What is the difference between stock cabinets & semi-custom cabinets?
The difference between stock cabinets and semi-custom are A) Price, B) Options, C) Construction, and D) Lead Time.
Stock cabinets are typically lower in price than semi custom. They are bought off the shelf from Home Stores and come in standard 3" increment dimensions. Most of the base cabinets are only in 24" deep and the wall cabinets are typically 12" deep. They usually have fillers that can be bought to add to the design when you have kitchen dimensions that are not exact (who does?).
Stock cabinets are typically made from furniture board/MDF/particle board. Once in a while you’ll see the doors made in solid wood, but not usually. They are on the shelf, so you can take them home today.
Semi-custom – Grey area. Depends on the manufacturer but generally, there are quite a few door styles, wood species and finishes to choose from. They are made when you order them. They can range in price quite a bit depending on your selections. Most semi custom cabinets can be changed dimension wise but usually with restictions. For instance you may be able to get a wall cabinet 9" deep but not 7 1/2". It all depends on the manufacturer and how they have their factory set up. Construction is usually higher/better than stock cabinets. Almost all have solid wood fronts, 3/4" thick and they will vary on what they offer as far as the box construction is concerned. Some will have plywood (or "solid wood") sides, backs, bottoms or combinations of those. The thicker the plywood, the better, the more you will pay. Most of the drawers will be dovetailed – you want this! And they usually come with upgraded drawer glides and possibly soft closing mechanisms. And of course they have all the fun accessories to add to your kitchen – hoods, glass doors, roll out trays, bread boxes, etc, etc.
Lead times vary. I’ve seen 2 weeks to 8 weeks for semi custom. It again, depends on the manufacturer and the time of year. (If they’re busy or not).
Not all semi custom cabinets are made the same – but you usually get what you pay for.
