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Kitchen Cabinet Ideas You'll
Want To See ...
Kitchen
cabinets occupy a prominent place in the kitchen by the virtue of the fact that
they are used to store all kinds of kitchen materials ranging from cooking
ingredients to utensils and kitchen ware. It is therefore natural that the
cabinets are the ones which often catch the eye first of any one entering the
kitchen. That being so the cabinets must be so designed to send the right
message to a visitor about you and your kitchen.
Pleasingly constructed kitchen cabinetry adds grace and elegance to your kitchen
and defines its style. The right cabinets and the right cabinet layout ensure
that your kitchen items are stored at the right places and are within reach,
thus ensuring that the countertop and the working area is left free for
exclusively cooking work. Such a neat and well organized kitchen, free of any
clutter, considerably improves the work environment and increases the efficiency
of the people working there. It also sends the right message about people living
in such a house.
Varieties of Cabinets
Good quality cabinets go a long way in improving the functioning of your
kitchen. It also adds value to your home. Today cabinets are also an important
decorative element of the kitchen. You will be amazed to see the large variety
of kitchen cabinets available in the market. You will find kitchen cabinets made
from materials that include wood, plastic, steel and bamboo. Each of these is
available in a wide variety of colors, designs and finishes.
Today a lot of creative work is going into not only improving the quality of the
cabinets but also in making them more affordable. The basic trend today is that
of wooden cabinets. If you want to exhibit your best china then go for glass
cabinets. On the other hand if you have no such desires then go for the wooden
cabinets. Wooden cabinets are made from oak or fine grained wood such as cherry
or maple. The choice of material will ultimately depend on your budget. A glass
cabinet will be cheaper than a wooden cabinet. A hard wood cabinet would be
cheaper than an oak wood cabinet.
Things To Know Before Buying A Cabinet
Before you buy a cabinet for your new kitchen you should know some basics of
cabinet buying that includes budgeting, size, style, quality, construction and
finish. Cabinets account for approximately 40% to 50% of the cost of a kitchen
remodeling or makeover.
So first measure your kitchen space and think where you might want the cabinets
to be installed. It will be wiser to employ a professional for this work. Their
estimates will help the salesman at the home improvement store to give the
correct quantity of materials.
In the market you will get to choose from stock, semi stock and custom cabinets.
Stock cabinets are the cheapest but are available ready made in standard shapes
and sizes and in limited number of woods, styles and designs. Semi custom
cabinets are also available in standard sizes but there are many options to
innovate with design and style. Custom built cabinets are the high end cabinets
that are built to the specifications of your kitchen.
A middling solution to your problem, provided you have the money, is to go for
semi stock cabinets. They will provide varied solutions to your everyday storage
needs. There are of course some standard add-ons like pull out shelves, wine
rack, an appliance garage and pull out bins.
If you want to have a ‘dream kitchen’ then you will have to ensure that all the
materials are of top quality. For instance, since kitchen drawers and kitchen
doors will be used very often you have to ensure that the handles and the hinges
are of the top quality to withstand such heavy usage. The doors and drawers
should open and shut noiselessly. Also, the finish on the wood should be smooth.
How to make kitchen cabinets easily and cheaply
Today the prices of kitchen cabinets are going through the ceiling. Soon you
might have to decide to make your own cabinets to bring down the costs. This do-
it- yourself job will ultimately save you a lot of money. Only thing that is
needed is a little hard work and creativity.
Today kitchen cabinet making is becoming something of a cottage industry. After
all cabinet making is nothing more than putting together a box with wood and all
the hardware like hinges and handles that goes with it. Admittedly box making is
not exactly a job for beginners but neither is it so difficult that you cannot
make one with the help of somebody who knows something about it. It will appear
difficult at first but seem easy later. Even if you can’t make it yourself you
can hand the job to cabinet makers who will do the job more cheaply than those
hired by kitchen designers.
By making it your self you can avoid all extras that manufacturers insist you
have. Some extras are needed but many are more or less wasteful expenditure that
does not give you any return.
Another area where you can save money is in installation. No matter what
installers say cabinet installation is no rocket science. You can do it along
with one or two helpers. A handy man would be most useful. But you must be ready
to do some exacting work.
Should kitchen cabinets be painted
The answer to this question is an unequivocal ‘yes’. The outer surface of your
kitchen cabinet is subject to more abuse than any other wooden furniture in your
home. They are opened and closed innumerable times a day with hands that are
smeared with grease and butter, which get transferred to the cabinet surface.
The kitchen fumes wreck their own havoc. Temperature and air condition
variations can also have a destructive effect. One moment you will have a dry
and hot atmosphere when the oven is hot. The next moment it could be humid when
you are steaming vegetables. A good paint takes care of all this by providing a
protective layer to the wood. Painting kitchen cabinets is essential.
Tips to paint kitchen cabinets
* Firstly clean the cabinet surface free of any grease and grime. This first
step is an important process.
* Next sand the cabinet surface. Before sanding make sure they are completely
dry. Sanding increases the bond between the primer and the cabinet surface.
* Now apply the primer. Primer is a must if the cabinet is new or has been
cleaned. If the old paint is still there then you may skip this step. A primer
prevents the pain from getting chipped or peeled.
* Now comes the final step of painting. A pneumatic paint is the best way to get
a smooth and glossy finish. The job can also be done by a high quality paint
brush. Apply each time very thin coats of paint. It is not a good idea to apply
thick coats at one time. After lightly applying your first coat, let it dry.
Sand paper the surface again after it has dried. The second sand papering is
done to present a smooth surface to the second coat. In most cases two coats of
paint are sufficient.
When should kitchen cabinets is refaced
Regular usage takes its toll on kitchen cabinets. Cabinets start looking dirty
and aged. Then painting is not much of a cure. One of the options is to replace
the entire lot of cabinets. But that can be very expensive project as well as
time consuming. It is at such times that refacing is resorted to. Refacing
involves stripping away the original finish and attaching a new layer of finish
to the cabinet.
How to organize the kitchen cabinet
Clear all the cabinets and place all items on a table. Remove those things you
never use. Now sort the remaining item in groups that are most frequently used
and those less frequently used.. The seldom used items should go to cabinets
that are more difficult to access like the top of the refrigerator, the corner
of the counter or very high cabinets.
Now separate the frequently used items in to pots and pans, dinnerware, mixing
bowls etc. put the pots and pans in a cabinet near the stove and place
dinnerware near the table or the entrance. Put the heavier items on cabinets
below and lighter ones on the top shelf.
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