Hi, I started using Conestoga back in 2010 when Casey was about the only one here who had them. I was nervous but took the plunge. Love their RTAâÂÂs! In my last house my husband and I built this kitchen with full overlays. The finish was still perfect three years later when I sold. In the house IâÂÂm in now we are doing inset cabinetry in the master bath. One is not harder than the other to assemble. Although I buy my cabinets from Chad at Cabinetmakerschoice the cabinetjoint has the best Conestoga assembly videos.

Jen, You mention early on that you are interested in frameless cabinets because they allow a more efficient use of the space that you have. Later in a comment about Ikea you state you are leary of them because they are made of particle board (its true they are) So I don't see why you would even consider either of the two options offered by your local lumberyard, given that: 1) They are both a face frame style, not frameless, and 2) Despite what the represententive at the lumber yard seems to have been claiming, both cabinet line are constructed almost exclusively from particle board (going by the images and details they list on their websites). The tops, sides, bottoms, shelves, and toekicks are all particle board, (and for the most part 1/2" particle board) that is glued and stapled together. The only parts of the cabinets that is not particle board, is the face frame, the drawer boxes and the doors and drawer fronts. Of the two the Debut cabinets seem to have slightly superior construction (again going by the images and details they list on their websites) Although in looking at it, the two "manufacturers" are actully two lines manufactured by the same company, which explains why many of the details of the construction seem so similar. Also if you read this site alot you'll find that in base cabinets: drawers == good whereas doors with shelves behind them == bad. If you have a smallish kitchen this can make an enormous difference in the amount of usuable storage you have. Lastly don't take what I have said as an attack on particle board, (some of my best friends have particle board cabinets :-) Many people who post here point out that details of the construction and details of the material are far more important than whether a cabinet is particle board or not. The cheapest plywood will fall apart long before high quality particle board. Ikea cabinets are touted as very high-quality, well-built cabinets, the one big complaint about them is that many people don't like any of the limited number of door styles that they offer.

I can't believe you had to ask! Measuring is my weakness. So I must measure a million times. When 3 out of 4 times it matches, I go with the 3x one. Buy decent material. Have the correct tools: Table saw with dado, nail gun, screw gun, glue, tape measure, pencils with erasers, rubber mallet (just in case) and a book on cabinet making. For the face frames, you need a chop saw, either a Kreg pocket screw jig, a biscuit maker, or plan Shaker butt joint frames. I've quit doing this, though. I buy cabinets at the reuse centers for $5.00 - $25.00 depending upon the center, and still put my doors on them. I stalk the centers for solid, plywood cabinets. Every so often I'll take one made of MDF or particle board, but the latter I'll trade in if I find a better made one. After I used up the (free) materials I had, I found buying materials to be ridiculously expensive. Plus, sheets of plywood are almost impossible for me to manipulate, let alone carry by myself. I also found that buying the cabinets RTA from TheCabinetJoint.com is a little more expensive, but WAY less in frustration and anxiety. I can buy my beloved beaded inset frames for an extremely low surcharge. The last upper cabinet I was able to buy took me less than 15 minutes to assemble. The last base, because it had Blum full extension drawer glides, took me about 45 minutes. It's that level and plumb thing that get me. Keeping in mind I buy mine unfinished maple. I also have purchased some slab drawer fronts because I haven't decided what doors I actually, will finally, want. Making them is fine, but I don't throw myself the dog bone and simper, "I have the satisfaction of having made them myself." Who the heck really needs that in the face of cost, learning curve, and anxiety? If you're teaching yourself, I wouldn't start your first project with your kitchen cabinets. I'd start smaller. If you've got experience, you probably wouldn't be asking this question. I highly recommend contacting Brian at the cabinet joint.com. If you can afford learning on the job? Knock yourself out.

I know this is an old post, but I just came across it and just wanted to post an updated comment, especially in regards to "rtacabinetstore.com". Wish I had read this thread BEFORE I placed my order from them a few months ago for their Marquis Cinnamon cabinets. I had ordered a sample door and it looked pretty nice, so I went ahead and ordered my cabinets. They are of unbelievably poor quality, made in China. Some of the prices were missing stain in spots and polyurethane. The drawer sides are thin and cheap, pieced wood. Some pre drilled holes were drilled wrong, so we had to use a Dremel to correct in order to use the cam locks. I am still trying to get the issues resolved since January. I kept them because they are going in a 2nd rarely used kitchen in the basement that got destroyed during Hurricane Irene, but I would NEVER, I mean NEVER use these for my primary kitchen! I have photos of some of the poor quality if anyone wants to see them...I'd be happy to email them. I wish it had worked out better...I had high hopes that it was going to be a cost effective way to redo both kitchens in the house and all three bathrooms, which are all 40 years old and in need of updating. Plus my brother wanted to redo his kitchen and my mom her bathroom, so this was our trial run. Never again would I buy from them! They lost a lot of future business with this poor example of the quality of their products. Beware of rtacabinetstore.com!