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study guide: Cabinets
Learning Objectives:• Thefeaturesandbenefitsoftheproductsyousell.
• Howtoansweryourcustomers’product-relatedquestions.
• Howtohelpyourcustomerchoosetherightproducts.
• Howtoincreasetransactionsizesbylearningmoreaboutadd-onsalesandupsellingtechniques.
Product Knowledge:
Chapter 1: Kitchen PlanningModule 1: Elements of a Kitchen
Food Storage Area
• Thefoodstorageareaofthekitcheniswheremostofthefoodisstored.
• Majorappliancesinthissectionincludetherefrigerator.
• Thisareaisoftenlocatednearthebackorsidehousedoorsogroceriescanbebroughtinandsetdownnexttotherefrigeratoronacountertop.
• Wallandbasecabinetsaroundtherefrigeratorareoftenusedtostorefood.
• Apantrycabinetorclosetisanotherpartofthisarea.
Food Preparation Area
• Thefoodpreparationareaofthekitchenisforactivitieslikewashingvegetables,cuttingmeat,baking,boilingandfryingfood.
• Majorappliancesinthisareaincludetherangeandmicrowave.Italsoincludesthesinkandanysmallappliances,suchasatoaster,blenderorslowcooker.
• Somekitchensincludearangetopseparatefromtheoven,andsomehavetwoovenunits.
• Thedesignplanshouldincludecounterspaceoneithersideofthemajorappliances.
• Ageneraldesignruleistohavespacetostoreitemsatpointoffirstuse.Forexample,keeppotsnearthesinkbutfryingpansnearthestove.
• Thisareaincludescabinetspacetostoresmallappliances,orcounterspacewheretheyarepermanentlystored.
• Italsoincludesbaseandwallcabinetstoragespaceforpots,pans,cookingutensilsandseasonings.
Clean-Up Area
• Theclean-upareaofthekitchenisforwashingdishesandcleaningsmallappliances.
• Amajorapplianceinthisareaisthedishwasher.
• Thisareaalsoincludesthesink.Whilesingle-bowlsinksareavailable,mostpeopleendupwishingtheyhadadoublebowlsink.
• Awastedisposalsystemisanotherappliancecommontothisarea.
• Cabinetsforthisareaincludemainlythespaceunderthesinkforstoringdetergentsandcleaningsupplies.Itmayalsoincludeabroomandmopclosetaswellasadrawerfordishclothsandtowels.
Cabinetscanbeusedinnearlyeveryroomofthehouse,buttypically,customersbuythemforkitchensorbathrooms.Andwhentheystartshoppingforkitchencabinets,customersgenerallyhaveamuchlargergoalinmind:theywanttoexpandthefunctionalityoftheirkitchenswhilerefreshingthewaytheylook.Tobeeffectiveatsellingcabinets,youmayneedtohelpeachcustomerplanthelayoutofhisorhernewkitchensoit’sefficient,functionalandbeautiful.Thischapteroffersabasicoverviewofkitchenplanning.Inthefirstmodule,we’llreviewthebasicelementsofakitchen.
NOTE:Alwaysconsultyourlocalandprovincialcodes
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Eating/Dining Area
• Theeatinganddiningareaisaninformalareaforeatingmealsoutsideoftheformaldiningroom.
• Itmaybepartoftheregularcountertop,andoftenapartofapeninsula.
• Countertopsforthisareaareoftenmadeanextra8”to18”widersothereiskneespaceundertheoverhang.
• Seatingmaybeonstoolsthatcanbeslidunderthecounterwhennotinuse.Overhangcanalsobeloweredtochairheight.
• Anotheroptionismakingspaceinthekitchenforasmalltableandchairs,orabuilt-intablewithbenchseats,commonlycalledabreakfastnook.
Laundry Area
• Thelaundryareaisoftenanextensionofthekitchenarea.
• Majorappliancesincludethewasheranddryer.
• Itmayalsoincludealaundrysink,clothesfoldingtable,ironingboardandhamper.
• Cabinetsmaybethesamestyleasthekitchenforcontinuityandcanbeusedformiscellaneousstorage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I don’t have a dishwasher and hadn’t planned on getting one, so why should I include it in my plan?A: Evenifyoudon’tplantohaveadishwasher,youmaywanttoincludea24”basecabinetbesidethesink.Youcanalwaysusethecabinetspace.Moreimportantly,ifyoudecidetosellthehouseandmakethekitchenmoreappealingtothebuyer,youcanremovethe24”cabinetandinsertadishwasherwithoutreconfiguringtheentirekitchen.
Q: Can I work my stand-alone freezer into my kitchen plan?A: Insteadofputtingthestand-alonefreezerinthekitchen,tryputtingitinthebasement,garageorotherroomwhereitdoesnottakeupspaceinthekitchen.
Q: How many cabinets do you recommend for a medium sized house?A: Foramediumsizedhouse,youshouldhaveatleast10’ofwallcabinetsand10’ofbasecabinets.
Q: Where is the best place to locate the sink in the kitchen?A: Ifyouhavethechoiceastowheretoplacethesink,andyouplantoonlyhaveonesink,putitnexttooracrossfromthecookingsurfaceandrefrigerator.Youshouldalsoplacetheedgeofthedishwasherwithin36inchesofthenearestsinkedge.
Add-on Sales
• Lighting–Remodelingthekitchenisagoodtimetoupgradelightingfixtures.Eachworkareashouldhaveitsowndirectlighting.Generally,peoplewantplentyoflightforthekitchen.
• Electrical–Remodelingisalsoagoodtimeforaddingelectricaloutletsorlightfixtures.ThecustomermayalsoneedtoupgradereceptaclestoGFCI.
• Windows–Naturallightthroughwindowsisabigplusforkitchens,andremodelingisthetimetoaddthemormakethembigger.Noteveryonewillwanttoaddthattotheremodelinglist,butasasalesperson,youcanmakethesuggestion.
Taking it to the Floor:
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Product Knowledge:
Module 2: Kitchen Layout
The Work Triangle
Theworktriangleisaconceptusedfordesigningthemostefficientkitchen.Anyonepreparingfoodnaturallymovesbetweenthreeareasofthekitchen:thesink,thestoveandtherefrigerator.Theworktriangleisanimaginarylineconnectingthethreeofthese.Eachlegofthetriangleshouldbebetween4’and9’long.Thetotallengthshouldnotbemorethan26’.Areasforfoodpreparationshouldnaturallyfallsomewhereinthistriangle.
Kitchenscanhavefivebasicconfigurations.Sometimesacustomermayhavenochoiceabouttheshapeofthekitchen.Ifthereissomeflexibility,youcanworkwiththecustomertopicktheshapethatbestsuitshisorhersituation.Makingtherightcabinetrychoiceswillhelpenhancetheefficiencyofthekitchen.
Single Wall
• Insteadofaworktriangle,thesinglewallplanhasallofthekitchenelementsinaline.
• Theadvantageisthatistakeslittlespace,isbestforsmallerhomesandapartments,andisveryopen.
• Thedisadvantageisthatishaslimiteddesignflexibilityandhasnoworktriangle.Itusuallyhaslimitedstoragespaceandworksbestonlyforsmallfamilies.
• Helpthecustomergetmoreoutofthisshapebystackingcabinetrywheneverpossibleandusingpull-outracks.
Galley
• Inthegalley,orcorridor,design,allofthekitchenelementsfaceeachotheronparallelwalls.
• Theadvantageisthatitmakesefficientuseofasmallspace.Italsohasthemostefficientworktriangleandnocorners.
• Thedisadvantageisthatitrequiresmovingpotsandpansacrossthefloorasthecounterisnotcontinuous.Countersarealsousuallyseparatedbyatrafficcorridor.
• Helpthecustomergetmoreoutofthisshapebystackingstoragesolutionswhereverpossible.
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L-Shape
• IntheL-shapedkitchen,kitchenelementsareonadjacentwalls,creatinganaturalworktriangle.
• Theadvantageisthatthereisnotrafficthroughtheworktriangle,andtwowallsgivedesignflexibilityforapplianceplacement.Therearecontinuouscountertopsandmayevenincorporateanisland.
• Thisisthebeststyletouseifmorethanonepersonatatimeusesthekitchen.Itcanalsoallowfordininginthekitchen.
• Thedisadvantageisthattheworktrianglecangettoolarge,anditalsohasacorner.
U-Shape
• TheU-shapeisveryversatileandsurroundsthecookonthreesides.
• Thisdesignprovidesmaximumdesignflexibilityandoffersalargekitchenspacewithanefficientworktriangle.Thereisnotrafficthroughtheworktriangle.
• Ofallofthekitchendesigns,thisdesignusuallyoffersthemostcountertopareaandthemoststoragearea.
• Itcanallowformultiplecookstoprepareamealtogetherwithoutgettingineachother’sway.
• Thedisadvantageisthatithasthemostunusablecornerspaceofalldesigns.Itcanalsobecomecrowdedifthefacingcabinetsaretooclose.ThereistypicallynoroomfordininginsidetheU.
G-Shape
• TheG-shapeissimilartoaU-shape,asthereisacounteronthreesidesofthecook.Thedifferenceisanadditionalpeninsulaorpartialfourthwallofcabinets.
• Theadvantageisthatithascontinuouscounterspacewithalotofstoragespace.
• Thedisadvantage,however,isthatitcanseemedcrampedifthekitchenissmall.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How much space should I leave for a walkway when planning a kitchen?A:Thegeneralruleistoleaveatleast42”betweenthefrontedgeofthecountertoptothenearesttableorisland.
Q: How much room do I need for an eating table?A: Allow36”betweenthenearestobstructionandaneatingtable,sothereisroomtopullachairawayfromthetable.
Q: How much countertop space should I have beside the sink?A: Expertsrecommendhaving36”ofcountertopspaceoneithersideofthesink,with24”asthebaremini-mum.Therearesomeotherguidelinesforcounterspacetoconsider,too,whenplanningakitchen.Besidetherefrigerator,therecommendedspaceis18”,with15”asthebareminimum.Thisshouldbelocatedonthelatchside.Besidetherange,have24”,withabareminimumof15”.Besidethebuilt-inoven,have18”,withabareminimumof15”.
Add-on Sales
• Ascustomersbegindesigningthekitchen,askiftheywouldlikecabinetsforotherareasofthehome.Herearesomepotentialareasforcabinets.
• Suggestabathroom vanitywithextracabinetspacefortowelsandtoiletryitems.
• Cabinetscancreateadistinguishedlooktoahome office.
• Cabinetscandressupandaddfunctiontoamudroomorentryway.
Taking it to the Floor:
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study guide: Cabinets
Product Knowledge:
Chapter 2: CabinetsModule 1: Cabinet Construction
Stock vs. Custom Cabinets
• Oneofthefirstdecisionsyourcustomerwillneedtomakeiswhethertobuystockorcustom-madecabinets.
• Stock:Cabinetmanufacturersbuildstockcabinetsinafactorytosetsizesandspecifications.Thesearetypicallylow-tomedium-pricedcabinets.Youlikelystockavarietyofsizesthatareimmediatelyavailabletothecustomer.Thedownsidehereisthatchoicesarelimited.Yourcustomermayalsoneedspacefillerstogetthecabinetstofitthekitchenspace.
• Semi-Custom:Themanufacturerhasalistofsetsizes,butdoesnotmakethemuntilanorderisreceived.Thatcouldmeanadeliverydateofseveralweeksaway.However,thecustomerhasmorecontroloverstyleandsize.
• Custom:Acabinetmakercustombuildsthecabinetsonthejoborintheirlocalshop.Youlikelywon’tdealwiththecustomerlookingforthistypeofcabinet.Thecabinetmakerwoulddoallofthemeasuringandestimating.
Cabinet Construction
• Therearetwobasicwayscabinetsareconstructed.
• Traditionalcabinetshaveaframedconstruction.Thismeanstheyuserailsandstilestoformaframearoundthecabinetbox.Doorhingesattachtotheframe.Theframehelpskeepthecabinetboxsquareandstable.
• Framelesscabinetsdonothaveaframearoundthecabinetbox.Hingesattachtothesideofthecabinetandmustbeusedwithafulloverlaydoor.Theyrelyontheconstructionofthecabinettokeeptheboxsquare.Theadvantageisthatthistypeofconstructionallowsfullaccesstothecabinet’sinterior.
Door Styles
• Oneofthedefiningcharacteristicsthatdistinguishonetypeofcabinetfromanotheristhedesignandstyleofthedoorsanddrawers.Whenhelpingacustomerchoosetheparticularstyleheorshewouldlike,onecharacteristictopointoutisthedooroverlay,orthewayinwhichthedoorrestsonthefaceofthecabinet.
• TheStandardorTraditionaloverlaydoorleavesaportionoftheframe,orthecabinetbox,exposed.Thiscreatesamoretraditionallook.
• Afull overlaydoorismountedsothatverylittleifanyofthecabinetframeisexposed.Thiscreatesamoremodernandsleeklooktothekitchen.Itcanalsobeusedwithoutknobsorpulls.
• Thesetypesarethemosttypical,buttherearealsotwoothertypesavailable:
• An insetcabinetdoorismountedflushtothecabinetframesothattheentireframeisexposed.Thesedoorsmakeforasmooth-lookingkitchen.However,iftheframeshifts,thedistancebetweenthedooredgeandfaceframewillopenupandbecomenoticeable.
• Alippedoverlaycabinetdoorhasa3/8”liparoundtheinsideedgeofthedoorthatlaysonthecabinetframe.Thisleavesmostofthecabinetfaceexposed.
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Interior Cabinet Materials
• Thetypeofmaterialusedinacabinet’sconstructionwilldetermineitsquality.Oftentimes,cabinetsareconstructedofacombinationofmaterials.
• Theinteriorportionsofthecabinetareusuallymadewithplywood,MDForparticleboard.SeetheEngineeredWooddepartmentformoreinformationonthesetypesofwood.Generally,plywoodisusedforhigher-endcabinetry.MDF,ormediumdensityfibreboard,isoftenthebestchoice,asitisstrongbutlessexpensivethanplywood.Particleboardistheleastexpensive,butnotasstrongastheothertwochoices.
Exterior Cabinet Materials
• Thebiggestchoicescustomerswillmakewhenitcomestocabinetconstructionwillbethetypesofmaterialstheychoosefortheexteriorareasofthecabinet.
• Manycustomerswillprefersolidwoodcabinetdoorsandfacings.Oak,maple,birch,hickoryandcherrywoodsarecommonwoodsused.RefertotheLumberdepartmentofthiscourseformoreinformationonthecharacteristicsofthesetypesofwood.
• Wood veneerconsistsofathinlayerofwoodgluedtothecabinetmaterial.Thistypecanbelessexpensivethansolidwoodwhileofferingtheappearanceofsolidwood.
• ThermofoilconsistsofthinlayerofPVCpressedontoaMDFcore.Thisresultsinauniformappearancewithasurfacethatiseasytoclean.However,theyaremoresusceptibletodamagefromexcessiveheat(fromovens)andmayyellowovertime.
• Laminatecabinetshaveathinlayerofplasticadheredtothecabinetmaterialunderneath.Theyaretypicallyavailableinavarietyofdesigns,butmaypeelorchip.
• Melamineisanotherplasticveneercoveringthecabinetmaterial.Itisdurable,easytomaintainandresistsstaining,chippingandfading.Itcanalsobepainted.
Cabinet Finishes
• Finally,yourcustomerwillchoosethetypeofcabinetheorshewantsbasedonavarietyofstylesandfinishes.
• Cabinetfacingsmadeofsolidwoodcanbestainedorpainted.Somemanufacturersofferavarietyoffinishingtechniques,suchasglazing,antiquingorburnishing.
• Doorscanhaveasolidpanel,araisedpanelorarecessedpanel.
• Thedoorsanddrawerscanalsoreflectavarietyofstyles,suchasarches,theShakerstyles,contemporaryorclassical.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is glazing on a cabinet?A: Thisisatechniquewhereaglazepaintisappliedtothecabinet,usuallyafterastainhasbeenapplied,thenwipedoff.Itaddsarusticstyleandagedeffectdesirablebysomehomeowners. Q: Why doesn’t the cabinet door have a knob?A: Manycabinetscomewithoutthepullorknobhardwareinstalled.Ifyouwanttoinstallhardware,thereisawideselectionorstylesandfinishesavailable.Youmayalsowanttoinstallbackplates,whichareroundorrectangularplatesthatsitbehindtheknobsandpullsandprotectthecabinetsurfaceareathatisfrequentlyscratchedwhengrabbingthepull. Q: I don’t want to completely replace all of my cabinets, but would like to give them a facelift. What are my options?A: Youcantryrefacingthecabinetsbyreplacingthefrontofthecabinetwithnewdoorsandfacings.Or,youcanapplyanewfinishorpainttotheexistingdoorsandfacings.
Add-on Sales
• AnyonebuyingacabinetwillneedtopurchaseKnobsorPulls,asmostcabinetsdonotcomewiththem.Ifyourstoreoffersaspecialorderservice,remindthecustomerofthewidevarietyavailablebeyondwhatyouofferinstock.
• Suggestthecustomerusea Backplate withknobsandpulls,asthisprotectsthecabinetsurface.
• Toinstallknobs,pullsandbackplates,thecustomerwillneedaScrewdriver,aDrillandthepropersizeDrill Bits
Upselling Skills
• Drawer quality—Betterqualitydrawershavesidesandabackmadeofsolidwoodorfurniture-gradeplywood.Theboxshouldalsobeconstructedusingadovetailjoint.
• Hinges—Mostmanufacturersincludehingeswiththecabinet.Avarietyofstylesandfinishesmaybeavailable.Betterhingesincludeself-closingtypes.
• Drawer Guides—Theseareinstalledatthefactory.Ifthecabinetsarecustom,thecustomercanchooseabetterguide.Betterguideshaveadoubletrackdrawerglidewheretheguideisattachedtoeachdrawerside.Somehaveano-slamoptionthatquietlyclosesthedrawerandeliminatesslamming.Aself-closingfeatureisalsoavailableonsomedrawers,andbetterdrawersalsohaveafullextension.
Taking it to the Floor:
Product Knowledge:
Module 2: Base Cabinets
Base Cabinet
• Thebasecabinetsitsunderthecountertopandcomesinavarietyofdimensions.
• Severaldifferentbasecabinetunitsofvaryingwidthsmaybecombinedforarunofcabinets.
• Thistypeofcabinetmayhaveafullshelf,halfshelforpulloutshelvesortrays.Differentmanufacturersmayhavedifferentoptions.
• Itmayalsohavedrawersoracombinationofatopdrawerwithashelfonthebottomportion.
• Ithasa4”recessedareaatthebottomcalledthetoekick.
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Common Base Cabinet Sizes
• Theheightofabasecabinetisaconstant34-1/2”,althoughsomemanufacturersmayofferalineoftallercabinets.Whena1-1/2”thickcountertopisadded,thetotalheightis36”.
Cabinetwidthsvarywithmanufacturer.Usually,thestandardbasecabinetsaremadein3”incrementsfrom9”to48”,butnoteverymanufacturermakeseach3”increment.Commonsizes:
• A9” Base Cabinetusuallyhasnodrawerorshelves.Itmaybecalledatraystoragecabinet.
• A12” to 18” Base Cabinethasasingledooranddrawer.Thecustomermayneedtospecifyifthedooris“hingedright”or“hingedleft.”
• A27” to 48” Base Cabinetincludesadoubledraweranddoor.Thedoorsusuallyopeninoppositedirectionsandhavea“stylepiece”inthemiddle.Some27”cabinetsmayhaveasingledrawer.
• A12” to 24” Base Drawer Cabinethasastackofthreetofourdrawers.Commonsizesare15”,18”and24”.
Base Cabinet Naming Conventions
• Widthsofabasecabinetareusuallypartofthenameofthecabinet.Forexample,aB24meansaBaseunitthatis24”wide.
• Thenamealsoindicatesifadrawerisincluded.Forexample,aDB24meansaDrawerBaseunitthatis24”wide.
Sink Base Cabinet
• Asinkbasecabinetsitsundertheportionofthecountertopthatholdsthesink.
• Insteadofdrawers,ithasafalsedrawerfront,andnoshelvesbutadoororsetofdoors.
• The24” Sink Base Cabinetisastandardsizeforasinglesink.Itisoftenusedasacooktopcabinet.
• The27” to 48” Sink Base Cabinetisastandardsizeforsupportingadoublesink.The36”sizeisthemostpopular,followedby30”and33”.Notallmanufacturersofferallincrementsofsize.
Peninsula Base
• Apeninsulabaseisarowofcabinetsthatcanbeaccessedfrombothsides.
• Itisoftenusedwhereonesideofthepeninsulaopensintothekitchenandtheotherisinthediningarea.
• Ithasatoekickonbothsides.
• Thedoorsmayopeninbothdirections,butthedrawerwillonlyopentooneside.
Commonsizes:
• The24”/27” peninsula base startercanbeadjustedtooccupyawallspacethatisbetween24”and27”.Thisstarterwouldnormallygointhecornerwherethepeninsulameetsthestandardcabinets.Itonlyopensfromthediningroomside.
• An18” and 24” peninsula baseisasingledooranddrawerbasecabinetwithdoorsopeningfrombothsides.
• A30” to 48” peninsula basehasadoubledooranddrawercabinet.
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Blind Corner Base
• Cabinetssittingnearacornermustsolvetheproblemcausedbydoorsordrawersopeningtoadrawerordooratanimmediaterightangle.Theproblemisthatitmaynothaveroomtoclearthehardwareoftheopposingdrawerordoor.
• Theblindcornerbasealsohasacabinetboxthatislargerthanthedoor,asthisallowssomeofthecornerspacetobeused.
• Ithasawidestile(panel)ononesidesothatitmaybeslidforwardupto3”toaccommodateoddlengthsinrunsofcabinets.
• The36” Lazy Susan Baseisanotherwayofsolvingthecornercabinetproblem.Itincludesaspinningrackorshelfthatallowstheentirecornertobeaccessed.Theproblemisthatitdoesnotallowforadjustingforodddimensionsinarunofbasecabinets.
Vanity Sink Base Cabinet
• Avanitysinkbasecabinetisalsoknownasabathroomcabinetandholdsthebathroomsink.
• Itissimilartokitchenbasecabinets,butthedepthis21”insteadof24”.
• Smallercabinetswillnothavedrawers,onlyafalsedrawerfrontwithoperatingdoorswithnoshelves.
• TheletterVisusedinnamingthistype,alongwiththesize.Forexample,24Vmeansa24”vanity.
• The24”,30”and36”sinkbasesarethestandardsizesandthesmallestsizesavailable.
Vanity Drawer Base Cabinet
• Similartoavanitysinkbasecabinet,butinsteadofholdingasink,itholdsdrawers.
• Useitwithasinkbaseformoredrawerandshelfspace.
• Mostcommonwidthis15”,while12”and18”arealsocommon.
Frequently Asked Questions Q: What do I do about the space between the wall and the last cabinet?
A:Youcanbuyanarrowfillertofillinthatgap.Thewoodisstainedandfinishedtomatchtheothercabinetsyouwillbebuying.
Q: How do I check if my walls are square?A: Usethe3-4-5method.Measurealongonewallforthreefeet(oramultipleofthree—thebiggerthebetter).Markthispoint.Next,measurealongtheotherwallfromthesamecornerfourfeet(orthesamemultiple)andmarkthespot.Thenmeasurediagonallyfrommarktomark.Ifthediagonalisfivefeet(orthesamemultiple),thecornerissquare.Ifnot,itisoutofsquare.
Q: Can I just purchase the sink front to save money?A: Somemanufacturersofferthesinkfrontthatcanbeorderedseparately.Thisconsistsofonlythefrontpor-tionofthesinkbasecabinet;doesnotincludethesides,backorbottom.Thismakesitlessexpensivethantheentirebaseunit,butbythetimetheotherpiecesareboughtandattached,itisjustasexpensive.Asinkfrontmayalsobeusedtorefaceoldcabinets.Whiletherearestandardsizes,itismadesosomeofthefacecanbecutdowntoasmallersize.
Q: Do you have a sink base that will fit in a corner?A: Therearetwobasictypesofsinkbasesthatfitintoacorner.The36”to42”diagonalsinkfrontcanuseastandardsink,eventhoughitsitsinthecorner.Thebaseiscutdiagonallyacrossacornerwith“wings”oneitherside.The40”squaresinkfrontisanL-shapedcabinet.ThistyperequiresanL-shapedsink.Rememberthatwhiletheideaofacornersinkmayseemlikeanovelty,havingasinkinthecornerwillmakethatareacongestedandthisshouldbeusedasalastresort.
Taking it to the Floor:
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Upselling Skills
• Therearemanyaccessoriesavailableforcabinets,manyofwhichareaddedonwhenthecustomerismakingthecabinetorder.Checktheliteratureofthecabinetmanufacturerthatsuppliesyourstore.Herearesomecommonaccessories.
• ALazy Susanmakesthebestuseofspaceinacornercabinet.
• Suggestasilverware trayforaddingtoadrawer.
• Pull-out shelvesallowthecustomertohavefullaccesstotheitemsintheshelf.Ifthesearenotofferedbythemanufacturer,thereareunitsthecustomercaninstall.Someoftheseunitscanholdwastebaskets.
• Atilt-out trayisofteninstalledatthetopofthesinkbase,whichallowsforstorageofsmallitemslikedishscrubbers.
• Youmayalsobeabletosuggestadditionaldesignpiecestoenhancetheappearanceofthecabinet.Forbasecabinets,youmightsuggestaCorbelforcountertopoverhangs.Columnsandfeetcanaddahandcraftedlooktothecabinet.
Add-on Sales
• Replacingabathvanitysinkbaseisaprojectyourdo-it-yourselfercustomersmaywanttotackle.Iftheydo,herearesomeitemstheywillneedfortheinstallation.
• Recommendacarpenter’s levelforlevelingthevanity.
• Useshimsformakingadjustmentsonanunevenfloor.
• Suggestacarpenter’s pencilformarkinglines.
• Thecustomerwillneedasaber sawformakingtheplumbingcutoutinthebackofthevanity.
• Suggestastud finderforlocatingasturdyplacetoinstallthevanity.
• Askifthecustomerhasadrill,drill bits,andscrewsforattachingthevanitytothewall.
• Recommendthecustomerusesafety glasseswhenusingpowertools.
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Wall Cabinet
• Awallcabinetisavailableinavarietyofheights,widthsanddepths.
• Thestandarddepthis12”,although24”isalsoavailable.
• Generally,cabinetsthrough24”widearesingledoor.Cabinets27”andwiderhaveadoubledoor.
• Customermayneedtospecifyhingedrightorhingedleftforsomecabinets.
Common Wall Cabinet Sizes
• Herearesomeofthecommondimensionsofwallcabinets.
• Cabinets18”higharenottoocommon,butcouldbeusedoverautilitycabinetoraspartofapeninsula.Iftheirwidthis27”to48”,theymaybeusedabovearangeorcooktop.
• Cabinets15”highdonothaveashelfandareoftenusedoverarefrigeratororrangewhentheyare30”to36”wide.
• Cabinets12”highand30”to36”wideareusedoverarefrigeratororrange,orinplaceofthesoffitaboveregularwallcabinets.
• Cabinets24”highgenerallyhaveoneshelf.Thedoubledoor,27”to48”widthsaremostcommon.
• Cabinets30”highhavetwoshelves.Theyareavailableinsingledoor9”to24”widthsanddoubledoor27”to148”widths.
Wall Cabinet Naming Conventions
• Whenreferringtowallcabinetsduringtheorderingprocess,youwilltypicallyusefournumbersplusoneormoreletters.Thenumberslistthewidthfirst,thentheheight,ininches.
• Forexample,WC2730wouldbeawallcornercabinetthatis27”wideand30”high.
• CommonletternamesincludeWforwall,SWfordiagonalwallandWCforwallcorner.Eachmanufacturerhasitsowncodeyou’llneedtounderstand.
Peninsula Wall Cabinet
• Apeninsulawallcabinetismountedoverapeninsulaandhasdoorsthatopenfrombothsides.
• Onepopularoptionistohaveadecorativeglassinthedoorsfacingthediningarea.
• Thesecabinetsareoftenshortertoallowforabetterviewintotheotherroom.
• Two-doorcabinetsthatare24”highx24”wideisthestandard.
Corner Wall Cabinet
• Turningacornerwithawallcabinetisnotasdifficultaswithabaseunit,astherearenodrawers.Butthehingesmayclashiftheyarebacktobackontheopposingdoors.
• Theblind corner wall cabinetsaremadewithanextra-largestilesotheycanbeadjustedupto3”.Sizesaremadetocovereverymeasurementfrom24”to39”(singledoor)and42”to51”(doubledoor).Usuallyavailablein24”and30”heights.
• Thediagonal wall cabinethastwoshelvesandis24”wide.Itmakesgooduseofthecorner,buttakesawaytheflexibilityofmakingadjustmentsinarunofwallcabinets.AlsoavailablewithaLazySusan.
• Thepeninsula diagonal wall cabinetturnsthecornerandhelpsgetthepeninsulastarted.Itis24”wideandhastwoshelvesoraLazySusan.
Module 3: Wall Cabinets
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Tall Cabinets
• Alsocalledutilitycabinets,orpantry,tallcabinetsareusually84”(or7’)tall.Somemaybeavailableina66”height.Instandardinstallations,thetopofthehighestrunofcabinetsis84”fromthefloor.
• Standardsizecabinetsoftenhavecabinetendsstainedtomatchcabinetfacingssincetheywillbeexposed.Youshouldspecifywhichendsneedtobefinishedduringtheorderingprocess,asthefactorymayonlyfinishthespecifiedends.
• Tallcabinetscanalsobeusedinthegarageorotherstorageareas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How can I cover the space between the top of the cabinet and the ceiling?A: Oneoptionistoblockintheareabybuildingaframeworkof2x2lumberandcoveringitwithdrywall.Thisiscalledasoffit.Youcanmakethissoffitextendpastthecabinetdepthforanoverhangthatisagoodplaceforinstallinglight-ing.Asecondoptionistoleavetheareaopenandaddcrownmouldingalongthetopforadecorativeeffect.
Q: What should I do about the ends of the cabinet that will be exposed?A: Mostmanufacturersofferaplywoodbackerorveneerstainedtomatchthecabinetfacing,whichyoucanuseforendsofcabinetsthatdonotbuttupagainstawall.Whenordering,you’llneedtospecifywhichendwillbeexposed,asthefactorymayonlyfinishspecifiedends. Q: How do I clean my wood cabinets?A: Checkthemanufacturermaterialforcleaningrecommendations.Generally,donotuseoilypolishes,deter-gentsorglasscleanersonwoodfinishes.Forhighglossfinishes,neveruseawaxfinish.Useagoodfurniturebrandpolish,andifthereisasoiledarea,useadampclothandmilddishsoap.Rinsetheareawithadampclothanddrywithacleancloth.
Q: Do you have a cabinet to accommodate a stand-alone oven?A:Theovencabinetisusedtohouseanoventhatisseparatefromarange.Theyare27”or33”wide.Theycan
Taking it to the Floor:
Upselling Skills Eachmanufacturerwillhaveitsownsetofaccessoriesavailabletoenhancethefunctionalityofwallcabinets,buthereareafewofthetypicalones.
• Use plate racksdisplayplateswhilemakingthemeasytoaccess.
• Suggest wine racks,whicharehandyforstoringbottles.
• Suggestaflourbinorapotato binforbulkyfooditems.
• Youcanalsosuggestthecustomerinstallaventilationsystemtoproperlyexhaustcookingodoursandexcessmoisture.Akitchenremodelmaybethetimetoaddorupgradearange hoodorotherkitchenventilationsystem.
Add-on Sales
• Ifyoustockunfinishedstockcabinets,bereadytoofferthecustomeralloftheitemsneededtofinishwood.RefertothePaintandDecoratingportionoftheBasicTrainingCourseinHardwareRetailingforacompleteoverviewofhowtosellthisproject,buthereareafewoftheitemstosuggest.
• Ifyourcustomerisbuyingasoftwoodcabinet,recommendpaintasafinish.Ifheorsheisbuyingahardwoodcabinet,suggestsastain.
• Forthosebuyingstain,suggestapolyurethane finishasadurabletopcoat.
• Offertheappropriatebrushesandstain pads.
• Recommendsandpaperandtack clothsforusebetweencoatsofpolyurethane.
• Suggestdrop cloths toprotectthefloor.
• Finally,alwaysrecommendrubber glovesforprotectinghandsfromstainandpolyurethane.
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study guide: Cabinets
Product Knowledge:
Chapter 3: Countertops
Laminate
• Laminateconsistsoflayersofpapersoakedandstackedinplastic.Thisplasticisthengluedontoan1-1/2”particleboardbase.
• Alaminatecountertopisdurable,easytocleanandwaterresistant.Itisalsoeasytoinstallandeconomical.
• However,itisdifficulttorepaironcemarredandmayshowwearfasterthanothermaterials.
• Itisavailableinawidevarietyofcolours,texturesandpatterns.
• Standardedgeisrounded,butabevelededgeisavailableasacustomoption.Somemanufacturersmayofferano-dripedge,alsoknownasamarineedge.
• Theymayincludeanintegratedbacksplash,whichisapartofthecountertopthatextendsupthewallafewinches.
• Thepost-formtypeisprefabricatedandlessexpensivethancustomlaminatetops.Itmaybesoldbythefoot.
Synthetic Marble
• Syntheticmarbleisusuallysoldforuseinthebathroom.
• Itrepresentsavarietyofproductsknownascastpolymers.
• Easytocleanandusuallyincludesanintegratedsink.
• Tendstolookcheapandnotasdurableasothercountertoptypes.
• Itmayalsoscratchandaredifficulttorepair.
• Typesincludeculturedmarble,culturedonyxandculturedgranite.
Ceramic Tile
• Ceramictileisaneconomicaloptionforcountertopssinceitisscratchandheatresistant.
• However,itishighmaintenanceasthegroutlinesneedtobesealedregularly.
• Sometilesmayreacttoacidsofcleaningchemicals,andsomemaybepronetochipping.
• Ceramictileisavailableinavarietyofstyles,sizesandcolours.
Stone
• Stonecountertopsareusuallygranite,whichisexpensivebutconsideredupscale.However,manyothertypesareavailable,suchasmarble,slate,soapstone,limestoneandtravertine.
• Graniteisavailableinavarietyofcoloursandeachslabtendstobeuniqueinitsgrainpattern.
• Moststoneneedstobeseamedandsealedagainststains.
• It’sbigadvantageisthatitisheatproof,water-resistantandeasytoclean.
• However,itiseasilystainedbyoil,alcoholandacids.
• Itneedsastrongsupportunderneathandprofessionalinstallationisrecommended.
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Solid Surface
• Asolidsurfacecountertopconsistsofacastacrylicorpolyesterplasticwithmineralfillers.
• Itishomogenous,meaningthecolourandpatternisconsistentthroughoutthematerial.Thismeansthereisnoveneertochiporwearoutandthatblemishesandscratchesareeasilysandedout.
• Itisalsodurable,nonporous,heat-andstain-resistant,andeasytoclean.
• Ithasseamlessfacewithseamsonlyvisiblefromtheunderside.
• Itusuallyincludesanintegratedsink.
• Professionalinstallationisrecommendedandismoreexpensivethanothercountertoptypes.
• Availableinawidevarietyofcoloursandtextures.
Wood
• Themostpopulartypeofwoodcountertopisbutcherblock,whichconsistsofwoodstripsgluedtogetherandplanedsmooth.
• Itrequiresmaintenancewithmineraloiltreatments.
• Mayscorchfromheatandblackenwhennearamoisturesource,anditisnotscratchresistant.
• However,itisconsideredoneofthemoresanitarysurfacesavailabletothekitchen,aswoodhasinherentpropertiestoprotectfrombacteriabuild-up.
• Popularwoodtypesincludeoak,maple,cherry,redbeech,walnut,teakandmahogany.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How often do I need to reseal my granite countertop?A: Checktheproductyouusetosealit.You’llneedtoresealthecountertopeveryfiveyears,butsomeproductsmayneedtobereappliedeverytwoyears.
Q: How do I care for a solid surface countertop?A:Youcanmakeasolidsurfacecountertoplastlongerbynotplacinghotdishesdirectlyonthesurface.Astrong,localizedheatsourcecanscorchorcrackasolidsurfacecountertop.Usetrivetsormatsunderhotpansordishes.Cleaningthistypeofcountertopiseasy;justusesoapandwater.
Q: Do you recommend having a backsplash?A:Havingabacksplashisagoodidea.Itcanaddadecorativefeaturetoyourkitchenbutitisalsoverypractical.Abacksplashwillprotectthewallfromsplashesofwater,greaseandfood.Italsomakesthatsurfaceeasiertocleanandmoresanitary. Upselling
• Mostmanufacturersofferavarietyofoptionsforprofilesalongtheedgeofthecountertop.Bevels,OgeesandBullnosearecommonprofiles.
• Customerspurchasingasolidsurfacecountertopcanpurchaseanintegratedsinkthatisseamlesslyfusedtothecountertopmaterial.
Taking it to the Floor:
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Add-on Sales
• Ifacustomerisreplacingacountertop,askiftheyhaveconsideredreplacingtheirsinkaswell.Dependingonthetypeofcountertopmaterialtheyarepurchasing,youcanshowthemsomeahigher-endsink,suchasanunder-countermounttype.
• Suggestitmayalsobetimetoreplacethe faucettocompletethenewandfreshlookofthekitchen.
• Askthecustomerifheorshehasconsideredaddingabacksplashtothewallbehindthenewcountertop.Tileisoneofthemostpopularitemsusedforabacksplash.Youcanencouragethecustomerthatthisisaprojectaccessibletomostdoityourselfers.
• Acustomerpurchasingalaminatecountertopmaywanttoinstallit.Herearesomeoftheitemsneededforinstallation.
• Recommendasaber sawforcuttingtheopeningforthesink.Thecustomerwillalsoneedadrillanddrill bitforcuttingastarterholeforthesabersaw.
• Suggestacompassfordrawingthelinesneededtofitthecountertopagainstanirregularwall.
• Suggestbelt sanderforsandingdownanyareasneededtofitthecountertopagainstthewall.
• Ifthecountertopwillhaveamiterjoint,recommendwater-resistantglueforjoiningthetwopieces.
• Recommendsilicone caulkforsealingthejointbetweenthewallandthecountertop.
• Forcustomerswhomustcuttheirowncountertoptofit,suggestanend-cap kittocoveranyexposedend.