Explore Cabinet Creation Instead of Pre-Built Cabinet Ordering
3D render of a custom cabinet designThe value you get out of a local well-made custom cabinet, filled with your ideas, built of strong plywood, and made in America is a sound choice for your long-term investment in your home or office. We have replaced a large number of Chinese made cabinets that only lasted a couple of years. They start falling apart immediately and here’s why.
In American made cabinets that come out of shops like ARHTX, quality fastening techniques as screws, nails and dados are used. Pocket hole screws and biscuits make ARHTX construction long lasting and durable. Chinese cabinets, on the other hand, rely on poor quality hot glue with staples which cannot hold up to storing even typical kitchen or office items. Moving Chinese-made cabinets can break the joints quickly.
China allows the use of toxic chemicals in the creation of the wood product used for cabinets. And much of the base wood is illegally logged. We’ve also noticed that the wood used isn’t properly seasoned. The green wood warps easily and doesn’t hold the finish.
Some Chinese cabinetry uses the shrink-wrap vinyl. See the previous article on this short-term solution. And when a finish is applied, the right hardening agents aren’t employed so the finish simply flakes off within a short period of time.
The drawer guides that we saw used on a number of the Chinese-made cabinetry are a side mount glide, flimsy metal that bends even under the lightest load. The glide uses thin rails and plastic wheels—usually found on discount furniture and prone to misalignment. ARHTX custom cabinetry uses slides that feature lubricated ball bearings that fit between an inner, intermediate and outer member. These slides are made to hold the toughest loads and work smoothly for a long time.
As American consumers we have a large array of cabinetry choices. Know what you want and be sure that you’re not compromising longevity for what initially seems like a savings but in the long run will cost you more. It takes dedicated time to go through a remodel and costs add up. But imagine having to do that again just a few years later when you see your cabinets bending and falling apart from regular use. Shop your options for durability, environmentally sound, and custom perfect cabinets.