Furniture board frameless-glorified MDF??

last year

What is considered quality constructed frameless cabinets? Imported cabinets-thoughts/considerations?

Background-we have been working with a designer on a kitchen remodel.

-David Bradley frameless cabinets, painted maple doors, furtniture board box.

When this came to light, this gave me a hard pause. Based on the research I have done, furniture board is glorified MDF. They do not make them with full plywood construction. The sales rep for David Bradley is saying that most US manufacturers of frameless cabinets do not use plywood. I have real concerns around longevity/durability of these cabinets, especially for the price. Especially with the hinges attached directly to the box.

Other company-imported, plywood box, painted maple. Framed full overlay. I am more confident about durabilty but what about the imported factor? In terms of loss of storage, how much realistically would i be losing?

THANK YOU!!!

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Comments (10)

PRO
Frank and Frank
last year
last modified: last year
You are ill informed if you think plywood is superior in any way. Or any wood construction. It is not. No Italian or German manufacturer uses any plywood in any of their builds. Most don’t even use veneer for their doors. Much less any solid wood. They use foils or acrylics. Wood is far too unstable.

Furniture board is a highly compressed version of particle board, and is a standard in quality cabinet construction. Particle board has slightly larger particulates than MDF, or HDF. The pressure used to create it, and the glues choice, are what makes for a quality product. Roseburg and other domestic sheet goods manufacturers create great quality laminate faced cabinet grade materials for boxes, for easy interior cleanability. That is the superior build choice, every time,
jvgossage
Original Author
last year
Thank you both for taking the time to reply. Appreciate the insight.

I came to to this community to ask the questions about the topic I am admitedly ignorant about. The snarky tone is not necessary
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jvgossage
Original Author
last year
Thank you, I got that part down
mcarroll16
last year
To answer the other part of your question, frameless is definitely better for storage if you want your base cabinets to be all drawers (or mostly drawers). Framed cabinets take a big bite out of the total possible drawer size. Even with cabinets, where the total interior size is the same, the wider opening on frameless is a noticeable convenience on narrower cabinets.
jvgossage
Original Author
last year
Thank you!
decoenthusiaste
last year
You might take this into consideration while you're at it.
bry911
last year
There is no real standard for furniture board and most U.S. furniture board is crap. I wouldn't want cabinets manufactured out of common U.S. furniture board. European cabinets tend to be manufactured out of higher quality furniture board, a lot use melamine infused.

So I am generally OK with high quality European cabinets using furniture board, I am skeptical of U.S. cabinets using furniture board.
jvgossage thanked bry911
PRO
Patricia Colwell Consulting
last year
last modified: last year
I use Ikea in many of my kitchen designs and have never had an issue with the particle board boxes . I never paint wood doors since wood expands and contracts and then little cracks appear so not attractive. Why get maple if the choice is painted door . So much better to get factory fininished MDF doors the paint will stand up much better . BTW the hinges are not actually screwed into the mdf but installed in proper indents to minimize structural problems . I have one client who I did an Ikea kitchen for 22 yrs ago they had 5 kids all under the age of 7 at the time. Tjose cabinets took a beating with a full house of people not one issue and those cabinets are still installed and look darn good .All particle board boxes and factory finished white MDF painted .BTW all the base cabinets should be drawers and you can even get drawers under the sink now. A kitchen is designed for storage and use of what you have and how you cook first step. Once the design is perfect then the cabinets are chosen . That is why you need an independant KD not one affiiated with only one cabinet choice .
artistsharonva
last year
Here's a good article that may help.

https://degnandesignbuildremodel.com/blog/2017/9/26/remodeling-what-to-know-about-kitchen-cabinet-box-construction
jvgossage
Original Author
last year
@Patricia Colwell Consulting THANK YOU! Exact insight i was looking for. This designer has 4 different lines, and based on the style i like (more modern) they recommended David Bradley.

Thank you for the drawer reco. Stupid question-what about bottom corner cabinets? Why are drawers better-again completely ignorant? Is is functionality, easy of storage/getting to your items?

Furniture board frameless-glorified MDF??

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Furniture board frameless-glorified MDF??

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