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Kitchen Upgrade Information

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Cabinets   ||   Flooring   ||   Countertops

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Cabinets

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Custom  ||   Semi-Custom  ||   Factory Stock  ||   Box Basics  ||   Doors & Drawers  ||   Finishes

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Custom, Semi-Custom, Factory Stock - Prior to the mid-1950s, all cabinets were built-in, or custom-built, in that each set was locally made for a specific kitchen. Today, the boundaries are less clear. Truly custom cabinets are still locally built to maximize specific and unique spaces, but it happens far less often. With all the options in factory-made components, and the economy of scale they offer, local cabinetmakers find it hard to compete. What custom cabinets still offer is good craftsmanship, full-dimension plywood in the box construction, and customized sizes, details and accessories. While factory components are sized in 3-in. increments, custom cabinets can be made to fill each space, without filler strips. When a kitchen sink needs to be centered under a window, for example, a 2- or 3-in. shortfall can make a big difference. Custom cabinets accommodate such differences and offer greater flexibility. They also allow you to add compatible new cabinets to an existing set. The costs, however, will usually meet or exceed those of high-end factory components. Semicustom cabinets offer the best of both worlds, in that the components are factory-made, but are done so according to each kitchen's specifications. More economical stock sizes are used to fill most of the space, while a few components are customized to meet site-specific needs. In most cases, all components are factory-built, though some are customized. In a few cases, the installer builds certain details or components to round out the construction job. And finally, you will find many factory lines of stock cabinets. These lines consist of mix-and-match components starting at 9 in, in width and graduating in 3-in. increments to about 60 in. Because the manufacturer picks the sizes and the details, and builds in assembly-line fashion, these cabinets are generally the most affordable. Factory lines are offered everywhere, from kitchen specialty shops to lumberyards and home centers. Prices vary with the type of face lumber, accessories, door and drawer construction, type and thickness of the box lumber and the number and quality of shelves and storage features. Assuming a standard L-shape kitchen two 10-ft. runs of cabinets, including the usual gaps left for appliances-prices usually range from $1400 to $5000, with the most popular selections falling in the $3500 category. Keep in mind that these are typical prices for typical homes. You could easily spend $8000 to $10,000 in the same space, using premium-grade prestige lines with all the extras. The good news for consumers is that competition is fierce at this level. It's not uncommon to find 20 to 30% price reductions on the most popular models, most months of the year. What's more, dealers and home centers make shopping easier by providing display kitchens in a variety of styles and prices. These side-by-side comparisons help focus the selection process.
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Box Basics - There are two basic cabinet types in use today, faced and unfaced. American-style cabinets have a band of facing lumber--rails and stiles--on the cabinet fronts, usually made of solid wood. The drawers and doors close against this face frame. With European-style unfaced cabinets, the doors are hinged from the cabinet sides and overlap the cabinet edges in all directions. The difference is largely a matter of style, though without center and perimeter supports, faceless cabinets are slightly more accessible. In box construction, the differences are in the thickness and quality of the materials. Within certain limits, it's safe to say that real wood is better than scrap-wood products, and the thicker the better. But not every situation requires the most costly materials and methods. Consider, for example, the daily-use contrasts between cabinet boxes and drawer boxes. If a cabinet box survives the shipping, the installation and the plumber, chances are it will stand up to a generation of utensils and groceries, whether it's made of varnished plywood or vinylwrapped particleboard. Drawers, on the other hand, suffer a lifetime of relentless use, and as long as the kids are around, a few years of abuse too. Drawers should be as sturdy as nature and joinery allow, and as good as you can afford. With this in mind, here are the options. A few high-end factory cabinets use 5/8-in. plywood that is veneered on both sides. Some custom-cabinet makers use 3/4-in. plywood for even greater strength and rigidity. When plywood is not used, low- to medium-density particleboard or medium-density fiberboard (MDF) takes its place. Particleboard is generally less expensive and durable than MDF, which is quite strong and made of resin-bonded wood fibers. In fact, it's dense enough to hold a sharp edge and is often used in doors, usually under some form of synthetic finish. When wrapped in vinyl or low-density laminate, however, it's not easy to tell these composites apart, so make it a point to ask. Most cabinets have l/8-in, plywood or hardboard backs and 1/4- or 1/2-in. plywood floors. Shelving lumber is usually the same as the box lumber, but varies in thickness between 1/2 and 3/4 in. One-half-inch shelves can sag in a 36-in. cabinet if you really load them, so if you have limited storage space, you'll want a thicker shelf. The most basic models will have one fixed half-depth shelf in the base units and two in the upper cabinets. Better cabinets may have deeper base shelves and two or three adjustable shelves in the uppers. Premium cabinets often feature pullout storage trays on heavy-duty drawer slides. In these cases, the doors may be hinged conventionally, or fastened directly to the trays, like drawer fronts. Keep in mind that some cabinetmakers will substitute better materials at your request. You might specify plywood construction for the sink base, where water damage is most likely, while opting for fiberboard elsewhere. In similar fashion, you might order better drawer slides and drawer construction for the one or two drawers you know will get the roughest use.
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Doors & Drawers - Doors and drawers really make the cabinet when it comes to appearance. While variations abound in detail, most doors fall into a few structural categories. Recessed-panel doors and the more expensive raised-panel and mullioned, glass-pane doors are used on faced cabinets, while plywood, MDF and particleboard doors are used on faced and unfaced cabinets. The most expensive doors are always those made of solid wood, either one piece or paneled. The more dear the wood--cherry, hickory and walnut to name a few examples-the higher the cost. A reasonable compromise in price and quality is a flat-panel door, in which 1/4-in. veneered plywood is used in place of solid wood, with the frame of the panel still made of solid wood. Many manufacturers now use quality hardwood veneers in the place of solid wood, to remarkable effect. In the best examples, you have to look closely to see the difference. The savings are often substantial, and with tough, factory-applied finishes, these doors hold up well under most conditions. As for drawers, plywood and solid-wood construction is best. Where weaker materials are used, good-quality mechanical slides can even the score somewhat. Drawer slides range in capacity from 50 to 150 pounds. Avoid, when you can, slides with minimal base support and nylon parts. The best slides are 8-piece affairs that run on bearings and allow the drawer to extend almost completely out. If you can't afford the best, look for slides that wrap under both sides of the drawer at least 1/2 in. How the drawer is constructed is also important. You'll find several basic designs. In better cabinets, the drawer front is screwed to a framed box, while in lesser cabinets, the drawer box is 3-sided, with the open end stapled directly into mortised slots in the drawer front. The boxes, in these cases, are usually made of vinyl-wrapped particleboard or fiberboard. High-end cabinets typically have solid-wood boxes with dovetailed corners, though glued and stapled corners are also used on some quality cabinets.
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Finishes - Lower-grade stained-wood cabinets are usually sealed with a sprayed lacguer, which produces an attractive finish, but one that is less colorfast. For this reason, most of the better cabinets today are sealed with a catalyzed conversion varnish, which is baked on. The application and curing process takes longer, so the finish is more expensive. But the better finish on factory cabinets give them an edge over locally built custom cabinets. And finally, many MDF-surfaced cabinets are now sealed with a pigmented polyester finish, applied in many layers in a tightly controlled environment. It's labor intensive and therefore expensive. The resulting finish is tougher than lacquer and usually has a high-luster sheen, which is easy to wipe clean. Not all cabinets these days are sealed with liquid coatings. Those made of particleboard or fiberboard are often covered vrith synthetic laminates, either plastic, vinyl or PVC. At the low end of the scale are vinyl coverings that are heat-sealed over particleboard or fiberboard. Although both are susceptible to nicks and dings, 4-mil vinyl is tougher than 2-mil. Next on the list is thermofoil plastic, which heat-bonds a film of PVC over fiberboard doors and drawer faces. The thermofoil process is popular on medium-price white cabinets, because it offers a durable, seamless surface that is still affordable. And finally, some very good cabinets are covered with plastic laminates-the same stuff used on countertops--in either colors or simulated wood grains. Some of the u·ood-grain copies are impressively realistic, though not entirely convincing. Nevertheless, cabinets covered in high-density laminates are sturdy and easy to keep clean.
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Flooring

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Kitchen Carpeting  ||   Hardwood Floors  ||   Prefinished Veneers  ||   Tile Floors  ||   Stone Floors

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Kitchen Carpeting - Kitchen carpeting is not as popular as it once was, for obvious reasons. It doesn't handle spills very well and it fits neither the rustic-chic or white and-sleek fashion motifs popular today. Still, those who like it have their own good reasons, which often involve concrete floors and cold, tired feet. Kitchen carpeting, because it's rubber-backed, is more comfortable than all the marble in Italy. It's also quite affordable, and the best is stain-resistant.
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Hardwood Floors - Traditional hardwood flooring, usually 3/4-in. tongue-and-grove planking, has always been popular because it warms a room, complements cabinets and counters and is relatively easy to maintain. At a minimum $6 to $8 per square foot installed, it's fairly pricey, but it can be refinished whenever necessary to look as good as new. Each plank is nailed through its tongue and the entire floor is usually sanded, stained and sealed on-site. Sealing a floor with three coats of urethane is an exacting process, requiring several dustfree days. When possible, other subcontractors and the occupants are locked out of the house when a floor is being sealed. While urethane is a reasonably tough sealer, it's not that tough. Close inspection of a floor that's been down a year or so will reveal a variety of dents from fallen utensils and canned goods. What no tongue-and-groove flooring can tolerate, however, is standing water. Even the slightest plumbing leak, from a faucet, dishwasher or ice maker, can swell and buckle the floor if not caught immediately.
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Prefinished Veneers - Because full-dimension hardwoods are costly, and because factory-applied finishes are more durable, many manufacturers have gone to prefinished tongue-and-groove plywood planks, and squares, topped with hardwood veneers. Less hardwood is needed, which means more exotic types of hardwoods can be offered, in a greater variety of widths and patterns, and with a harder finish. While some of these planks can be nailed in place, most are designed as floating floors. The planks are glued together along the tongue-and-groove joints and then laid over a foam pad. When installed, you'll be hard pressed to a notice a difference. Urethane-finished veneers run $2.50 to $6 per square foot installed. The next step up, and it's a big step, is acrylic-impregnated veneer. In these cases, a superhard acrylic-plastic sealant is forced deep into the veneer. The result is a thick plastic finish many times more resistant to scratches and dents than factory- or site-applied urethanes. Again, prices and installation costs will vary, but $5 to $13 per square foot is likely, depending on the type of hardwood or hardwood combination you choose.
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Tile - Earthen tiles come in two forms glazed and unglazed, and some are even handmade, often with custom colors and details. Handmade tiles are less consistent in shape and size, and frankly, this is part of their appeal. Naturally, handmade tiles are a bit more expensive. Most tiles are factory-made, usually with fine-grained clays that are machine shaped and pressed. These are more uniform and come in a wide variety of colors. Unglazed tiles need to be sealed after they're installed and periodically thereafter. Glazed tiles are impervious to stains and moisture and therefore do not need additional protection. All tile grout, however, should be treated with a liquid silicone sealer every year or so. Light grouts are naturally more difficult to keep clean, so consider using a colored grout. How much you'll pay depends on the installation and, of course, your tile selection. Tiles range from $5 to $25 per square foot, with most costing $10 to $12. Installation varies, but expect it to be about $3 to $5 per square foot. Tiles should not be installed directly over particleboard, or even wood subflooring, if the floor will be subject to a lot of flexing. Flexing is a function of room size, joist span and joist spacing. Today, 1/2-in. concrete backing board is nailed directly over the deck lumber and the tile is cemented to the board with adhesive mortar. All tiles are given a hardness rating, on a scale of one to four. No. 1 is the softest, and is primarily made for walls. Residential floor tiles should have a grade-3 hardness rating.
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Stone - Stone flooring, typically marble, slate or granite, is considered permanent. It's not that stone flooring can't be replaced, but when it is, it's usually done by a subsequent owner bent on a completely new look. Marble is not as hard as slate or granite, and is slightly more susceptible to scratching. Granite is the most durable, though all hold up well with reasonable care. While stone, especially slate, can be ordered in irregular shapes, most are trimmed into 12or 24-in. squares. All should be laid over concrete or concrete backing board. Remember, darker grouts are easier to keep clean. Stone runs $12 to $25 per square foot, plus installation of between $5 and $7 per square foot. If concrete backing board is needed, expect to pay a little more.
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Countertops

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Custom Laminate Tops   ||    Solid-Surface Tops   ||    Ceramic Tile & Marble

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Custom Laminate Tops - For all their economy and convenience, preformed tops have their shortcomings, especially if you have in mind a custom shape, extra length, unusual colors or custom edge trim. If this is the case, and you're not ready to step up to solid-surface counters, then hiring a local fabricator to custom-make a counter with high-density particleboard and plastic-laminate Sheet is definitely your best option. Prices vary, depending upon the laminate that you choose and local labor costs. Edge treatment can also make a difference. While some homeowners welcome the chance to introduce a second color in the edge band, others opt for the same color or a routed hardwood face to match the cabinets.
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Solid-Surface Tops - Solid-surface counters found an enthusiastic audience when they first appeared some 15 years ago. The advantages were obvious at a glance. Solid-surfacing was not only stylish and durable, but apparently seamless and remarkably adaptable in the hands of trained fabricators. Steady improvements in colors and trim profiles have made them even more attractive. Sheet stock is trimmed, routed and glued to support panels, usually high-density particleboard. What solid-surfacing has never been, however, is cheap. It starts out costly and grows more so with every step in the process. The number of buJring and distribution levels also affects pricing. Installed costs can range from $125 to $200 per foot, with matrix colors and custom details claiming the high end. If you'd like a solidsurface sink bonded seamlessly to the underside of the slab, expect to pay close to $1000. What you get in return is a high-tech appearance and impressive durability. Scratches and even burn marks can be easily sanded out. These prices sort of slam the door on most remodeling jobs. As such, some manufacturers hope to dip into the top layers of the custom-laminate market by offering thin-sheet solidsurfacing, and to a lesser degree, topmount solid-surface sinks. The new sheet stock is roughly 1/8in. thick and is laminated to a 3/4-in. substrate, either plywood, particleboard or fiberboard. While the color selection is still limited (six to 18 colors), thin-sheet materials are actually more adaptable, in terms of profiles and contours, than full-depth materials. They also accept integral solid-surface sinks, and the finished product is virtually indistinguishable from its full-depth counterpart.
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Ceramic Tile & Marble - Glazed ceramic tiles are tough, heatresistant, impervious to stains and attractive. By blending a few decorator tiles into a field of color, all sorts of attractive accents are possible. Some outlets even commission hand-painted tiles for a distinctly personal look. Naturally, prices will vary. Two clear disadvantages are that grouts are susceptible to stains if not sealed regularly and the counter surface is not smooth. The latter can be annoying when trying to wipe up spills. At the high end is marble (and other stone materials), both imported and domestic. Marble is quarried and sliced with a gang saw into 3/4-in. slabs, then trimmed and polished before being shipped to regional marble dealers. In some cases, dealers also install marble, but in others, they take orders from local custom-counter firms. A second strip of 3/4-in. marble may be glued under the front of the counter and shaped and polished into a bullnose edge. Sink and cook-top holes are also cut before shipping. The result is a beautiful counter that will outlast everyone associated with it. Expect to pay between $70 and $150 per square foot, plus shipping and installation. All told, a 10- to 12-ft. counter can run $4000 to $5000.