COMPARATIVE CABINET CONSTRUCTION DETAILS
|
Component |
StarCraft Custom Cabinets |
Factory Cabinets |
|
(A) Back Panel – Only the inside of the back panel is ever
seen, but it is structurally important because it gives the cabinet rigidity
and resistance to racking (twisting out of square). |
1/2"
veneered cabinet grade hardwood plywood, finished on both sides. This rigid structure helps prevent racking
and other cabinet deformation. |
1/4" thick 48 to 50-pound density
particleboard veneered with printed vinyl to simulate wood grain, or with
Melamine low-density laminate.
Essentially a dust shield, ¼ particleboard can be easily bent and
deformed using only manual pressure and provides little structural support. |
|
(B) Bottom Panel – This is the floor of the cabinet. In cabinets with bottom drawers or slide-outs it is never seen,
but it is very important to the structural integrity of the cabinet. A weak bottom panel allows the cabinet to
twist out of square during handling and installation. |
1/2"
veneered hardwood plywood, finished on both sides, joined to end
panels with dado joints, cabinet-maker’s resin glue and cabinet screws. |
1/2" thick 48 to
50-pound density particleboard, veneered with printed vinyl to simulate wood
grain, or with Melamine low-density laminate, joined to end panels with dado
joints and hot-melt adhesive. Screws
(which do not hold well in particleboard) are rarely used. |
|
(C) Corner Gussets -- Corner gussets add
strength to the entire cabinet and are used to anchor the countertop to the
cabinet. |
3/4" veneered hardwood plywood or hardwood
lumber. Upgradeable to full
front-to-back I-beam braces. |
1/2" thick 48 to
50-pound density particleboard. |
|
(D) Drawer Guides
|
"Quiet Glide" guide system coated with epoxy or durable nylon coatings provides quiet, smooth operation. 75lb. load rating, upgradeable to full access guides with up to a 200 lb rating.
Invisible undermount, self-closing and soft-closing guides available. |
Various drawer glide systems Typical 75lb. load rating; upgradeable to full extension slides. |
|
(E) End Panels (Sides)
|
3/4"
veneered hardwood plywood, finished on both sides, joined to front
frames with carpenters resin glue and pocket screws for a tight, strong
joint. If the end is exposed, then it is made of plywood veneered in the same
hardwood as the doors.. |
3/8" – 1/2"
48-pound density particleboard upgradeable to 1/2" plywood with laminate
interior and veneered exterior, joined to the face frame with hot-melt glue
and staples. |
|
(F) Shelves
|
3/4" hardwood plywood on metal shelf pins. |
1/2" to 5/8” thick
48 to 50-pound particleboard veneered with
printed vinyl to simulate wood grain, or with Melamine low-density laminate,
often supported on plastic shelf pins.
Upgradeable to 3/4" particleboard and to plywood in premium lines. |
|
(G) Face Frames
|
3/4"
hardwood dowelled, biscuit jointed or joined with pocket screws and
cabinet-maker’s aliphatic resin glue for maximum strength. |
3/4" hardwood dowelled or biscuit jointed together
with hot-melt adhesive. Some are
stapled and glued and some are joined with special metal fasteners (used in
Ready-To-Assemble cabinets) that are only as strong as the frame material
itself. |
|
(H) Drawers
|
1/2" sides, joined with full dovetails to the front and back.
3/8” or 1/2" bottom fully rabbitted at least 3/8” into sides, front and back.
Drawers are cabinet-grade 7-ply hardwood plywood with birch or maple veneers unless otherwise specified.
Solid wood dovetail sides are available at an additional charge. These are not, however, as strong as the 7-ply
material.
|
1/2" thick 48-pound particleboard wood lap joined
with adhesive and stapled. ¼”
particleboard bottom. Usually
upgradeable to plywood drawers, but only top of the line manufactured
cabinets have full dovetail joinery – and this applies only to the side/front
joint. The side back joint is still a
lap or rabbit joint. |
|
(I) Drawer (False) Fronts – The drawer “front” you see
on a well-made cabinet is actually a false front that is attached to the
drawer with screws. This permits the part you see to be adjusted independently
of the drawer itself so it aligns with the other elements of the cabinet. |
3/4" hardwood without exception. (OK, there is
an exception. Thermofoil doors are
medium density fiberboard – we don’t make these and cannot get them any other
way. MDF is the standard for
Thermofoil and because of the strong, heat-bonded vinyl foil surfacing, is
plenty strong enough.) |
3/4" thick 48 to 50-pound particleboard veneered with printed vinyl to simulate wood grain, or
with Melamine low-density laminate; or solid
hardwood. Raised panel doors are
usually hardwood, flat doors particleboard.
Thermofoil door are typically medium density fiberboard to which the
foil material is applied. Many less
expensive cabinets do not have separate drawer fronts. |
(J) Cabinet Doors – We offer 100s of standard door styles and can custom make
any door style you can imagine.
|
3/4" hardwood flat panel doors, hardwood frames
and plywood insets on flat panel doors, hardwood insets on raised panel
doors. Thermofoil doors are available. |
1/2" to 3/4" thick
48-pound density particleboard or medium density fiberboard (MDF) on flat
panel and Thermofoil doors, hardwood frames and plywood insets on flat panel
doors, hardwood insets on raised panel doors. |
|
(K) Roll-Out Trays
|
Hardwood (maple is standard)
sides, back and front, plywood bottom.
Full dovetail construction. |
1/4” to 1/2" thick 48 to 50-pound particleboard lap
joined to wood sides with adhesive and stapled. Usually upgradeable to
plywood, but only top line cabinets offer full dovetail construction. |
|
(L) Hinges
|
Six-way adjustable 95° opening, self-closing concealed
hinges upgradeable to 170° opening hinges. Both come with a lifetime factory
warranty. |
Six-way adjustable 95° opening, self-closing concealed
hinges upgradeable to 170° opening hinges. Both come with a lifetime factory
warranty. |
|
(M) Toe Kick Dust Panel Reach up under your existing cabinets' toe kick and you will feel a large gap. It leads directly to the empty space under your cabanets. This gap permits the infiltration of dust and grime and provides a secure hiding place for roaches and other pests. The gap serves no purpose. Its merely an effect of the way cabinets are made. We don't like to include roach highways in our cabinets, so we block this gap with a thin panel to keep the bugs, dust and dirt out. As far as we know, we are the only cabinet maker to routinely provide this feature. |
1/8" plywood panel securely attached to the bottom of the toe kick with staples and adhesive so that all gaps are closed. All joints are sealed during cabinet installation with elastometric caulk. Bye-bye bug highway! |
None |
StarCraft Custom Builders
P O Box 80265
Lincoln, NE 68501
Nebraska Toll Free
1-866-393-5886
Fax
1-402-218-4325
info@starcraftcustombuilders.com
Specifications stated in this article are subject to change without notice
Copyright © 2007 by StarCraft Custom Builders. All rights reserved.