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We are building a new house and the cabinet maker has given us a choice that we are wrestling with. 1.Use solid wood (cherry) for the kitchen cabinets or 2.Use a cherry veneer over MDF. He said the veneer would look better and be more stable, but we wanted a second opinion.
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Replies
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Johnny,
Without knowing if you're talking about the doors, face frames, carcasses, or style of doors, I don't hesitate to say solid wood for the doors and face frames. This has stood the test of time. I don't agree that the veneer would look better. It might look more even in grain, texture, and color but that's not better in my opinion. It would look like, well, veneer. As far as stability is concerned, I don't very often see problems with that in a kitchen situation. The panels in the doors are normally on a small enough scale to not be affected detrimentally very much by the temperature and humidity changes inside a conditioned living space.
You may a good choice with cherry. My new kitchen will also have cherry cabinets, shaker style inset doors and plywood boxes. What is your door style?
Of course, this is JMHO.
Have fun in the building process.
Red dog
*Johnny, I would agree with Red Dog,solid cherry on the face frames and doors, plywood with cherry veneer on the boxes.I think wood holds up better to normal wear and tear. Also it can be refinshed if the need arises. Here's one I did a year or two ago.Vince
*I pretty much agree with everyone, solid wood faceframes and raised panel doors and plywood on the finished ends. Or you can use raised panels on the ends to match the doors.Hey Vince, that's a really nice looking kitchen. Chuck
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Red Dog,
My apologies for not being more specific. The door style we are using is shaker. The cabinet maker was suggesting using veneer on the door panels and solid wood on the face frames. Thanks for the help!
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Thanks Chuck,I appreciate that very much.Vince
*"Shaker" usually means flat panel doors, not raised, at least it does with my door suppliers. If so, veneered MDF is a premium product, and will do very well.Tried to look at your kitchen, Vincent, but Breaktime beat me into submission. maybe tomorrow it will load up.
*Cherry cabinets are nice, wish I could have them but my budget doesnt allow for it. I really like the idea of solid surfacing counter tops. But they also are expensive. A alternate is the sprayon solid surfacing. Looking now at a product called Granicoat made by Safas Corp. I am wondering how durable and if it really looks just like say Corian or natural gra
*Veneered mdf or plywood would be fine for the flat panel in a "shaker" style door IMO.Chuck
*I lost the ability to "see" Adrian's post (stuck on this page) but, if I remember, we're of the same mindset.I'd always recommend solid wood for face frames and for door/drawer front stiles and rails. MDF or veneered products can get dinged a bit too easily, plus fastener holding ability leaves a bit to be desired.Carcasses are what sheet goods were made for. I do prefer a ply instead of an MDF core around water, though.Your shaker-style panels will be flat, thus a great opportnity to use a veneered product. It's the perfect application. For raised panels I'd want solid wood panels.Vince, I'll try to view your pics another day, when the server is less tempermental...Nice choice on the cherry, Johnny.
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Chiming in with my two-cents worth... bear in mind your budget in the veneer vs. solid argument...And also remember that cherry veneer is, in fact, real wood, not some cheap imitation. Veneer may be damaged a little easier, but with an Xacto blade, some leftover veneer and some patience, future dings can also be repaired fairly quickly too. I side with veneer for it's book-matching abilities... very attractive when it comes to rows or stacks of cabinets, but would also go with the solid face frames on nearly all my casework. A combination of the two is frequently the best solution... and don't forget that budget thing!
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Nice Cabinetry Vince, quality craftsmanship I'd say. MDM.
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Take a look at the First Annual K & B issue by FH. It has a
great article on Cabinets- Materials and construction. As
always you usually get what you pay for. I install about 40
Rutt kitchens and 20 Plain & Fancy kitchens a year. They
beat out even the more expensive ( hard to find much more
expensive) cabinets for fit and fini
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Man, that is one fine lookin' kitchen Vince. You finish those cabinets yourself, or send them out? I love those glass doors. Are they true divided? Not much there for rails and stiles, what kind of joints you use there? Very nice.
*Jim , I didn't mean to misrepresent what I did in that Kitchen. Those are "stock" cabinets. I did the reno in the room and installed all cabinets and trim.The cabinets are solid cherry doors and face frames with plywood boxes and veneers.Vince
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We are building a new house and the cabinet maker has given us a choice that we are wrestling with. 1.Use solid wood (cherry) for the kitchen cabinets or 2.Use a cherry veneer over MDF. He said the veneer would look better and be more stable, but we wanted a second opinion.