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Bruno Romano

A Custom Cabinet and Millwork Specialist. That takes pride in every job done, small to large. Determined in providing the best customer service and quality woodworking to South Florida. You can Find me on Google+ and Twitter

Sorting Through Kitchen Cabinet Choices

Before you spend a big chunk of your remodel budget on cabinets, make sure you’re choosing wisely. Upgrading your kitchen brings personal pleasure and adds real value to any home. Cabinet choices usually devour the bulk of a budget during a kitchen remodel. Because they are a major investment (and one that’s not likely to be made again anytime soon), you’ll need to sort through the available options and make choices with confidence. Here’s how to pick the best cabinets for your kitchen.

Freshen Up

Before Upgrading Your Kitchen, Learn How to Choose the Right Cabinet Design, Style & Color

If existing cabinets are of good quality, are in excellent working condition,and the layout functions well, the most affordable option is to freshen them up by restaining or painting. Another alternative, refacing, involves installing a new veneer on the exterior of the cabinet box and replacing the doors and drawer fronts, and should be handled by a professional. The process is much faster than installing new cabinets because the cabinets remain intact and the work is done onsite. However, be forewarned that when it comes to cabinets, doors and drawer fronts account for the greatest expense. “Sixty to seventy percent of the cost of the cabinet is the door,” says Jeff Cannata, past president of the National Kitchen & Bath Association (NKBA) and president of Designer’s Showcase Kitchens & Baths Inc. in Carol Stream, Ill. “So, if you’re paying for someone to put a new door or a new drawer in … it might be more affordable to shop new.” And with new cabinets, there’s an added bonus: the freedom to explore different layout possibilities.

“We pay close attention to detail and your ideas to make the best cabinets possible.”

New and Improved

Get a Kitchen Cabinet Design Option that Works for You

When you decide to install new cabinets, there are other choices ahead. Are custom cabinets required, or will stock cabinets fit the bill? Custom cabinet choices are built to exact specifications and offer endless options of materials, designs, finishes and accessories. Choosing custom cabinets requires the longest lead time and is the most expensive route.

Semi-custom cabinets are just that: semi-custom. While the cabinets are made to the homeowner’s size requirements, the manufacturer produces them in predetermined increments. Often a spacer may be needed to conceal unused wall space, and that sacrifices storage. The range of materials, designs, finishes and accessories are limited with semi-custom cabinets, but they cost less than fully custom cabinets. Stock cabinets, which are the least expensive of new cabinet options, are pre-made and come in standard sizes.

Though stock cabinets often get a bad rap in terms of quality of construction, there are many on the market that are made of solid wood. “I will say that eight out of 10 kitchens could probably be done with stock cabinetry. And what I mean by that is a good designer can design with any line,” Jeff says. “Anyone can say, `Oh, I need this cabinet to be 21 ½ inches.’ A good designer should be able to design using a 21-inch cabinet.” No matter what type of cabinet is selected, it’s important to evaluate the quality of hinges, doors, drawer systems and finish. “Homeowners should choose cabinets that offer at least a five-year warranty, according to Al Pattison,” president of NKBA. Here are some ways to make a beautiful kitchen that will impress friends and family.

Benefits of Custom Kitchen Cabinets

Custom kitchen cabinets are our specialty and we want you to know their benefits over stock cabinets. Our team at Sunshine Alliance Cabinets & Millwork will assist you with the design and creation of beautiful and stylish cabinets. Our expertise as leading cabinetmakers allows us to build the highest quality cabinets with the best materials at the most competitive prices. We pay close attention to detail and your ideas to make the best cabinets possible. Here are the advantages of custom-made cabinets over stock and semi-custom cabinets:

  • You choose the design, style, layout, size, and shape of the cabinets.
  • It’s your choice of cabinet material, not someone else’s
  • You select the hardware: pulls, knobs, hinges
  • You have the pleasure of choosing the colors, finishes, and accents.
  • The heights above and below countertops and special considerations are your ideas.
  • Use your own preferences for shelving, an island, and pantry.

Our skilled team of artisans works with you every step of the way with design, scheduling, and budgeting. We provide a full warranty on all our work and make follow-up visits to ensure your complete satisfaction your kitchen project. Now is the right time of year to call upon our cabinet making skills and expertise.

Construction and Style

There’s a Vast Range of Kitchen Cabinet Door Styles & Colors to Choose From

Next, consider the construction type and door style. Framed cabinets, which are popular in traditional kitchens, have a front frame around the cabinet opening. The door attaches to the frame.

Frameless, or European-style cabinets, have no front frame. The door attaches directly to the side of the cabinet. Frameless cabinets, which are often used in contemporary kitchens, offer an advantage over framed cabinets. Because there is no front frame, there is wider open access to the cabinet interior. When it comes to door styles, there are several choices. Traditional-overlay doors cover some of the frame, full-overlay doors cover the entire cabinet frame, and inset doors sit inside the cabinet frame.

Accessorize

A Convenient Pull-out Drawer

After giving thought to the cabinets’ exterior, turn some attention to their functionality, intended use and interior features. “It used to be that we would place cabinetry in the room and make it functional,” says Al. “(Now) every cabinet has a purpose.” Pullout drawers for pots and pans, oversized drawers for baking sheets, and designated cabinets for trash and recycling are some examples. Accessories like lazy Susans, built-in spice racks, drawer organizers and other cabinet extras make the kitchen a much more efficient and enjoyable place.

Hardware

Select Quality Kitchen Cabinet Accessories

As a finishing touch, add pulls, knobs, handles, hinges, and drawer slides to cabinets to match you kitchen’s decor. Hardware comes in a wide variety of styles at all price points and contributes to a truly customized look. Here are some options to consider:

  • Sizes and types of material
  • Colors and finishes
  • Styles of hardware
  • Their placement on doors and drawers
  • Standard or self-closing drawers
  • Standard or heavy-duty drawer slides
  • Catches and latches
  • Check out this article on selecting knobs and pulls.

Bruno Romano is a Custom Cabinet and Millwork Specialist who takes pride in every job done, small to large. He is determined in providing the best customer service and quality woodworking to South Florida residents. 

Sources and References

Touch Up Kits and Polishes for Wood Furniture

Get the Best Wood Furniture Polish for Quality Results

To keep your furniture, cabinets, and vanities looking good through the years, you need to polish them, and when necessary touch up some surfaces. One application of a high-quality polish can last many months. Remember to use a product that matches the color of your wood for touch-ups.

When using filler crayons or stains, you may need to mix colors to get the right match. Always try out the products first in an inconspicuous spot such as the back to see how it’s going to look because a botched up fix can look worse than a scratch.

Why You Need to Touch Up Furniture and Cabinets

Furniture and other wood surfaces get scratched, scuffed up, dented, and stained over the years. You don’t need to put up with these mars and damage by applying the right products and a little elbow grease. Consider touching them up now so they look better, don’t become worse, and you will feel better about them.

Superficial damage can be repaired by using the products and techniques in this blog. TIP: Think twice about repairing antique furniture because you many reduce its value. Instead, consult with a professional restoration specialist.

In general, touching up furniture works on varnish, lacquer, shellac, and polyurethane finishes. You can find what you need in the paint and cleaning supplies sections of DIY and specialty wood stores. It’s imperative to clean the surfaces before attempting any touch-ups or repairs to remove polish, oil, grease, wax, or other buildup. Use a solution of Murphy Oil Soap or dishwashing liquid and warm water. With skill and practice you can work wonders on your furniture and cabinets. Use this advice from This Old House for touchup work.

How Polishing Wood Helps

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Using the Right Wood Finish Repair Kit Gives Your Furniture a Brilliant Shine

Polishing your furniture, cabinets, and vanities has more than one purpose. This quote from MaidPro lets us in on polishing’s secrets.

“The act of polishing will give the surface that sheen slipperiness every wood furniture owner wants. Polishing would also reduces scratches on the surface and repels the dust off it. Trusted sources also mention that polishing keeps small forms of liquids from seeping into the pores of the wood. The last thing you want is for your wood to rot because of the moisture it has from water spills.”

“Practice before you begin touch-ups, and always first try out on an inconspicuous spot, such as the underside of a table.”

We have selected the following products for successful touchups and polishing.

  • Reckitt Benckiser Old English Scratch Cover Polish – Dark Wood

Since it is important to match the color of your wood, use this polish to fix scratches on your dark furniture. This liquid polish works on scratches in dark wood furniture such as mahogany and cherry. Depending on how deep the scratch is, the polish works to make it close to invisible or at least less noticeable. Apply sparingly with a soft lint-free cloth, and follow by buffing with another soft lint-free cloth.

  • Reckitt Benckiser Old English Scratch Cover – Light Wood

Reckitt Benckiser Old English Scratch Cover for light wood should be used on lighter wood such as maple or pine. Again use in an inconspicuous corner before you apply it to the scratches. Use a lint-free cloth to apply and another soft, clean lint-free cloth to buff. If possible find an area of exposed wood to test first, so that you are assured of the correct color match.

  • Old English Lemon Oil Furniture Polish

Old English Lemon Oil Polish should be used when you need to polish your furniture. Use only on varnished wood to condition, clean and shine it. Remember to use sparingly, applying with a soft, lint-free cloth. Buff with another piece of cloth after applying. Do not polish your furniture more than once every six months or so, or you could end up with a sticky build up.

This polish can also be used to remove scratch cover that is the wrong color for your wood. When removing scratch cover, apply liberally and buff with a soft cloth.

  • Minwax Regular Paste Wax
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Use a Leading Wax for Furniture and Wood Door Touch Up

Use Minwax on a clean, dust-free surface when you need to apply wax to your wood surfaces. Apply a thin, even coat with a clean cloth. Allow Minwax Paste Finishing Wax to dry thoroughly (10-15 minutes) and polish with a clean cloth, weighted buffer or electric polisher. This finishing wax produces a hard, dry, oil-less polish and is recommended for lighter wood.

  • Beeman Tibet Almond Stick

The Beeman Tibet Almond Stick is not a hard crayon-like stick as the name might lead you to believe, but a soft, fibrous, cloth-like material that is saturated in an oily substance. One stick lasts for years, and a lot of users swear by it to fix any wood surface. However, you have to remember there are no magic products to actually disappear scratches. At best, they can be disguised by using any of these products. That said, this is a quick fix and does make scratches less noticeable.

Apply the “stick” to any color or type of wood, and buff with an absorbent tissue or cloth to wipe away any extra oil.

  • Guardsman Furniture Touch Up Kit

The Guardsman Furniture Touch Up Kit consists of four markers that can be used to touch up any finish that is light, medium, or dark. It can hide nicks, scratches and scuffed edges and dries quickly. Start with the lightest marker, and it is always a good idea to try out the different shades in an inconspicuous area to see which color will go with your finish. You might need to combine two or more colors to match the exact finish. Immediately wipe off any marker that gets on a non-scratched surface as it can leave permanent darker marks on it.

  • ReStor It Furniture Touch Up Kit

The ReStor It Furniture Touch Up Kit repairs and restores color to virtually any wood surface. It comes with three (light, medium, dark) filler sticks and five markers. Use it to conceal scratches and scuffed corners and edges.

As with other touch-up kits, you might have to mix colors and proceed with a light touch. Practice before you begin touch-ups, and always first try out on an inconspicuous spot, such as the underside of a table. No single product is right for everyone or every piece, so experiment with a few before you decide to use one.

Our team of specialists at Sunshine Alliance Cabinets & Millwork is happy to answer any of your questions about touchups, polishing wood, or custom woodworking. Call 954-968-6858 for a prompt answer to your needs. See all our services for Florida homes and businesses.

Bruno Romano Is a Custom Cabinet and Millwork Specialist who takes pride in every job done, small to large. He is determined in providing the best customer service and quality woodworking to South Florida residents. 

Sources and References

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Remodeling and Home Design

Contact Info

Sunshine Alliance Cabinets & Millwork Inc
257 E Palmetto Pk Rd.
Boca Raton, FL 33432
Phone / Fax: (561) 367-3652
bruno@alliancewoodworking.com

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Remodeling and Home Design