The 3 Most Important Factors to Compare When Selecting Kitchen Cabinets
Most people have very little knowledge or experience relating to kitchen remodeling. Most people have even less knowledge when it comes to the actual products used in the remodel. Today we are going to take a look at one of the main components in a kitchen remodel, the kitchen cabinets.
Maple and oak are the most common wood species used in kitchen and bathroom vanities. Cabinet carcasses are almost never constructed using solid wood. High quality kitchen cabinets use cabinet grade plywood for the cabinet box or carcass. Plywood used in varies from ¼- to ¾-inch with the thinner pieces used for cabinet bottoms and drawer bottoms. Shelving of the cabinets can warp if particleboard is used so it is best to go with plywood shelving. There is a wide range of plywood box assembly types. They can be assembled with internal cam locks, external cam locks, metal clips, nails, screws staples and glue. The most common assembly setup for particleboard cabinets is a metal cam lock system or glue. Plywood is generally considered an upgrade over particleboard cabinets by almost all people involved in the kitchen cabinet industry.
The remaining portion of the cabinet, the doors and face frames, are generally made of solid wood, particleboard or medium density fiberboard. Medium density fiberboard doors and frames are genrally painted or covered with a thermo foil layer. The most common material used in the doors and frames is solid wood. The solid wood used can come from a variety of wood types, oak, cherry, mahogany, maple, birch etc. Solid wood is appealing to many since it allows the natural wood grain to show through the stained and lacquered finish.
Solid wood is normally chosen over particleboard due to the longer life span and higher perceived value. Solid wood components can be easily repaired and or replaced where as particleboard is difficult to repair and/or replace. Particleboard can also be ruined very easily when contact is made with moisture which is absorbed by the particleboard and causes distortion of the materials. Solid wood easily withstands any absorption of moisture.
Maple and oak are the most common wood species used in kitchen and bathroom vanities. Cabinet carcasses are almost never constructed using solid wood. High quality kitchen cabinets use cabinet grade plywood for the cabinet box or carcass. Plywood used in varies from ¼- to ¾-inch with the thinner pieces used for cabinet bottoms and drawer bottoms. Shelving of the cabinets can warp if particleboard is used so it is best to go with plywood shelving. There is a wide range of plywood box assembly types. They can be assembled with internal cam locks, external cam locks, metal clips, nails, screws staples and glue. The most common assembly setup for particleboard cabinets is a metal cam lock system or glue. Plywood is generally considered an upgrade over particleboard cabinets by almost all people involved in the kitchen cabinet industry.
The remaining portion of the cabinet, the doors and face frames, are generally made of solid wood, particleboard or medium density fiberboard. Medium density fiberboard doors and frames are genrally painted or covered with a thermo foil layer. The most common material used in the doors and frames is solid wood. The solid wood used can come from a variety of wood types, oak, cherry, mahogany, maple, birch etc. Solid wood is appealing to many since it allows the natural wood grain to show through the stained and lacquered finish.
Solid wood is normally chosen over particleboard due to the longer life span and higher perceived value. Solid wood components can be easily repaired and or replaced where as particleboard is difficult to repair and/or replace. Particleboard can also be ruined very easily when contact is made with moisture which is absorbed by the particleboard and causes distortion of the materials. Solid wood easily withstands any absorption of moisture.
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