It may seem like a good deal, and they may even look good on the surface, but cheap kitchen cabinets are something you should inspect very closely before installing them in your kitchen. First, the material is often very fragile under its veneer, usually some kind of laminate or substance like fiber board or particle board, which is more or less synthetic wood. It’s not nearly as strong as the real thing, even when the cheap kitchen cabinets are made of real wood.
Unfortunately, the problems do not stop at the material. Drawers are often poorly fitted, meaning they are either difficult to open or do not open and close smoothly. They are often built on substandard plastic rails, rather than metal extensions. Have you ever heard a squeaky, creaky kitchen hinge, either in your kitchen or someone else’s? That’s a sign of cheap kitchen cabinets.
It is natural to hunt for a bargain. Getting a good deal that fits your budget is always a pleasant experience. Investing in cheap kitchen cabinets, however, will cost you more money in the end than it saved you in the beginning. They start to wear out in a short time, and you will have to either repair them or replace them completely, much sooner than you thought you would have to do it.
The following are some alternatives to cheap kitchen cabinets. They’re cheap, so they’ll save you some money, but they also won’t fall apart on you in a few months.
1. Buy them unfinished: Have you done a little remodeling in your time? Or would you like to start now? A little bit of staining and painting can turn some unfinished cabinets into beautiful additions to your kitchen at low cost. The cabinets themselves are well made and just need that added color to make them look as good as they feel. Since you get them unpainted or unstained, you can make them any color you want to match your personal decor. You can also get them cheaper. If you are up to install them yourself, that’s another big cost savings. Read more about unfinished kitchen cabinets.
2. Use them: This is often a better option than getting brand new cheap ones. Such cabinets can be custom made, often from strong solid wood, so they will last you a long time. Since they were custom made, they may have special features that are hard to find otherwise, such as baskets, special hardware, Lazy Susans and others. Look around or try the Internet to see if anyone wants to give up their kitchen cabinets. People who are in the process of moving or remodeling are often happy with the extra money they will get by selling their kitchen cabinets to someone else. You’ll help them pay their own expenses while saving you some money, by having quality kitchen cabinets for a fraction of the cost. Read more about used kitchen cabinets.
3. Keep it simple: Try to get kitchen cabinets free of all the options that kitchen cabinets can have. Avoid things like glass doors, turntables, corner pieces and the like, and you’ll see prices start to drop.
4. Import them: Some kitchen cabinets are not cheap because they are poorly made, but because they are made in a country where their manufacturing cost is much lower, such as China. The wood is collected locally and then shipped to China, where they can build it at a low cost, which is then passed on to the buyer.
5. Buy them RTA (ready to collect): The labor cost associated with assembling the cabinets is not included, as you will be doing the assembly, which means you save a lot of money. Since they can be packed more easily than an assembled cabinet, they are cheaper and more efficient to ship as well. Those of you who enjoy putting things together will love RTA kitchen cabinets. Read more about RTA kitchen cabinets.
6. Get them at a discount: This is not the same as cheap kitchen cabinets. There are actually some kitchen cabinets that are sold cheaply but are still well made. These are usually stock cabinets that have been made for display. Discontinued models also often sell for a lower price than newer cabinets. Cabinets that are slightly damaged in some way that is largely unnoticed will also sell at a reduced price. Read more about discount kitchen cabinets.
7. Go independent: A kitchen cabinet does not have to be a brand name product. That name or logo associated with your cabinet can raise the price significantly. Visit an independent store to see if they have anything that doesn’t carry an expensive brand name. Sometimes you can get up to 20% off the price of some of the most popular brands.
8. Build them yourself: Woodworkers and other handymen can get the kitchen cabinets of their dreams by building them themselves. It will take some time, but you will get the look you want just for the cost of the materials. If you have the tools and experience, this may be the best option of all.
