit.
Investigate manufactured finishes such as laminate or thermofoil. Both are
easy to clean and less expensive than wood, but also less durable. Ask about
typical repairs and what the warranty covers. Examine a showroom sample that has
been in use for a while to see how it wears.
Insist on construction that can support heavy cookware and withstand
countless openings, bumps and spills. Drawers with dovetailed joints are
stronger than stapled ones. Doors with fitted mortised corners are sturdier than
non-interlocking butt joints. Also look for 3/4-inch face frames.
Take a quick look inside the cabinets. Most stock and semi-custom units use
solid wood only for the exposed frame, doors and drawers. Even high-end cabinets
may contain particleboard or veneer-covered plywood inside. Both are less likely
to warp than solid wood, and can be stained or painted.
Look for drawers that extend completely and are equipped with self-closing
glides rated to hold 75 lb. Well-made drawers boast 1/2- to 3/4-inch sides with
dovetailed or doweled joints and a strong bottom that's glued into grooves. The
strongest shelves are 3/4-inch plywood.
Remodeling your kitchen with new cabinets or refacing, refinishing, or
painting existing cabinets to your exact standards not only adds beauty, but
also adds value to your home. Look at all of the possibilities that are open to
you. There are so many different furniture styles available; country, rustic,
retro, contemporary, or a european style might best suit your home decor. You
should make sure you check out as many as possible before you start to plan your
kitchen makeover. Another good place to start is by looking at magazines and
home improvement booklets. Visit home improvement shows or watch the new home
and garden shows that are on T.V. You will be amazed at all of the ideas you
will come up with. With all of these ideas, you may be able to design you own
kitchen with a mix and match of ideas to make it uniquely yours.
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