subject: How to Pick Replacement Kitchen Cabinets [print this page] There are so many options when it comes to replacing cabinets in your kitchen that it is hard to know where to start. First, it is a good idea to determine how you can afford to spend or maybe more appropriately how much you are willing to spend. New kitchen cabinets can be purchased at a home improvement store for a few thousand dollars or you can go with custom cabinets from a name brand manufacturer for several thousand dollars. Your budget and taste will dictate how to proceed.
For people interested in keeping the costs low, the big box home stores offer good value. Their stock cabinets come in a limited selection of styles and colors but if you find something you like, it can be an inexpensive way to go. The stores will even draw up on their computer a design plan for your remodeled kitchen, laying out where the new cabinets will be placed and where your appliances will go. All you have to do is measure the dimensions of your kitchen and they will do the rest.
If you can't find a style you like at the home improvement store or if you want something that will have a more custom look, then you are going to have to spend more money. The big plus when doing a kitchen remodel is that the money you put into the kitchen you will get back when you go to sell your home. Study after study shows that nearly 100% of kitchen home improvement costs are recovered by increasing the value of your home.
When you go shopping for custom cabinets, you are going to be presented with a number of wood types to choose from. The sales consultant can help explain the differences but it basically comes down to your tastes. For example, oak is going to have more pronounced grain than cherry or maple. Hickory is the hardest of all woods available in America and will be the most durable. Pine and Birch offer unique selections that you won't see in too many kitchens but they are among the softest woods used in cabinet making today.
If you are looking for an environmentally friendly alternative to wood cabinets, the green options include Agriboard substrates. There are several companies that turn wheats fiber into particle board that can be used for the construction of cabinets. This wood replacement material comes from wheat waste that would have been burned by farmers in the field. Wood veneers are another green option which can also save you money on your remodeling project. Only a thin piece of wood is used in construction of the cabinet and placed on the outside of the door, the rest of the door is made from cheaper particle board. If you are interested in an antique look, consider having your cabinets made from reclaimed wood that has been recycled from other projects. This look is becoming increasingly popular in country kitchens and in rehabbed farm houses.
