Overview
When shopping for kitchen cabinets that are inexpensive, remember that they do not have to be “cheap looking.†People can purchase Cheap Kitchen Cabinets (that are inexpensive cabinets) and still find a bargain having excellent quality. Cabinets can take up to half your budget; however, there are many selections out there before you finally choose. It takes some time, but it’s well worth it in the end. Check your newspaper, local cabinet shops, and the Internet for discounted kitchen cabinets cheap.
Cabinet Types
There are four styles from which to choose:
Stock Cabinets (modular or economy)
Semi-Stock Cabinets
Custom Cabinets
Semi-Custom Cabinets
Stock Cabinets—sit in a box ready to sell from your big box store or home improvement center. These are not a bad choice. They are unfinished or prefinished and what you see is what you will get. In addition, there are some that are partially assembled, a labor-intensive task. These are the less pricey; they are cheap. The base cabinets (floor) are 34-1/2 inches high (before countertops), 24-1/2-inches deep (front to back without doors) and the upper wall units are 30-inches high and 12-inches deep (without doors).
Be sure to measure. Base cabinets usually have to be shimmed and might have to be cut down if you want your countertop to be a specific height when everything is installed. This is a critical consideration. If you purchase the cheaper unfinished cabinets, simply wipe or brush on a wood stain and varnish, or paint the color combinations of your kitchen. You will not need to do any stripping or sanding and that is cheap to do.
Semi-Stock Cabinets—these as well at stock cabinets are modular and usually have 3-inch increment variations in width. You can mix and match these with variations in finish, construction, and door styles. These will have to be manufactured to fit your specifications and are the next cheapest but more costly than stock ones. These are ordered with the kitchen designer at your local home center. The designer will usually go to your home and do measurements offering advice for design fit and function. There is no charge—that is “cheap†for this service—known as free. Home improvement centers also provide cabinet installers who are highly expert at their craft.
Semi-Custom Cabinets—Most cabinet makers will tell you there is no such thing—that cabinets are either custom or not. These have many more choices in that they are still made in 3-inch increments on width but with custom options of height, depth, box material, overlay, mounting, and construction of the drawers, wood type, to include glaze, stain, and/or paint selections. Some will manufacture to install butt-to-butt eliminating filler between them.
Semi-Custom Cabinets—Manufacturers will say that they are custom or semi-custom cabinet makers. To not appear as a high-end more costly builder, they call themselves “semi.†You can get poor quality in both semi or custom: Neither of these cabinet manufacturers necessary mean quality for your kitchen cabinets cheap plan.
Custom Cabinets—Made to your exact specs for your design build. The cabinet fits against the wall with no filler or spacers and the doors are flush with the cabinet frame not laid on top of the frame as with the other cabinet types. These are pricier and not cheap.
Value Hunting
Most cabinet stores have seasonal discounts for their stock cabinets. For value-added cabinets, purchase solid wood drawers and solid slides providing longer life to your cabinet drawers. Thicker plywood on the cabinet sides means better construction; the real wood cover goes over this, or you can purchase laminate—those that are washable. Real wood needs oil or polish and are more beautiful. You can order pantries, spice, and plate racks at a reasonable cost. You can also get doors in tin or glass and this depends on your budget. All the upgrades will eat into your budget. Do you really need it or just want it?
In case if you can ask a cabinet maker to use engineered wood for the cabinet sides as a result will be a decrease in the overall price. Another oportunity is that sometimes you can pick up discounted cabinets where an order was cancelled or a buyer’s plans fell through for cheap.
You can add your own custom crown molding easily and cheaply done resulting in a high-end look for your kitchen cabinetry. You might have to do some cabinet tweaking to have these work for you in terms of configuration, style, or color.
If you don’t need or your budget will not support brand new cabinets, what about thrift stores? You can always find cabinets needing some touch up or have the potential for painting and these are super cheap.
When removing your existing cabinets, put them in the garage for nuts and bolts, or in the laundry room for supplies. On the other hand, sell such a cabinet to a contractor for use. You will have made money for your kitchen cabinets cheap project.
