For some, knowing the parts of a kitchen cabinet may not be necessary. However, others prefer to know these little details, so the next time they have their kitchen cabinets built or repair their existing ones, they know what materials they should be looking for their cabinets. Arming yourself with this information is also an excellent way to ensure that your cabinet installer is not using your lack of knowledge against you.
Kitchen Cabinet Parts
Cabinet Face Frame
The face frame is the cabinet’s source of stability. It is the part that maintains the shape of the cabinet box, particularly during the shipping and installation process.
Doors and Drawer Fronts
The first things that would stand out in your kitchen cabinet are your doors and drawer fronts. For this reason, homeowners always go for stylish cabinet doors and handles. Some even consider having their kitchen cabinet doors refaced regularly to update their style. While others prefer to go classic and choose solid hardwood for their cabinet doors. Depending on your kitchen style, you can choose from a wide variety of cabinet door styles – solid, cathedral, or arch or some of the popular ones.
Cabinet Door Hinge
Hinges are necessary to allow you to keep your cabinet doors from doing its job. Hinges are one of the best investments you should make when it comes to remodeling your kitchen cabinets. You have to get high-quality ones because they will be used thousands of times during its lifetime. It is also best to get hinges that you can install concealed, so they don’t become an eyesore. Also, get the ones that feature a soft closing mechanism to minimize damage to cabinet doors.
Drawer Glides
The drawer glides are one of the parts of your kitchen cabinet that makes your drawers open and close with ease. Your choice of drawer glides will depend on your requirements. For example, you are assigning one drawer to hold flatware. If you have 20 pounds of flatware, you should get a drawer glide that can hold at least 75 pounds because you also have to account for the weight of the drawer.
Drawer Boxes
The drawer box is the one that will house your drawer. It often comes in solid hardwood. The thickness depends on your preference and requirements. It is one of the crucial parts that you have to consider when you are doing a kitchen cabinet remodel. Poorly made cabinet boxes often have drawer bottoms and joints that fail.
Cabinet Shelving
One of the most flexible parts of a kitchen cabinet is the shelving. You can customize it any way you want. Since it often bears considerable weight, its durability and strength should always be considered.
Finishing Material
In some kitchen cabinets, the use of finishing material is necessary. Finishing can help lengthen the life span of the cabinet by preventing any bubbling or staining. Some of the most commonly used finishing materials are laminates or wood veneer.
Now that you know the basic parts of a kitchen cabinet, it will be much easier to do any minor repairs and to understand any terms your cabinet installer may throw at you.