Choosing the right people when it comes to your home, quality service is important. You want your new cabinets to look professional and last a long time. Here are some common things to look for and how to spot quality cabinet work.
Plywood Vs. Particle Board
The first thing you should check for when looking to build high quality cabinets is the material used to make your cabinets. Plywood is a quality material that is made by fixing layers of wood together with the grain running in alternating directions on each layer. This helps it to hold shape and doesn’t buckle under the weight of your countertops. Whereas a particle board is more lightweight. Particle board is made from wood particles that are pressed together with heat and then fixed together with glue. Particle boards absorb moisture easily and are more prone to damage and can sag from the weight of countertops.
Quality Back Panels
Full height panels should be used when installing cabinets. The best cabinets have a panel of at least ⅜ inches. Some cabinets will exclude the back panel all together and just leave the wall showing. Another key indicator of a low quality back panel is metal brackets or rails that are required to keep the thin panels from coming off the wall.
Soft Close Hinges
Soft close hinges may seem like a luxury when it comes to applying cabinets. Since hinges are often out of sight, it may be easy to miss. But soft close hinges help to improve the life of your cabinets. Low quality hinges lead to loose doors and sagging. Something to watch for is hinges that move four ways or are not covered by a lifetime warranty. There are many options for hinges and some that are high quality without being soft close.
Dovetail Drawer Boxes
The front of your drawers should stay in tack for years. In order to ensure this Dovetail Drawer Boxes need to be used in installation. Lower quality drawers use staples or notched joints instead of the interlocking teeth of Dovetail. It is important for quality and strength when being used daily or multiple times a day. This method prevents your drawer covers from ripping off, sticking out staples and improves the look of your drawers with its slick design.
I-Beams
Cheaper options of I-Beams also exist. These beams are located in the upper sides of your cabinets installed on the lower or ground level cabinets. This helps to keep the strength of the cabinet over time and hold their shape. Cabinets without these are subject to more wear and tear and changing shape. Sagging can also occur over-time especially if the cabinet is near water.
Smooth Interior
The interior of a cabinet or drawer should be smooth. Non porous surfaces that can wipe clean are essential to high quality cabinets. If you have a lower-quality interior the surface could bubble or show wear and tear in a shorter period of time. A common high quality material is melamine. Melamine is a coating that is fire, stain and water resistant. Not only is it durable but it comes in a variety of colors that you can choose from, although a lighter shade is usually best for kitchen cabinets.
Framed Vs. Frameless
Framed cabinets have the hardware attached to the door and the frame rather than the hardware just attached to the rest of the cabinet. These cabinets typically last longer. When frameless cabinets are installed, precision is key. Even the tiniest imperfections will stand out because of the nature of installation. Looking at a low quality frameless cabinet is easily spotted. Frameless cabinets are not always cheaper for this reason because of the added labor and need for detail. Depending on what look you are going for, framed cabinets may be cheaper because of the easier nature of installation.
Why Rasmussen?
We rely on quality cabinets and quality installation. With many years of experience our team is ready to upgrade your cabinets. Read testimonials from our customers here.