Stock cabinets can be custom quality

 If you’re looking for a way to save money on your kitchen remodeling project, a stock cabinet may be your best option as they are much less expensive than custom cabinets. These cabinets have come a long way in terms of both quality and design. Cabinets in the stock design are no longer considered substandard cabinets and are the go to when the kitchen budget is limited.

What makes this style cabinet a less expensive than either a semi-custom or custom cabinets?

• These cabinets are mass produced based on a standard set of measurements and offer less options in this regard. Most stock style cabinets start out in widths of 12 inches and increase in increments of 3 inches up to a maximum of 48 inches. Therefor there will be areas of most kitchens that cannot fit a full cabinet, usually at the wall farthest from the corner cabinet.
• Most of these cabinets come unfinished which lowers the purchase price. If you are skilled at painting or staining, and polyurethane, then you can finish one of these cabinets the way you like and save some money. Although there are some pre-finished cabinets in this style that are very well done, and are well worth the extra cost to purchase them.
• An “off the shelf” cabinet is often less expensive because of the materials used in the manufacturing process. Most of this style cabinet are made from particle board or MDF. These are much less expensive materials than plywood, and therefore make these cabinets less expensive. Some stock cabinets are available with plywood sides and backs, these are generally much more expensive than their lower quality counterparts.
• Semi-custom and custom cabinets are more expensive because of the “hands on” it gets from a cabinetmaker. The more intensive the design of the cabinets, the more it will cost. Time, and skill, is money, and it shows in the high end cabinets. For a truly custom kitchen that cannot be copied, a custom cabinet is the way to go.
• Another reason to consider a stock cabinet is most manufactures are finding ways to increase the quality while keeping the prices down. Door and face-frames are often made from solid hardwoods, instead of a melamine or vinyl covering over particle board, like in days past. Using solid hardwoods is much better in terms of reliability, and will last much longer than melamine or vinyl coverings that tend to delaminate over time.

Stock cabinets are not always at the bottom of the quality scale. There have been many award winning kitchens made from this affordable cabinet option. A way to dress up a stock style cabinet is to use crown moldings and other details to make the cabinets look less mass produced. Using moldings can also add a nice personal touch and show some of your creativity.

At least consider using this cabinet option as it may save you a substantial amount of money on your next kitchen remodeling project.