They Don’t Make Kitchen Cabinets Like They Used To

[BakerAunt]

A couple of months ago, I noticed that the trim along the top of one bank of kitchen cabinets had come loose. My husband was going to fix it, but had not gotten around to it. Then, two weeks ago, I was taking out a glass from the top shelf, and I noticed a gap inside that I was sure had not been there before. My husband looked, and the cabinet ends were pulling away from the back of the cabinet. We called our contractor, who did the installation, and he looked at it. The two cabinets with the glass doors, where I have my special pottery and china, were separating from the backing, which seems to have been attached with flimsy staples and not much glue. I do keep heavy dishes in there, but I have NEVER had a problem with cabinet strength. I have also only lived in places with old, sturdy cabinets.

I emptied these two double-doored cabinets, and the single door one at the end last night, having already reduced the dish load. Today, our contractor came and screwed the cabinets into the ceiling rafters, and installed 90 degree brackets between the back of the cabinets and the end walls. The single-doored cabinet was fine, although they went ahead and put brackets in it as well. For some reason, the cabinets with the glass doors were not as well made. We bought mid-level cabinets; I'd hate to see what the lower level are.

I thought about contacting the cabinet company, but I thought it would be a lot less hassle to have our reliable contractor take care of the problem.

I will spend this afternoon putting all the dishes back in the cabinets.

Spread the word

      

  

  

[Italiancook]

Now, I'm glad I resisted the temptation to purchase new kitchen cabinets and had the old ones painted.

[Mike Nolan]

I would recommend you at least contact the cabinet company to let them know what happened.

Glad to hear your contractor was able to do something about it.

Our kitchen cabinets, and those in several bathrooms were all made by a local company that specializes in cabinets for restaurants and offices, and they are SOLID. (Weren't cheap, either.) We have had the trim come unglued on a couple of edges over the last 24 years and there's one cabinet hinge that is falling apart, I'm not sure where to get a replacement it doesn't appear to be one the hardware stores carry.

[Joan Simpson]

Our cabinets were built by my father in law and my husband,son and me(he had a cabinet shop) so we did all the cabinets out of birch and stained everything.This was in 1986 there's wear but everything is fine,well made solid wood,no particle board and I have some heavy stuff in them.As everything else wood is way up in price now.

I'm glad you got your cabinets fixed BakerAunt and pray they hold up for you.

[kimbob]

BakerAunt, nothing is made to last, it seems, except my 1958 pink and black bathroom which I love. Lol Glad you got the cabinets fixed.

[BakerAunt]

Our cabinets are maple, and they are all wood. So far, all is looking well.

Yes, Italian Cook--many of the old cabinets are better made, so be glad you kept yours. When I sold my house after I got married, the investor who bought it hired someone to rip out all those wonderful old cabinets. They were dinged on the outside, but they held a lot, and I'm pretty sure were deeper than these. They also had full shelves in the lower cabinets!

Your cabinets sound lovely, Joan. We considered birch but settled on maple. We knew we wanted a light wood.

[Author]

Posts