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Any Good “Ready to Assemble” Cabinets?

freematt | Posted in General Discussion on July 9, 2005 05:20am

I’m looking for a supplier of some fairly good RTA (Ready To Assemble) kitchen cabinets for a rental unit in a duplex. I did a little job recently using Mill’s Pride RTA’s from Home Depot and thought that the cases and drawer construction were pretty low grade. I spotted a brand called Sunco Classics that advertises that their cases are made of furniture grade plywood and that they never use particle board. Anybody have any experience with these? Or recommend any others? The reason I’m looking for RTA’s is that I have a short lead time (2 – 3 weeks) and just need some durable cabinets in stock sizes. — Matt

There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root. — Henry David Thoreau

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  1. OldGuy | Jul 09, 2005 10:40am | #1

    Good morning,

    I did my kitchen with SUNCO two years ago. Twenty-one cabs for around $2300. Really impressed with the finish. Oak veneer on the cabs I got with solid oak face frames. Inside finished too. Purchased through cabsforless (maybe, can't remember for sure and couldn't find original order copy.) - Paul

  2. MisterT | Jul 09, 2005 02:36pm | #2

    We use Conestoga

    ply sides and bottoms.

    splines and grooves and glue and brads to hold em together.

    not bad for KD

     

    Witty tagline...

    1. gdavis62 | Jul 09, 2005 03:28pm | #3

      His problem is that he needs cabs practically now.  Something like a two week lead time is required.

      Short of buying flatpacks off the shelf at Lowes, I can't believe any one of the KD cab suppliers can do what he wants.

      We've done jobs with Conestoga, Cab Parts, Scherr's, and we've married fronts from Scherr's and Keystone Wood Specialties to Cab Parts boxes.

      Particularly if you stick to their standard sizings, Cab Parts can ship carcases pretty quickly, but I don't know who, if anyone, can get fronts as fast as the thread initiator wants.Gene Davis, Davis Housewrights, Inc., Lake Placid, NY

       

       

      1. MisterT | Jul 09, 2005 03:34pm | #4

        OHHHH!!!

        I thought he want a REAL WORLD answer not the " I need it yesterday" answer.

        Prior Planning Penultimately Prevents Pathetically Piss Poor Performance!!! 

        Witty tagline...

        1. freematt | Jul 09, 2005 08:38pm | #5

          Every cabinet in this layout is a standard size. I figured standard sizes would be in stock and readdy to ship from a manufacturer like Sunco, whose line is limited to a few styles. A local countertop fabricator can deliver a laminate counter top in 2 weeks. So what's unreasonable about that? -- Matt There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root. -- Henry David Thoreau

          1. DanT | Jul 10, 2005 12:26am | #6

            I guess it all boils down to your definition of reasonable.  In the kitchen world 4 weeks plus is standard.  We do 2-3 kitchens a year generally with mid grade cabinets through a home center and never plan on it unless we have 4-6 weeks lead.  To many variables and thing to go wrong.  Cabinet lead time being one of the biggies.  DanT

  3. kevreh | Jul 10, 2005 05:45am | #7

    If you have an Ikea by you I'd definitly go with their cabinets. Now, everyone here likes to beat up on Ikea, but I'm in the middle of remodeling my kitchen with them and think their great for the money. They have features you only find in higher end cabinets or pay a premium for on others (self closing, metal bodies, smooth glide, base and pantry cabs with seperate pull out drawers, full overlay doors, ingenius german engineering, ...). Also, you may be able to get them the same day (at least the bodies) or within a week.

     

    kevin

    1. freematt | Jul 12, 2005 07:00am | #8

      I never thought of Ikea. There is one located about 60 miles from me. I could check it out. Maybe they have something on their website I can look at to whet my wistle, so to speak. Thanks -- Matt There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root. -- Henry David Thoreau

      1. jgealy | Jul 12, 2005 09:08am | #9

        I second the Ikea recommendation. I have used them for a lot of stuff and find they work well, as long as you like the limited door styles they have available. They are metric 32mm system through and through. The hardware is Blum and is cheaper through Ikea than what I can get locally. In my area, however, they stopped stocking kitchen cabinetry at the local stores. You can go to a local store and place an order but they now shop it from their warehouse.There was an article in FHB not too long ago about someone who used Ikea cabinets for a remodel. They looked pretty good.

        1. KyleH | Jul 13, 2005 07:50pm | #12

          Good to hear some positive feedback on IKEA cabs.  Seems most threads where this is brought up, they're immediately dismissed.

          I'm a DIY homeowner who will be doing a kitchen remodel in the near future, and we have been considering IKEA cabinets.

          1. AuntBarb | Jul 13, 2005 10:42pm | #13

            Consumer Reports has published several recent articles concerning kitchen appliances and remodels.  They actually recommended IKea cabinets as being reasonable and well-made.  You might want to check their website to pick up the report about kitchen cabinets.

            Aunt Barb

          2. kevreh | Jul 14, 2005 03:22pm | #15

            I think Ikea get's dismissed here because people compare them to something their not- high end cabinets. Think of them as the VW Passat and not a BMW and you'll be happy.

            Kevin

      2. kevreh | Jul 13, 2005 04:40pm | #10

        If/when you go there's a few different Kitchen brochures you can get. You can also download planning software (but not all, maybe a few, of the cabinets aren't in the software).  It made my head spin for a while all the combinations of drawers, pull out base cabinets, pull out pantry's, cabinet sizes, etc...

        Kevin

      3. BryanSayer | Jul 13, 2005 07:24pm | #11

        One thing about Ikea is that they REALLY want you to come into their stores, so only about 1/3 of what they have is in the on-line catelog, and you can't even order everything that is there. But a friend of mine is doing his kitchen with Ikea cabinets and is very happy with them. They look nice, though I didn't inspect the quality at all. And the hanging track makes installation easy.I've been putting up simple bookshelves and have had to go to three different Ikeas to get the three different parts that I needed, including begging the Philly store to ship me the wall standards, buying and packing in my suitcase the brackets at the College Park store, and having a friend go to the WhiteMarsh store to get the bookends.

        1. hacknhope | Jul 13, 2005 10:42pm | #14

          Ditto the experience.  The joke goes,  Ikea: Swedish for "out of stock."

           

  4. steve | Jul 14, 2005 04:19pm | #16

    do you have a supplier for NHB cabinets from Peterborough Ontario Canada?

    a really good product, metaboxes for drawers, really good hinges for the doors(blum i think and the better grade snap on ones)

    their product is far superior to mills pride

    i'll try and find their website

    caulking is not a piece of trim

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