Category: Cabinets

How to Modernize Your Kitchen Cabinet Doors

It’s not uncommon to live in a home that was bought and sold a few times before it became yours. Stylistically, a lot of your home’s features may have been chosen for you— and you may not like everything that the last owners thought was so great. Similarly, as time goes on, some themes simply become outdated and can age your home in a negative way. Whatever reason you have for wanting to update your home to something more stylish and modern, the kitchen cabinets are a great place to start. Doing some cabinetry renovations can give your home a fresh new look, and can increase the value of the house if you ever decide to sell it in the future.

Paint Your Cabinets A Different Color

One of the easiest ways to help update your kitchen is by choosing a different color paint for your cabinets. A modern kitchen is one that emphasizes space and cleanliness, and new paint can be the first step to making all the difference. Black and white are the most common cabinet door colors in contemporary kitchens, and are usually contrasted by the opposite color somewhere in the rest of the design plan. Muted colors such as gray and pale shades of purple, blue, and green can also be used to add a pop of personality to avoid making your kitchen look too sterile.

Reface Your Cabinets with Different Doors

If you have cathedral arch wooden doors with a prominent grain pattern, you may find it difficult to update your kitchen with a simple coat of paint. Some combinations of cabinet door material and styles leave homeowners with no choice other than replacing them altogether if they want to move away from more classical charms. If you want to stick with wood or MDF cabinet doors, consider minimal decorations on the doors themselves. Be sure to shop around for glass, acrylic, and other non-wood options too, as many of these appear smooth and simple, and can help you achieve your theme.

Finish with a Shiny Gloss

Just as bright colors help create an illusion of space, shiny surfaces help everything look clean and sharp. Even on days where your kitchen is in need of a deep cleaning, glossy cabinets can draw your guests’ eyes away from any messes and minimize the sense of clutter in the room. The type of finish you need will depend on the materials of your cabinet doors, so be sure to read labels carefully and always follow the company’s instructions.

Switch Up Your Hardware

Much like how accessories can make or break an outfit, your hardware can either compliment or really throw off your contemporary theme. Replacing gaudy knobs and tacky handles with new cabinet door hardware can simplify your cabinets and lend them a more modern appearance. Silver is a great option for both black and white kitchen cabinet doors, and you can often choose between a matte and shiny finish.

Another factor to think about, in terms of cabinet hardware, is the type of hinge that holds your doors in place. If you are opting for visible hinges, consider making them distinctly contrasting in color from your doors. For example, matte black hinges with shiny white doors will contribute to a modern theme better than a nondescript gray. Hidden hinges are another popular option for modern kitchens, as they are not visible at all and won’t take away from the rest of your cabinets.

Consider Inset Cabinet Doors

Most cabinet doors have a certain amount of overlay, which is the space on the cabinet frame that the sides of your doors cover up. Inset doors, on the other hand, fit perfectly into the open space of your cabinets, and there isn’t any overlay. These doors are flush with the cabinets and can look strikingly smooth and modern. While inset cabinets are very popular in contemporary kitchens, measuring for their installation and actually putting them in can be a bit confusing for someone who has never worked with cabinet doors before. For this reason, you may want to call an expert for advice.

Staining your wooden cabinet doors can help give them a more rich, enhanced appearance, and it’s a great project for homeowners who want to do the work themselves. Other than the stain itself, a paintbrush, rags, and sanding paper, there aren’t any specialty tools necessary for staining wood.

1. Choose a Stain

When choosing a stain, you’ll probably encounter a lot of different types of products. There are water-based stains, oil-based stains, gel stains, stains that are combined with sealants, and many more. You will have read labels and product descriptions carefully and have a vision in mind before you make your purchase. Reading online reviews is a great way to hear first-hand accounts of how the stain worked for others, and how to best apply it to your wooden project.

To attain the best results, you will need to know the type of wood it is you are painting. Wood is often categorized into hardwoods and softwoods. Hardwoods come from angiosperm (trees with broad leaves) and softwoods come from gymnosperm (trees with needles and cones). Many hardwoods have a more prominent grain pattern, while the grain of softwood is fainter. Also keep in mind that while hardwoods are generally harder, and softwoods are softer, there are a few exceptions to the rule. Doing your research will really come in handy when trying to narrow down stain options.

2. Test the Stain

Testing the stain before you apply it to your cabinets is critical for ensuring that you will be satisfied with the results. If possible, use a scrap piece of wood that is the same species as what you intend to stain. Another option is finding a place on your cabinets that isn’t noticeable to test your stain (such as the underside or back of the cabinet).

Many DIY-ers advise that you first try applying a finish to see if that achieves the look you want instead of a stain. This is because sometimes all a homeowner really wants is a glossy sheen, which is something a finish can provide. A stain, on the other hand, will darken the wood and emphasize certain natural features. So when you test the stain, first apply a single layer and let it dry. Then apply another layer and see if you like it more than the previous one. By repeating this process, you can see how many layers of stain you will need to apply to your cabinets before you are satisfied with how they look.

3. Stain Your Wood

First, make sure your surface is smooth. You may need to sand the cabinets in order to ensure the same smoothness across the entire expanse. This will make the stain absorb in a uniform way, which means better results. Use a clean cloth to wipe any shavings or dust off of the wood when finished.

Ensure that there is proper ventilation in your workspace. Some stains give off a much stronger odor than others, so if you begin to feel lightheaded or dizzy in your workspace at any point in time, it may be best to move the project outdoors or into an opened garage. Sometimes simply opening windows or doors will do the trick, but in other cases a respirator might be needed.

Apply the first layer of stain with a paint brush or foam brush, going in the direction of the grain. After a few strokes, use a clean rag to wipe the excess stain off of the surface of the cabinet. You’ll notice that, although you are removing the topmost layer of stain, the wood has already absorbed a good amount of it. You will repeat this process across all of your wood. Once the stain dries, you can see whether you are happy with how it looks. If you want to add another layer of stain, repeat the brush-rag-brush-rag process again. Although these are general stain application instructions, depending on the type of stain you’ve purchased, you may need to follow slightly different directions. Read the instructions that came with your particular stain very carefully before working on your cabinets.

If you’re a homeowner wanting to remodel the kitchen then you know that looking at the different types of cabinet doors will be part of that process. One question you may find yourself asking is, “Should I choose wood or some other cabinet door material?”

While other non-wood options may appeal to you due to the inexpensive price, you’ll eventually discover that you will get what you pay for. Indeed they are very inexpensive but they won’t provide the durability you’re looking for in a new kitchen. Yes, it may be slightly more expensive but solid wood cabinet doors can still be a very affordable option.

Below are a few reasons why it’s worth installing wood cabinet doors in your kitchen.

Classic and Complementing

Solid wood gives off a classic appearance and is able to complement everything in a kitchen, from the counter tops to the appliances and furniture. You’ll find that solid wood cabinet doors are extremely durable and won’t go out of style.

Strong and Dependable Build

Various stains of solid wood have different resistances and durability that help them last many years. It’s already a major investment to remodel your kitchen and replace the cabinet doors so you want to be sure that you’re protecting it by purchasing quality and long lasting product. Check out our collections and see which wood style is right for your home.

Increased Home Value

The look and quality of the cabinet doors is a major selling point that can drive up the value of your home. Wood cabinet doors still remain the top choice for homeowners. It comes off as high caliber and a guarantee that it will continue to look great as the years pass. Not selling your home? Even if you’re not planning on putting your house on the market anytime soon, you’re still boosting the look and feel of your kitchen for your own luxury, and that it will pay off eventually in the future.

Wood cabinets doors remain the top choice for homeowners. Since kitchen cabinet doors are such an integral part of any kitchen renovation project, our goal is to deliver the right cabinet door at the right price – right to your door – on-time and ready for easy installation.

Browse through our catalog and let us know if you have any questions about a particular collection, color.

If you have any other questions or custom specifications, please feel free to contact us. Count on us to be your kitchen cabinet door supplier. Each order is custom-created and can be shipped right to your door!

Spring is finally here which means that many people will be participating in spring-cleaning their homes. This usually involves removing items that may be outdated with something new and refreshing to reflect the season change. Your kitchen is no exception as well. With just a new color of paint, you can change the overall look and feel of one of the most important areas in your home. Below are 3 paint colors that you can use on your kitchen cabinets to give it a simple and cost-effective upgrade.

Light Gray

You can never go wrong with neutral colors. Neutral colors will always blend in comfortably with typically any color in your home. As neutral colors can vary from bright to dark on the color spectrum, a light gray would be the perfect tone that isn’t too extreme but can brighten up your kitchen and still give you that “spring” feeling.

Terracotta Clay

Surprisingly, this warm color was selected as Sherwin Williams official “2019 Color of the Year”. This earthy color is great for anyone who wants to have more of a pop of color that isn’t too dramatic. The Terracotta clay color can warm up any room, which makes it a wonderful paint choice for kitchen cabinets. If you happen to have wood flooring in your kitchen, using this color for your cabinets would be beautiful pairing!

Sage Green

When you think of colors associated with spring automatically pastels come into mind. Sage green is a perfect green that meets right in the middle of a bright pastel and a dark neutral color. Using sage green on your kitchen cabinets is good for adding color but soft enough to not be too overwhelming, especially if you may have a smaller kitchen.

As a national kitchen cabinet door manufacturer and supplier, we want your kitchen or home improvement project to be a success. If you’re looking for a DIY remodeling project that can drastically change the appearance and overall character of your kitchen, Kitchen Cabinet Doors has the perfect solution for you. Check out our variety of options on our online store.

There are countless ways to make the cabinets in your home reflect a design, emphasize a theme, or express certain sentiments for all of your family and friends to enjoy. You could decide on particular colors and make them compliment each other or form stark contrast, or experiment with textures and molding to add unique value to your space. You could accentuate the features of your kitchen that you love, or come up with decorative or spacial solutions that help hide unattractive qualities you can’t change. The first step to giving your kitchen a cabinet makeover is deciding on what kinds of styles suit your needs and your tastes.

Below are a few popular kitchen cabinet styles and what they convey about your home:

Flat Cabinets

Just as the name implies, flat cabinets are those that are comprised of a flat surface. When paired with simple vertical pulls or small knobs, these cabinets can be used in many kinds of modern and minimalistic kitchens, and can create an illusion of spaciousness even in cramped areas. Many homeowners choose flat cabinets if they want to show off the texture of the doors and drawer fronts, or if they want to emphasize the hardware.

Raised Panel Cabinets

Cabinets that feature raised panels are classical yet versatile. Eyebrow arches and cathedral arches are popular raised panel designs that are found in many homes across the country often in mid-colored to light-colored woods. Using a glossy white paint or a rich, dark wood with a prominent wood grain can create a feeling of luxury without being too showy.

Glass Cabinets

Another popular design option is when the center panel of the cabinet door is cut out and a glass panel is installed in its place. These doors are especially effective for cabinets that hold collections of expensive dinnerware, ornaments, tea sets, or spirits. Glass cabinets are often used as emphasis doors, and most kitchens that utilize them also encompass other types of cabinet doors.

Distressed Cabinets

Distressing is the process of making new products look older and more worn. While some homeowners initially may not understand why you would want to make your cabinets look aged, the trick in distressing is to add antique or vintage appeal without making the cabinets look less attractive. Distressed cabinets can add a more rugged charm or older, cottage-like feel to otherwise contemporary kitchens.

Inset Cabinets

Inset cabinets are interesting in that they are built to very precise measurements and have no overlay. Most cabinet doors and drawer fronts sit in front of the cabinet frame, but inset doors and fronts slide closed and are flush with the rest of the cabinetry. This creates a smooth surface, and much like flat cabinet doors, can help give the illusion of increased space.

Louvered Cabinets

Louvered cabinets are comprised of a frame and a center panel that is made up of wooden slats. Functionally, these cabinets are great for ventilation purposes and work well in laundry rooms, but they can also look attractive throughout an entire kitchen, and have a high-end appeal. The downside of louvered cabinets is that they are usually fairly expensive when compared to the other styles.

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Kitchens are spaces where family and friends come together to cook, eat, and chat with one another, so it’s no surprise that homeowners put a lot of thought into their kitchen cabinet styles. Shopping around your local home improvement stores can give you a better idea of what would look best with your existing décor, and you will have the ability to speak to employees who are familiar with the products.

Sometimes all it takes to remodel a kitchen and make a big change is switching out old cabinet doors with brand new ones. After all, it’s a relatively easy way to help pull together a theme or express your personality more clearly. When you’re about to begin the process of ordering new custom-built cabinet doors, it’s important that you measure your existing ones accurately. Submitting imprecise numbers can lead to disappointing results and cabinet doors that don’t fit as they should.

If you want cabinet doors and drawers of the same size as what you already have, the process is very straight-forward. All you will have to do is use a measuring tape to determine the height and width of all of the cabinets and drawer fronts you want replaced. Record the numbers onto a piece of paper or onto the online forms you will be submitting as your order.

If you want to switch up your kitchen a little more, and go with larger or smaller doors or drawer fronts, you’ll have a little extra work to do. Here are a few tips on measuring for new doors that are a different size than your original ones:

• Understand what overlays are and the desired measurements of your new cabinets. The overlay of a door is how much of the face frame it will cover. When you have two cabinet doors that open up into a single cabinet box with a stile in between, you’ll need to consider how much of the center stile and the overall surrounding frame you’ll want covered by the doors. A partial overlay is where an inch or more of the surrounding cabinet can be seen, and a partial overlay is where one fourth to one eighth of an inch of cabinet can be seen.
  There are a few standard measurements of overlays that have been established by the manufacturers of cabinet hinges in order to make coming up with a proper measurement easier. Check with the company you’re buying cabinet doors from to see if they have any advice on overlay measurements. Many cabinet door companies have web pages dedicated to describing overlays with visual aides and measuring guides, so be sure to check those out.
• Measure the cabinet openings carefully. You will want one end of the measuring tape to start at the innermost side of the frame and go across the open space of the cabinet, stopping at the inner edge of the parallel frame. This number would be your width. Height is measured the same way, but vertically. When measuring a cabinet with two doors, measure from the inner edge of the frame to the inner edge of the center stile; that will be the first door’s measurements. Then repeat the process for the right side of the cabinet.
• Once you have the measurements of your openings, you may need to do the appropriate overlay calculations. Some order forms will allow you to simply input the opening measurements and then add your overlay preferences separately, while others will need to take the overlays into account and give them one number for the height and width of door you need.

While going through the process of measuring and calculating the overlay, go through your work at least twice. Catching an error will save you a lot of trouble down the road, and double checking is a good habit to have when it comes to making changes in any room of your home. Measuring for new cabinet doors may seem complicated, but sometimes using your existing doors as a starting point and adding or subtracting from there can make the process a bit easier. When in doubt, it may be best to get in contact with someone who is more experienced in cabinetry. Whether they be the home improvement hobbyist next door, or a trained employee from the company you’re purchasing the cabinet doors from, a helping hand can mean the difference between ill-fitting doors and a successful kitchen re-facing project.

Embarking on a project to swap out your cabinet doors for new ones definitely takes some effort. While the actual labor itself isn’t necessarily intensive in any way, it does take some time and it requires some patience and focus on the homeowner’s part. When many of us think about refacing our cabinets, we immediately begin thinking about stretching out the tape measure, making marks with a pencil, removing screws, and installing the new doors. While all of this physical work is important, the first step to refacing is to understand what your options are and how your budget can affect the limits of your project. For these reasons, getting the most out of your refacing project is all about knowledge.

Visualize Your Goal

First things first: You need to determine what types of cabinet doors you are going to install in your kitchen. Most homeowners will want to stick to a particular theme, or have their kitchens match the rest of their home in some way or another. If you’ve done a lot of redecorating in the other rooms of your house since moving in, your kitchen may look completely disconnected from the rest of your home in terms of style. It’s important to have some kind of idea of your desired end result before pursuing one type of cabinet over another.

If you’re looking to update your kitchen to a more contemporary theme, it may be best to consider cabinets with minimal decorative touches. Simple cabinets can modernize many different kitchen styles, and finishing them with a shiny lacquer can make the space look more bright and clean. Those who want more of a traditionally charming appeal may choose to opt for wooden cabinet doors with prominent natural grain patterns. Rich or dark-colored wood brings a lot of coziness into a kitchen, and can make an otherwise empty or overly-spacious room seem more inviting.

Determine Your Options

When you decide to begin looking online or in local home improvement stores for cabinet doors, you’ll be faced with a lot of options. One aspect of new doors that you will have to decide on is whether or not you want medium density fiberboard or solid wood. These are two very common materials for homeowners to choose between, but they both have their pros and cons. While solid wood is sturdy and is often naturally attractive, MDF makes for an equally stable alternative and can be painted any color the homeowner wishes. MDF cabinet doors are often a much more affordable option than wooden cabinets, but there are two potential downsides: First, the nature of medium density fiberboard makes it so stripped screw holes can be a problem. This is because the inner layers of the pressed particles are softer than solid wood. The second potential downside is the fact that MDF doesn’t always hold up as well to moisture as wooden cabinets and can be more prone to warping. Luckily, both of these problems can be fixed relatively easily; stripped screw holes can be packed with toothpicks or a piece of a dowel rod for a quick fix, and MDF can be finished with a waterproof seal to prevent moisture related issues.

There are also a few different options when it comes to hardware and hinges. While these are relatively inexpensive pieces on their own, the math can really add up when you’re refacing a lot of cabinets. Make sure that your handles or knobs fit with your theme, but don’t break the bank!

Shop Wisely

Many places all over the country help homeowners take advantage of great savings when it comes to refacing kitchen cabinets. A lot of companies actually purchase overstock cabinets at a discounted price and then sell the products to their customers. Likewise, custom built cabinet doors that were measured wrong at the manufacturing facility, or suffered minor dents or scratches along the way, are also sold to companies for a fraction of the price they originally were to cost. When purchasing new cabinet doors, there really are a lot of savings to be found!

How to Choose the Material of Your Kitchen Cabinet Doors

Whether you’re installing your cabinet doors for the first time or refacing existing cabinetry that has been through years of wear and tear, one of the first things you have to consider is the type of material that your cabinet doors will be made of. Hardwood, softwood, MDF, and other specialty materials all offer something different for your home, and knowing a little more about these materials can help your kitchen cabinet door project be a success.

Wood

Using cabinet doors that are made of real wood can add coziness and warmth to many kitchens. Cabinetry wood can come from a variety of different trees, and can be all sorts of different colors and display different kinds of grain patterns. Wood can be stained, painted, primed, and finished in a variety of ways to give your kitchen a more polished look.

Hardwoods include oak, birch, maple, cherry, hickory and more. These woods come from seasonally shedding trees that have a more broad leaf shape than those that produce softwood. Unlike hardwoods, softwoods come from trees that produce needles and cones. Softwoods that are popular for cabinetry include pine, cedar and spruce.

It’s important to know that a wood’s classification into “hardwood” and “softwood” doesn’t always necessarily correlate to the physical hardness of the wood itself, so be aware of exceptions. For example, balsa is a type of wood that is in the hardwood family, but is actually one of the softest woods out there. No matter the type of wood you choose, be sure to avoid harsh cleaning chemicals and prolonged exposure to a lot of water.

Medium Density Fiberboard (MDF)

MDF cabinet doors are the most popular runner-up to real wood, as it has some of the properties of wood but is generally less expensive. MDF is a great material option if you have a lot of cabinets to reface on a budget or are attempting to build your cabinet doors yourself. Although medium density fiberboard isn’t natural wood, it does consist of wood— the only difference being that it’s wood fibers being used, and these fibers are combined with glue and pressed by machinery.

MDF is a generally durable material and can fit the needs of the average homeowner without a problem. That being said, they are prone to stripped screw holes because of the material being softer in the middle, and the corners of MDF doors can be easier to crush than other options. Although MDF works well for cabinet doors, it isn’t recommended for other parts of your home such as window sills and baseboards. This is because direct, prolonged exposure to water can seriously damage the material.

Other

If having cabinets that look like wood simply isn’t your style, you’re in luck. There are plenty of options available for those who want a more modern, simplistic style for their cabinets— and as a bonus, these materials tend to be easier to maintain.

Glass cabinets are often used in conjunction with other types of cabinet doors, and help emphasize built-in cabinet lighting and visually appealing glasses, bottles, and dishes. Glass is easy to wipe clean and can help brighten and open up a space, but it’s not a material that is recommended for bottom cabinets or households where children and pets may be running through on a regular basis. The biggest downside of glass is the material breaking, which can cause a big mess and the pieces can be dangerously sharp.

Laminate proves to be another option favored for its ease of maintenance and durability. Laminate doors are actually MDF doors that have been sealed with a hard synthetic material. Although laminate cabinets can look like painted wood, they feel much different to the touch. Acrylic is another material that is used for cabinet doors and it appeals mainly to sleek, modern kitchens and minimalistic settings. Acrylic cabinets are usually flat and smooth, and this material can produce a very high gloss. Although acrylic can be shinier and more fashionable than laminate, it’s also more expensive.

The Best Time of Year To Reface Your Kitchen Is Just Getting Started

Your alarm goes off and the morning is bright and warm. Your window is half open, and the room still smells of fresh, nighttime air. The birds send songs back and forth across the treetops. It’s finally summertime!

But then you step into the kitchen and it’s staring you right in the face. A project that’s sat for too long on your to-do list: replacing your cabinet doors. All winter you thought, I should get to work on this… but it just never felt like the right time.

Good news – you were right! The perfect time for DIY home renovations is the summer season. Those long July days mean you can pull up the blinds and let the light in longer! This lets you get more done in fewer days without squinting by lamplight, trying to read your pencil marks and measurements.

With the blinds up, you can crack those windows open too. It’s always important to keep your work space well ventilated, but especially if you’re generating sawdust by drilling holes or applying fresh coats of paint or wood stain. PROTIP: Point a box fan or oscillating fan out the kitchen window to blow the bad air out. Leave a window open in another part of the house, and the cross-breeze you’ve created will keep your air fresh and breathable!

From July until Labor Day, your schedule for the summer is probably the most open it will be all year. Without established holidays, you’ve got the time to finish at your own pace, and don’t have to worry about cleaning up for company. Nobody is coming by until you’re ready for them!

All this, plus those summer evenings are the perfect time to relax outdoors after a hard day’s work. Choose a firm stopping point, and reward yourself with a cold drink out on the patio or in the yard. You’ve earned it!

One very important thing to remember – since it’s the perfect season for it, you won’t be the only one renovating and remodeling. So save yourself the hassle of fighting the crowds and digging through piles of warped wood for the best pieces. Just order everything you need at kitchencabinetdoors.com! From the cabinet doors and drawer fronts, to hinges, hardware, and accessories, everything you need can be on your doorstep anywhere in America with the click of a button.

Remember to always be careful with your tools, stay ventilated and hydrated, and wear safety gear. It’s never been an easier time for DIY renovations, so get yours started today!

When you think of hinges you usually think about a piece of metal bolted with a screw that links the actual cabinet to the cabinet door. If you see that on the side of the door, your hinges are probably out dated.

At Kitchen Cabinet Doors we pride ourselves on using hardware that is above the general standard. That is why we use premium European hinges for our cabinet doors.

So what is a European hinge? European hinges are a modern form of cabinet hinge. They are not visible when the cabinet door is closed which gives it a clean look. The good thing about European hinges is that they can be used on a variety of cabinet door types so you don’t have to worry about it not fitting on a particular door. Also, these hinges are commonly used on cabinets today.

Now why should you use European hinges?

You Won’t See Them

European hinges are also known as “concealed hinges” or “invisible hinges” which makes them hidden from plain sight when the door is closed. No more bulky metal hinges with screws that could possibly collect dust, dirt, and moisture. Since these hinges are concealed you don’t have to worry about them being in plain sight which make them ideal for design.

They are Extremely Quiet

Ever open a cabinet door and hear a high pitch squeak or creak? Well you don’t have to worry about that with European hinges. They are also soft closing so no doors will be slamming shut. This comes in handy in places where those sounds may be a concern such as medical facilities. In fact, most of the hinges used in hospitals and most doctors’ offices are European hinges.

Adjustable and Easy Removal

No tools? No problem. These hinges don’t require a screwdriver to remove them from your doors. Usually European hinges can clip on and clip off which makes it much easier to install.

Since kitchen cabinet doors are such an integral part of any kitchen renovation project, our goal is to deliver the right cabinet door at the right price – right to your door – on-time and ready for easy installation.

Browse through our catalog and let us know if you have any questions about a particular collection or color.

If you have any other questions or custom specifications, please feel free to contact us. Count on us to be your kitchen cabinet door supplier. Each order is custom-created and can be shipped right to your door!