Kitchen Cabinets?

[derek07]

I am remodeling my kitchen within the month of April. I found these cabinets that interest me. Their called RTA Cabinets. I wanted to know if anyone has any more information on these cabinets?

Thanks!!

[SDR]

RTA means Ready To Assemble. IKEA cabinets are a popular example. Many in America are enjoying significant savings by installing these cabinets. Materials are low grade but the doors look good and the finished result appears attractive. The wall-hanging technique is sound.

One simple improvement can be made: glue the wooden dowels when assembling the boxes. This helps with long-term survival of the cabinet structure.

SDR

[bridgebuilder]

Of these RTA type cabinets, has anyone had experience with ease of installation. I'd like to give it a shot but am concerned about how I'd make out.

How about any experience with ikea kitchen cabinet Installation ebooks like this one? Worth it?

ikea kitchen cabinet installations

Thx - BB

[SDR]

I love the before and after illustrations. Messy kitchen with cabinets and counter; neat kitchen with cabinets and counter. Hmm. . . .maybe the problem wasn't the cabinets ?

Seriously, if the book tells about how to lay out the cabinets, including leveling and plumbing (vertical alignment) so the cabinets fit line up correctly, it might be worth the money. Take it from me (a journeyman cabinetmaker), it's not as simple as your cousin says it is. . .


SDR

[SDR]

. .

[workcoz]

Not sure what your status is...but RTA cabinets can save a great deal of money on the boxes...or the cabinets themselves. As a custom furniture/cabinet builder, it never made sense for me to fabricate the boxes (except the first time when I was "learning"). There are plenty of MFGs who make boxes, or drawers, or door and drawer fronts. The boxes are simple to assemble if you have basic fabrication skills. Gluing the dowels is an absolute must for long-term quality.

Check out a print version of Woodshop News!

[SDR]

No one should believe that IKEA kitchen cabinets are anything but the most elemental form of space enclosure. The very coarsest and cheapest grade of particle board is employed, and the back panel is virtually a window shade: 1/8" PB with vinyl on one face. In contrast, the hanging system is quite sturdy and functional.

Gluing the dowels is highly recommended, though this is not a guarantee against other kinds of failure than gross collapse.

The cabinets are an example of the fact that we place all our interest in "curb appeal": the doors are what people see, and this is what constitutes "quality," as a result. Owners love saving a bunch of money and having a kitchen that is superficially handsome, when new. The assumption is that the owner won't be around for more than a couple of years, and that the next occupant will likely prefer a different color, style, or layout to the space -- I guess.

SDR

[workcoz]

Absolutely agree with all said about IKEA. I would suggest looking at a company called Cab Parts..
http://www.cabparts.com/main.html

Excellent quality and easy to work with. It does not include hardware, doors, etc. Solid wood dovetail drawers (even prefinished if desired) can be had at Walzcraft http://walzcraft.com/ . They also sell doors and drawer fronts. To work as the "assemble" of all this takes some experience and care. It's not something to be taken on lightly....but again, can save significant amounts of money.

This route does NOT compromise quality.

[SDR]

I agree that is a good way to go.

A kitchen ensemble of cabinetry and appliances is almost as complex as an automobile, I sometimes think (and I've been involved in hundreds of them, as a drafter and detailer, cabinetmaker and installer). For everything to work properly involves lots of anticipation and solving of problems. Doors and drawers have handles that can interfere with each other, particularly at inside corners, and the sizing of appliance openings and front panels can be a nightmare, when accurate and up-to-date installation literature from manufacturers is not available. These are just two of many issues that can trip up the amateur, and the professional too.

SDR

[rockstar7881]

We use RTA cabinets here at home. My mom loves them, cuz it's so easy to install. She can install them by herself. And she even said that it's less expensive cuz we don't even have to hire a carpenter to install RTA. Good choice!