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ajdude_101

Cabinet brands! Questions.

Ajdude 101
2 years ago

Hi all. I have a few questions:

  1. What are some good mid to upper mid-range, frameless manufacturers with a lead time of 10 weeks or less?

  2. Who has the best painted finish in that category? Are all manufacturers pretty much the same in this regard? I just want simple white shakers but appreciate good build quality.

  3. A GC I’ve been talking to uses Designer’s Choice Cabinetry. Any experiences? I’ve read some really bad things about them, but perhaps the good experiences aren’t told. I actually own the GC’s old house and can attest to his work and attention to detail, so I kind of trust him.

Thank you!

Comments (52)

  • Ajdude 101
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Thank you. I was thinking about IKEA due to the very affordable price and glowing reviews, with custom panels. But then I read that they have a 1 year wait time on some cabinets?

    Saving money isn’t a top priority. Trying to avoid endless delays. I have most of the new built in appliances sitting in my garage and ready. I really like a good, durable finish.

    My neighbor, who is a GC, works with a local cabinet maker who makes good boxes (I’ve seen his work). I can get these boxes done for a very good price with real American wood. He orders the doors raw and sprays the paint himself so I don’t really know if it’s long lasting though

  • Aglitter
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    Um, spray painting in the garage is probably a no on the "long lasting" part. The industry standard for lifetime warranty on cabinetry is a two-part, post-catalyzed conversion varnish. Virtually all the big manufacturers use this, including the three I recommended above. The best of the best use water-based conversion varnishes like Milesi, Renner, and ICA. To use conversion varnish at home, not only would you need a lot of experience to get the mixture, spraying, and racking right, you would also need a ventilated paint booth and supplied air respirator. Your garage painter is probably using a one-part, solvent-based paint that will yellow within 3 years and chip and crack eventually. If you plan to sell the house soon, go ahead. If this is a forever home, get factory finished products. The only way to know if IKEA is out of stock on what you need is to design your kitchen and check inventory on your required pieces. IKEA inventory was sparse during the early stages of the pandemic, and I haven't heard much about it recently, but I have been into IKEA a few times lately and haven't felt that stock in general seemed low by any means. The one exception to a home paint job is if the painter uses Envirolak. It's a new, Canadian company that is getting everything so right about durable, waterborne finishes, and somehow they've made one-part products with all the durability of the best conversion varnishes.

  • Holli Adams
    2 years ago

    Following. I'm also in search of alternative cabinets to Ikea because of their supply issues.


  • User
    2 years ago

    Ikea has parts that have been unavailable for over a year. In the current environment, no way is Ikea under 10 weeks lead time. NOTHING is, that’s worth having. Only import 5 year or less warranty junk. Even before Covid, most high end cabinets were 12-15 week lead time. These days, its more like 26 weeks.

  • mcarroll16
    2 years ago

    We've placed two separate orders with Columbia Cabinets this year (long and irrelevant story). Last order was placed in December. Both orders arrived in roughly 12 weeks.

  • jemimabean
    2 years ago

    Seconding the Jay Rambo recommendation. They are local to us but have distributors all over. We used them in 2019 and cannot say enough good things about the quality of the cabinets. We got inset shaker and absolutely love them. This house goes on the market in a couple of months, and we’re hoping that the next house that we buy needs a kitchen renovation because we’ve been so spoiled by the Jay Rambo cabinets that we don’t want anything else.

    That said, there’s almost no way they’ll be available in 10 weeks, but it would be worth a call on Monday.

  • A S
    2 years ago

    When I lost my kitchen to a burst pipe last summer each cabinet person that I spoke with said because I needed/ wanted them quick and wanted a pretty standard white shaker to just go with Fabuwood. I can’t speak to Fubuwood quality but know it was the quickest availability and shortest lead time by FAR. I went with Shiloh and waited 17 weeks. I mention them only because you need shorter than 10 weeks and my contractor as he was installing my cabinets made a comment that many people go with Fabuwood which would have been much less than what I paid.

  • Ajdude 101
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    I’ve used Fabuwood for a flip. They seemed decent for the price. I need semi custom and frameless, also need custom matching panels for my integrated fridge, so Fabuwood doesn’t work :/

  • David Chuang
    2 years ago

    Hanssem, Dowell, Ronbow, Coline probably will meet your 10 week requirement at lowest price. Can't vouch for quality though.

  • Aglitter
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    Samsung and maybe a few others are now offering custom colors for refrigerator panels in case that would interest you and open up more cabinetry options. UltraCraft is a default choice for a lot of people specifically looking for mid-range quality and lots of options with modern frameless cabinetry designs. Most UltraCraft kitchens would start around $15K USD, so less than Inovae or Harmoni, but more than IKEA or Fabuwood. You might check with your local ProSource if you have one. They would sell Belmont at wholesale pricing, probably coming in at less than an UltraCraft quote but also lower in terms of quality as well. Belmont does offer some awesome designs and features for modern frameless, though, some of the best in North America in terms of European design at entry-level pricing.

  • Ajdude 101
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    I bought my $12k integrated fridge and it’s sitting in the garage haha 😆 I didn’t think it’d come so soon.

    I stopped at ProSource last Friday and the guy seemed completely disinterested in dealing with me… I already had the kitchen professionally measured and designed so I have an itemized list of everything I need and sizes. He told me it would take 1-2 months just to get pricing and then 4 months lead time for the frameless line.

    Honestly the only place I’ve been to that wasn’t so dismissive was Lowe’s. I got a good price for Modico (Schuler). $29k after 30% off sale and Lowe’s credit card. One of the bids I got from a custom shop was $102k. Locally built boxes with Conestoga doors. $40k in materials, $62k for two days labor. Hilarious. The other GC was at $55k installed but I am not sure about the brand he uses, Designer’s Choice Cabinetry. 8 week lead time on those.

    I can order cabinets myself and have my neighbor help put them in. He is a professional carpenter and does work in extremely expensive homes. It would cost close to nothing to put them in with him… and I know for a fact that he knows what he’s doing.

    Attached is a rough and outdated sketch of what I’m looking to do. Just to get an idea about how many cabinets I’ll need to order

  • Aglitter
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    If you have that kind of budget, get an UltraCraft quote. The thicknesses of materials and manufacturing tolerances are pretty good compared to other frameless brands, and it is still at a mid-range price tier. A quote from a Harmoni dealer would also be good for you. Quality and pricing will be leagues higher with Harmoni than UltraCraft, but you'll have a lot more custom options with Harmoni. That kitchen isn't IKEA material, in my opinion. You have too many specialty items and sizes going on there for that. If you really care about doing this kitchen well, the time limit needs to be expanded or else you'll end up picking the wrong manufacturer. It is just a weird time we are living in with supply and labor issues still affected by the tail end of the pandemic that puts you in the position of needing to be open to longer wait times. Also, be aware that what one company estimates in terms of time may not turn out to be true. I waited 7 months for cabinets that were supposed to be ready in 2 months back in 2020.

  • 4arnottp
    2 years ago

    I would avoid IKEA, not only for the supply issues. Their quality has gone way down in the past year. I bought two things recently- a wall-hung vanity and a standing bookcase-type cabinet. In both cases, Hubbie had to add reinforcements to the thing to make it sturdy, screw holes are off just enough to make assembly difficult, etc. IKEA may have been inexpensive for quality back in the day, but my recent experiences tell me that I would not put thousands into an IKEA kitchen and expect it to last.

  • F L
    2 years ago

    Adornus. Made in South Carolina, frameless,  they have a few different levels,  and 8 to 10 weeks out now.  I can't vouch for quality because mine are coming today, but I hope they are good,  they are semi custom... higher priced than fabuwood but less than omega

  • User
    2 years ago

    Wei Hei Adornus is a Korean company building RTA imports in China, and assembling, not manufacturing, in the US, in various locations, like South Carolina,. They have huge issues with poor quality. Avoid at all costs. You don’t even want to know about the horror tales the design groups share about them.

  • David Chuang
    2 years ago

    Ultracraft has at least a 12 week wait time (6 month from one place) last I heard so it wouldn't be within your time frame

  • Aglitter
    2 years ago

    @User Design groups? Sounds very interesting. So many of these cabinetry companies have few to no independent reviews around the general web.

  • Holli Adams
    2 years ago

    At our local Lowes, I was told Shenandoah Cabinetry is only 5-6 weeks out.

  • User
    2 years ago

    Shenendoah is framed builder grade ick. Not even close to something like Pogghenpohl or Scavolini, which is what the OP really wants but won’t bring themselves to do.

  • F L
    2 years ago

    Btw our adornus cabs are going in, they are very heavy, excellent construction and look amazing. The installers and gc are super impressed. I got the highest line, and it's laminate. So idk if verbo has  personal experience or is just making quick judgment on the word 'china',, but so far I'm very relieved and happy seeing the actual product and how it's working. Also, I can't find anywhere that it's made in China but I can take your word for it, I just don't think it has to mean automatically that it's junk. excellent drawer contruction, and really look and feel very sturdy and well made. Customer service was excellent as well.

  • F L
    2 years ago

    Btw our adornus cabs are going in, they are very heavy, excellent construction and look amazing. The installers and gc are super impressed. I got the highest line, and it's laminate. So idk if verbo has  personal experience or is just making quick judgment on the word 'china',, but so far I'm very relieved and happy seeing the actual product and how it's working. Also, I can't find anywhere that it's made in China but I can take your word for it, I just don't think it has to mean automatically that it's junk. excellent drawer contruction, and really look and feel very sturdy and well made. Customer service was excellent as well.

  • Aglitter
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    I don't know one thing about the supposedly offshore brand in question here, but I will say that when it comes to laminated cabinetry, a common style for frameless, that the manner and quality of lamination makes a huge difference in longevity. More expensive brands like Harmoni have ways of sealing the edging to prevent water damage and swelling/cracking over time, while less expensive brands (UltraCraft being one of them, I believe) don't seem to be immune from plenty of reviews by unhappy customers who have had edging separation after several years of wear. I'm glad the cabinets look great at install, as that is definitely a hurdle that some don't even get across, but to really judge quality, we'd need you to check back in after about three years and tell us how the edging is doing.

  • F L
    2 years ago

    Yes I am concerned about that....I guess we will see!

  • User
    2 years ago

    Never miss a chance to shill for your cheap framed imports that do not even fill the OP’s desired look do you? That’s called SPAM.

  • Ajdude 101
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Yeah I’m looking for frameless and the ability to make a custom panel. I was just told that Designer’s Choice Cabinetry, part of Essential Cabinetry Group is now at a 5 week lead time. The specs seem pretty good. 3/4in plywood (not sure from where), solid wood drawers, Blum hardware, etc. I got a two year old painted door sample, the finish seems nice and hard, no cracking at the seams, no scratches. How do I test it to see if it has a conversion varnish? Verbo, any experience with this cabinet brand?

  • artistsharonva
    2 years ago

    My post in not spam. I was trying to help the OP find an alternative solution of nice full overlay cabinets that are a good mid to upper mid-range with a lead time of 10 weeks or less. J&K are not cheap cabinets. Period. I know from years of experience they are great. I have many repeat clients who have them in their kitchens for 10+ years & have held up well. I have seen the cabinets in person, my contractor friends like them, & have some in their house & mine. I also use Thomasville & custom made. I never use thermofoil, furniture grade, cheap cabinets or suggest them.

  • PRO
    Kristin Petro Interiors, Inc.
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    I have used J&K in the past, but there is no way that the OP's kitchen can be accomplished using it without significant redesign. There are way too many limitations in their catalog. Like IKEA, they are a stock line and while I think they are good quality for their price point, they are about 75-80% less in cost than quality custom or semi-custom lines (so in that regard, yes, they are "cheap").

    @Ajdude 101 I would think anything with a 5-week lead time will be a stock cabinet, so before you commit, I would have them show you the new design of your kitchen with these cabinets. You may have significant compromises to make in the design to get cabinets so quickly. Most semi-custom lines I work with are between 16-24 weeks after the final order has been approved.

  • Aglitter
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    The OP seems to be leaning toward Designer's Choice, and so as a favor, I looked at some independent reviews from a website that was helpful to me during my own renovation research. Right now, this website hosts 21, 1-star reviews of highly dissatisfied customers for this brand. If you want a high risk of improperly sized parts, difficult to no warranty fulfillment, cabinets falling apart within a year, and several other headaches, definitely go with this company. Be wary of the few glowing, 5-star reviews that could possibly be fabricated by dealers or others who stand to profit from sales. See more here: https://www.kitchenreviews.com/cabinets/reviews/designers-choice/

    Then, heading on over to the actual Designer Choice website, we learn that the cabinets are made of plywood and particle board. Particle board, seriously? The company could still be cheap but at least have the dignity to upgrade to MDF. MDF has a hard time holding screws, particle board even less so, but if the particle board gets wet, you can say goodbye to your cabinetry, so you'd far rather have MDF in a kitchen than any particle board. MDF holds up even better than plywood in moisture, but plywood holds screws better. MDF is often used in slab doors to prevent warping, but you won't get any MDF with Designer's Choice! Moving on to the finish, Designer's Choice rough-sands the wood parts and coats them once. My wood cabinets were finished with 4 coats. Luxury cabinets may have over 20 finishing steps. This isn't a great start for Designer's Choice in terms of a durable finish. No mention of conversion varnish is given, and based on dismal reviews of early finish failure, I suspect the finish is not conversion varnish. Read more here: http://dccabinetry.com/about/

  • User
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    Thomasville cabinets are exclusive to Home Cheapo. Which would explain a LOT.

  • artistsharonva
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    @Verbo Thomasville are nice cabinets. Just because HD sells them does not mean they are cheap or cheaply made. HD sells all type of stuff from low to high grade from many manufactures. One of my homes has Thomasville for over 20+ years & they still look new.

    I have many clients with different budgets. Some want to do their mansions with custom & budget is not a concern, some want to do their kitchens or bathrooms with a % of what their house is worth to stay within a reasonable resale ROI, some want to remodel their forever home & will splurge, some are just rentals.

    My family of several generations & I are licensed & skilled in many trades of the construction/remodeling business. We also do residential & commercial land & we're slammed. We got the best subs according to their speciality. We get the jobs done well according to the client's wants & what they are preferring to spend.

    The only reason I am on Houzz is because I love design & what I do. I enjoy talking about design, sharing ideas, & helping others with their design questions.

    Why are you on Houzz?

    Do you work in the field of remodeling? Designing? What's your speciality?

    You keep saying everything I suggest is cheap, so what's your definition of cheap when it comes to cabinets?

    What cabinets do you use or suggest to your clients?

    What's the general budget your clients are wiling to spend on cabinets?

  • F L
    2 years ago

    Ya I was going to say and provide links that the company verbo decided is 'Chinese' very clearly states made in US, provides addresses and video footage if the cabinets being made from scratch by decidedly and clearly Americans... so not sure where he/she made up 'cheap and Chinese and also where he/she came up with adding 'Wei hei' to the name adornus. The world wide web says otherwise, only verbo knows this secret conspiracy? I was just going to let it ride, but at the end,  I think adornus is a great option,  I can't speak for longevity, but it looks really solid, definitely stays American made and built, and they have other options besides laminate as well. And it's frameless. And the lead time is doable. So for some its a solid option, no need to create rumors to makign every cab company tou potentially never heard of or worked with. ,

  • F L
    2 years ago

    Again, I can't speak for it's longevity and uktimate quality. I just wonder where verbo gets his/her info from and I think if you make a statement,  you need to back it up if others are listening to your advice.  Show your credentials and/or provide proof to back your statements.

  • artistsharonva
    2 years ago

    @F L, Well said. Good point for people looking for advice on Houzz.


    There are opinions & then there is advice.

    An opinion is just an opinion, & everyone has one.

    It's ok to voice an opinion but hopefully readers know when it's just an opinion.

    Good advice is backed by experience, proof, & information that can be researched further.

  • User
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    ANYONE actually IN in the industry knows all about them being imported. Its never tried to be hidden, up until a few years ago. Assembled in the US is not manufactured in the US.

    https://www.importgenius.com/importers/adornus-cabinetry-llc

    https://import.report/company/Weihai-Adornus-Cabinetry

    https://www.volza.com/us-importers/adornus-cabinetry-llc-3475.aspx

    Also, anyone experienced IN the industry who isnt self serving also knows that Thomasville cabinets are just one of a 4 point name of a Masterbrand line, encumbered by the poor environment and poor abilities of a box store designer. Sold elsewhere, with *far better* design, and *far better* pricing. Some of us have even toured the actual manufacturing plant, and *many* other cabinet plants, both flat pack assemblers, and genuine production plants, over 34 years in the business. And some if us actually understand all aspects of cabinet building, both by an individual maker, and a production line. We know the shortcuts that can be taken.


    A kitchen of the level the OP envisions will not be accomplished quickly, or cheaply, or with stock level products. And certainly not within any framed cabinet line. The OP really wants a high end Euro product, but wants to cheap out on the process to get one. Which will only result in an expensive failure, needing to be redone before its even finished the first time.

  • F L
    2 years ago

    Great, there you go, you provided backup and information. Now we can make more informed decisions. Thank you. Personally it doesn't scare me, I've been using Chinese products all my life, but maybe those with higher or different standards will appreciate your information. It comes off better and more helpful with useful information (and with little added effort, once you are already commenting anyway.)

    Scary though how well the website cover that up, they even have a video of the manufacturing process, definitely not only assembly,  with American workers. And clearly states American made and built.

  • artistsharonva
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    @Verbo You obviously know some things in the industry, but you are very bias. What I don't understand is your assumptions & accusations of my intentions of posting. You have accused me of being self serving & spam. That is incorrect due to the fact, I did not offer my services or try to sell anyone anything. I just posted some info & links so the OP could look into other options. Your tone has been very rude to me. Your rudeness is very unattractive & unprofessional. In my opinion, a real Pro is respectful to others. You have a lot to learn on how to treat others.

    My apologies to the OP for going off the subject. I had to address Verbo's bully behavior towards me, due to his incorrect asssumptions & accusations.

    Peace & happiness to all, except Verbo...(lol)

  • Ajdude 101
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Verbo, I don’t want to “cheap out”. I certainly don’t want to be ripped off either. In my market, SW Florida, there are many older wealthy individuals that seem to enjoy getting ripped off. The local cabinet dealers are so overloaded with work, that they just give insane quotes. One quote I received, was $10k to just remove my old cabinets, $12,000 to just MOVE 4 outlets, no they don’t need to upgrade the panel or anything, just move outlets. LED strips on upper cabinets $7,000. Just pure comedy.

    Some local shops take two months to just get a price. Lowes? 3 hours. $28k for Modico frameless cabinets by Schuler. Decent quality according to some. I can have them installed by my neighbor (contractor) and his carpenter for nearly nothing. Only problem is the 15-20 week lead time. So I found Merillat Masterpiece, a frameless line with decent reviews. 6-8 week lead time. No one in my area carries them.

    The Designer’s Choice Cabinetry brand has a decent finish, I took a door sample home and rubbed some acetone on it, pressed on it with my fingernail, and it held up well. It has a conversion varnish. It likely is built with Chinese plywood, I guess I can ask or look up their import data. Uses Blum, specs are all what you’d expect with a mid range line. There are no display cabinet boxes at any dealer I’ve been to, which is suspicious. I’m trying to find out the reveal, or gap between the door faces. I’ve seen some pictures of the frameless and they don’t seem tight, especially when two boxes are next to each other

  • PRO
    Kristin Petro Interiors, Inc.
    2 years ago

    Be prepared that a 6-8 week lead time can double after you have placed your order. It's been commonplace lately for manufacturers to over promise and under deliver just to get the sale. Is there a reason you absolutely need these cabinets so quickly? It seems to me that if you extend your timeline, you will have many more quality options from which to select. It's a crazy market as you are finding out and trying to force a quick result might cause a lot of headaches.

    Also, Blum has been hard to get lately so before you place your order, make sure they guarantee they will use it.

  • User
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    If you really wanted that 175-200K level of project that your appliances say you do, you wouldnt even be looking at cheap crappy stock lines. Or box stores. You’d be headed straight to the Poggenpohl studio. Not putting 60K of rims and a chrome paint job on a rusty 2000 Parisienne. https://www.floridacabinets.com/

  • Ajdude 101
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Verbo, you’re starting to sound like one of those chat robots. The cumulative cost of the appliances I ordered is $23k. Dacor Integrated fridge, the rest is Monogram and a Miele dishwasher. My neighbor, with the same house has a $37k fridge (Subzero) and all Wolf appliances. His cabinet boxes are particleboard lol. So I think a mid tier MasterBrand/CabinetWorks product is justified. Sure let me put in $200k shakers though. I can afford it, but it’s not justifiable at all. Weird cabinet elitist, sheesh

  • User
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    Youre gonna rethink elitist when those built in panels and reveals just do not work because the cabinet seller is basicly clueless. And 34 weeks later, it still isnt even half done because you’re waiting on replacements for all of the mistakes. I’m also talking total project level, not just the 70K worth of cabinets.




  • Aglitter
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    @Ajdude 101 Please don't miss my comment way back about reviews for Designer's Choice. Chemical resistance is one thing, Parts, warranty, tolerances, cracking and chipping of the finish and other issues are their own categories and are addressed in available reviews. Blum hardware is great, but a lot of companies use that. Some companies even advertise Blum and then switch to lower-priced hardware along the way which is what KraftMaid has done. Schuler gets a lot of good reviews but also some very poor ones. Schuler is just Medallion sold under a different name at Lowe's and has had some finish issues in recent years that the company was reluctant to address under warranty for some customers, again according to multiple reviews. Do what you want, and if you make the decision to not read reviews, then just be aware you are taking risks. Some people have even found that the quality of samples varies from the final, delivered product. Availing yourself of a wide cross section of information about any brand will give you the best picture of what to expect. Do you know if the varnish is pre-cat or post-cat, for instance? Longevity between the two may vary. Do you know if the varnish is solvent-based or waterborne? You could see yellowing of the whites in a few years if it is solvent-based. Reviews will sometimes clue you in on things that product sheets will not.

    In terms of Chinese or other cabinetry produced outside of North America, be aware that the biggest issue consumers may face is the formaldehyde content of the wood that can offgas into residential breathing space and cause health issues, a known risk with Chinese lumber. Chemical content is supposedly more closely regulated for products originating in North America than for imports, and people with very sensitive allergies can even order cabinetry from companies here that specialize in guaranteed non-toxic lumber. As Verbo said, assembled in the USA is different from 100% produced in the USA, and some companies are deliberately vague in marketing the products' origins.

    The fact that quotes are taking so long in this economy comes as a surprise to many renovators. Based on my own recent experience, I would recommend planning to allow six months to receive all relevant cabinetry quotes, and that is with already knowing your precise layout.

  • Ajdude 101
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Aglitter, I don’t know if there is a bug in the app, but a portion of your post shows in my email but then disappears after I view it one time in the app. It’s so odd and only happens with your posts. One of your first posts took a day to show up again.

    I’m leaning away from DC. How is Ultracraft? Also, how about locally made plywood cabinets (not crap, I assure you) with Conestoga drawer boxes and doors? I’m not expecting the best of the best. Just something decent

  • David Chuang
    2 years ago

    @Ajdude 101 Sorry for changing topic but how did you decide on dacor integrated fridge? I am looking at fridges myself right now. Deciding between that, Thermador, and Lieberr.


    I went thru a similar process as you did and in the end decided to wait and get a better quality cabinet. The fact everything was being delayed helped with that decision. Porcelanosa has a 40% sale coming out soon so worth checking out if you can wait.

  • Ajdude 101
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    David, I originally wanted the Monogram columns with the cool LED glass shelving, but heard of horror stories about 1 year waits. I liked the Liebherr, they are more readily available and are a bit cheaper too. I couldn’t find any reviews online though, and was afraid that it’d be tough to service them. The Dacor DRF427500AP had no availability issues, my mom had a higher end Samsung fridge for a very long time with no issues (Dacor was bought out by Samsung), I haven’t really heard of any issues on this model, can’t find any complaints. I got the quad door one, not the columns. It has cameras inside so I can be at like Costco and see if I need milk and stuff. Kinda cool. It’s all stainless steel inside. Nice diffused LED. Saved quite a bit over the columns, but it’s smaller.

  • Ajdude 101
    Original Author
    2 years ago

    Aglitter, your comment is finally showing up on my screen. Good news. Designer’s Choice is out. I found a store with a display, it’s kinda meh. Nice for a laundry room. Also got a quote back from the local custom cabinet maker. 100% American plywood, 3/4in. He orders the drawer boxes and doors from Conestoga. He’s half the price of my lowest kitchen quote, installed. Let me know what you think! Thanks :)

  • artistsharonva
    2 years ago

    @Ajdude 101, that's good news you found a custom cabinet maker. Were you able to see his work on display yet? Hopefully he has somewhere you can see his work.


    As for the doors. I highly suggest paying for a sample door (a chip is not good enough) to see the quality & color beforehand. When you get the sample, ask someone to cut it in half to inspect what is truly made of. Also take a piece of metal like a fork or paper clip & try to scratch it. Also hit it with something to see how it handles dents. Note factory painted cabinets surfaces usually hold up better to the scratch test vs the stain finishes. That's normal. I also have a formaldehyde tester I use. ( You can buy a decent one for about $150. You should also test wood flooring for gasses before ordering) I will order 1 whole cabinet & assemble it. I set the tester in it for a week or so & wrap it in plastic tight, to make sure it is safe. It's usually the mdf or particle boards that set off the alarm. I think it's because of the glue they use. I do all of these tests for my clients before I ever order cabinets from a new supplier. I know it's kind of overkill, but I care about my clients & people trust what I suggest, because I do all these tests. I won't even do a job, unless it passes my tests. I have found so many misleading brochures & junk out there. I have also found there are some really nice cabinets from factories here & abroad, but there's a lot of junk out there so doing your own due diligence is very important. Cabinets are a big investment ,so it's so worth getting a sample & testing it hard for quality & durability so you can buy in confidence.



    About Conestoga Doors. they have different materials to choose from. Choose your favorite with your cabinet maker & get a sample & in writing your choice of material before you sign any contracts or orders.

    Even on their website Conesogawood states " We recommend ordering a sample door or sample chip for a color match before ordering a complete project." https://www.conestogawood.com/species-finishes-alternative-surfaces.html

  • Aglitter
    2 years ago
    last modified: 2 years ago

    I got custom-made cabinets from a local builder, but I am finishing them myself with post-catalyzed, 2-part, waterborne conversion varnish. It has been one of the biggest headaches of my life and dragged my project out seemingly forever. If I had it to do over, I would have gotten Jay Rambo or Plato Woodworking cabinetry (high-end quality for mid-range pricing) and been done with the project long ago. The big issue you face with a custom builder is how the cabinetry will be finished. Factory finishes are generally preferred because larger factories have the space and equipment to do sprayed conversion varnish. A good company will offer a lifetime warranty on finish. You'll be doing good to get a 3-year warranty from your local builder on finish, and a professional repainting job after the cabinets are installed could easily run $7K USD or more when you become unhappy with early finish wear. Neither a custom builder nor a pro refinisher are usually doing post-catalyzed conversion varnish finishes, the industry standard for lifetime warranty.

  • Vanessa King
    last year

    @artistsharonva can you recommend some good quality cabinets in the mid to high price range? Thank you.

  • Aglitter
    last year

    You will need to provide a little more information @Vanessa King get good referrals. For instance, do you want framed wood painted cabinetry? Then William Ohs. Do you want frameless MDF with closed-edge laminate? Then Bentwood Kitchens. Do you want clear coated natural wood with excellent grain and color match? Then Jay Rambo. Do you want quartersawn white oak, maple, or cherry in a framed style to resist warpage on a coastal or humid environment? Then Kennebec. Do you want stainless steel? Then St. Charles. Also, when you say mid- to upper-range prices, you do realize that mid-range cabinetry can easily start at $50K USD for about 12 cabinets and upper range starts at $100K for a relatively small kitchen, right?