Cabinets Online - Kitchen Cabinet Construction

Kitchen Cabinet Construction

Have you noticed how expensive kitchen cabinets are? That's why so many people choose to reface their cabinets instead of getting new kitchen cabinets. But do you know what makes one kind of kitchen cabinet more expensive than the other? Quality kitchen cabinet construction.

Define Quality

Quality cabinets are made of solid hard wood, not particle board. In addition, the method of kitchen cabinet construction makes a difference. For example, a drawer that is made of solid wood and assembled using a "dovetailed" method costs more than a drawer that's made of particle board and is constructed made using the "pinned" method. Kitchen cabinet construction makes up 60% of the cost. The rest of the cost is in labor.

I've Been Framed!

To frame or not to frame (your cabinets, that is)--that is the question. To answer if your kitchen cabinet construction should be face-frame or frameless, you have to have a basic understanding of what each is. A face frame cabinet has hardwood on the front of the frame, but the sides are made of particle board. This is a good base for attaching hinges.

You see frameless kitchen cabinet construction most often on European style cabinets with a laminate finish, much like you'd see in a doctor's office. This type of cabinet is basically a box, and they are made entirely of particle board. The doors on frameless cabinets usually cover the box.

Hopefully our very, very basic explanation of kitchen cabinet construction will give you a little bit of background.