Since cabinetry is such a large portion of the kitchen budget, how do I evaluate quality of cabinets?
The cabinets are the most significant product cost item in the budget; therefore, it is important to spend some time here. There are many factors that determine the quality of a cabinet. Some of these factors are important to everyone, others are important only to the most critical shopper. There is a base level of quality and then there are extras which you will have to evaluate in terms of your budget and your intended result. Box construction: Cabinets are manufactured in two distinct methods. There are European style cabinets (also called “frameless” or “32mm”) and there are “face-frame” cabinets. Traditionally American-made cabinets employ a wood face-frame to which plywood or particleboard sides are attached and doors hinge to. These cabinets are open on the top and have a thin back for appearance only. Their strength derives from the frame. In “European style” cabinets, there is no face frame. The sides are glued and doweled with tops and bottoms and backs all generally 5/8″- 3/
