If you are unhappy with the look of your kitchen, but are on a tight budget, remember that the item people notice first is the cabinet doors. Your existing cabinets may have a worn-out look, but be solidly constructed, so replacement doors may be all you require. So to remodel your kitchen without spending a fortune, finding cheap kitchen cabinet doors should be your first step.
Materials for Cheap Kitchen Cabinet Doors
The first decision you have to make is about which materials to choose. Most people’s first choice would be solid wood, but this is likely to cost more. If you want the cheapest possible material, you should go for MDF or medium density fiberboard. This can actually look stylish and give the impression of good quality, but the big drawback is its lack of durability – before too long, you will find it sags or warps. Other cheap materials often used are plywood or particleboard. A good compromise can be to choose engineered wood, which is durable and looks good, but is cheaper than solid wood.
Options For Cheap Kitchen Cabinet Doors
·One of the cheapest models available, yet a good value because it is really low maintenance, is the White Thermofoil door from Randy Howse. It has a rounded cathedral-style top, which is one of the most sought-after styles, and is faced in a thermofoil wrapping. This means it is not only very easy to clean, but will never need painting.
·The Shaker Style cabinet door from Kitchen Door Depot has a basic traditional appearance, which is made to be both simple and elegant. Its outer frame is beveled to the door panel at a 90-degree angle, producing a shadow effect which makes the kitchen look very attractive.
Replacing The Whole Cabinet
If your cabinets themselves are not in the best of condition, you may be looking not just for doors, but for inexpensive kitchen cabinets. One of the best ideas, if you want a ready-assembled cabinet, is to look in the warehouse of your local home decorator, where you will find complete cabinets at a low price, ready to collect and take home. Look out for seasonal sales to get them even cheaper, and you can save more money by using your own hardware instead of the hardware supplied.
RTA Kitchen Cabinets
The other possibility for replacing your cabinets cheaply is to go for rta or ready-to-assemble units. If you do this right, you can achieve a high-end looking kitchen without spending a fortune. However, you do need to know how to go about it.
· If you want to replace all your cabinetry, the most satisfactory combination of materials will consist of plywood for the body and panels, with solid wood for the frame and doors. Choose plywood boxes with a thickness of at least half to three-quarters of an inch.
· Avoid boxes that are constructed of particleboard and are glued or stapled – these will not be durable.
· Look for shelves made of three-quarter inch plywood, or plywood with a wood veneer, to ensure strong support.
· Dovetail drawer joints, to ensure they are stable and less likely to disintegrate.
· You can now find rta cabinets with full-extension undermount drawer glides, with a soft closing feature.
Not Necessarily New – Used Kitchen Cabinets
If you are not set on having everything brand new, it is very easy to find excellent used kitchen cabinets. Many homeowners who are remodeling their kitchens and taking out the old units find it easier to advertise them in places like Craigslist or the local press, than to pay haulage or dumpster costs to get rid of them. There is often nothing wrong with them, and you can usually get them for free. It is also worth looking in stores like Habitat for Humanity.
It is not difficult to obtain cheap kitchen cabinet doors, or indeed to refit your whole kitchen, without breaking the bank. Bear in mind that a kitchen cabinet only has a style-life of about 10 years at the most, so before long you will be looking to replace again. Your emphasis should be on simple, stylish features at economic prices.
