Determining the types of kitchen cabinets you want is essential to any kitchen update or remodel. Cabinets provide storage for utensils, dishware, small appliances, and more. With the right finishes and hardware, kitchen cabinets can add a personalized touch to an ordinary space. Available in stock, semi-custom, and custom categories, cabinets dictate the look and feel of your kitchen.
Achieving the cabinets of your dreams can take time and elbow grease. Materials and installation costs are just two determining factors of what will best fit your dream kitchen. Use our guide to the types of kitchen cabinets to help determine the best option for your space.
EDMUND BARR
Common Types of Kitchen Cabinets
There are three main types of kitchen cabinets for homeowners to choose from.
Custom Cabinets
These durable and long-lasting types of kitchen cabinets are easy to love. They can be made in unique shapes and sizes, allowing you to take advantage of all your kitchen corners, nooks, and crannies. They provide endless storage opportunities and can be made to look high-end. While you get precisely what you want from a custom cabinet builder, you'll also pay top dollar for personalization. Custom materials vary based on quality and availability, but custom cabinets come with the highest ticket price on labor.
Semi-Custom Cabinets
With semi-custom cabinets, you can request custom features or change specific dimensions. This type of kitchen cabinet is more affordable in comparison to custom cabinets, but the nature of the customization may be more limited. This is a great option for cabinet refacing, in which just the doors get an upgrade but the existing box and shelving remain unchanged.
Stock Cabinets
Stock cabinets are pre-made, one-size-fits-all. They are the most affordable type of kitchen cabinets but are generally less durable. Typically made with particle board, stock cabinets degrade over time. Stock materials cost just a few hundred dollars per unit but may need replacing sooner than higher-priced alternatives. These are a good choice for homes where you don’t plan to stay for long or areas where moisture and humidity are known to rot even the best cabinet materials.
Common Types of Kitchen Cabinet Designs and Styles
There are four basic types of kitchen cabinets: base, wall or upper, tall, and specialty units customized for unconventional spaces. Additionally, these are the common cabinet styles:
Shaker Cabinets
This type of kitchen cabinet has simple lines and recessed-panel doors, which make them easy to clean and personalize. This timeless cabinet design is popular for kitchen remodels. Shaker cabinets are available in various materials and colors and are compatible with almost every design style.
Slab Cabinets
This type of kitchen cabinet is also called flat-front or panel-front cabinetry. This simple style consists of single-board doors without frames, panels, or decorations. Slab cabinets are excellent for a minimalist style. Spruce them up with a unique paint color or statement handles.
Beadboard Cabinets
Beadboard cabinet doors have vertical panels with uniform beads and recessed lines. They're an excellent choice to add traditional, cottage, or farmhouse style to your kitchen design. The decorative vertical slats on the cabinet fronts might not be the best choice for a minimalist home, but the sleek design adds character to most kitchen styles. Beadboard cabinets add texture and are available in a wide variety of widths.
Raised-Panel Cabinets
These traditional cabinets have raised center panels. The three-dimensional structure of the cabinet door is compatible with any interior design style. Raised-panel cabinets integrate seamlessly into any kitchen design and are easy to maintain.
Tips for Choosing Kitchen Cabinets
Cabinet Price
Cabinet installation costs are measured by the linear foot. However, fees will vary based on cabinet size, materials, craftsmanship, and style. Other factors that affect the price of cabinets include labor, hardware, removal and replacements, number of cabinets, trim, and molding. According to Home Guide, the average cost to install kitchen cabinets is $150 and $500 per linear foot for stock and semi-custom styles. This amount can go up to $1,200 per linear foot for custom cabinets. Labor costs for installing cabinets vary between $220 and $1600 per cabinet.
Cabinet Materials
Common cabinet materials include hardwood, multi-density fiberboard, particleboard, wood veneer, and stainless steel. Standard cabinet doors and drawer fronts are typically made of plywood, vinyl films, aluminum frames, or hardwood. Laminate or Thermofoil are inexpensive options.
Each cabinet material has a different installation process and timeline. When ordering cabinets, measure the exact space to be covered. And if erring on the side of caution, order extra boxes that can later be trimmed to size.
What to Consider Before Buying Kitchen Cabinets
New cabinetry can be quite an investment, but installing cabinets is usually not a DIY project. Between proper sizing, mounting, and hardware, there are many small ways that cabinets can be ruined by small lapses. When in doubt, seek the help of an experienced professional.
To keep costs low, replace and refinish cabinet doors rather than the entire cabinet box. Often, a new stain or paint on cabinets will make the kitchen feel brand new. Other ways to update kitchen cabinets on a budget include replacing hardware (measuring to make sure new handles and pulls will match up with holes from the old ones), removing cabinet doors to create open shelving and wallpapering the backs for added color, or inserting glass fronts in cabinet doors.
Replacing kitchen cabinets can be a catalyst for updating the rest of your kitchen because new cabinets may make flooring, appliances, and paint color look outdated or dingy. Consider budget-friendly updates for the rest of your space to keep it all looking fresh and new.