Buying Kitchen Cabinets At the Home Improvement Stores

The number of cabinet names and styles at the Home Improvement Stores like Lowes and Home Depot can be overwhelming, and so can the number of options and upgrades. They do a very good job of distracting you from the two biggest factors when it comes to buying kitchen cabinets. Find out what they are and how to avoid the common mistakes that people make when shopping for kitchen cabinets.

If you have ever strolled through the kitchen section at one of the big home improvement stores (like Lowes or Home Depot), you know how overwhelming the selection can be. They do a very good job of offering every door style, wood type, and finish imaginable. They also do a very good job of distracting you from the two biggest features that you should be focused on- price and quality of construction.

When making a large purchase like a kitchen, it is really easy for emotion and excitement to overshadow the total cost. It is really important to do some research before going into the store and have a budget in mind. Minor changes in the look of the cabinet can end up adding hundreds, if not thousands, to the cost of your kitchen. The same thing applies to unnecessary upgrades and accessories, which will quickly add up.

As a part-time contractor and rental property owner, I always tell people that I am talking to, to start their research on the internet.. The big stores will offer the name brand cabinets, but if you search online you will find that you can find similar, if not identical cabinets, for significantly less on-line. Have you ever noticed that the stores will usually price cabinets on a cost per square foot? This is done deliberately….. when you are emotionally attached to a particular style of cabinet, what is more likely to sway you from going over your budget- That upgrade is going to got you an additional $1.00 per square foot, or that upgrade is going cost you an additional $900? It is a great technique to distract you from the actual price you are paying and get you focused on the style and finish of the cabinets.

What you will also find is that the quality of the materials used will differ dramatically from cabinet to cabinet. As I mentioned before, the retail stores do a very good job of getting you caught up in the features and of the cabinet face, but they often brush over the actual cabinet box construction? Ironically, most of the higher priced cabinets don’t actually use solid wood for the cabinet box. They may have a great looking cabinet door, but they are using particleboard or fiberboard for the construction of the cabinet box. The problem with both of these materials is that they are adversely affected by water and moisture….  What you will find on-line is that a lot of the lesser-known cabinetmakers actually use solid plywood, which creates a much stronger cabinet box. The other big factor in materials is how the cabinet is held together. Don’t be surprised to find out that some of the big name cabinet companies use staples or basic nails and glue to hold the cabinet together.  The best joinery would have to be dovetail joints, but right behind that is the cam lock.   The cam lock is used primarily on ready-to-assemble cabinets. (NOTE: LKN Cabinets uses screw, staple and glue construction which many find superior to this.)

In doing some research on-line you will more than likely come across another common term in the cabinet industry- RTA, or Ready-To-Assemble. Don’t be scared away from this type of cabinet. If you ever go into the big stores and see pre-assembled or stock cabinets, they are actually RTA cabinets that have been assembled for your convenience (and they are significantly more expensive). There are three categories that separate RTA Cabinets from their competition-

1) Construction– Not all RTA cabinets are the same, but most of them use solid plywood for the cabinet box, solid wood for the face frames and doors, and they have an interlocking cam lock assembly that is a stronger bond than staples, nails, or wooden dowels

2) Price– if you find the companies that are importing them directly, the saving can be as high as 40-50% versus the name brand cabinets

3) Assembly– they are so easy to assemble that you can actually eliminate the added expense of hiring someone to assemble and install them

With all the advantages of RTA Cabinets, there are some inferior products on the market that you should steer clear of, but they are definitely worth doing some research on.  Typically when RTA cabinets or knockdown cabinets are mentioned, people authomatically think of Ikea products.   Today’s ready-to-assemble kitchen cabinets are far superior than what is sold at Ikea.

So before you go running to your local big box supply store, take the time to do some research on-line. At the very least you will be a more educated customer and you can avoid the mistake of exceeding your budget for your kitchen.

Source: RTAcabinetstore.com by Gary Nealon

www.LKNcabinets.com offers FREE kitchen cabinet quotes for the greater Charlotte, NC area

Why we use Dovetails: Are They Really Important for Drawer Construction?

Dovetails: Are They Really Important for Drawer Construction?

Dovetail joints are often considered by many to be the ultimate solution when constructing drawers. Not only are they strong and secure, but they are also beautiful and a testament to the craftsmanship of the person who made the drawer. As you will notice even with our cabinets, some of our kitchen cabinet lines feature dovetailed drawers, while others don’t.  However, there are other options for creating durable well-crafted drawers besides using dovetails.

The Construction of a Dovetail Joint

Known as the strongest of joints, a dovetail is constructed from interlocking channels cut in the wood, which are wedge-shaped. These elements are known as the tails and the pins, and are quite resistant to force when assembled, making for a very strong joint. They are also very attractive, especially when carefully constructed. These joints provide a large area for gluing, which increases the overall strength. In fact, usually when a drawer breaks, it breaks somewhere other than the dovetail joint. The joint is so secure that it would hold together even if it wasn’t glued. This style of joint is extremely common and desirable for drawer construction, in addition to making boxes, frames, and cabinets.

The Advantages of Dovetails

There are many advantages to using dovetails when constructing a drawer. They do create an extremely strong joint between two pieces of wood, which is definitely an advantage when constructing drawers. They are also quite decorative and attractive, and can add a lot to the appearance of a handcrafted piece of furniture. While some people cut dovetails using manual methods such hand cutting them or by using a table saw, they are now much easier to construct by using a router with a dovetail attachment. However, even with the help of modern equipment, there is still a fair degree of patience, craft and skill needed in order to construct a finely made dovetail joint.

The Disadvantages of Dovetails

The primary disadvantage of dovetail joints is the fact that they can be difficult to make. There is a certain amount of skill and experience that is required in order to cut and assemble a good dovetail joint. The joint must be accurately marked out and then cut, and if done improperly, the joint will not be secure, and will lose the advantages that dovetail joints are known for. Although many people feel that dovetail joints are essential for good drawer construction, there are other options that can also produce good results.

Alternatives to Using Dovetails in Drawer Construction

There are other ways of making drawer joints that can product just as good of results as a dovetail. For example, pinned rabbet joints are a viable alternative that produces strong, attractive joints. The advantage of pinned rabbet joints over dovetails is that they are much easier to make. This joint can be cut using a table saw by the average woodworker. The basic construction consists of the front drawer piece being the rabbet, the back drawer piece is the dado, and a groove is cut for the bottom of the drawer to slide into. After the drawer is completely constructed and glued, then the pins can be installed, producing a drawer that is both strong and attractive.

Ironically, while dovetailed drawers are extremely strong, they can be over kill in most applications, since the drawer or joint will never have that much weight or force applied to it. So from a cost perspective, even standard methods of securing the drawer together will be fine, especially in kitchen cabinets.

Source: RTAcabinetstore.com by Gary Nealon

www.LKNcabinets.com offers FREE kitchen cabinet quotes for the greater Charlotte, NC area

Kitchen Design – What to Plan For

Before you begin designing or remodeling your kitchen, there are a few things you need to think about. When it comes to your kitchen design, it’s important to thoroughly assess your own needs and wants (as well as your family’s) before investing your time and money into this important project.

First of all, you need to think about the size of your family. Do you have a large family with many children? Are you single? How many people are going to be actively using the kitchen on a daily basis? This will determine what you need in terms of size and accessibility.

If two or more cooks are going to be using the kitchen at the same time, you may need to add more counter space. It’s also important to leave enough “wiggle room” so that your family isn’t bumping into each other all the time.

Second of all, ask yourself if you or your family have any special needs. You may need to tailor your kitchen design online a certain way depending on factors such as being tall, short, disabled, etc. Assess your family’s needs before making any major changes.

Lastly, entertainment can factor into your kitchen design. Do you do a lot of entertaining? If so, it’s probably a good idea to take down a wall or two to open up the kitchen into the living room. You also may consider adding a bar or a kitchen island (or both!).

A kitchen is a great room to be used as the “social hub” of the home. Of course, you have to design it accordingly.

So now that you’ve assessed your needs and made your plans, how do you go about the actual design and remodeling process? Chances are, your pockets are probably hurting due to the recession. It can be pretty hard to finance anything these days.

www.LKNcabinets.com