Finding Affordable Kitchen Cabinets

The cost of kitchen cabinetry is a major part of your remodeling budget. Cabinet prices vary largely, and many of these variations in price are due to factors that are not immediately apparent to the homeowner, making it difficult to understand why certain cabinets are priced higher and still may not be of a high quality. Here some things to look for when picking out quality cabinets for your new kitchen.

The type of material used in kitchen cabinetry eats up a big chunk of your total cost. The lower quality cabinets are made from pressboard or particleboard. This is less expensive, but also less durable. Joints will eventually loosen and become weak over time, especially with heavy use. It is also susceptible to water damage and can almost disintegrate when exposed to a minor water leak. Mid-range and high-quality (and the most common) cabinets are made of plywood. Plywood is a strong and solid wood product. Doors and drawer fronts to these cabinets can be made either from banded plywood or natural hardwood.

If you are using wood, the type you choose will affect your cost. Maple is a quality wood, and is moderately priced. Oak or cherry woods will cost more. The exotic woods will cost considerably more, but can give your kitchen an exquisite, beautiful look.

You also have to think about hardware. The hardware you choose will include the pulls and handles, as well as the door hinges and drawer slides. Hinges and drawer slides can be relatively cheap, or as expensive as $30 or more for top of the line products. Lower priced hardware is less sturdy and made with less precise manufacturing processes. If you use the cheapest hardware, you can bet that your doors will eventually sag and your drawers will begin to stick over time. The higher priced hardware will give you far better performance for many years to come.

They type of finish you use on your cabinets will also affect your total cost. If you will be painting the cabinets, you can use a less expensive wood, since you'll be covering up the color and grain of the wood. However, if you are using an expensive wood, using a stain will bring out the natural beauty of the wood and give your kitchen a classic look and feel. Painting is usually less expensive than stain, but painting can also be expensive, especially when doing any faux-finishes or antiquing techniques.

You'll want to take into account whether you want your kitchen cabinets to be custom made or ready-made. Custom built cabinets will, no doubt, be more expensive, but you can be sure that they have been built to fit into the uniqueness of your kitchen. Ready made cabinets may not fit perfectly, especially if you have an oddly shaped kitchen.

Keep the above factors in mind when deciding on your new kitchen cabinets. You'll be able to find the perfect cabinets for you kitchen if you research all the options available to you.