opinions about cabinet types

[ShawnRussell]

I am trying to gather some data and writing a paper based on that data.

My theory for the paper is that we are moving towards using 32mm style cabinets. My core reasoning as to why there is not wider adoption of this is due to education; education in the form of exposure.

I am curious to find out data and opinions on both ends of the spectrum, both the client perspective and from those that design, build, and install cabinets:
Which style do you personally have?
Which style would you choose if you were having new built-ins built?
What is/was your thought process leading to that decision?

From there I curious if there are any factual functional benefits to using 32mm vs traditional frame and carcass?
Is one easier to clean, do you gain more usable space, is cost a factor(based on both materials and/or labor), does one style provide more structural integrity vs the other?

Lastly, Festool has a product line geared towards 32mm. Do you find products in NA or over seas that are designed for the benefit of creational traditional cabinets?

I would appreciate any feedback you have or more questions. Feel free to answer any or all of them.

 

[erock]

Interesting!

Lack of education is a great point.  A couple years ago I started planning my kitchen remodel.  I wanted to use the True32 system but found very limited info on the system.

Quick note: the best book I came across to date is by Danny Proulx  Title: Building Frameless Kitchen Cabinets.  A 32mm European Frameless System building manual. 

I wanted to use this method for my kitchen cabinets to speed up the building process and reduce the cost of the cabinets.

Without the need for face frames I reduced the amount of lumber needed to build my cabinets and without face frames I reduced the time needed to mill the lumber and build the face frames.  For me, making the build process a lot quicker.

Research would show that the European style cabinets came after World War 2.  Due to the lack of wood and the huge demand for cabinetry to rebuild.

The more I read and researched about the True32 system, the more it made sense for a method of building cabinets, for me.

I built my kitchen cabinets based on the True32 system.  I found the system to be very efficient.  With all the cabinet hardware that works with the True32 method it just made sense to me.  Drill a row of holes that is shared with the drawer slides and hinge plates makes things go together a lot easier.

Integrity or strength.....no difference to me between traditional vs. European style.  Heck, maybe the traditional is stronger because the face frame adds a more beef to the cabinet box.  But that's something I did not worry about  when building my cabinets.  I did think that the face frame added more weight to the cabinet box.  And I knew I was going to install the my cabinets by myself, so any weight I could shed was worth it for me.

I"m a big fan of the True32 system.  I'm in no means a pro.  But I have read and bought as much as I could.  I taught myself the True32 system and believe I have a good understanding of how it works.  My Mother wants me to build her kitchen cabinets in the future,  with my understanding of the system and with the aid of my Festools, I'm confident I will produce a solid cabinet that will last a very long time. 

I've messed up enough plywood to give myself the confidence I need to build a good cabinet.  [tongue]    [wink]

Your theory that we are moving towards using the True32 system is interesting.  We live in a country where a lot of people are afraid of change.
Just from my family and friends that came over and looked at my kitchen, I would say at lease 5 out of 10 wanted to know were the face frames where and didn't like the European style of cabinets. 

But like you said, lack of educations could play a big part of that.

Eric

 

[Paul G]

If anything will push adoption it is the potential for lower prices, but even at that people obviously have style preferences that also drive their choices and there is a long history of using face frames here in the US.

I just recently started reading about 32mm and one bit I came across (but no confirmation) is that in some parts of EU it's not uncommon to disassemble cabinets and take them with you when you move. 32mm is well suited to that, but I can't say I've ever seen that here in California, be it a rental or purchase of apartment, condo or house. Cabinets are considered structural vs furniture, so portability just isn't a consideration and the lack of them would seriously impact value, and I suspect a buyer would have a hard time getting conventional financing on a house that lacked a functional kitchen. If that cultural shift ever takes hold then it would certainly drive adoption.

It would be great to hear from EU members whether cabinets are indeed treated as furniture and portable, that would be quite a paradigm shift here.

 

[ajones]

Its mostly Spain where the kitchen is not included in the purchase of a house, here in the UK  there would be issues with finance if there where no kitchen.

there was a trend some years ago in larger kitchens/houses to have an unfitted kitchen but this is not mass market and has somewhat fallen by the wayside

due in part to the development of a more sophisticated product at the higher end of the market with the inevitable filterering down to the mass market

 

[Davej]

If a house in the UK doesn't have a kitchen you can't get a mortgage for the property , similarly if there is no bathroom , no mortgage.

 

[Paul G]

Its mostly Spain where the kitchen is not included in the purchase of a house, here in the UK  there would be issues with finance if there where no kitchen.

there was a trend some years ago in larger kitchens/houses to have an unfitted kitchen but this is not mass market and has somewhat fallen by the wayside

due in part to the development of a more sophisticated product at the higher end of the market with the inevitable filterering down to the mass market

Thanks for the feedback and info. The only place I have any EU frame of reference is Sweden and it wasn't happening there either to my knowledge.