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Cleaning Cabinets

Friday, August 22nd, 2003

After a few good years, maybe even months of use, cabinets can begin to look grimy, dirty and disgusting. Cleaning cabinets regularly can keep them looking brand new. Depending on what has been housed in your cabinets you could have anything from food crumbs to rust stains and water spots from canned food or dishes. First things first, if you do not have- or have enough- of the chemicals you may need, avoid mixing the last two ounces of the first five bottles of whatever you get your hands on. I have known people to do this. You never want to mix any chemical as it can release poisonous gases or even destroy whatever you are cleaning. Always follow manufacturers’ recommendations and test in an inconspicuous area first.

The first thing that needs done is you need to remove all food or any other items being stored in your cabinets. Once that is done you can remove shelving if you have any and lastly the cabinet hardware. Removing the knobs or pulls and hinges can make cleaning around those areas a much easier task. After all hardware has been removed place in a bowl with the following chemical recommendations: For mild grease and dust a household dish cleaner will suffice, such as Dawn. For tougher stains and grease an all-purpose cleaner such as Fantastik! or similar can be used. Again, be sure to test first if your hardware has a finish or paint on it.

While those items are soaking you can begin washing your shelves and cabinet doors and perhaps even drawers. The same chemical guidelines can be followed. Remember to never use an abrasive such as steel wool, as you can scratch and ruin the cabinets. If you have stainless steel doors a stainless steel or a multi surface cleaner such as Pledge would work best. If, for some reason, you have years or even a decade of build up you have one last resort. Paint Thinner. This may sound harsh, but used properly, and safely, it can be a very effective method. Be sure to take your removed cabinets outdoors or into a well ventilated area and follow all safety instructions.

Now that your cabinets are cleaned, wipe them down and allow them to dry for about an hour or so. Once that is done you can reattach the hardware and the doors to the cabinet again. To keep your cabinets looking nice try wiping them down with a solution of one part vinegar and one part water twice a month or just keep using the same mild soap you used before.

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Choosing Cabinet Hardware

Thursday, July 17th, 2003

Want to liven up your kitchen or bathroom but can’t afford to remodel or purchase new cabinets? One cost effective way to get that fresh new look is to install new hardware on your cabinets and drawers. You have two main designs to choose from; Pulls or Knobs. From these two designs there are near unlimited options in materials, prices and specific styles to choose from. A pull is of course a handle type design utilizing the whole hand, where as a knob requires only a finger or two and is a smaller and most often rounded piece.

Pulls and knobs range in sizes, shapes, colors and materials. Some of the more common materials that cabinet hardware is made of are; brass, bronze, nickel, pewter, glass, plastic, stainless steel and of course wood. You can also get them brushed, polished or even semi-transparent depending on what you are looking for.

Knobs come in various shapes such as a barrel or oval shape, acorn, round and several others. You want to determine the size of the knob and material it’s made from based on aesthetic appeal and utility. For instance if it’s a drawer with heavy items in it, a larger size and perhaps a brass knob would be in order as opposed to a soft wood or glass. For long drawers two knobs may be in order.

Pulls have the advantage of being sturdier, as they are attached at two points, there are fewer materials to choose from but the designs tend to be more ornate. Pulls come in several varieties. They can be rounded, square or have ornate curvature to them. Also, they can be directly attached to a cabinet or drawer or hanging from a back plate.

Ultimately, whether you decide upon a pull or a knob the choice is yours. Once you weigh the choices in material, sizes, designs and price, you still have found a very cost effective way of perpetuating the beauty in your home.

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How to Judge Cabinet Quality

Wednesday, May 28th, 2003

People say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The same can be said for quality cabinets, be they custom, stock, kitchen or bathroom cabinets. How do you know the difference between what looks good and what is good? Fortunately, there are some guideline standards to follow when discerning the quality of cabinetry products you plan on having installed in your home. Criteria such as construction techniques, materials used and craftsmanship are the major factors here.

There is an organization called Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association or KCMA for short. This organization has strict guidelines in order to receive their seal of approval. This is a good place to start when looking for quality cabinets to purchase, or even to compare to a product you’re currently viewing. Cabinets with the KCMA seal are guaranteed to be durable, quality specimens of their product type. On the other hand the KCMA is not a compulsory industry standard, meaning that manufacturers are not required to have or seek this certification. Cabinets without the KCMA seal are not always an indication of lower quality or cheaper materials.

Another good way to tell the quality of a good cabinet is by the method in which it is constructed. One thing to look for is dovetail joints holding a drawer together, as opposed to a simple staple or glue. Another would be the slide mechanism. Does the drawer move on ball bearings or cheaply made plastic runners? For the kitchen cabinets check the interior. Is the cabinet suspended by a sturdy hanging rail and is the box reinforced by I-beam or corner bracers? Also be sure to check the thickness of all the panels as thicker is usually better.

Materials used during production are extremely important to the quality of a good cabinet. Materials typically used are particle board, medium density fiberboard and plywood. Most manufacturers recognize plywood, especially with a veneer cover, as the best quality. This is not to say the other two are bad, but they are more prone to water damage and don’t have as much strength as plywood. Also, when looking at adjustable shelving, check the shelf brackets. A metal shelf bracket is typically better than a plastic or wooden one.

Once you have weighed in all the options available here you can finally look at a product for its mere beauty. Are there no air bubbles in the finish, dents, splits or scratches in the wood? Do the pieces join together nicely with no gap or separation? If so, then you have yourself a fine quality cabinet.

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Custom Cabinet Design Choices

Thursday, March 13th, 2003

There are numerous choices as to what kind of design you would like for the custom cabinets and drawers in your home. Some of the most popular are Mission, Shaker and Rustic. I will explain these designs as well as a few others.

The Mission school of design is known for having straight, flat panels with thick vertical and horizontal lines. Mission design is based on a need for necessity. It is very sturdy and has very little as far as inlaid designs or curves go. White oak is a typical hardwood choice and is often adorned with darkened iron hardware.

The Rustic style is a very beautiful design, focusing on the natural elements of the materials. It is commonly known as ‘log cabin’ design. Rustic pieces are built more for purpose and utility than they are for looks, however this style has a natural beauty being that pieces are almost always left unfinished. The fact that you can easily see the grain of the wood and even the original contours, including the bark, lends an extraordinary amount of originality to your home.

Shaker design was created in a ‘classless’ community which means the pieces were intended more for functionality, rather than showcasing a piece of art for a specific designer. Apple and cherry trees were popular choices with designs being symmetrical and simple.

Other designs include Scandinavian which is known for having no ornamentation on it, and having clean horizontal and vertical lines. Opposite of that is the French Provincial design which is extremely ornate with many patterns and gilded corners. Flat surfaces often had extravagant scenery or artwork painted on them. A more exotic type would be the Asian design, or more politically correct, Oriental. Oriental uses homeland woods such as bamboo and often has painted language characters on them. The design is based on simplicity and elegance.

As you can see, with custom built cabinets, your choices are literally limitless. From bark on the walls to Chinese lettering or panoramic French landscapes there are many ways to add originality and beauty to your home, or you can just keep it simple and functional with a sturdy Shaker or Mission design. Now that you know the wide variety of designs out there you can begin looking for that perfect cabinet set for your home.

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