Facts About Stock Kitchen Cabinets

By Author: Jason Delmar
Total Articles: 333
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Let's face it, over the years stock cabinets have developed a reputation of being contractor grade or a cheaper version of custom cabinets. The image that comes to mind for me would have to be oak cabinets with particle board sides. Over the 10 years, manufacturers have really made some significant improvements in the quality of stock cabinets. In fact, some of the stock cabinets and even RTA cabinets that are on the market now are indistinguishable from semi-custom cabinets (without the high price tag).

Most stock cabinet manufacturers are even providing the upgraded features that homeowners are demanding. Everything from dove-tailed drawers, to soft-closed drawer slides are available in most stock lines. The high quality stock cabinets will also include plywood sides as a standard option.

There are numerous advantages to stock cabinets, but there are also some drawbacks associated with them, but nothing that you can work around in your project. Since they are not custom cabinets, they are not made to the exact specifications of your kitchen. The majority of manufacturers build cabinets in increments ...
... of 3", starting with a 9" cabinet. In order to fill in the gaps where an uneven measurement is calculated, they make filler strips which can be cut to the exact size. As with sizes, wood species and finishes are usually limited (some manufacturers may have a dozen or so finishes available). They usually will not have an infinite number of accessories, but will have all of the basics (toe kick, crown moulding, valances, etc).

What you do get with stock cabinets, is a significantly reduced cost for your kitchen, faster delivery/availability, and a high quality product. So before you start shopping for kitchen cabinets, keep your options open and take a look at stock cabinets.
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