Your kitchen is considered the heart of your home, which is why it needs to be as functional and aesthetically pleasing as possible. One way to do this is to install high-quality cabinets that can store all your kitchen tools, equipment, ingredients, and other essentials.
When installing kitchen cabinets, you have the option to buy new ones or hire cabinet makers to customise some for you. The choice you make depends on your budget and preferences. If you decide to work with professionals, you have to ensure that they are knowledgeable and experienced. To be confident that the job will be done correctly, here are some questions to ask your chosen cabinet makers:
- What materials do you use to construct the cabinets?
The materials used to make your custom kitchen cabinets impact their beauty, durability, and functionality. The challenge is maintaining them amidst a moisture-prone and high-traffic area, which is why the building materials have to be long-lasting, sturdy, and water-resistant.
You can choose the material yourself or leave it to the professionals. If you want to select the material on your own, opt for solid wood core plywood for the boxes and solid hardwood for the face frames. Avoid cabinet makers who use stapled medium-density fibreboard (MDF) as it is not structurally sound.
- Do you check for moisture content in the wood?
Wood is a strong material perfect for cabinets, but it can get soft and distorted if exposed to excessive moisture. It can also prevent finishes from adhering and setting into the cabinets. To ensure the wood in your cabinets are sturdy and long-lasting, ask your cabinet maker if they check for too much moisture in the wood before they use it.
- What types of hardware do you use?
The interior hardware is crucial for base cabinetry because it makes the difference between functional and non-functional cabinets. Find out what is being installed beforehand to avoid potential problems when opening and closing cabinet doors. Choose under-mounted, soft-close hardware to ensure your cabinet doors open and close with ease at all times.
- Do you design custom interiors?
Kitchen cabinets are supposedly aesthetically pleasing and must complete the room’s look, but their primary purpose is to store your kitchen items. This means you need to pay more attention to the interior details. Discuss with your cabinet maker if they design custom interiors and add features, such as slide-out trays, specialty drawers, and shelves.
- How do you dry finishes in between layers?
Drying between layers is vital during the finishing stage because it ensures the finish adheres well to the surface. For big manufacturers, they use lights built within ovens to speed up the drying process.
Despite the powerful equipment, some finishes still take up to a month to set. Discover how your cabinet maker can make sure they provide you with a blemish-free final product by inquiring about their drying process.
Conclusion
Kitchen cabinets can affect your lifestyle and cooking and eating habits more than you might think. When installing new ones, don’t leave anything to chance. Take your time to ask these important questions to your cabinet maker and even follow up when needed. Once you get satisfactory answers from them and feel confident they can create your desired cabinets, consider hiring them right away.
If you want to install beautiful and high-quality kitchen cabinets on Sunshine Coast, reach out to Askin Cabinets. We are expert cabinet makers specialising in designing, manufacturing, and installing pieces for your home. Request a quote online or visit our showroom!