This is why I'm scared to go with a local custom cabinetmaker! It sounds like he used a poor grade of plywood on the inside to save money. It's possible that a good sanding will help the roughness, so I'd definitely try that first. If not, I'd try to find some kind of veneer or even 1/4" plywood to glue down on the inside. If it fits your kitchen style, they make sheets of beadboard panels that are 1/4" thick. You'll lose 1/2" of space, but you won't be risking a splinter every time you reach into the cabinet. I hope you find a good solution to this situation!

All of my cabinet's interiors (Conestoga RTA's) are smooth wood: plywood cases, solid dovetailed drawer boxes and rollouts, and solid maple shelves, and finished very smooth with catylized varnish finish, which is very durable. It was an upgrade. But well worth the small extra charge.
Casey

As bad as you make these cabinets out, could you possibly take this to a small claims court.

I'm not an attorney but if the cabinets do not even meet a minimum standard, I would think you may have a case. What makes you think you have NO recourse?

Mind you my cabinets are circa 1964... but they are primed/painted inside. The reason we're reusing (repainting) them is that they're built-in-place, all wood, plank shelving.

I would sand and paint the insides. You might consider using an oil paint because it will cure harder than a latex paint. But it takes longer to dry/cure.

What seems to be most common for plywood cabinet boxes is a maple veneer or melamine inside. For our family room cabinets, we got a cherry veneer inside to match the exterior. That was more expensive, but they aren't built in so we can take them with us if we move.

The plywood support under our kitchen island counter was unfinished plywood. Nobody but toddlers sees it and people don't generally reach under the granite edge and feel it either but knowing it was there bothered me. My handy wonderful DH bought some cherry veneer and skinned it while I was on a business trip. :^)

A veneer could be applied to the inside of your cabinets. It looks like it would be a pain because of the stiles and fixed shelves - not impossible but a lot harder than having done it right from the beginning.

You would need to sand it smooth to do anything at all to it, so I'd start there. It will be a PIA, and the easiest approach would be to just paint it after you sand it.

Veneering without a vacuum press won't give you very good longevity, so I wouldn't try that. The best option to me, and the one I'd choose is contact cementing in some laminate sheets. Order some Formica or Wilsonart in either a light maple (standard interior finish for most cabinets) or a walnut to match your exterior (darker and harder to find stuff on the inside then, but more "custom")

I'd be exploring small claims court to get my money back from this joker. I wouldn't even call him a carpenter, much less a cabinet maker. What kind of carpenter doesn't sand stuff smooth? That's as basic as it gets!

My cab insides are sanded very smooth and finished with some sort of sealer. No slivers, no rough spots. Smooth as a baby's bottom. I guess you'll gave to sand yours?

Did you check out other kitchens done by this cab maker? Is this how he does all his cabs? Disgraceful. The whole dealing with him.

Anenemity--simply make sure you see and touch other kitchen cabinets the cab maker you're considering has made. Check out the insides as well as the out. If the cab maker is good, he'll want to show you all the features of his cabs. Don't be scared!

You need to take pictures of all that is wrong and take this cabinet maker, to small claims court. They should not be like that. Even the cheap stock cabinet's at HD, or Lowes, sound better than your. Your cabinet's should have a nice finish inside. Do not except this. My husband, who is GC, just went to court, for a client, who's cabinet maker did a really bad job doing this clients cabinet's. She showed the judge picture's of the poor built cabinet's, The judge, agreed and awarded the lady her, money back plus more. You should have got better than that. Good Luck!

Everything hollysprings said, including small claims court.

I know it's a small town and you were trying to get along, and that was understandable to a point. But unfinished interiors? Teeny tiny drawers? Only one shelf (fixed in place at that!) in the upppers? This guy is taking you for a ride big time and it's disgraceful! Unfinished interiors? Who DOES that?!!? Unreal.

mistydatn,

I seem to recall that maybe you DID see someone else's cabinets by this same guy, and they had some features the cabinet guy claimed he knew nothing about when you'd asked him?

Or am I thinking of someone else with a crappy cabinet maker?

Anyway, if it was you, and those other cabinets are smooth inside, you could always say in an innocent tone, "I didn't realize you never sanded the inside, I was going by XYZ's cabinets, and I hadn't realized that you'd left them rough and that they'd sanded them themselves. They don't seem to remember having done so. Isn't that zany? I have never heard of cabinet-sanding amnesia before!"

Folks,
Don't waste your time.
If he frowns, buyers crumble.
If he talks mean, they run away.
All and all, these buyers will pay double rather than make this local man in a new town mad, or to be known as "too demanding" to get what they're paying for.

Not only is he a sad state of affairs,
What crap to which they're acquiescing is unbelievable.
But it's their kitchen and sadly, their own beautiful, mistreated wood.

Thanks everyone for the advice. I didn't mean to suggest that he did not sand the insides at all, because you can tell it has been sanded. It just isn't sealed with anything. It appears to be just sanded plywood. I agree with the person who stated that the HD or Lowes cabinets seem better than what I am dealing with. I have thought the same thing I went there today and he said in all the cabinets he has ever done through the years, he has only been asked to finish the insides of one set. He said we could stain it if WE wanted to but most people don't bother :/ I knew I moved to the sticks, BUT good greif :/ He is in the process of changing a few things on the cabinets as we speak. He will be removing the stiles on the top and bottom of the cabinet you all saw. That will make them a little more functional anyway. He is changing a few drawers, not all. I think he is trying to make me happier, anyway. As to why he did them the way he did in the first place, I guess I will never know. I guess I will look into some of your suggestions for the inside. I am just so tired of dealing with the man at this point. Thanks guys!

Anemity...I know there are great custom guys, who are up to date with what is current. Just be very careful and check references and be VERY specific about what you expect and want. This has been a nightmare for me but I know that I am partly at fault for not being specific enough or knowing what questions to ask. Most people have a pleasant experience, I am just unlucky, I guess.

My cabinets were custom made and they look and feel on the inside exactly like they do on the outside. They are much smoother and nicer than any non custom cabinets I had in previous homes. I must add though that my current cabinets were made in a small independent Amish cabinet shop that does incredible work.

DrBeanie2000, that was me. I was so fixated on drawers and cabinet sizes at the time, I did not even notice the insides. I plan to check them out next time I do. I said to the man today, "my sister's cabinets look the same on the inside as the outside" and he said "She must have paid a pretty penny for those". LOL I guess he doesn't think he got paid enough to finish mine! It just gets better and better!

badgergal...that is what I expected too. We are in close proximity to an AMish community and I am so wishing that I had used them:(