Andrew's Cabinetmaking and Design

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What to Expect When You Choose Custom Cabinets There are a few construction techniques that are becoming increasingly common in the manufacturing of cabinets that save on costs but compromise quality. When purchasing custom cabinets instead of off-the-the-shelf-mass-produced, you shouldn’t have to endure any of these: For example, drawers should be joined properly with biscuits, or traditional techniques such as dovetails, not pinned together. Pinned drawers look good e...nough at first, but they WILL fall apart. Your cabinets should all have backs made from strong materials. Much of the strength that allows a cabinet to withstand a heavy load and maintain its shape and symmetry comes from its back. Unfortunately, it is becoming increasingly common to see cabinets with thin hardboard backs or, worse, no backs at all especially in lower cabinets. There is also overuse of the ubiquitous, all-purpose infill strips or trim. Your custom cabinets shouldn’t have infill strips tacked onto them wherever they meet walls and other cabinets. This is done to cover over gaps and jogs that wouldn’t be there in the first place if the cabinets had been designed, constructed and installed with accuracy and precision. It is painfully true that walls are not straight and floors are uneven, among other headaches that are beyond a cabinetmaker’s control, so some scribing fillets may be needed in worst case scenarios , but they should be tastefully executed as part of the overall design, not as an afterthought, and should be used as sparingly as possible. As for hardware, you should be offered such features as full extension runners, soft-close concealed hinges, a wide choice of knobs and handles, and whichever accessories you require to make best use of your space. Above all, expect choice, that’s what customizing is all about. You should be given a vast choice of colours to choose from for staining or painting your cabinets. All manner of storage solutions and accessories are available. Cabinets can be made in nonstandard sizes. Counter tops can be curved, elliptical or any other shape. Custom cabinetry is meant to meet particular needs not possible with off-the-shelf cabinetry, and to reflect your personal style and the character and uniqueness of your home.

Choosing your new counter top

Things to Consider when Employing a Cabinetmaker It is not necessary to have completed an apprenticeship to call oneself a cabinetmaker, so it’s worth asking whether the contractor you’re considering has completed an apprenticeship and vocational training. This should ensure at least sufficient technical skills to execute the job, the problem solving capabilities needed for design and installation, and basic drafting capabilities. The rest comes with experience and further ...education, so ask where they’ve worked and the scope of work they’ve been involved in over the years. If your cabinetmaker intends to manufacture and install a solid surface countertop for you, ask if they are certified fabricators. Staron and Corian will not honour warranties on countertops not manufactured AND installed by certified fabricators . Expect to see a written quotation complete with material and construction specifications and drawings that are clear and understandable to you. Draftsmanship is as important an aspect of the cabinetmaker’s trade as any other. Well drafted plans will save you on the overall cost of the job by minimizing material waste, and should ensure no nasty surprises or scrambling to correct overlooked details when the time comes to install the finished product on site. When you ask questions about construction details, your cabinetmaker should be able to answer them to your satisfaction; this gives an indication that the drawings presented have been properly thought out. In general, you should be looking for a qualified tradesman with the education and experience to back up what they are promising to deliver, who thinks things through, asks you a lot of questions about what you want, pays close attention to detail, and is obsessed with taking and retaking measurements.