How do you make a Builder grade kitchen look good?
Here are thirteen ways to make a generic stock, builder-grade kitchen reflect your personality. 1. Paint Your Builder Grade Cabinets I know you've heard this one before, but there's a reason... painting is the most transformative and cost effective way to change your builder-grade cabinets.
Do Builder grade cabinets look good from the outside?
Let's be honest, sometimes builder grade cabinets look just fine from the outside. I am seeing more builder homes in my area be built with white stock cabinets or prettier wood versions other than "orangey" oak. (Thank you builders for these choices) Sometimes all that is lacking in these cabinets is function.
How can I upgrade my Kitchen without remodeling all the cabinets?
The good news is you have so many options to upgrade your kitchen without ripping out all of your cabinets. Here are thirteen ways to make a generic stock, builder-grade kitchen reflect your personality. 1. Paint Your Builder Grade Cabinets
How can I Make my Kitchen cabinets look better?
Add interior fittings to your cabinets. Let's be honest, sometimes builder grade cabinets look just fine from the outside. I am seeing more builder homes in my area be built with white stock cabinets or prettier wood versions other than "orangey" oak.
Are builder grade cabinets good?
These products are appealing to many contractors because of their availability and cost, which is where they get the name “builder-grade.” However, these products tend to get a bad reputation because they are made with inexpensive materials and do not last as long as quality cabinetry.
Are builder grade cabinets wood?
Builder-grade cabinets, for example, would often be made of particle board with plywood backing, and the doors of the builder-grade cabinets might be particle board with a wood or plastic veneer.
How long do builder grade cabinets last?
Longevity: Builder-grade products are more of a short-term solution, so expect carpets, windows, or cabinets to last about 5 years before they are dated.
What does builder's grade mean?
While the term Builder Grade or Contractor Grade may imply something is of high enough quality that a builder would use it, the name can be deceptive. Builder Grade materials are often just to code, and average at best.
What are the three grades of cabinets?
The three grades are Economy, Custom, and Premium. This applies to all millwork, not just kitchen cabinets. But kitchen cabinets are the one place where most of us encounter some form or another of millwork in the home.
Can you paint builders cabinets?
Paint Your Builder Grade Cabinets Paint dramatically changes the appearance, mood, and even energy of a room. Painting your builder grade cabinets is an effective way to take them from boring to wow. Painting cabinets is a big project, so make sure you know what you're doing before you get started.
How do you upgrade the end of builder grade cabinets?
13 Ways to Upgrade Your Builder-Grade Cabinets Without Replacing ThemPaint Your Builder Grade Cabinets. ... Add cabinets on top of the existing cabinets. ... Re-hang your cabinets higher and add shelving underneath. ... Install New Hardware. ... Add a backsplash. ... Paint your kitchen walls a dark neutral color.More items...•
What is builder grade wood?
Builder grade flooring is a mix of 70% Natural and 30% Rustic grades. All color variations, plus knots, piths and worm holes are accepted. Cottage is a combination of Select (45%), Natural (40%) and Rustic (15%) grades. All color variations, plus knots, piths and worm holes are accepted.
What does builder quality mean?
"Builder grade" or "contractor grade" is defined as inexpensive products made from low-grade materials, as opposed to quality grade or custom grade materials that are more durable.
What are builder grade countertops made of?
graniteSlabs labeled as “Builder” or “Commercial” grade are generally common granite colors like: Venetian Gold.
What quality grade means?
A quality grade is a composite evaluation of factors that affect palatability of meat (tenderness, juiciness, and flavor). These factors include carcass maturity, firmness, texture, and color of lean, and the amount and distribution of marbling within the lean.
What is builder Basic?
The Builder Basic wall tile collection is a classic wall tile collection offering traditional 3″ x 6″ and 4″ x 10″ sizes as well as modern 2″ x 8″, 3″ x 12″ and 4″ x 16″ subway tile size.
What is builder grade wood?
Builder grade flooring is a mix of 70% Natural and 30% Rustic grades. All color variations, plus knots, piths and worm holes are accepted. Cottage is a combination of Select (45%), Natural (40%) and Rustic (15%) grades. All color variations, plus knots, piths and worm holes are accepted.
What is cabinet grade wood?
Simply put, cabinet-grade wood is strong enough to be built into cabinets, but its quality is mediocre. Yes, cabinet-grade planks are durable enough to serve as cabinetry but because the wood isn't as hard as furniture-grade wood, it dings, dents, warps, scratches and is more susceptible to physical damage over time.
What are builder grade countertops made of?
graniteSlabs labeled as “Builder” or “Commercial” grade are generally common granite colors like: Venetian Gold.
What is builder Basic?
The Builder Basic wall tile collection is a classic wall tile collection offering traditional 3″ x 6″ and 4″ x 10″ sizes as well as modern 2″ x 8″, 3″ x 12″ and 4″ x 16″ subway tile size.
What Are Builder-Grade Cabinets?
Builder-grade, or contractor-grade, is an industry term for product built to meet construction code requirements, using simple, inexpensive materials with minimal detailing. These products are usually very affordable and are available in-stock at home improvement stores and even online.
What Are Builder Grade Cabinets Made Of?
A typical builder-grade cabinet is made of an inexpensive wood product, such as particleboard or a cheaper plywood. Many come ready-to-assemble (RTA), meaning they are delivered to you in a flat box to save on shipping costs.
Builder-Grade Vs. Custom Cabinets
Custom cabinets, or semi-custom cabinets, are higher quality than builder-grade. They are made with either real wood, hardwood plywood or a high-density wood product. These materials give the cabinet higher humidity & moisture resistance, as they are less porous than cheaper wood products such as particleboard.
How Do You Update Your Builder Grade Cabinets Without Replacing Them?
If you bought a house with builder grade cabinets installed already, you may be looking for ways to update the cabinets or improve the overall look of your kitchen, and there are many ways to do that. Before you decide, there are a few important questions you need to ask yourself:
How To Make Builder Grade Cabinets Look Custom
If you are renovating an existing builder-grade kitchen, there are several ways you can give your kitchen and your cabinets a customized look and feel.
Glass Doors
Glass reflects light and creates depth in a kitchen design, giving your kitchen a brighter & airier feel without altering the layout or adding windows. They can be customized to complement and elevate any design style, with multiple mullion and glass options available.
Cabinet Hardware
Cabinet hardware is jewelry for your cabinets. Accessorize your builder-grade cabinets by replacing your simple hardware with a more elegant, stylish option. This will immediately give your design an upscale look and is an easy DIY project for any handy homeowner.
What is Builder Grade?
While the term Builder Grade or Contractor Grade may imply something is of high enough quality that a builder would use it, the name can be de ceptive. Builder Grade materials are often just to code, and average at best. When shopping for a builder, it is very important to know what materials that builder uses in the construction of a new home.
What are Builder Grade Materials and How Can They Affect my New Home?
Builder Grade materials are often just to code, and average at best.
How long does Builder Grade carpet last?
Keep an eye out for low-quality thin sheet vinyl, cheap looking laminate, or carpet with virtually no padding. Builder Grade carpet only lasts about five years under heavy traffic. Higher quality flooring is easy to spot – it looks better up close and feels better underfoot.
Can builder grade windows be ill fitting?
Not so fast. Some builder grade windows come only in stock sizes and are often ill-fitting, leaving gaps and drafts. High quality, properly installed windows can decrease energy consumption and eliminate moisture issues.
What are builder-grade cabinets?
In general, builder grade means the product is made with the most cost-effective, bare bones materials for every component of the item. So, a builder grade cabinet might be made with particle board doors and a plywood backing.
What are custom cabinets?
Custom kitchen cabinets are at the highest end of the spectrum in terms of value, price, and durability. Custom kitchen cabinets not only allow you to choose the wood, style, and finish of your cabinets, but they’re also measured to fit your kitchen or bathroom perfectly.
But what about RTA Kitchen Cabinets from Lily Ann Cabinets?
Our RTA Kitchen Cabinets are Unrivaled in Cost and Quality compared to both custom and builder grade cabinetry!
Cons of Lily Ann Cabinets
Ultimately, the cabinets you choose are up to you and your preferences on style, price, and customization ability. We just wanted to make sure you had all the information on your cabinet options when going into your kitchen cabinet upgrade.
Learn more with Lily Ann Cabinets
For more DIY and remodel tips, check out our blogs here on our website or shop our extensive catalog here. Have further questions on builder grade vs. custom cabinets? You can also contact us through text at (361) 524-1105, or give us a call at (800) 551-1438.
What are semi custom cabinets?
According to Dean Cabinetry, semi-custom cabinets are manufactured with standard sizes, styles, and finishes. Here at Lily Ann Cabinets, we consider ALL of our cabinets "semi-custom" excluding our Summit Shaker and Madison cabinets styles which we consider builder grade.
How to paint builder grade cabinets?
Prime the cabinets with a bonding primer which will adhere to the wood making it easy to paint your cabinetry.
What color countertops look good with oak cabinets?
The above inspiration photo shows how light colored countertops such as a light gray or marble looked countertops can look great with oak or wood-toned kitchen cabinets. Don't forget that laminate countertops have some pretty amazing options such as this marble option from Formica.
How to make a generic kitchen?
Here are thirteen ways to make a generic stock, builder-grade kitchen reflect your personality. 1. Paint Your Builder Grade Cabinets. I know you've heard this one before, but there's a reason... painting is the most transformative and cost effective way to change your builder-grade cabinets.
How to make an open shelving?
Create instant open shelving by removing your upper cabinet doors. You can easily add color by adding some wallpaper or contact paper on the back wall of the cabinet.
Do builder grade cabinets come with hardware?
Often, these builder grade cabinets don't originally come with hardware. Adding or replacing hardware is an easy way to make a dated kitchen look new.
Can you add more cabinets?
Adding more cabinets can be a little expensive. If you are handy, take down your cabinets and re-install them higher. Anne Turner Carroll from Southern Living not only raised their kitchen cabinets but added more storage by installing a floating shelf underneath. I cannot find the original post from Urban Grace but click here to see the before pictures.
Can you paint kitchen cabinets with MDF?
This is most cost effective if you chose to paint your kitchen cabinets because you can order the MDF versions. I actually have done this in a kitchen. For a little less than $1000 we had changed builder basic kitchen cabinets into a more custom look with shaker doors. The people at KitchenCabinetDoors.com gave us great tips at measuring and getting them right. We painted them gray and they looked amazing!
How to put a header on a cabinet?
Place the header on top of your cabinet. Open the doors to your cabinets and use a clamp or two to hold the header in place . Before tightening the clamps, be sure that you line up the front of the header exactly with the front and side of your cabinet, then tighten clamps to hold the header in place.
Where do you nail the ends of a cabinet header?
Now that the header is secured to the cabinet body, nail the ends to the cleats near the top of the header. (We nailed where we knew the crown would cover so that no holes were visible)