PHOTO COURTESY A KITCHEN THAT WORKS The Fundamentals …akitchenthatworks.com/...of_Residential_Cabinetry.pdf · component parts of cabinetry, you can bring the various tasks a room

TEXT BY MOLLY ER IN MCCABE , ADBD, CGP, CAPS

Pretty colors and fancy trim aside, awell-designed room exudes a subtlebeauty. The essence of that beauty is inthe placement of cabinetry, fixtures andfurnishings. People derive a sense ofcomfort and purpose when they can walkinto a room and intuitively know how theyare going to navigate it and performspecific tasks.Cabinetry provides the backdrop for a

room’s decorative style by virtue of itscomposition and finish. Nowhere is thismore evident than in a kitchen. Giventhe vertical presentation, cabinetexteriors have a significant visual impact,while accessibility of cabinet interiors

affects a person’s ability to perform basictasks such as grooming, mealpreparation or office work. Suffice it tosay, cabinetry plays a powerful role increating a room’s sense of harmonybetween function and aesthetics. According to Brian Mayer of Sumner-

based Bellmont Cabinet Co., “peopleoften ‘fill a space’ with cabinetry withoutconsidering how the space may actuallybe used, effectively diminishing theroom’s functionality.”By understanding the various

component parts of cabinetry, you canbring the various tasks a room isexpected to perform in balance with a

desired style. The following is a basicoverview of residential cabinetry.

Box construction: There are twobasic types of cabinet construction, faceframe (including inset) and frameless(also referred to as full access orEuropean cabinetry). With a face framecabinet, a frame overlays the frontopening of the cabinet box (also referredto as a carcass) that typically matches thespecies and finish of the cabinet doorsand drawers. When the cabinetdoors/drawers are open, you see theface frame rather than the interior sidewall of the cabinet box. With a frameless cabinet box, when

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The Fundamentals of Residential CabinetryMORE THAN JUST A BOX

Country-style cabinetry with painted and glazed finishPHOTO COURTESY A KITCHEN THAT WORKS

the door is open 90 degrees, it isvirtually flush with the side wall of thecabinet box, providing more usablestorage space when compared to faceframe cabinetry. Drawer boxes also havemore usable interior space withframeless cabinetry compared with faceframe. The side walls, floor and backs ofa cabinet box can be particle board(budget priced), furniture board(midpriced), medium-density fiber board(very heavy and challenging to install),plywood (premium priced) or acombination, and come in a variety ofthicknesses. Side walls and bottoms aretypically ½ to ¾ inches thick while backsare typically 1⁄8 to ½ inches thick,depending on overall cabinet quality. Drawer boxes: Can be constructed by

stapling a butt joint or by an interlockingdove-tailed joint. The actual box may bemade of particle board, hardwood suchas alder or maple in ½- to ¾-inch

Solid wood dovetaileddrawers featuring fullextention, soft-closeundermount guides

3/4-inch thick full top on all base cabinetsprovides tremendous strength, rigidity andsupport for heavy stone counter surfaces.

Full depth 3/4-inch thick adjustableshelves; steel shelf pins standard

Optional roll-outdrawer

Solt-close hinges

3/4-inch cabinetconstruction,

concealedhardwood doweljoinery. Multipleinterior choices

include solid colormelamines, and

option of woodgrain melamines

and Birchplywood.

CABINET CONSTRUCTION COURTESY

BELLMONT CABINET COMPANY


thickness (bottoms are 1⁄8 to ½ inches inthickness) or metal. Hardwood dove-tailed drawers are the most popular typeof drawer box construction.Functional hardware: Door hinges

may be exposed or concealed (mostpopular) and come in various openingdegrees. Some are adjustable so that youcan actually control the distance thedoor can open (preventing it frombanging into nearby objects). The mostpopular hinge is a “soft-close” style. Givethe cabinet door a gentle nudge and itwill close all by itself — silently. Drawerglides are either side-mounted (rollers orball bearings) or under-mounted. Under-mounted glides are preferred for theirmany attributes such as quietness andsoft-close functionality (like the doors).Also crumbs do not get caught in themlike in the side-mount glides. Somemanufacturers offer soft-close doorhinges and under-mount glides as astandard feature while others providethese as an “upcharge” item.Toe kicks: This is the area that is

recessed back and under the cabinetbox. The depth is typically 3 inches andthe height 4 to 4 ½ inches but can behigher to accommodate wheelchairwheels. It is important in a remodel todetermine where the existing flooringstops in order to ensure adequatecoverage of the flooring under the toekick. Decorative molding can be used to

cover gaps, especially if floors areuneven. Toe kicks can be augmentedwith decorative valances and moldings tocreate a “furniture look” with standardcabinetry.Door and drawer styles: There are

three basic categories of door anddrawer styles: raised panel (typically themost ornate and associated with atraditional style), recessed panel(typically associated with a transitionalstyle) and slab or flat panel (consideredcontemporary or minimalist). Somecabinet manufacturers offer the option ofhaving slab drawers with either raised orrecessed panel doors.Doors and drawers can be a specific

species of wood or paint grade.

Standard, solid wood offerings, in orderof ascending price, are oak, hickory,alder, maple and cherry. There is amultitude of other species available inboth solid wood, wood veneers andlaminate.Finishes: Wood cabinets can be

finished with a stain and a catalyzedconversion varnish, a stain with a glazeand a catalyzed conversion varnish,painted, painted and glazed, paintedand accented, distressed or acombination of the aforementioned. Thefinish will be predicated on personalpreference as well as the overall style ofthe room. Paint finishes can be sensitiveto changes in temperature and humidity,

resulting in cracking. If using in abathroom, ensure that the bathroomventilation is used on a regular basis.Decorative elements: Decorative end

panels, crown molding, light valance, toevalance, shoe molding, base molding,corbels, onlays, etc. represent a varietyof decorative elements that may beapplied to cabinetry to make the look notonly complete but unique to the home orhomeowner. These items can serve afunctional purpose as well as adecorative purpose. For example, lightvalance is both a decorative element anda functional one by concealing thehousing for under-cabinet lighting.Convenience hardware: Chef’s

Four base cabinets

Mixed drawerfront styles with

cottage stylecabinetry in apainted finish

with cherrymoldings

PHOTO COURTESY A KITCHEN THAT WORKS


pantries, roll-outs, lazy susans, supersusans, pantry/spice pull-outs, pull-outtrash and recycling bins, laundryhampers, drawer dividers, spice drawers,cutlery drawers, mixer lifts, knife blocks,tray dividers — all of these conveniencehardware items keep the content ofpeople’s lives and the cabinetryorganized, easily accessible and safe.Decorative hardware: Consider

cabinet “jewelry”; decorative cabinetknobs and pulls can make even theplainest cabinetry special. Decorativehardware comes in a wide variety ofstyles and finishes to match just aboutany taste or desire: from whimsical starfish for a beach cottage theme, tocontemporary stainless bar pulls forminimalist kitchens, to bejeweled knobsand pulls.

Traditional-style cabinetry with painted finish

Crown, double light valance, toe skin and show molding lend adecorative flair to this transitional kitchen.

Transitional-style cabinetry with stained cherry finish

Contemporary-stylecabinetry with verticalbook matched stained

cherry finish

Contemporary-stylecabinetry withhorizontal book

matched Madagascarebony veneer.

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Stock vs. custom cabinetry:Cabinetry is manufactured in a variety ofways, including ready to assemble, stock,semi-custom and fully custom. Ready toassemble (RTA) cabinets are valuepriced, in part because you mustassemble them yourself; RTA cabinets donot offer size modifications, typicallyhave a short order lead time and thecomponent quality is a reflection of theprice point. Stock cabinets are fullyassembled upon delivery, typically havelimited available styles, and sizemodifications are generally not available.Semi-custom cabinetry is made in afactory and offers a wide variety ofcustom options, a large but finite varietyof door/drawer styles and wood species,a durable factory finish and a warranty. Fully custom cabinets are typically

made in small shops and affordconsumers the ultimate in customizationbut have hand — rather than machine —applied finishes, can have unpredictablelead times and typically no warranty.Brian Mayer of Bellmont Cabinet Co.says, “Many consumers believe that fullycustom cabinetry is naturally superior tocabinetry that is built in a manufacturingfacility. While custom-built cabinetry hasits place, it doesn’t always have the state-of-the-art machinery, superior catalyzedconversion varnish top coat andstandardized processes. These benefitsaid in the ability to provide the consumerwith a highly consistent and qualityproduct that may not be guaranteed by acustom shop built product.”

Traydividers

Mixerlift

Peg board dish storageKnife block

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A KITCHEN THAT WORKS


Installation: Good cabinet installersare worth their weight in gold. They canmake value priced cabinets look greatand quality cabinets look like they “grew”in place. Therefore, to protect yourcabinet investment, make sure theperson installing your cabinets has boththe expertise as well as the tools tocomplete the job. When inquiring aboutcabinet pricing, confirm whether theprice includes installation. Pricing: As with many things in life,

you get what you pay for when it comesto cabinetry. According to Greg Lasaterof Poulsbo-based custom cabinet shopMortise & Tenon, “homeowners are oftenmystified by the cabinet constructionoptions and the associated costs of thoseoptions.” Cabinetry pricing will depend on

several factors, including boxconstruction (particle board vs.plywood), functional hardware (side-mounted roller glides vs. under-mounted soft-close glides), door/drawerwood species as well as door/drawerstyle, finishing (paint vs. stain plusadditions such as glazing, distressing,etc.) convenience hardware (chef’spantries, tray dividers, cutlery trays, etc.),the variety and intricacies of moldings aswell as the overall size of the cabinetry(90-inch-tall cabinets cost less than 96-inch-tall cabinets).

Chef's pantry


Given the number of variables thatcomprise a cabinet package, trying toestimate a price per square foot or alinear foot price is difficult (inaccurate) atbest. In a standard kitchen remodel,cabinetry typically comprises 40 percentof the total project cost as well as havinga large visual impact. Cabinetry is ofteninstalled before the flooring and alwaysbefore the countertops and backsplash,meaning it is difficult to replace thecabinets without damaging thesurrounding materials. In order to reapthe greatest project satisfaction andvalue for your money (cabinets that willlast and support heavy stone countertopsover the long haul), select the highestquality cabinets with the most appealingdoor/drawer style you can afford. Cabinet refacing: For homeowners

who are happy with the layout of theirkitchen and are simply looking for a“fresh” look, cabinet refacing may be acost-effective option. “The benefits of refacing are minimal

disruption in the ability to use thekitchen, short project duration and theoverall project cost because the need toreplace flooring and countertops andbacksplashes can be avoided if youchoose,” Lasater says. “The shortcomingsinclude limited functional improvements,limited improvement in total storage, andonce you spruce up the cabinetry, thecountertops and/or appliances may looklike Cinderella without the glassslippers.” Refacing requires a steady hand and a

keen eye to render a reface project thatlooks like it is original to the home.Consider hiring a professional customcabinet maker to reface your cabinetswith the added benefit that the cabinetmaker is well-versed in augmentingcabinets to maximize function andefficiency.Whether your project is large or small,

simple or ornate, it is important toconsider which cabinet options are rightfor you and your project.

Decorativehardware

courtesy ofTop Knobs


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PHOTO COURTESY A KITCHEN THAT WORKS The Fundamentals …akitchenthatworks.com/...of_Residential_Cabinetry.pdf · component parts of cabinetry, you can bring the various tasks a room