Choosing Great Kitchen Cabinets
By Jonathan Leger
What you are about to read will save you a lot of time and money when remodeling your kitchen.
There are so many kinds of kitchen cabinets to choose from these days, and that can be rather overwhelming when you're ready to install new cabinets for your kitchen remodel. But by examining a few key points, you can make a great cabinet purchase that adds real character to your kitchen.
Selecting the Right Kind of Cabinets
If your budget is tight, you can purchase ready-to-assemble cabinets (RTA). They are cheaper, but the responsibility to build the cabinets is on you as the customer. Also, the sizes and colors are generally more limited.
The next "step up" in kitchen cabinets are stock cabinets. These come in most standard sizes, as well as a variety of designs and colors. Stock cabinets are also usually the most economical for fully assembled cabinets.
If your pockets are a bit deeper you might want to go with built-to-order cabinets. These kinds of cabinets allow you to choose from a variety of standard options how you want your cabinets to look. There are also usually optional modifications available for a fee.
The most expensive selection are custom cabinets. These are built "from scratch" to match any color or style you choose. While you have total control over the look and feel of custom cabinets, they are much more expensive and take longer to receive since the production time can be lengthy.
Selecting The Wood
There are a variety of woods commonly used in building kitchen cabinets. Of these, oak is one of the hardest and heaviest woods. Cherry is also a great hard wood that can add some natural color to your kitchen.
The harder and heavier the wood, the more expensive the cabinets. If your budget is more limited, you can go with alder or poplar, which are less expensive woods. Although not as hard and heavy as oak or cherry, these woods take stain well and have a great finish.
If you're into the rustic, old-time look, pine is also a fine choice.
Other Points to Consider
When selecting your cabinets, don't forget about the hardware that will go with them. Be sure to compare the look and feel of the available hardware against the look and feel of your new kitchen. There's nothing worse than mismatched knobs and handles in an otherwise great remodel.
Also, consider the type of cabinet doors. Where you want the flat-faced doors (for a more modern look) or the recessed panels (for a down-home feel), or raised-panel for a classy style.
Summing It All Up
Kitchen cabinets can make or a break the look of a kitchen remodel, so it's important to spend a little time and be a little choosey. Don't make a rushed decision in an effort to finish the remodel. Making the right choice in cabinetry will add class and sophistication to your kitchen. The wrong choice can make even the best kitchen look second-rate.
Jonathan Leger runs a kitchen remodeling site with dozens of articles to help your remodel be a great one.
