Kitchen cabinet installation costs a significant amount of money, however, there are ways to save money. You have to plan carefully to strike a balance between durability and cost. This is why Timberlake cabinets are popular. Here are some tips for cutting costs when choosing and installing kitchen cabinets.

Budget-Friendly Kitchen Cabinet Installation Tips

Choose Affordable Materials

More than anything, the cost of kitchen cabinets is hugely impacted by the material you choose. Here are some budget-friendly materials that offer the best bang for the buck:

• Plywood box with MDF doors: Plywood box is a standard in high-end and durable kitchen cabinets. They are coupled with solid wood or plywood doors in premium cabinets. However, the good news is that you can utilize plywood effectively to benefit from its durability while still saving money by opting for mid-range or low-cost door materials like MDF.
• All-MDF cabinets (painted): If you want the cost of cabinets to be even lower than the above option, you can choose all-MDF cabinets, where both the box and the doors are made of MDF. They are usually painted, unless you use thermofoil or laminate.
• All-MDF cabinets (laminated): They cost slightly higher than painted all-MDF cabinets, but they are a bit better when it comes to moisture-resistance and durability. However, they are still less durable than plywood boxes.

Tip: If you want durability and excellent repairability, pick a plywood box with MDF doors. You will be able to repair them if they get damaged. And as plywood lasts longer, you can simply reface the cabinets if the MDF doors get damaged.

Materials to avoid:

• Solid wood: Solid wood cabinets are usually for premium kitchens where appearance is more important than the cost.
• Particleboard: This is the cheapest kitchen cabinet material and it’s the least durable as well. These cabinets usually last for 5 years or so.

Pick Framed Cabinets

There are two types of cabinets when it comes to their construction: framed and frameless cabinets. Framed cabinets have a visible face-frame between the doors and drawers, while frameless cabinets don’t. This is why framed cabinets are considered traditional or transitional while frameless offer modern appearance.

Now, both have their pros and cons, but if you’re going for low-cost cabinets, it’s better to stick with framed cabinets. It’s because they are common, easier to build and install, and also allow minor installation errors. This makes them cheaper than frameless cabinets, given that the size and materials are the same.

The low cost of framed cabinets doesn’t mean that they are bad, though. They are, in fact, considered better when it comes to durability and repairability. Plus, they are widely popular in traditional, transitional, and farmhouse kitchens.

Once you zero in on framed cabinets, they have some types as well, such as full overlay, partial overlay, and inset. If we list them by lowest cost, it will be something like this:

• Partial overlay cabinets
• Full overlay cabinets
• Inset cabinets

More Customizations And Features Mean Higher Cost

Many cabinet features are available as paid upgrades, so as you include more features, they drive up the cost as well. Therefore, you should decide which features are essential for you and which ones you can do without to cut costs.

Here are some essential features you should include:

• Soft-close hinges and drawer slides
• Full-extension drawer slides
• Corner solutions (basic level)

Avoid these features unless you have a good budget:

• Drawer organizers
• Pull-out waste bins
• Pull-out shelves
• Soft-close lazy Susan
• Integrated LED lighting
• Push-to-open hardware
• Adjustable utensil holders

Keep in mind that some recommend that you should not include drawers to reduce the cost of cabinets. Although it’s true that drawers cost 20% to 40% more than cabinets, they offer convenience, so ditching them for a lower cost would not be the best option for most people.

Choose Basic Yet Timeless Cabinet Door Styles

The cabinet door style doesn’t only affect its appearance but cost as well. Some door styles are cheaper while others can be costly. So, you should pick a door style that is cheap yet timeless. This way, your cabinet doors will look nice and good for a long time without appearing outdated in just a few years. These three cabinet styles are considered low-cost and evergreen:

• Flat-panel or slab doors
• Shaker-style doors (choose basic shaker doors)
• Beadboard doors

Avoid these door styles for low-cost cabinets:

• Decorative panel
• Specialty finish
• Glass inserts
• Raised panel

Pick Affordable Finishes

You may think that finishes don’t cost a lot, but they do, so choose basic and budget-friendly finishes to keep the overall cost of your cabinets low. This is why pick from laminate, thermofoil, or basic painted cabinets as they are good enough and cost the least compared to other finishes like high-gloss lacquer, staining, glazing, or distressing.

In case of painted cabinets, you have the freedom to repaint your kitchen cabinets to change the look of your kitchen at a very low cost, if ever feel the appearance of the cabinets is dull.

Don’t Change The Kitchen Layout

If there is one way of drastically increasing the cost of a kitchen remodel, it’s changing the layout. This is because you will also be relocating the plumbing, electrical, and gas lines, at the very least. This alone can hike the costs. Moreover, the project will take longer because of permits and inspections.

In some cases, you can’t use standard stock cabinets after a layout change, which means you will have to choose semi-custom or custom cabinets that cost much more than stock or RTA cabinets.

So, if you want an affordable cabinet replacement, never change the cabinet or kitchen layout and work with what you have, unless there is a workflow problem and you can splurge.

Consider Open Shelving

Open shelves mean you don’t have to spend money on entire cabinet boxes and there will be no doors, so you will save a huge amount of money on materials and labor costs compared to regular cabinets.

However, be warned that open shelving has its drawbacks, such as they are high maintenance, there is lower storage, and you can’t store unappealing or private items.

Look For Stock Or RTA Cabinets

If your goal is budget-friendly kitchen cabinets, then it’s a good idea to choose pre-made cabinets. There are two types of pre-made cabinets: stock and RTA (ready to assemble) cabinets.

Stock Cabinets

They are pre-made and pre-assembled cabinets in standard sizes and styles. You don’t need to assemble them before installation. This saves installation time, and there is a lower margin of error during installation. However, they take longer to be shipped and cost a bit higher than RTA cabinets.

RTA Cabinets

RTA cabinets are pre-made in standard sizes and styles, and you have to assemble and install them. They are cheaper than stock cabinets because of fast and low-cost shipping, and if you assemble them yourself before installation. If the installer assembles them, it can increase the overall installation cost, but they are still cost-effective. A downside is that RTA cabinets need to be assembled properly. Improper assembly will directly impact their functionality and lifespan.

Both stock and RTA cabinets are considered low-cost compared to semi-custom and fully custom cabinets. So, they are excellent for low-budget kitchen cabinet installations. However, if you can splurge a bit, choose semi-custom cabinets with the least number of customizations.

Conclusion

To install kitchen cabinets on a budget, choose stock or semi-custom cabinets with affordable materials, framed construction, and basic shaker or slab doors with the least customization. Get in touch with a Timberlake cabinets dealer MD for affordable cabinets.