Laminate Cabinets
If you are itching to give your tired kitchen a face lift but don't have deep pockets to buy new solid wood cabinets, you may want to consider laminate cabinets.
Gone are the antiseptic-looking shiny white cabinets often associated with laminate cabinets; in their place are new modern colors with a range of textures and styles that will update your kitchen and give you cabinets with an easy-to-clean stain resistant surface, long-lasting durability and the look of solid wood cabinets at an affordable price.
What do laminate cabinets cost?
Plastic laminate cabinets are made from plywood, particleboard or fiberboard. The laminate on the cabinets is similar to the material found on laminate countertops, which is created by high-heat fusion of plastic resin and paper.
Laminate cabinets typically costs less than solid wood cabinets, but note that "high pressure laminate," a higher quality product, will cost more than standard laminate cabinets. Price also goes up when the quality of the material used for the cabinet box goes up (plywood will cost more than particleboard, for example). But opting for a higher quality will increase the lifespan of the cabinets and will look more like the "real thing." However, if you live in a high-humidity location, realize that laminate cabinets will not hold up as well as wood cabinets.
If your existing cabinets are in good shape, you can save even more money by refacing the cabinets and doors with laminate.
Manufacturers make varied styles and colors
There is a wide variety of laminate cabinets to suit any style of home - from a sleek contemporary look with bold colors and metallic sheens to more traditional styles in a palette of light to dark wood grain shades. Manufacturers that offer laminate cabinets include the following:
- Aristokraft Cabinetry
- Armstrong Cabinets
- Brookhaven Cabinetry
- HomeCrest Cabinetry
- Kemper Distinctive Cabinetry
- Merillat Cabinetry
- Timberlake Cabinet Co.
- Thomasville Cabinetry
- Wellborn Cabinet
- Wood-Mode, Inc.
Where to buy/get started
If you are a do-it-yourselfer, you may want to research a laminate refacing job thoroughly before you attempt this project on your existing cabinets: Refacing is exacting work and is best done by a professional if you want good results.
Installing pre-made laminate cabinets is similar to installing solid wood cabinets. If you are not the handy type, get a professional to do the job for you. Simply fill out the form on this page to find a qualified professional who can install laminate cabinets for you.
