Kitchen cabinets are always the largest expense in a kitchen remodel. Because they are a major investment (and one that’s not likely to be made again anytime soon), you’ll need to sort through the hundreds of options and make choices with confidence. Not all kitchen remodels will require new cabinets, so step back and look at your kitchen with an open mind before deciding to just rip everything out.

FRESHEN UP

If existing cabinets are of good quality, are in excellent working condition and the layout functions well, the most affordable option is to freshen them up by restaining or painting. Another alternative, refacing, involves installing a new veneer on the exterior of the cabinet box and replacing the doors and drawer fronts, and should be handled by a professional. The process is much faster than installing new cabinets because the cabinets remain intact and the work is done onsite. It is important to note that when it comes to cabinets, doors and drawer fronts account for the greatest expense.

In reality, the doors and drawer fronts can account for as much as 70% of the cost of the cabinet. This is because most cabinets utilize plywood or particleboard for the cabinet box, which is significantly cheaper than the real wood used for the doors and drawer faces.

NEW AND IMPROVED

The decision has been made to install new cabinets, but there are other choices ahead. Are custom cabinets required, or will stock cabinets fit the bill? Custom cabinets are built to exact specifications and offer endless options with regard to materials, designs, finishes and accessories. Custom cabinets will require much longer lead times, and can be 2 to 5 times as expensive depending on the style of cabinet that you are looking at.

Semi-custom cabinets are just that: semi-custom. While the cabinets are made to the homeowner’s size requirements, the manufacturer produces them in predetermined increments. Often a spacer may be needed to conceal unused wall space, and that sacrifices storage. The range of materials, designs, finishes and accessories will not be as broad with semi-custom cabinets, but they cost less than fully custom cabinets.

Stock cabinets, which are the most affordable of new cabinet options, are pre-made and come in standard sizes. In the past, stock cabinets had a stigma to them because of the quality of materials that were used. Today, manufacturers are using solid wood for the face frame and doors, and better cabinets will feature solid plywood cabinet boxes.

If you ask any industry expert, they will tell you that 8 out of 10 kitchens cabinet be built using stock cabinets. A 1/2″ here or a 1/4″ there can be easily made up by using filler strips which will not take away from the overall beauty of the finished product.

No matter what type of cabinet is selected, it’s important to evaluate the quality of hinges, doors, drawer systems and finish. Don’t be afraid to pursue companies that sell cabinets strictly on-line. They will have lower overhead and therefore can offer better prices. Even RTA (Ready-To-Assemble) cabinets are featuring the same quality materials as the big name manufacturers, but at a lower price.

CONSTRUCTION AND STYLE

Next, consider the construction type and door style. Framed cabinets, which are popular in traditional kitchens, have a front frame around the cabinet opening. The door attaches to the frame. Frameless, or European-style cabinets, have no front frame. The door attaches directly to the side of the cabinet. Frameless cabinets, which are often used in contemporary kitchens, offer an advantage over framed cabinets. Because there is no front frame, there is open access to the cabinet interior.

When it comes to door styles, there are several choices. Traditional-overlay doors cover some of the frame, full-overlay doors cover the entire cabinet frame and inset doors sit inside the cabinet frame.

ACCESSORIZE

While the overall look of the cabinet is important, anyone that is going to utilize the kitchen should be equally focused on the function of the kitchen and the use of the cabinets.

With all of the accessories on the market now, each cabinet can have a specific function, rather than being a spot to pile plates or pots. Pull-out drawers for pots and pans, oversized drawers for baking sheets and designated cabinets for trash and recycling are some examples. Accessories like lazy Susans, built-in spice racks, drawer organizers and other cabinet extras make the kitchen a much more efficient and enjoyable place.

HARDWARE

As a finishing touch, add pulls, knobs and handles to cabinets. Hardware comes in a wide variety of styles at all price points and contributes to a truly customized look. Depending on the style that you are going for, a well designed knob or pull can really make your kitchen stand out.

Kitchen is a place that in every home must have, without a kitchen we are not able to live a healthy and efficient life. Some says that the appearance of someone’s kitchen is reflecting the owner manners. We can simply look at the kitchen and we will get the big picture. If the kitchen is dirty and also messy this is reflecting of lazy and also dirty residents. Therefore we need a fitting cabinet that will be a nice addition to our kitchen.

In Aboutcabinets.net we can choose the kitchen cabinets that will fit to our kitchen. There are many options of kitchen cabinet that this website are provides with. There are many types, models, designs, and also materials that this website is offers so that you will be able to choose the right kitchen cabinet. We are all well aware that choosing a cabinet is not as easy as it look, but the important thing to keep in mind is that whenever you are choosing your kitchen cabinet you must sure that the cabinet is able to blend with your kitchen walls, budget and also your kitchen décor.

If you are not so sure in choosing the right cabinets for your kitchen, you can always contact them for advice. Do not hesitate to ask because having a neat and organized kitchen can bring joy to you and your family.

RTA or Ready-To-Assemble Cabinets have been around for quite a while, but because of manufacturing improvements over the past couple of years, there are now more and more companies manufacturing and selling Ready-To-Assemble Kitchen &

Bathroom Cabinets (RTA), with higher quality standards. Lets face it, the kitchen is one of the most expensive rooms in a house to build or renovate. Other than your countertop selection, kitchen cabinets are going to be the most expensive part of your kitchen remodel. Custom kitchen cabinets can cost anywhere from $10,000-$100,000 depending on the type of wood, brand name, and amount of detail you are looking for. With the current state of the mortgage industry, and slowdown in the housing market, most people are looking for a way to increase the resale value of their home without a huge financial investment that they may or may not get back when they sell their house. Is there such a thing as budget kitchen cabinets?

RTA Kitchen Cabinets are the solution. RTA stands for Ready-To-Assemble. This category of cabinets includes everything from the particle board cabinets you find at Ikea that you assemble yourself, to the pre-assembled cabinets you find at Home Depot or Lowes, or the RTA cabinets that you find on-line that have plywood sides and come ready-to-assemble in a box. As you can see by the descriptions, there are different levels of quality and material used in Ready-To-Assemble (RTA) cabinets. Some of the RTA cabinets that you find on-line end up being stronger and sturdier than the name brand cabinets because they are using a solid plywood cabinet box for their construction. When looking at the structure of the cabinet, always make sure that they are using solid wood for the cabinet face and stiles, plywood for the cabinet box itself, and a plywood or solid wood back for a strong connection to the studs in the wall.

The key to a high quality (RTA) Ready-To-Assemble cabinet is how the cabinet is held together. Some of the lower end RTA cabinets use wood glue and staples or screws to hold the cabinet box together. These types of kitchen cabinets have a tendency to separate or split apart where the staples or screws connect to frame. For a high quality RTA cabinet, make sure that they use a cam lock assembly. What is a cam lock assembly? A cam lock assembly is simply a locking system that you turn using a screwdriver to interlock the cabinet panels in place. It comes in two versions: one is a hidden assembly that uses a combination of pegs and rotating locks, while the other one is an exposed cam lock which also uses rotating locks. Both systems are simple use and do not require any assembly experience, which makes it a great option for home owners and/or novice DIY Handymen.

Availability is another huge advantage to using RTA Cabinets for your kitchen or bathroom project. One of the biggest problems with custom cabinets is the lead time required to order and get your cabinets in time for installation in your house. Most require 6-8 weeks in order to produce and ship your cabinets. With RTA cabinets, you can walk into a home supply store and buy them as needed, or most RTA Importers/Distributors traditionally ship with 1-2 weeks (some even faster). This allows you to adjust to the inevitable changes that will occur in your project, plus it doesn’t slow you down in the event of miscalculations… a miscalculation with custom cabinets could delay your project for an additional 2-3 months.

What it ultimately comes down to with (RTA) Ready-To-Assemble Kitchen Cabinets is the cost. A full kitchen of ready-to-assemble cabinets can cost as little as $2,500 whether as the same kitchen built with custom cabinets could be 5x, 10x, or even 20x that cost before installation. With Ready-To-Assemble cabinets, you could easily assemble and install the cabinets yourself and avoid the high labor costs associated with custom cabinet installation. If you are interested in finding some simple design tools to get started on your kitchen, check out some of my other articles at Squidoo and Hubpages under Nealon52 for step-by-step instructions on how to measure your kitchen, along with step-by-step instructions for installing them.

I have been using RTA cabinets in both my rental properties and my flipped houses for several years. After a lot of research I have discovered a way to save thousands on each kitchen. If you are interested in finding out my secret to saving thousands of dollars on your next project, check out my other articles or the links in my author bio