While the majority of kitchen cabinet manufacturers will use solid wood for the face frame and doors, there are several different materials that are used for the cabinet construction. Due to the limited amount of aged timber that is available, it has become too expensive for even custom cabinet manufacturers to use real wood for the sides and back. Some higher end cabinet manfacturers build beautiful solid wood cabinets, but for the majority of homeowners, these are simply not economically feasible.

Particleboard is a common material that some lower end cabinets will feature (and which you may recognize if you have ever shopped at Ikea). Particleboard, also called pressboard, is really just small chips of wood compressed together and held together with glue. Unlike plywood which consists of multiple layers of wood with the grain running in alternating patterns, particleboard doesn’t have any of that interweaving to help strengthen the board. Because of this, the material will tend to chip or break easier, and will not be able to support as much weight. Quite often, you will have to use supports to strengthen the cabinets if you are installing a heavier countertop.

Plywood is the most universally used material for kitchen cabinets. More expensive cabinets will use 3/4″ plywood with a wood veneer for the sides and sometimes for the back (most will not use solid plywood for the back either, but they will include mounting strips across the back). Most cabinets that you will find on the market will feature 1/2″ plywood, which is more than substantial enough to support any countertop material.

Another regularly used material is fiberboard. Fiberboard is basically a thick, dense cardboard. While it isn’t as fragile as particleboard, it doesn’t offer the rigidity of plywood or real wood. The other problems results from the fasteners. Without the grain of wood, fasteners will tend to lose their grip over time.

So when starting the shopping process for new cabinets, it is important to consider the pros and cons all the features of the cabinets. Just because a cabinet looks good, doesn’t mean that it will be able to hold up to the wear and tear that you are going to cause.

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Find out where the experts go to get all of their wood cabinets and accessories. Learn how to save thousand on kitchen cabinets by buying them where contractors and builders shop.

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So one of the options could be going with all wood cabinet doors instead of solid wood cabinet doors. All wood refers to cabinets with side panels that have a hardwood veneer applied to a plywood core and solid wood is a solid piece hard wood.

Hardwood veneer is a thin piece of solid wood that is typically applied to plywood or particleboard with glue to give it strength. It is uniform in finish and its grain is very consistent and there are really beautiful options in this area.

This is the process that is done when you have your kitchen cabinets refaced instead of replaced so if you like the current layout of your cabinets or even if it isn’t your favorite layout but it could still work this will save a lot of your remodeling costs.

Not only is this much less expensive for you it’s also less trees being cut down and protects the forests and still gives you the look of solid wood. All wood cabinet doors also have the advantage of less warping due to humidity and temperature change. So you could be friendlier to your budget and to the environment at the same time.

You might also consider for the cabinet frames ordering plywood sides for just the cabinets that will have one or both sides exposed.

Another option might simply refinishing your existing kitchen cabinets to a more contemporary or suitable finish than replacing the kitchen cabinets altogether. That can really change the entire look of your whole kitchen and would definitely be the easiest on your budget. That’s probably the most economical option.

Another option you might consider is reducing the number of cabinets in your kitchen plans by using one cabinet where you now have two. That might not always work but sometimes it can so look at the layout and see if this is something that is possible.

Another area that you could save on kitchen remodeling costs would be in the decorative options. Molding inserts add a LOT to the remodeling costs of a kitchen remodel. Could you still achieve a good look with fewer moldings?

Another decorative option that really racks up the expense is the handles and drawer pulls. They come in many price ranges and there are thousands of companies that offer them so by doing some shopping around you could find something quite nice in a lower price range.

Another way to save on kitchen remodeling costs would be to reduce or eliminate the number of modifications or construction options. For example could you have a countertop wine rack instead of a custom built-in cabinet? Or does the cabinet depth really need to be modified or could your objectives be met in other ways?

Yet another way to reduce some of your kitchen remodeling costs would be to perhaps put off including some of the fancy cabinet accessories and cool gadgets that could be installed later on or don’t even really need to be custom built at all.

Could the roll out shelves for the base cabinets for example be installed later on? And do you really need the custom knife drawer or the custom spice rack? If you could live without these things it would definitely be a money saving option.

So you don’t need to give up everything but there are always things you could negotiate, compromise on or eliminate altogether. So if you are really needing to keep your kitchen remodeling costs down these are some options that could really help.

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Rebecca Noel is a licensed real estate agent and real estate investor. Remodeling houses and home improvement diy are her area of interest. Planning a kitchen remodel? Find out insider information that will save you 00’s and hours and hours of time. Visit: Remodeling Recon Kitchens.

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When it comes to creating your own concrete countertops, there are two methods to consider: The first is to pour the concrete directly on top of your new cabinets and hand trowel the surface; the second is to build molds for the countertops and pour the countertops off site. Pouring the countertops offsite has a lot of advantages including a smoother surface, less of a chance of damaging the cabinets, and more control over the curing process.

Before taking on the project of making your own concrete countertops, it is important to make sure that your cabinets will be able to support the overall weight of the concrete.. Concrete countertops tend to weigh between 12 and 22 pounds per square foot when they’re poured at a thickness of two inches. Most higher quality cabinets that are made of plywood or solid wood can hold the weight… be careful of cabinets that are made of particleboard or fiberboard. If the cabinets are not strong enough themselves, you may have to using bracing or extra support to strengthen your cabinets.

With concrete countertops is very important to make sure that your measurements are accurate, especially since you will be building a template. There are two ways to create a template: trace the countertop base on an oversized piece of wood veneer or create a template by connecting strips of wood veneer. The template that you create should be the exact size of the countertop base or cabinet top and not the size of the countertop that will go on it. If you plan on using wood veneer strips, secure the strips to the surface of the cabinet top with the hand stapler. On corners, use a diagonal piece for extra support . If the template is particularly long or wide, add strips for cross supports. Score and snap off ends with the utility knife and square.

As you are building the template, it is important to think about where your seams and countertop overhangs will be positioned. If you have any sections that are going to be than about 7 or 8 feet, they are prone to cracking and can be difficult to move. You can reduce the chances for cracking by incorporating joints or seams in your countertop.

Countertop overhangs and the countertop lip that extends beyond the face of the countertop will add dimension between the face of the concrete and the face of the cabinet as well as prevent things from dripping onto the face of the cabinet. A good rule of thumb is to use a 3/4″ overhang for your countertops.

Clearly mark the locations for the seams on your molds so that the pieces can be easily identified. You should also measure your countertop base again and write these measurements on the template to ensure accuracy. Once your template is complete, it is time to find a place to actually build your mold and pour the concrete. Since the concrete will require time to cure, it is important to pour the countertops in an area with limited exposure to tempurature changes and the weather.

When choosing the material to build your mold, use a material that will allow easy separation from the curing concrete. Once you have the mold built, use bathroom caulking to seal all of the edges of your mold. This will also allow you to slightly round over the edges, rather than having sharp edges and corners.

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I have been remodeling houses and rental properties for over 15 years. I have discovered the secret to saving thousands on kitchen cabinets. Find out my secret to buying wood cabinets at 30-40% below retail.

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