When building a home or planning your kitchen cabinets remodel, the first thing that comes to your mind is what type of kitchen cabinets are best.
Cabinets take up as much as 40% of your total kitchen renovation costs and serve as the focal point of the room. With all the options around, finishes, and configurations available, it is very easy to get overwhelmed while looking for the best kitchen cabinet materials.
If you choose the wrong setup, you’re stuck with peeling doors, sagging shelves, or an appearance that becomes dated in a matter of a few years. SoCal Renovations suggests that the key to creating a room you’ll love is achieving the right balance of daily durability, beautiful design, and your target budget.
Best kitchen cabinet Materials, Styles, and Smart Comparisons
In order to get the absolute best fit for your home, you should know the best kitchen cabinet materials, appearance, and comparisons of various cabinets.
1. Best Kitchen Cabinets Materials
The quality of your cabinets depends on the underlying material:
- Solid Wood.
Wood from trees, such as oak, maple, and cherry, provides lovely natural grain, a high-quality finish, and can be sanded and refinished over the years.
- Plywood.
Glued layers of wood that are resistant to moisture and have a tight grip on screws are used in high-grade plywood.
- MDF (Medium-Density Fiberboard):
The best option for painted finishes. It is susceptible to deep water damage when unsealed but has an ultra-smooth surface with no grain lines.
The modern kitchen cabinet style versus the Shaker design.
Modern Kitchen Cabinets Style VS Shaker Design
The profile of the door will define the whole look of your kitchen:
- Shaker Kitchen Cabinets Design:
Shaker doors are built of a simple 4-piece frame with a recessed center panel. They are an excellent way to fit traditional and modern homes together, and they are easy to clean up. This look never goes out of style and is the most popular style available.
- Modern Kitchen Cabinets Styles:
For a clean and simple look, modern styles have flat-panel (or “slab”) doors. These doors can provide a fully smooth surface, sometimes without any handles, and rely on a finger pull or touch-to-open latch.
Kitchen Cabinet Types Comparison
Knowing the kitchen cabinets construction will aid in getting the most out of your cabinet space:
- Framed Cabinets:
Cabinets with doors that are attached to a wooden front frame are a traditional style in the United States. This provides a structure but makes the drawers slightly shallower.
- Frameless (European) Cabinets:
These kitchen cabinets have no front face frame and provide a more streamlined appearance. They offer the greatest possible interior storage and access to drawers.
| Cabinet Type | Key Advantage | Best Suited For |
| Framed Cabinets | Maximum Sturdiness | Traditional Layouts |
| Frameless Cabinets | Extra Storage Space | Modern Layouts |
Simple, contemporary kitchens are achieved with these frameless designs that offer 10-15% additional storage space.
Affordable Kitchen Cabinet Ideas for Your Home
Spending a lot of money is not necessary to obtain a high-end appearance. Here are some cost-saving ideas:
- Stock Cabinets:
Purchase ready-made, mass-produced cabinets that are available in standard sizes, which will save thousands of man-hours in custom labor.
- Open Shelving:
Take some of the top shelves off of the cabinets and use thick wooden floating shelves. This reduces the price of materials and helps to make a small kitchen look larger.
- Refacing:
When cabinets need a facelift and are sound and sturdy, you can just go buy new drawer fronts and doors to give them a new face for half the price.
Choosing Your Perfect Match: The Heart of Your Kitchen Remodel
The type of kitchen cabinet you choose greatly depends on your lifestyle, household size, and your home ownership plans. Highly resilient, easy-to-wipe Shaker cabinets that are solid wood or plywood are essential for a busy family with young children.
For homeowners looking to sell their home, MDF cabinets with flat panels provide the greatest return on investment. Analyze the way you cook and your budget. Try out materials in a local kitchen showroom or get a 3D layout drawing so you can see what your favorite materials will look like in your home.
Conclusion
When it comes to selecting the best kitchen cabinets, it’s all about a combination of strength and style. The right core material, a versatile door style such as Shaker or modern slab, and the correct construction types to the storage requirements, will produce a beautiful kitchen that lasts.
Don’t make a decision solely on the basis of appearance. Put your money towards good cabinets that are within your price range right now, and you’ll have a great kitchen that will serve you well for years to come.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which of the two (plywood or solid wood cabinets) will hold up longer?
Good quality plywood cabinets actually have a higher resistance to humidity than solid wood cabinets and are therefore perfect for kitchen areas where there is humidity.
Why are Shaker cabinets popular?
The beauty of Shaker cabinets is that they are simple and clean, making them the ideal choice for any home. They also have a very high resale value as they never go out of fashion.
What is the disadvantage of MDF kitchen cabinets?
The major disadvantage of MDF is that once water penetrates the painted protective layer, it will absorb water like a sponge, swell, and cannot be repaired.
Can modern flat-panel style cabinets be used together with Shaker-style cabinets?
Yes. For many homeowners, two-tone designs are the way to go, with modern flat-panel cabinets on the bottom islands and classic Shaker cabinets on the perimeter walls, making a gorgeous layered effect.
How to determine if a cabinet is well-made?
Check for dovetail joints on the drawers (interlocking wooden teeth), soft-close hinges, and 3/4″ or thicker non-sagging shelves.