The Difference Between Custom and Factory-Made Cabinets
Choosing cabinets for your home renovation can feel daunting. There are so many elements to consider – style, dimensions, materials, hardware, and the list goes on. But there are simple differences between factory-made cabinets, semi-custom cabinets, and fully custom cabinets. My personal favorite? I’ll save that for the end.
Read on to learn the differences between these three types of cabinets and the important pros and cons to consider for each.
Factory-Made Cabinets
Factory-made cabinets can be found at any major retailer, such as Lowes, Home Depot, or IKEA. These cabinets are ready to install upon purchase and are usually made with MDF (Medium-Density Fibreboard) wood. If you’re flipping a house, then this economic option may be perfect for you as they tend to stay on the lower end of renovation budgets.
Pros of Factory-Made Cabinets:
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Budget-friendly
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Pre-built
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Ready to install upon purchase
Cons of Factory-Made Cabinets:
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Made of MDF – MDF is made of a combination of wood fibers, wax, and resin. This tends to break apart and take damage more easily than hardwood options, which usually last several generations.
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Cannot be customized – These pre-built cabinets cannot be customized beyond a paint job. The dimensions provided are the dimensions you must work with. This makes it particularly difficult to tailor cabinets to unique spaces.
Semi-Custom Cabinets
Semi-custom cabinets usually benefit projects that run “middle of the road” budget-wise. While you can customize some elements, such as the dimensions, every other aspect is predetermined. This means you cannot change the material of the cabinets, and semi-custom cabinets are usually constructed using plywood.
Pros of Semi-Custom Cabinets:
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Good choice for medium-sized budgets
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Good for homeowners who are not quite ready to commit to a fully custom set of cabinets
Cons of Semi-Custom Cabinets:
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Made of plywood – Plywood is made of pieces of wood veneer glued together. This is not as strong as solid wood and warps easily.
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Can only be partially customized – While you may be able to customize some of the dimensions for semi-custom cabinets, you cannot customize very much else. This makes it difficult to find exactly what you’re looking for regarding your unique style and space.
Fully Custom Cabinets
Fully custom cabinets are completely made-to-order. This means you can request exactly what you want, including the cabinet dimensions, material, and color. This is especially helpful for projects that hope to create a fully customized space. Fully customized cabinets are most often made of solid wood, which can last several generations.
Pros of Fully Custom Cabinets:
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Completely customizable
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High quality and built to last
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Crafted by professionals with high attention to detail
Cons of Fully Custom Cabinets:
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Expensive – Anything that is custom-made is going to cost more than something coming off the factory line. That’s the price you pay – pun intended – for getting exactly what you want.
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Takes longer to produce and deliver – The process of fully customizing cabinets requires consultations, planning, and then the actual crafting of the cabinets. This will take longer than cabinets that are ready to install upon purchasing. But good things take time!
What Kind of Cabinets Should You Buy?
I like to think of buying cabinets like buying cars. You get what you pay for.
If you buy a car with a rich history of high quality, then you’ll drive home in a product built to last and serve you well. The same is true for cabinetry work. There are some local carpentry businesses in Cincinnati with a long history of quality work you can trust.
Here are some I particularly like:
If you haven’t guessed already, I always advise my clients to consider fully custom cabinets for their projects. My business is built upon the value of renovating and designing forever homes – homes built to last. Undoubtedly, fully custom cabinets fit the bill in that regard.
Regardless of my personal opinions, make sure you are educated on the cabinetry line and fluctuating prices to avoid any unhappy surprises. Sometimes there’s no clear winner, but my pick is always the custom cabinetry if it fits snuggly into your budget.
