The first impression of any cabinet is the door.
The main difference between semi-custom cabinets and custom cabinets has to do with the cabinet door style. This isn't the only difference, but it is the most notable one. Semi-custom cabinets give the customer the option of seeing their cabinets before they pay for them. Custom shops draw you a picture at best or render a composite drawing using computer software. The rest you have to take on faith. However, custom cabinets can do what no semi-custom cabinet can do, precisely fit between two walls no matter what the measurement is between them without using any filler. Does this Spark an idea?
Limited Diversity
As with anything that is factory made, there is a limit to the diversity of semi-custom cabinets. Though there is more diversity here than with stock cabinetry, you still do not have the range of possibilities as you do with custom cabinets. However, that is not to say that semi-custom cabinets won't look good even in high-quality homes. Measures taken when building the doors and the drawer fronts make this possible. Semi-custom cabinets usually come with solid wood doors and drawer fronts in a wide variety of wood. They also come stained or painted.
Unlimited Diversity
Custom cabinets fit in the unlimited diversity category because home builders also fit in that category. Kitchens and bathrooms in a custom-built home may not be the dimensions needed for a perfect fit of semi-custom cabinets. A perfect fit means no fillers between cabinets and the walls often received with semi-custom cabinetry. Custom-made cabinets fit from wall to wall when needed because the cabinet builder takes the measurements from the home and builds the cabinets to fit.
Door Hinges
You may have more selection in semi-custom cabinets when it comes to door hardware, especially the hinges. With the many different hinge styles available, it is difficult for custom cabinet shops to house all the equipment needed to prepare the doors for all the styles of hinges on the market. European-style hinges are a good example. These hinges require machinery that drills three holes at the same time and measures them in millimeters. Semi-custom cabinets usually offer these types of hinges because the cabinet manufacturer can afford the machinery.
Drawer Design
The other distinction between custom and semi-custom cabinets is the drawer design. Both types of cabinets use solid wood to make the drawer fronts but the difference begins with the material used for the drawer itself. This material ranges from solid wood, paper-covered wood to plywood in both cases. The next difference is the construction of the drawer. Better-made drawers use dovetail joints, which require many hours in a custom shop or the use of a special machine. Again, this is not difficult for the large manufacturer who mass produces semi-custom cabinets.
Tags: semi-custom cabinets, custom cabinets, drawer fronts, Semi-custom cabinets, solid wood, because cabinet
