Choosing the Right Material

Choosing the right material for your cabinets we believe is crucial for longevity. Those kitchen or bathroom cabinets look great on the outside, but what about their inner structures? Does it matter whether they are made of particle board or plywood? There are many reasons why we have decided only to use plywood. We at Dreamline believe in giving our customers a quality product, that they will be happy with for many many years to come.

On the whole, kitchen and bathroom cabinet boxes entirely constructed of plywood are sturdier, more durable, and hold veneer better than particle board cabinet boxes. If all other factors are equal, plywood cabinets are best. Many shops will tell you that particle board is ok, and it is true that they are cheaper, but cheaper in what sense? It is true that right now you might choose those cabinets and spend less money but what about 10yrs down the road? You will have to replace them because they will start to fall apart, while plywood cabinets will not have that issue.

A very good example is like this. Lets say your kitchen will cost you $10,000 for particle board cabinets, while the price for plywood would be $13,500. In 10 years you will spend another $10,000 for same kitchen, while the plywood cabinets would still be in great condition.

Cabinet Construction—Boxes and Fronts

Kitchen and bathroom cabinets can be divided into two elements: boxes and fronts. For example, a kitchen cabinet base with no doors, fixtures, or countertop is a box. A kitchen wall cabinet (the type of cabinet that hangs from the wall) without fixtures and doors is also a box. Were only talking about the structure of the box.

Fronts are an entirely different matter. Doors and drawer fronts are the veneered decorative face that you see, the part that most people are concerned with. Common front styles are Shaker and slab and popular veneered wood species are cherry or oak. Below this hardwood veneer front is a plywood base. The other interchangeable elements are the decorative veneered side panels, which typically match the veneered fronts. For framed cabinets, the exposed vertical stiles (vertical sections) and rails (horizontal sections) may be veneered or may be solid hardwood. We at Dreamline typically use solid hardwood for our framed cabinets, as its more durable.

Boxes are the true heart of cabinet systems.

Particle Board vs. Plywood

Cabinet boxes are structural, and thus need to be strong. And this is where particle board and plywood come into play. Particle board, will be stable as long as it remains dry and is not subjected to undue stress. As long as it remains veneered, either with wood or thermofoil, it can perform well for many years to come.

The type of plywood used for cabinets is not the cheap plywood used for sheathing and construction projects. Cabinet-grade plywood often has twice the number of plies, better lamination, and a smoother finish. It cuts cleanly, with little splintering or damage. Cabinet-grade plywood tends to be 3/4-inch thick and may be veneered on one side with inexpensive wood, such as birch. Plywood cabinet boxes are lighter than particle board boxes. This makes them easier to install for wall cabinets, where high lifting is required.

Cabinet Costs and Availability

Generally, cabinets made from particle board will be cheaper than those made with plywood. Because particle board is cheaper to manufacture, cabinet boxes made from this material tend to cost less, but as mentioned above, it’s not necessarily cheaper in the long run. We recommend all of our clients to choose plywood boxes for their cabinets as they will last much longer, able to take more stress, and dont get ruined by liquids.

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