Hello everyone welcome to a very interesting topic about solid wood kitchen units. The why, the how, the where, and the who when it comes to solid wood kitchen cabinets. These 100% real wood units are hard to find and here’s why.

Where do real solid wood kitchen units come from

Your kitchen remodel is the second biggest investment you will make in the lifetime of your home. So making sure you purchase the best of the best when it comes to kitchen units for your home is critical. Now then lets get started! Most if not all kitchen units come from cabinet shops or warehouses and in some cases you will find someone super talented making them from his garage or basement. The size of the machinery or warehouse tools does not indicate the quality of the kitchen cabinet units that you will recieve, but its all about the skill and strategy used to build them. The thing is that they have a variety of cabinet styles and sizes that will make your head spin with all the different options they have. 

What are the Pros

The best thing about using solid wood kitchen units is that you can be assured that they will stand the test of time. Proven case study: Majority of  20 year + old homes still have their orginal cabinets which they made of oak solid wood back in the day. They only issue with that is that is they are outdated by their colors, designs, size, and unfortunately the layouts were not the best or most comfortable epecially for small spaces. With a solid wood kitchen unit you can be assured that it will stay together from the first time they build it with proper screws, glue and nails. If you are a lover of natural wood beauty then having the opportunity to stain your wooden cabinets will be a dream come true.

Go for it! In return for choosing these solid wood kitchen units for your home, you will receive the following benefits.

• Durability
• Structural Entegrity
• Stainable Option
• Long Life Span
• You Choose the hardwood used
• Custom Build
• Overall Quality

So there you have it. If these options are attractive you then maybe you are on the right track for making the choice that will help give you a happier and more comfortable life. Keep in mind there is no right or wrong answer it is all about what you want and what you would love to see in your kitchen.

What are the Cons

Just like a roller coaster there ups and downs for every subject under the sun. So, lets jump into it! 

The issue with solid wood kitchen units is like any natural element it comes with its weaknesses and vulnerabilties. The biggest enemy of your wood furniture and units will always be moisture, water, humidity, or basically anything wet will will rot it if not coated and treated properly. Other than than that just make sure they don’t catch fire. Ouch!

On a serious note the more you understand wood and its behavior the better prepared you will be when you start making your choice as of where you place your wood units. All woods have a tendency to expand and contract depending on the weather and humidity of where you live. And this happens to the wood cabinet for its entire lifetime, but for the most part because of how well the cabinet units are screwed together you will hardly see the difference of any action going on. Think of it as the wood breathing in and out, so its slightly shrinking itself in and then expanding depending on the variables. That concept is a blessing and curse, which is why wood is so versatile.

“Cha Ching!” Did you hear that? That’s the sound of the cash register accepting your payment followed by a “Whamm!” as your jaw hits the counter. This is expensive, you could probably spend 3 to 5 times + the amount than the cheap laminate cabinets. The manner in which these cabinets are created is a true, “ART Form”. Craftsmanship at it’s highest potential is what it takes to create solid wood kitchen units because every single step of the process is all about attention to every detail of every piece involoved.

The other expense that will increase is the installation of cost of these solid wood kitchen units. Because you spent so much to have them built to perfection, then you must pay the best to install them so you leave no room for error because you can not afford to loose any money, time, or material at the final step of this all.

How to tell the difference between the real wood units and Pre-manufactured

When you are looking at a solid wood unit and a laminated manufactured aka (MDF) wood. First take note on the finish, is it painted or stained? If stained then its real wood, so check the corners and inside to make sure it’s not a laminate sheet that looks like stained wood. Next I assume you are staring at an empty uninstalled cabinet sitting in front of you, now look at the side walls up top what do you see? Is it wood grain or just solid MDF or particle board? It is easy to cover and paint the outsides and insides of the cabinet units but pay attention to the small visible sections left untouched, as they expose what kind of material they really are.

Real Solid Wood Kitchen unit

The real solid wood kitchen unit will be as sturdy as can be with wood grain showing in the front, sides, back, everywhere you look you should see some real wood grain. Especially what gives it away is the thickness of the stock wood cabinet unit, because the thicker the better. That shows it came from real hard wood that was milled down to a great cabinet thickness.

Pre-manufactured kitchen unit

The factor that will determine what kind of kitchen unit cabinets you will use will ultimately depend on your budget. There is no shame in going with the more affordable option even if they are made up 100% of compressed fibers that imitate wood laminate on the outside. No mater what kind of budget you have, what counts is that you make your home better then how you found it. Also that it looks good enough that you recieve compliments from your peers. After all what makes a great home is a clean home, so stay on top of your kitchen hygiene and that will make your baby shine in the eyes of all whom step into your kitchen.

Give them something to remember!

What are the most affordable kitchen units

The best things in life are free, so don’t worry about the materialistic distractions that surround us. If you can not afford those high dollar solid wood kitchen units then go with what is in your range. There are beautiful options on both sides, keep in mind, just because you have limited spending doesn’t mean you can’t still shop around for the best deal. That’s Right! The truth is you have the power to choose whom to give your hard earned dollars, and some companies just aren’t cutting it.

Buyers beware! When cabinet shopping for your kitchen units always take that extra trip and take some time to go see what you will be purchasing in person. Details written on paper, photos, videos, reviews, testimonies, or word of mouth will never do justice to your own eyes. There is a lot of details that will be looked over in the process. For example: how are they built? Did they just glue them, staple them, screw them or neither? Look at the thickness of the material they use, not just on the face frame but the side walls and back pieces. Now ask yourself. Am I ok with this hanging over my head?

How to install solid wood kitchen units

This part is the final test of your patience and determination. Are you going to do this yourself or find a professional? The process is pretty straight forward so if you feel comfortable around power tools then check this next part out…

Base cabinet Unit

When installing a solid wood kitchen unit always be sure to pre-drill with a bit that is atleast 1/16″ to 1/32 “smaller than the thickness of the thread on your screw.

Always be sure that you begin on the highest point of your floor and marking a level line across your kitchen wall and start installing your cabinet units from the corner, or wall that your units will be up agianst. 

Lay them all out and start screwing the ones that are side by side and the necessary fillers agianst walls or corners. Once they are all put together where they neey to be make sure you left atleast 30 inches and 1 quarter for your stove and atleast 38 free inches for your fridge space. 

Next start leveling them one at a time and double checking your appliance opening are still correct. Hunt the wood studs in your wall with a stud finder or normaly they are every 16 inches starting from the corner or end of wall. Now, pre-drill and screw them unto the studs.

Wall Cabinet Unit

How to install the wall cabinet units will be a breeze just like base cabinets follow the first 3 steps indicated in the first 3 paragraphs. The only difference is that you will raise to 54 inches and want to use pan head screws for these wall units and make sure not to overdrill as it will just weaken the application.

Make sure to stay symetrical to sides of the base cabinets so it looks congruent. Very Good! You are on your way. Note, on the cabinets going above the range or stove and the fridge you will normaly raise those units up atleast 18 inches depending on the appliances you will use, but 18 is a standard.

Vanity Cabinet Unit

Following the first few steps as the base cabinet units they are the same except for one part. These vanity cabinets will have pipes running through them. Have you ever wonder how they get the water lines in from the bottom and the drain pipe coming from the back wall of cabinet. Well its simple, mark the center points of the pipes on the cabinets and drill out the openings. First put in the water lines while you hold the cabinet leaning forward at an angle, these lines are flexible for that reason. Once you lean it forward or back in a sitting position you should be able to land it right on the drain pipe if done correctly. Always give a little extra space. Well done!

Is this for a short term or long term home

I guess your overall goal should be based on wheter you are renting, leasing, or selling the home you are remodeling the kitchen. If you plan on leaving anytime soon then stick with the low budget as they will look nice enough to attract new buyers or tenants for a comfortable lifestyle.

This might be the case as well, if this home is your forever home, then go all out. What does that mean? Go for the best possible solid wood kitchen units  you can find. Because you will stare at them for the rest of your days so be sure it is something that makes you happy from day one, and so forth!

Conclusion

We love talking about kitchens and the components so if you have enjoyed this and maybe picked up something along the way, let us know and follow us on youtube. Also check out our other blog posts that all based on kitchen projects for your home. Thank you for allowing us into your screen and we look forward to seeing you next time.

Cheers!