Where to Start When Choosing Kitchen Cabinets

You’ll find there are numerous choices when it comes to cabinet choices, with a host of different door styles, wood, finishes and options. It might seem a bit overwhelming deciding where to begin when choosing kitchen cabinetry, but here are a few suggestions to get you started.

* Know Thyself – What this means is examine your kitchen layout and consider your family’s life style and cooking habits. Not only do you want beautiful kitchen cabinets, but you also need them to be located in practical areas.

* Not Sure What You Need? Contact an Expert – Ask for professional guidance in picking kitchen cabinets if you need it. Remember, 70% of your budget is going into your kitchen cabinets, so if you’re not sure, ask an expert like an architect or a kitchen designer for help.

Finding Ways to Save Costs on Kitchen Cabinets

If you don’t have much money to work with, consider mass-produced kitchen cabinets rather than custom units. If the dimensions of your kitchen allow it, standard size stock cabinets save money so you can upgrade elsewhere in the kitchen, such as buying new appliances. You might not have as many finish choices by buying mass-produced kitchen cabinets, but they can still look stylish and be quite durable.

Six Tips When Shopping For Kitchen Cabinets

Once you have a plan for your kitchen remodeling project, consider the following tips as you start looking at new kitchen cabinets.

1. Make Sure They Fit – If your kitchen has ‘odd’ areas, spend extra money on custom units so they fit to exact dimensions of the space. Having kitchen cabinets that look out of place can be just as bad as keeping your old cabinets.

2. Pick Quality Finishes – It doesn’t matter if it’s maple, oak or cherry. You can spot quality kitchen cabinets when the grain matches from piece to piece.

3. Consider Durability and Warranty – While thermofoil or laminate kitchen cabinets are easier to clean and less expensive than solid wood, they are also less durable. It’s important to find out what the warranty covers when buying thermofoil or laminate kitchen cabinets.

4. Think About Beauty and Practicality – Pick kitchen cabinets that not only look beautiful, but are also useful. That means making sure they can withstand the pounding of heavy cookware and dishes, as well as countless openings and closings.

5. Note the Kitchen Cabinet Dimensions – For example, doors should have 3/4-inch thick face frames and have 1/2- to 3/4-inch thick sides. Shelves should be 3/4-inch thick and made of veneer-covered plywood, which is less likely to warp than solid wood.

6. Note the Kitchen Cabinet Construction – Drawers with dovetailed joints are sturdier than stapled ones. Doors with fitted mortised corners are stronger than non-interlocking butt joints. When it comes to kitchen drawers make sure they extend completely and are equipped with self-closing glides rated to hold 75 pounds.

Budget Too Small For New Kitchen Cabinets?

If you don’t have enough money for new kitchen cabinets, another option is refinishing the ones you currently have. Additionally, refacing is a process where just the doors and drawers are replaced. Another way to save money is to buy a less expensive wood, then stain it to look like your wood of choice. For example, if you don’t have money for cherry wood, you can buy pine and use a cherry finish instead.

Whether you’re buying new kitchen cabinets or refinishing ones you currently have, it’s important to remember two helpful hints. First, your kitchen cabinets are the focal point of your kitchen, so they should look beautiful. Second, kitchen cabinets serve a purpose, so they need to be useful, too. Keep all of these facts in mind, and you’ll find shopping for kitchen cabinetry is a breeze.

DirectBuy carries a large assortment of discount cabinets and kitchen cabinets available to you at wholesale prices. A one-stop shop for all of your home remodeling needs, DirectBuy has virtually everything – including the kitchen sink – to make your home remodeling project as easy as possible.

Stock cabinets – These are ready-manufactured, standard type cabinets, and comparatively much cheaper than semi-custom or custom cabinets. They are available in various shapes, sizes, colors, finishes and materials. However, stock cabinets have limited choices in terms of design and function.

Semi-custom cabinets – These are priced between stock and custom type cabinets and are available in a wider choice of shapes, colors and materials, as well as staining and wood types to suit any look you want for your kitchen.

Custom Cabinets – These cabinets are far more expensive than the other two options, but have a unique and distinctive look to suit your kitchen style and decor. They can be designed as one wall-mounted, cabinet, rather than single boxes nailed or screwed together. Custom cabinets are designed and built to your specifications.

When you’re ready to remodel your kitchen and select new cabinets for your kitchen, DirectBuy is the place to begin. With top quality products at prices of up to 50% below retail, you will be happy you did.