McCabinet Blog 12/10
McCabinet Blog 5/10
Here are some tips to help buyers choose the correct cabinets and countertops, that will be the right ones for a dream kitchen. Go online and /or check magazines or ads to find pictures of cabinets and doors you like.
1. Your Budget. If you want to completely remodel your kitchen and replace all existing walls, appliances,
flooring, plumbing fixtures and cabinets, it can be expensive. Start by researching to see what types of cabinets
are available, and decide how much you want to spend. That will tell you whether you're going to choose
custom cabinets (much more expensive), semi custom cabinets or stock (less expensive). Custom cabinets are
hand made for your specific space (fit better, look better). You can check companies that carry different levels of
cabinetry, (from stock to custom) don't tell them what your budget is until you get several bids. Then you will
have a better idea of what you want for your budget.
2. Your Material. Kitchen cabinets aren't just made of wood. You can get stainless steel, polymer, or just
about any type of cabinet you can imagine. The basic wood cabinets are oak, maple, cherry, alder and birch. You
can go green with Bamboo or Lyptus doors. There are also laminates and thermofoil doors that allow you to add
color to your kitchen.
3. Your Cabinet Box. Pick kitchen cabinets that are well made and tough enough to stand up to to everyday
use. They carry the weight of your heaviest pots and pans, and grandmother's fine china, so they need to be
durable and safe at the same time. This is where cabinet companies cut corners, so make sure you compare
apples to apples.
4. Choose your Door Style. Cabinet doors can be flat, raised, glass, recessed, and everything in between.
Choose a cabinet hardware that fits in with the appliances and the rest of your kitchen décor.
5. Pick your Finish. Whether you choose wood or laminate, you'll need to decide how you want your
cabinets finished, You can choose paint, a high-gloss varnish, stain, or a combination. Again, make sure
the finish is in harmony with the rest of your kitchen décor.
6. Look at your Situation. If your planning to move in the near future, you would want your kitchen to
look good, for the lowest cost. If you plan to stay in your home for years, then you want yours looking great and
the cabinets to be organized, functional and accessible, having your dream kitchen to enjoy. In both cases, the
type of neighborhood your in should have a big influence on your budget. A $40,000 kitchen makeover is okay
for a middle to upper income neighborhood, but not so much for a lower income neighborhood.
7. Choose a Designer. If your spending a lot to have your kitchen remodeled, you'll want to pick a kitchen
cabinet company to design and order your cabinets. Although many good kitchen designers charge a design fee,
most will deduct it from the job if you decide to move forward. Look for a designer that listens to you, asks for all
your wants and needs and that you feel comfortable with, to deliver those wants and more. Kevin - McCabinet, Inc.
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European vs. Face Frame Cabinets |
 Face Frame: Face Frame cabinets are a more traditional cabinet that over the years has adapted to the changing times. Face Frame cabinets have a bottom, top and sides attached to a frame, usually made of solid wood, about 2 to 3 inches thick. The door and drawers are then attached to the frame. Before modern cabinets the door hinges were exposed now with the changing times the hinges are concealed. The overlay of the door, how much the door covers the frame, they can be modified to be full overlay. This is to get the same look as the European cabinet style. Most of the time face frame cabinets come in 3" increments. Face frame cabinets are very sturdy with the frame on the front; stand-alone cabinets (islands) do not need any extra partitions or panels to strengthen the cabinets like frameless does. A lot of face frame cabinets lines come from foreign imports (mostly Chinese), be careful to compare the quality of the cabinets you are considering. |
 European: Frameless cabinets have a more streamlined modern appearance that started in Europe after World War II. European cabinets have sides, a bottom and a top with no frame; the doors are attached to the sides and are concealed. European cabinets are all full overlay, when you look at a kitchen all you see is doors and drawers. the biggest advantage going with European style over face frame is the utilization of space in a frameless cabinet. For example, in a base 15" face frame cabinet the drawer inside measurement is 8 1/2" wide, conversely a European drawer is attached right to the side so the width is 12" , a 3 1/2" difference in all drawers. Also, additional components spice pullouts, shelf rollouts and trash pullouts have more room to work with. Another advantage is most European style cabinets are totally customizable to any size necessary for a project. To cover the edges they use a plastic that is glued on for a match, or a veneered edge for the perfect match. The edge shows only when the door or drawers are open. |
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McCabinet Blog 5/10
Kitchen Cabinets - How you can make the right choice. 21st century kitchens are opening up walls into other rooms. Kitchen cabinets are more functional and organized keeping the cook(s) in mind, but adding luxury and beauty, the "Wow factor" from the countertop to the crown molding. Kevin - McCabinet, Inc. |
1. Your Budget. If you want to completely remodel your kitchen and replace all existing walls, appliances,
flooring, plumbing fixtures and cabinets, it can be expensive. Start by researching to see what types of cabinets
are available, and decide how much you want to spend. That will tell you whether you're going to choose
custom cabinets (much more expensive), semi custom cabinets or stock (less expensive). Custom cabinets are
hand made for your specific space (fit better, look better). You can check companies that carry different levels of
cabinetry, (from stock to custom) don't tell them what your budget is until you get several bids. Then you will
have a better idea of what you want for your budget.
2. Your Material. Kitchen cabinets aren't just made of wood. You can get stainless steel, polymer, or just
about any type of cabinet you can imagine. The basic wood cabinets are oak, maple, cherry, alder and birch. You
can go green with Bamboo or Lyptus doors. There are also laminates and thermofoil doors that allow you to add
color to your kitchen.
3. Your Cabinet Box. Pick kitchen cabinets that are well made and tough enough to stand up to to everyday
use. They carry the weight of your heaviest pots and pans, and grandmother's fine china, so they need to be
durable and safe at the same time. This is where cabinet companies cut corners, so make sure you compare
apples to apples.
4. Choose your Door Style. Cabinet doors can be flat, raised, glass, recessed, and everything in between.
Choose a cabinet hardware that fits in with the appliances and the rest of your kitchen décor.
5. Pick your Finish. Whether you choose wood or laminate, you'll need to decide how you want your
cabinets finished, You can choose paint, a high-gloss varnish, stain, or a combination. Again, make sure
the finish is in harmony with the rest of your kitchen décor.
6. Look at your Situation. If your planning to move in the near future, you would want your kitchen to
look good, for the lowest cost. If you plan to stay in your home for years, then you want yours looking great and
the cabinets to be organized, functional and accessible, having your dream kitchen to enjoy. In both cases, the
type of neighborhood your in should have a big influence on your budget. A $40,000 kitchen makeover is okay
for a middle to upper income neighborhood, but not so much for a lower income neighborhood.
7. Choose a Designer. If your spending a lot to have your kitchen remodeled, you'll want to pick a kitchen
cabinet company to design and order your cabinets. Although many good kitchen designers charge a design fee,
most will deduct it from the job if you decide to move forward. Look for a designer that listens to you, asks for all
your wants and needs and that you feel comfortable with, to deliver those wants and more. Kevin - McCabinet, Inc.
