Kitchen Remodeling On A Budget: Unfinished Kitchen Cabinets
One of the primary reasons why many homeowners today choose not to remodel their kitchens is the high cost associated with getting this work done. A total kitchen remodel can cost thousands of dollars -- money that some people simply do not have. A good option, especially for those who can do a certain amount of remodeling work themselves, is to purchase unfinished kitchen cabinets rather than cabinetry that is completely finished and ready to install.
Most styles of unfinished kitchen cabinets are available in standard sizes that should be completely compatible with your existing cabinetry. If you are only replacing one or two of your kitchen cabinets, you will need to make sure that the design closely matches that of your remaining cabinets. It will also be necessary for you to be able to stain or paint your unfinished cabinets so that they will match the appearance of your remaining cabinetry.
If you cannot find unfinished kitchen cabinets in a style to match your existing cabinets then you will need to consider a total replacement of all your kitchen cabinets. While this means, of course, a greater financial outlay, at least you'll have the comfort of knowing that you will still be spending less than you would have if you purchased a complete set of finished cabinets.
Once you have a matching style, your next consideration will be the kind of woods used in the construction of your unfinished kitchen cabinets. I say "woods" rather than "wood" because many unfinished kitchen cabinets made today are actually constructed with an interior made from particle board or a wood-composite material, which is covered with a wood veneer. It is very important when selecting unfinished kitchen cabinets to carefully inspect the drawers and shelves -- make sure that they are at least 1/2" -- 3/4" in thickness. Drawers and shelves which are too thin should be rejected, as they will not be able to hold heavy items. You can find unfinished kitchen cabinets made from many different types of woods: poplar, oak, maple, hickory and the ever-popular pine. Hardwoods such as oak and hickory are more durable than softer words such as pine. To finish off your unfinished kitchen cabinets you will, of course, need to either paint or stain them. If you are going to paint your unfinished kitchen cabinets I highly recommend the use of the paint that dries to a hard, glossy finish -- you'll find it much easier to clean this type of surface later on. If you are staining your unfinished kitchen cabinets, then once the stain has dried apply one or more coats of a protective finish which will dry and give you a hard surface -- again, this will make it easier to clean your cabinets in the future. Once your unfinished kitchen cabinets have been either painted or stained then they will need to be mounted on the floor and walls of your kitchen. If you do not feel up to this task, you can contact many local building-supply stores and have your cabinets mounted by a professional. This will cut down the cost savings (professional labor is not cheap), but at least you will have the assurance that the mountings/installation of your unfinished kitchen cabinets will be done properly.
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