Kitchen cabinets in Oxford County

Stock, semi-custom or custom?

• Stock cabinets come in set sizes and finishes. They're the most affordable and quickest to get, and filler strips cover the gaps.
• Semi-custom lines offer more sizes, finishes and storage options like pull-outs and tall pantries.
• Custom cabinets are built to your exact space by a local shop, with any size, finish or detail. They cost the most and take the longest.

What to look for

• Box material. Plywood boxes resist moisture better than particleboard, which matters most under the sink.
• Drawers. Full-extension, soft-close slides and solid drawer boxes make the biggest daily difference.
• Doors. Shaker doors are the most popular now. Painted finishes look clean but show chips; stained wood and thermofoil each have trade-offs.
• Storage. Pull-out pantries, corner solutions, drawer bases instead of door bases, and an island with seating.

Refacing instead of replacing

If the cabinet boxes are solid and you like the layout, refacing puts new doors, drawer fronts and veneer on the old boxes for less than new cabinets. If the boxes are damaged or the layout needs to change, new cabinets are the better spend. Painting is another option for solid wood cabinets: FindPainting.ca can help with that.

Installation matters

Floors and walls in older homes are rarely level or straight. Good installers shim and scribe the cabinets so doors line up and counters sit flat. Uneven cabinets are the main reason counters crack and doors drift out of line.