It’s no secret that cabinets are at the heart of a well-functioning kitchen.
Whether you’re a serious baker, a microwave chef, or a family that needs a straight path to the coffee machine, your cabinets should work for you.
However, when it comes to selecting cabinet systems, choosing style over substance can cost you down the line.
While it’s easy to fall for kitchen cabinets that are easy on the eyes, you want something that’s easy to use and can stand the test of time.
In this post, we’ll walk you through six salient features every quality kitchen cabinet system must have.
1. All-Plywood Construction
Most often, homeowners come across kitchen cabinets in two options: plywood and particleboard. Particleboard may be less expensive, but it is low in quality and susceptible to damage. It’s also difficult to repair, especially where joints and screws are concerned.
If you’re looking for hardiness and durability, go for full-plywood construction, i.e., all-plywood sides and backs so the cabinets can withstand the entire delivery and installation process, the weight of heavy countertops, as well as the moisture in your kitchen.
Plywood is made with multiple layers of wood running lengthwise and crosswise, adding to its strength. Particleboard, on the other hand, is made by pressing wood particles together with glue. It doesn’t expand or contract as the climate changes, which makes it more vulnerable to damage and sagging. This usually means weakening cabinets.
Unlike particleboard, all-plywood construction has enhanced holding power with screws, fasteners and glue. It also has a much higher tolerance for moisture, which is non-negotiable in the kitchen setup as the cabinets are installed around sinks and faucets. Thanks to its strength, it can endure a high amount of weight and resist damage like dents, dings, and blow-outs.
2. Soft-Close Hinges
Most homeowners tend to overlook the importance of choosing durable kitchen hardware, such as hinges and glides. However, these play a big role in maintaining the style and structure of your kitchen cabinets.
Cheap hardware is low in quality, so using them in your cabinetry can be disastrous in the long term. In fact, one of the worst mistakes you can make with kitchen cabinets is use inadequate hinges, resulting in the doors to hang on one side. This can not only look unaesthetic, but also be hazardous as they can fall off entirely.
To solve this issue, go for soft-close hardware in steel as they’re sturdier and safer. You can work with an experienced kitchen cabinetry provider, such as KraftMaid Kitchen Cabinets, to find the best hardware for your needs. OMG Kitchen and Bath is proud to partner with KraftMaid to bring you high-quality cabinets for your bathrooms and kitchens.
3. I-Beam
I-beams play a critical role in determining the durability and longevity of your cabinets. They do the job of securing the upper sides of base cabinets, keeping them in the desired shape throughout the shipping and installation process.
Other pocket-friendly options include triangular corner gusset and braces. But these are attached to the sides of the cabinet, making your cabinetry less durable. They can also bend and distort when used in areas that have moisture.
4. Solid Wood Dovetail Drawer Boxes
With cheap, low-quality kitchen cabinets, you’ll likely witness damage to the drawer boxes and joints within a couple of years. That’s because these parts are secured using notched butt joints and staples, which aren’t exactly long-lasting.
Only high-quality drawer boxes are capable of withstanding bending and warping. It’s crucial that the bottom of your cabinet drawer can support the weight of the items stored therein. This is exactly why hardwood dovetail drawer boxes have been gaining popularity among homeowners.
These drawer boxes have robust plywood bottoms, which make them durable, resilient, and aesthetic. The wood strengthens the joints as the sides meet at the dovetail joints. The boxes are able to slide on the dovetail joint that has interlocking teeth. They come with 5/8-inch or thicker solid birch or maple sides. All four sides are fully secured in grooved joints that are nailed and glued in their proper place.
5. Long-Lasting Face Frames
Typically, kitchen layouts include cabinets that are one of these two types (or both in some cases): framed and frameless. Framed cabinets consist of a solid hardware frame that’s attached to the front of the cabinet box, including the drawer glides as door hinges. In frameless cabinets, the doors are fixed on the sides of the cabinet box. Both methods differ in terms of appearance. The strength and stability of your cabinetry will greatly depend on the construction method you choose.
- Framed cabinets:The face frames provide solid hardware bases for drawer glides and hinges, which makes them sturdier. They also remain stable during the delivery and installation process. Depending on the extent on the frame you want revealed, you can choose from among three styles of framed cabinetry: overlay, partial overlay, and inset. All these options are resilient and last for years.
- Frameless cabinets: These come without face frames on the front of the cabinet boxes. They’re typically full overlay and expose around 1/8 inches of the cabinet doors and drawer fronts. Their side panels are thicker compared to their framed counterparts, which enable them to support door hinges and drawer glides. The installation cost is relatively higher.
6. Quality Drawer Glides
Choosing the right kind of drawer glides is crucial to the functionality of your kitchen cabinetry, especially in the long term. Good-quality glides facilitate the silent and smooth movement of the drawer boxes even after years of heavy use. They also prevent the drawers from getting stuck or sagging due to the weight of the cabinet carriers.
You’ll find various types of drawer glides in the market, but it’s best to go for full-length undermount and soft-close varieties. These minimize the extent of wear and tear and damage to the glides.
Make sure the glides you choose are adjustable and can extend to allow unhindered access to the entire drawer. The soft-close system should be able to maintain silence when the drawers are opened and closed. Further, they should be able to support the weight of the heavy loads kept in the drawer box.
OMG Kitchens and KraftMaid Kitchen Cabinets Have Joined Forces
Constructing kitchen cabinets is a more nuanced job than you’d think. So, when having your cabinetry built, make sure you do your research and hire only seasoned professionals for the job.
Your decision will mean the difference between having beautiful cabinets that last for years and being stuck with poor-quality ones that need frequent repairs and replacement.
OMG Kitchens has partnered with KraftMaid Kitchen Cabinets to help you build the cooking space you’ve always desired. Together, we’ll transform your kitchens and bathrooms into idyllic areas where you’ll enjoy spending your time.
Our proven results, short turnaround times, and stunning yet affordable solutions make us the preferred remodeler among homeowners in South Orange County.
Contact us today to learn more about our kitchen and bathroom cabinetry solutions.