1549 South 300 West Salt Lake City, Utah 84115
Monday to Friday 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM | Saturday by Appointment only
Purchasing new kitchen cabinets is a major investment — it’s not a decision to make lightly. How do you know you’re getting kitchen cabinets that can stand up to the wear and tear of everyday use, but also retain their beauty? It’s a high standard, and only top-tier products will meet your expectations.
Whatever you do, stay away from wood laminate. Fake wood is glued onto particle board and gives the impression of a real wood grain, when in reality, it’s anything but. You’ll find that opting for this cheap product is never worth it. The laminate will easily chip and peel away over time, exposing the crumbling material beneath. You will only have to replace your kitchen cabinets once again.
It’s not enough to purchase kitchen cabinets made with real wood — it matters how those real wood cabinets were made too. Check how the sides of the cabinet drawers were joined together. Do you see staples or nails? If so, don’t waste your money.
You want a cabinet that is solidly joined using dovetailing. It’s a sign of excellent craftsmanship and proof of long-term durability. While this method takes more time and skill, and therefore is more expensive, “you get what you pay for” is true when it comes to cabinet construction. Other joining methods work well also, such as mortise and tenon and glued dowel joints. Talk to the craftsman to learn about their process.
Look at how the cabinet drawers are designed to slide in and out of the frames. Cheap metal and plastic will only warp in time and make opening and closing the drawers difficult. You want your drawers depending on sturdy, strong metal slides with high-quality ball bearings. You want to be able to fully extend each drawer and maybe even enjoy a soft-closing feature.
Quality hardware is essential, not only for function but for looks as well. You don’t want hinges that will rust and break or knobs and handles that will tarnish. Every hardware component, especially the moving pieces, should be well-built with a warranty included.
Shelf thickness is one way to tell a shoddy cabinet design from a quality product. The shelves should be at least three-quarters of an inch thick. If they are five-eighths or half an inch thick and made of crumbly particle board, they will eventually sag under the weight of heavy dishes and potentially break, leaving you with a repair job.
The finish on your cabinets must be top-notch — it’s what makes them stay beautiful for years to come and protect against the wear and tear of regular, everyday use in the kitchen. If the stain is cloudy or the paint hasn’t been sealed properly, it’s not worth your money.
Trust Swirl Woodcraft for excellent craftsman kitchen cabinets you can enjoy and brag about. We take pride in our workmanship and can’t wait to help you redesign your kitchen, the heart of your home.
