I’m planning my kitchen remodel and was considering using rta cabinets. I’m looking at face frame cabinets with inset doors and drawers. My options look to be Conestoga cabinets from the Cabinet Authority or a combination of cabinets from Scherrs and face frames from Walzcraft.
My preference would be to use Conestoga, as they’ll build the entire cabinet – box and face frame. My only concern is that the Conestoga boxes are 1/2″ vs 3/4″ for Scherrs. Is 1/2″ normal? Is 3/4″ better?
Thanks
Matt
Replies
1/2" and 3/4" what?
Plywood is much better than particle board.
Hard work is damn near as overrated as monogamy.
- Huey Long
Plywood, either 1/2" or 3/4". The Kitchen/bath issue of Fine Home building shows most of the cabinets (from of the shelf to custom) as being 1/2" . My concern with using two suppliers (Scherrs and Waltzcraft) is having the frame and box fit correctly.
1/2" is the standard. No advantage (that I know of) to 3/4", may be to do with their method of joinery.After rereadin' your post, I picked up on "inset doors and drawers" -
those are the hardest kind of cabs to get right. What is your skill level?
Hard work is damn near as overrated as monogamy.
- Huey Long
Hi Mike,I've built face frame cabinets before (drawers and doors included). Fitting the doors and fronts shouldn't be a problem. The Scherr's cabinets are listed as 3/4". 1/2" seems rather flimsy. It also looks like someone had a problem with Conestoga .
Matt:
My experience with Conestoga Cabinets purchased through kitchencabinetsystems.com was an absolute disaster. The cabinets are rather flimsy and I am really glad that I did not choose to use them. I cannot recommend either the cabinets nor the seller. Perhaps things have improved by now or you will have better luck than I did.
I was going to use these cabinets for an entire kitchen. I decided to try just two cabinets for use in the laundry room. The order was placed on November 6, 2006. I finally gave up getting these and other problems resolved that manifested themselves throughout the "adjustment" process that ended (since I gave up) on February 6, 2007.
Here is first of many emails that I sent in an attempt to get the shipping and manufacturing problems resolved -
Here is the next exchange when the replacement pieces arrived -
Edited 3/23/2009 5:11 pm by homohabilis
Edited 3/23/2009 5:18 pm by homohabilis
Most RTA cabinets are frameless. If your using full overlay fronts don't bother with face frames, they only make the access to the cabinet smaller.
If you have an IKEA near you, you could use their boxes and get doors from Walzcraft. No kidding the slides are great from Blum, hinges are Blum, soft close on every thing (only 1 soft close per door is needed).
Plywood is lighter and will last longer when getting wet but thats about it over particle board.
I just re-read. From walzcraft you could attach the inset fronts to the cabinets with pocket screws from the cabinet. Just place where they would be hidden. Make the inside of the frame match the inside of the cabinet so you can use standard hardwear from Blum for the hinges.
I would make my own boxes, its not hard to do!