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Forum -> Household Management -> Kosher Kitchen
Most indestructable (but nice) Kitchen cabinets I can buy?
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amother
OP


 

Post Sun, Dec 05 2021, 10:13 am
This is a pic of a 40+ y.o. kitchen cabinet (thats very close to a sink below that clearly got water damage from the running water below).

What type of cabinets should I be looking at, to be assured that sides of kitchen cabinets wont look anything like this?

I wouldnt consider laminates, that get damaged similarly. I had top quality formica kids furniture that looked similar when a vacuum cleaner bumped the corners and sides of the furniture, pieces of formica just broke off.

Doors look pretty good after 40+ years. Its only the sides of the cabinets near the sink, and the nick nack shelves that look disgusting.

Any advice that youve learned from experience, is appreciated.
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amother
OP


 

Post Sun, Dec 05 2021, 12:55 pm
bump
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SDmother




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Dec 05 2021, 1:41 pm
I do t think you can expect kitchen cabinets to last 40 years and still look good.
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amother
OP


 

Post Sun, Dec 05 2021, 2:40 pm
SDmother wrote:
I do t think you can expect kitchen cabinets to last 40 years and still look good.


The flaking flakeboard looking sides looked bad way before 40 years.

Are all cabinets (that arent in the very high end category) made this way or worse these days?
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amother
Melon


 

Post Sun, Dec 05 2021, 2:53 pm
I can't imagine a modern cabinet looking like this ever. Fabuwood is a good budget bread that holds up nice.
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Rubber Ducky




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Dec 05 2021, 2:57 pm
40 years is a long time for kitchen cabinets, but...

• Apron front sinks will help keep water from dripping onto the base cabinet below.

• Look at stained cabinets and a plywood box. Your pics show a particle board box. Particle board is more easily damaged by water than plywood.

• Make sure your counter overhangs the cabinet boxes by 1-1/2".

• Do not let water stand on cabinets. Clean up quickly.

• Do not hang damp or wet towels over cabinets.

• Pay more for better quality. Do not get the cheapest stuff out there.
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amother
Maroon


 

Post Sun, Dec 05 2021, 3:06 pm
Stained wood cabinets. No particle board.
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amother
OP


 

Post Sun, Dec 05 2021, 3:07 pm
Rubber Ducky wrote:
40 years is a long time for kitchen cabinets, but...

• Apron front sinks will help keep water from dripping onto the base cabinet below.

• Look at stained cabinets and a plywood box. Your pics show a particle board box. Particle board is more easily damaged by water than plywood.

• Make sure your counter overhangs the cabinet boxes by 1-1/2".

• Do not let water stand on cabinets. Clean up quickly.

• Do not hang damp or wet towels over cabinets.

• Pay more for better quality. Do not get the cheapest stuff out there.


The cabinet in the photo is an upper cabinet that became that way from years of steam from washing dishes with hot water.

I thought quality went down in 40 years. If thats so, Fabuwood mentioned above, and others in the medium price category, are made of plywood, and not particle board?

What are most Chinese cabinets made of? Particle board or plywood?

Do you know which makes of cabinets are made of plywood, from lower end to low upper end cabinets?
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Rubber Ducky




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Dec 05 2021, 3:19 pm
amother [ OP ] wrote:
The cabinet in the photo is an upper cabinet that became that way from years of steam from washing dishes with hot water.

I thought quality went down in 40 years. If thats so, Fabuwood mentioned above, and others in the medium price category, are made of plywood, and not particle board?

What are most Chinese cabinets made of? Particle board or plywood?

Do you know which makes of cabinets are made of plywood, from lower end to low upper end cabinets?


Fabuwood is an Asian stock line. Their boxes are 1/2" plywood. Most Asian cabinet lines have a plywood box.

In American lines, plywood boxes are often an upgrade but almost always are available.

In general, more expensive cabinets have better finishes and thicker wood veneers.
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Amarante




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Dec 05 2021, 3:24 pm
FWIW it is a myth that plywood is better than MDF. MDF used by high quality cabinet manufacturers is not the garbage that is used for cheap furniture. In some ways it is actually better as it is more stable. Higher quality doors that are painted are actually made of MDF because it is more stable and therefore doesn't crack because it doesn't expand and contract like wood.

Fabuwood are not particularly good quality. Most Chinese imports aren't although I suspect the price has gone up appreciably given the supply chain issues.

As has been posted, stained wood cabinets will look better for a longer period of time than painted and painted cabinets are trending up if you care about stuff like that.

You should visit several kitchen stores and see what is available. You should also educate yourself on what makes a well constructed cabinet or door because focusing on plywood versus high quality MDF is focusing on what is not really important. Top of the line European cabinets are generally made with MDF instead of plywood. How are drawers constructed?

You should also spend time thinking about how you want your kitchen to function because form follows function and the door style is important but is the icing on the cake. Your kitchen designer will provide you with a better kitchen if you are a true partner.
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amother
OP


 

Post Sun, Dec 05 2021, 3:29 pm
Is anyone aware of a list that makes sense, that you can easily cut and paste, of what to look for in kitchen cabinets, in order of importance?

tia
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Rubber Ducky




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Dec 05 2021, 3:36 pm
Amarante wrote:
FWIW it is a myth that plywood is better than MDF. MDF used by high quality cabinet manufacturers is not the garbage that is used for cheap furniture. In some ways it is actually better as it is more stable. Higher quality doors that are painted are actually made of MDF because it is more stable and therefore doesn't crack because it doesn't expand and contract like wood.

I am not convinced that the particle board in many American mid-line cabinets is good quailty.
Higher-end, yes.

Amarante wrote:
FWIW it is a myth that plywood is better than MDF. MDF used by high quality cabinet manufacturers is not the garbage that is used for cheap furniture. In some ways it is actually better as it is more stable. Higher quality doors that are painted are actually made of MDF because it is more stable and therefore doesn't crack because it doesn't expand and contract like wood.

I do think that plywood is a better material than MDF for boxes and I have asked that question directly to the owner at Wellsford Cabinetry, which is my high-end brand. But I agree with you that MDF is more dimensionally stable and therefore is the material of choice for slab doors or the panel in recessed panel doors.
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Rubber Ducky




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Dec 05 2021, 3:49 pm
amother [ OP ] wrote:
Is anyone aware of a list that makes sense, that you can easily cut and paste, of what to look for in kitchen cabinets, in order of importance?

tia


Sorry, not in order, just what comes to mind immediately:
• Joinery.
• Slides and hinges. Even within Blums, which is generally considered the best quality brand, I see differences between custom cabinets and lower lines.
• Quality of plywood or particle board (aka furniture board or MDF).
• Assembly line construction vs individual cabinet construction
• Quality of finish.
• Customer service, taking care of problems that may occur later.

Actually, I think what you should look for most is a designer you can trust. But since I am a kitchen designer that's rather self-serving, so I will stop now.
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Amarante




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Dec 05 2021, 3:51 pm
Rubber Ducky wrote:
I do think that plywood is a better material than MDF for boxes and I have asked that question directly to the owner at Wellsford Cabinetry, which is my high-end brand. But I agree with you that MDF is more dimensionally stable and therefore is the material of choice for slab doors or the panel in recessed panel doors.


Perhaps it is semantics but when I was researching prior to my recent remodel I read a lot about the debate of plywood versus MDF and so there wasn't a clear cut opinion. I think people focus on plywood versus MDF and miss what is more important in terms of judging the quality of construction. So I don't think you are wrong at all but the answer is still it depends and there are so many other factors to consider beyond plywood versus MDF that determine quality.

FWIW I have plywood boxes and after considering A LOT of options I went with a local cabinet maker who did custom cabinets for less than the price of semi-custom and I was able to get exactly what I wanted in terms of the design. He also did the cabinets in my bathrooms as well as a wall of built in/desk area in the office/den. He also made my dining room table based on a photo of a table I fell in love with. Very Happy

I have no carpentry skills at all but I was able to cobble together sufficient knowledge regarding cabinet construction so that I could have an "intelligent" discussion regarding specifications of the cabinets and how they would be constructed. I also learned a lot about how to achieve the best functionality.

But truly - as I think Rubber Ducky will agree - one of the most important factors in determine the result is a talented and knowledgable kitchen designer because they will help you get the best kitchen for your budget. They will explain how certain things help functionality and which items are costly and might not give you the best bang for your budget.

Also installation of cabinets is key and your kitchen designer should be able to steer you towards someone who is skilled and will do a great installation.

At the risk of sounding like a broken record, go to houzz.com and read on their forums and post questions like what constitutes good construction as the community is extremely helpful and knowledgable.

Also given that the supply chain is backed up and ALSO that the best tradespeople and GC are booked for months to come, take the time to do your research because time spent in research will pay off for years to come in terms of achieving the best kitchen and getting the most bang for your dollars.
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Heyaaa




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Dec 05 2021, 3:58 pm
amother [ OP ] wrote:
Is anyone aware of a list that makes sense, that you can easily cut and paste, of what to look for in kitchen cabinets, in order of importance?

tia


houzz.com is a great resource.
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Heyaaa




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Dec 05 2021, 4:02 pm
I have the highest quality mdf and it is nicked in so many places. I don't even understand how it got ruined so fast. MDF is a flat surface so you see every dent and the paint is a coating which means it can crack off. My stained cabinets look like they're in perfect condition because if something happens, it blends in with the grain. I don't know if there is any damage on the stained wood because it is impossible to see anyway.
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Amarante




 
 
    
 

Post Sun, Dec 05 2021, 4:09 pm
Heyaaa wrote:
I have the highest quality mdf and it is nicked in so many places. I don't even understand how it got ruined so fast. MDF is a flat surface so you see every dent and the paint is a coating which means it can crack off. My stained cabinets look like they're in perfect condition because if something happens, it blends in with the grain. I don't know if there is any damage on the stained wood because it is impossible to see anyway.


The debate between plywood and MDF is really dealing with the cabinet boxes and not the doors.

Doors can be solid wood, MDF or often wood with a veneer of wood. A lot of regular furniture actually has a veneer especially if it is an exotic wood. There are quality levels for veneer just like any other product.
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amother
Yolk


 

Post Sun, Dec 05 2021, 4:36 pm
I’m buying a house now and redoing the kitchen I’m going with a standard kitchen like Fabiwood etc. I heard really good things of the kitchen place I’m using and it’s not custom. If you want I can give you my kitchen persons information you can email or call them they did my layout I fixed it up for my needs.
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amother
OP


 

Post Sun, Dec 05 2021, 4:43 pm
amother [ Yolk ] wrote:
I’m buying a house now and redoing the kitchen I’m going with a standard kitchen like Fabiwood etc. I heard really good things of the kitchen place I’m using and it’s not custom. If you want I can give you my kitchen persons information you can email or call them they did my layout I fixed it up for my needs.


If you were thinking youd share the kitchen people you worked with (if theyre in Brooklyn) Id give you an email address. Thanks!
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amother
Yolk


 

Post Sun, Dec 05 2021, 4:44 pm
amother [ OP ] wrote:
If you were thinking youd share the kitchen people you worked with (if theyre in Brooklyn) Id give you an email address. Thanks!


They go to Brooklyn I believe I have no issue sharing give me an email address will send you everything
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