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 If you build your own cabinets, you’re not limited to materials. Another advantage is being able to select and match grain pattern and color. Manufacturers can’t afford to spend time doing this. Instead, grain patterns are random and they use a toner to give the wood a uniform color and appearance.
The materials used commercially for cabinet carcases, drawer boxes, shelves, and interior divider panels can vary widely. Usually, at least some of these parts are made from vinyl-covered particleboard or melamine.
Because my cabinet project required relatively small quantities of material for these parts, the total cost difference to upgrade from ½"- thick melamine to ¾" veneer plywood was fairly insignificant.
I decided to build these cabinets using raised panels. And I’ll admit it added both time and cost to glue up solid wood panels, but I thought it was worth it.
A quicker, less expensive option is to build flat panel doors using ¼" veneer plywood. If painted cabinets will work in your kitchen, you might want to consider milling the raised panels in medium density fiberboard (MDF) and building the rails and stiles in poplar. Inexpensive MDF offers the added advantage of being stable, compared to the expansion and contraction of solid wood panels. Related Articles |
Building Kitchen Cabinets