RTA (Ready to Assemble) Cabinets????

[Nifrost]

We're updating our house and looking to replace the cabinets in the bathrooms and kitchen. Anyone have any experiee with ordering RTA cabinets? I've shopped around OKC a bit and have seen the expensive ones as well as the cheap builders models. The big box stores (stock) cabinets are also too cheaply made.

Online RTA cabinets are advertised using 1/2 plywood for the boxes, dovetail joinery for the drawer boxes, 1/2-3/4" shelves, soft close drawer glides, 6-way adjustable door hinges, and a variety of door styles/finishes. They're also significantly less $$ than ordering cabinets with the same qualities from the box stores. I don't know much about them, but have been researching and know to stay away from the plastic cam-lock types.

Anyone ever use them? Any feedback or recommendations (positive or negative) is greatly appreciated. I'm thinking about ordering a vanity for a bathroom juat to see firsthand their quality....

 

[NightShade]

Put a set into my father's kitchen. Not sure everything on the order part of it but there was a full depth cabinet that went over the fridge along with a finished sheet that went beside the fridge and connected the upper cabinet to the lower. We put everything together and used a polyurethane adhesive in the joints. They were rock solid when we got done and we put them all together in one day and installed them all the next. Honestly I would have no problem getting some myself if I was redoing a bathroom or kitchen. The one thing you will have to do is drill the cabinets for whatever hardware you are going to use as handles. I think I posted a picture already but here is some more:

 

[NightShade]

And here is with the counter tops and backsplash done. There is a crown molding that goes on around the top of the upper cabinets that isn't in yet though. And I know the vent hood is now installed so I will have to see about getting a complete picture.

 

[TwoForFlinching]

If you're up for it, youtube a few videos on building your own boxes. It's ridiculously easy with a sharp circular saw and a straight edge. Glue and pocket hole those bad boys together. Then take all that money you saved and go wild on some custom doors.

You could even free up more money using mdf or melamine on the interior/non-viewed structure and good ply and solid strips for the sides/fronts.

If you really wanted to cut that budget, diy some shaker doors. They're timeless. Just grab a router table and quality router, dado your groove in solid wood, cut the rails & styles, insert ply panel. Seal, stain, seal, finish, make it rain.

 

[NightShade]

Fully agree that building your own is a great way to save some money. But if you do not already have the tools and machinery or someone else who does that you can use as you see fit it's probably not worth buying or renting to do so for one cabinet. If you are doing a whole house or rebuilding some rent houses it may be worthwhile.

 

[John6185]

An interior trim carpenter once told me that cabinets were just a box with a door and he was right. I built some myself later and they didn't turn out bad.