What makes cabinets good quality? What questions to ask?

The metal sides that Blum and others manufacture are actually reasonably strong. You have to remember that they don't have to be super strong - it is the bottom of the drawer and the runners that take all the weight. The sides just basically help hold the drawer together.

Stewie

There are 2 types of metal sided drawers.

The older style is where the drawer sides are actually one half of the drawer runner (Blum metabox, Hettich multitech). These are essentially a captive roller drawer runner where one half of the runner has been made into a drawer side. The sides are a single piece of pressed metal of varying depths that hang on the other half of the runner that is attached to the carcass.

The newer style are the double wall drawer boxes (Blum tandembox, Hettich innotech). With these systems the sides are independent from the runner. They are a set height and you achieve a deeper drawer through the addition of extended sides or rails. The drawer sides clip over and onto the desired weight drawer runner and they contain the adjustment mechanism (vertical & horizontal).

Once a metal sided drawer (either style) is screwed together they are very solid and rigid.

What really makes the difference in a drawer is the runners. The old captive roller drawer runners never feel rock solid. They always have a bit of lateral movement and never roll as smoothly purely because of the way the work and the materials they are made with. That doesn't mean they are not strong enough, and they still perform well in many applications.

The newer drawer runners that are used feature ball bearing runners that lock onto there track and run very smoothly. They also have very little movement even at full extension. The double wall sides that are used on top of these clip together with great rigidity so the whole unit is incredibly solid. The same runners can be used with timber sided drawers also giving a very solid system.

Any drawer (timber sided or metal sided) made correctly and with quality runners will be more than strong enough to handle it's intended use.

As stewie said they all have a 16mm particle board bottom. The strength comes from that and the quality and weight capacity of the runners.

Thanks chippy I'll have to find out a bit more from my builder.

Hi leanne27!

I have a few tips for ensuring that you are getting good quality

1. Yes solid backs are a must, the cost difference is minimal to the cabinet maker so don't let them try up sell this as an add-on.
2. HMR E Zero Board, (High Moisture Resistant board with low chemical emissions) is also something to insist on. The HMR Board helps your kitchen last longer and become less vulnerable to water damage and the e zero helps the environment and lowers chemical emissions in your home
3. Inspect the factory. If you can get a chance to inspect the factory that the kitchen's are being made in this will help you get a better vibe for the work ethic of the company providing the cabinetry. Now from my experience if the factory is relatively clean yet looks busy then you know exceptional quality is very high on their priority list. Keep in mind though just because the factory is messy doesn't mean they are poor quality, but it will hint at the companies organizational skills.
4. Door gaps! Another tell tale sigh of good quality cabinetry is the gaps between doors and panels when they are closed. As a standard door gaps should be approx 1.5mm-2mm and evenly spread out over the kitchen. So if you get to view past work or a showroom then look out for the gaps. It will hint towards the uniqueness of there kitchens and the standard of there quality.
5. Glued and Nailed or Screwed. The assembly of the cabinet is quite important, you want too look for two assembly methods to ensure quality. Glued and Nailed (it is important that it is glued) or Screwed. If it is nailed without glue then there is a high chance the cabinet sides will pull apart from the cabinet base upon install or over time as the house moves slightly (they all do).
6. Warranty! Take a close look at the warranty provided by the cabinet maker and ensure that is covers workmanship because this includes the assembly of the cabinet. Make a judgement whether the cabinet maker can offer warranties because they have a good quality product or because they have a large bank account so just offer huge warranties as a sales gimmick.

Best of luck with your kitchen reno

-Pete

I'm glad I looked today as we are getting quotes at the moment for a few small things, thanks for all the good info everyone.

Hi, I am looking at getting a kitchen completed by local cabinet maker.

What does everyone think a reasonable warranty period would be on the cabinetry?

7 years at minimum.

Yep, 7 years minimum. Hardware should have a lifetime warranty!

Wouldn't all items installed builder be subject to the 7yr warranty?

Unfortunately some of the leading hardware suppliers are writing off products defects that should be replaced under the lifetime warranty as 'wear & year'
We're seeing one of the big brands in QLD doing this, it's a pain in the you know what!
The joiner is faced with wearing the cost, or passing on the message, and killing goodwill/getting into an unnecessary debate with the client

Name and shame, who are they?

Can anyone tell me the main difference between laminex and createc?

Createc is a foil laminate that makes it look like 2 pack polyurethane finish for a fraction of the price however it will last longer than poly. It's high gloss and very easy to scratch! Relatively new product on the market and it has been a hit from my experience.

Why would it last longer than poly??

Don't get me wrong Createc is a good product but as you said it does scratch like polyurethane.

The difference is that polyurethane can be repaired and repainted at anytime by any spray painter! If you damage a Createc door you need to buy a very expensive full sheet (2400x1200) to replace one door. Now if a few years after your kitchen was installed who's to say they would still even have that Createc colour!

Yep, 7 years minimum. Hardware should have a lifetime warranty![/quote]
Unfortunately some of the leading hardware suppliers are writing off products defects that should be replaced under the lifetime warranty as 'wear & year'
We're seeing one of the big brands in QLD doing this, it's a pain in the you know what!
The joiner is faced with wearing the cost, or passing on the message, and killing goodwill/getting into an unnecessary debate with the client /quote]
In which if the part broke as in half , then you have a warranty claim,so a worn part not covered, but a broken part covered.

Rather than just asking the cabinet makers questions about the kitchen cabinets they can make, it’s advisable to visit their store displays. This gives you the opportunity to see for yourself the quality of the kitchen cabinets they make.

When you speak to a cabinet maker, let them know your budget so that they can advise you on what type of kitchen designs they can make for you. If you want better quality kitchen cabinets, I would advise you to go for either semi-custom or custom kitchen cabinets because they will fit more precisely to your kitchen space.

Ask them whether they can provide you with solid wood cabinets for a reasonable price. Solid wood cabinets are better than the ones made from particle board. Also, ask them whether they are able to design your kitchen cabinets with useful features such as pull-out trash cans and customised cabinets with added features to maximise your kitchen space. Ask if the countertop they provide you will be scratch and heat resistant. Also, enquire with them whether they can make your kitchen cabinets water proof.

Ultimately, if you want a good quality kitchen cabinet, you will of course have to be prepared to pay a higher price compared to a poorer quality one.

This can be problematic. I have seen plenty of people impressed with displays in store or at a showroom but the company installs totally different cabinets! You are best to actually call or visit past and present customers. If the kitchen company is good then they will be happy to pass on these details!




Solid wood cabinets?? Are you serious? This could add $30,000 to the price of the kitchen! Have only ever seen it done a couple of times. Its also not that good! Timber has to be joined together and can warp and crack easily around ovens and kettles, it also needs to be refinished! Sure maybe solid timber doors but never cabinets!

NEVER use solid wood cabinets. Those days are long gone!

Agreed, unfortunately most people can only see the price and never stop to consider how the cabinets and kickboard's are actually made.

I am certain a few cabinetmakers will be abl;e to give you some a word of wisdom. From what I have seen, the vast majority of the sash material is MDF and the main genuine change is the thickness, so by and large thicker is better I think. You can more often than not tell by looking of pivots are great quality and clearly Blum is high spec stuff.