Pro Cabinets?

[AmishWarlord]

Ok so my house was built by a professional custom cabinet maker. The only reason I let my wife talk me out of moving from my little apartment that was next door to my job was because of the really nice workshop the guy made out of a oversize two car garage.

Anyway he did some nice moldings and wood work in the house but the cabinets? What is with this house full of cheap plywood cabinets? Is this a case of, "The auto mechanics wife's car runs the worst". How can you have clients over to talk about building custom cabinets for them with this crap hanging up in the kitchen and bathrooms?

I'm comfortable with a pretty low standard of living, but even I think these cabinets have to go!

 

[Sealeveler]

Looks like you are gonna put that wood shop to use replacing cabinets.
Tony

 

[mquan01]

Those were in style at one time. We lived in an apartment in Milwaukee that had the same cabinets doors....

 

[Dan Bowman]

Go visit one of the big box stores and you'll change your thinking on "low quality". Yes, your's are quite dated but I suspect they're built to take a beating. You might consider a face lift with new doors before building entirely new cabinets, since your boxes may be more than strong enough.

 

[Bas]

Go visit one of the big box stores and you'll change your thinking on "low quality". Yes, your's are quite dated but I suspect they're built to take a beating. You might consider a face lift with new doors before building entirely new cabinets, since your boxes may be more than strong enough.

+1. Our old house in Cary had cabinets that looked similar to this. Simple 3/8" plywood doors, with some applied molding. But the carcasses were very durable.

That's not to say that you'd expect better from a pro cabinet maker. Then again, if he's building cabinets for his house, he's not building any for profit!

 

[Bill Clemmons]

I did a little work w/ a cabinet maker in the 70's and that was what most people wanted. He used a router w/ a pattern jig to put a design on the doors, then used glazing to give it a lot of shadowing effect. At least he used "lumber core" plywood to give the routed edges a real look. I haven't seen that in a long time.

Bill

 

[SteveColes]

yep. Just like everyone else is saying that was one of the "modern" looks in kitchens, from 50's to 70's. Raised panel doors were considered too traditional. Style required:swoon: that slick look.:tongue2: Was cheaper too.:gar-La;

 

[bluedawg76]

maybe that was going to be his next great project?

 

[merrill77]

How can you have clients over to talk about building custom cabinets for them with this crap hanging up in the kitchen and bathrooms?

I've never heard of anyone going to the contractors house when discussing projects, so I suspect none of his customers ever saw his house.

I have vaguely similar cabinets all over my house. Despite the less-than-desirable styling, mine are pretty well built. So I'm going to reface them instead of rebuilding.

 

[Jeff]

Our cabinets were custom built about 1989. White oak plywood boxes with a 3/4" thick white oak face frame. The doors are overlay with Euro style hinges. They're also white oak ply, but they have a 1/4" t x 3/4" w edge banding (presumably glued on and flush trimmed). That is about 17 years before my woodworking days and more critical eye, but I'm okay with them as they are 23 years later.

You might consider a simple replacement of the cabinet doors per se with a design that you both like. :icon_cheers Do the current cabinets have a face frame?

Your call. :icon_scra

 

[AmishWarlord]

Took the time to look inside the cabinets "other than for plates and bowls to quickly put food on" and found lots of solid oak. Looks like just the face boards and doors are plywood.

 

[Jeff]

Looks like you have some good, solid stuff to begin working with. That'll be some exploration and a journey on your part to devise a fix. :BangHead:

There's lots of expertise at NCWW and it's free for the asking so you're not in this dilemma by yourself. :thumbs_up

Took the time to look inside the cabinets "other than for plates and bowls to quickly put food on" and found lots of solid oak. Looks like just the face boards and doors are plywood.