5. Material and Construction
The materials and construction details that your cabinets are made from are not always
as visible as the doors and drawers, but the contribute greatly to their durability and
cost. Having a basic understanding of these factors will guide to in making the correct
choice for your kitchen or bath.
Wood Composites
– Many times, the face-frame, doors and drawers will be made of
solid wood. However, the interior components, sides, and base of cabinets may not be.
Some of these panels are made with wood fiber and plastic binder resins.
Particleboard and medium density fiberboard are very common materials in cabinets.
These allow for very affordable cabinets, but they do not perform well if exposed to
water over a period of time.
Plywood
– Plywood is a large panel that has been constructed of a number of layers
(or “plys”) of thinner wood. These are glued together and form a very strong and
durable panel. These panels are much more stable and are considered a premium
cabinet construction material.
Construction Methods
– Each manufacturer will have their method of joining your
cabinet together. Lower priced cabinets are glued and stapled with plastic triangular
corner blocks. More expensive units will use traditional wood working joints and
methods of construction. For doors and drawer, look for solid wood construction and
traditional wood working joints such as dowels and dovetails.
Hardware
– Your cabinets will also utilize functional and decorative hardware.
Functional hardware can include hinges, drawer slides, and soft-close mechanisms.
These components are available in a wide variety of function, price, and quality levels.
Knobs and pulls are the decorative hardware used on cabinets. They not only provide
a handy way to open the doors and drawers, they add to the style and interior design
effect the cabinets have. These are also found in a wide variety of styles and price-
points.
