Advantage Woodworks Premium Quality Throughout

Quality Features - MATERIALS

To get to a quality end product, you have to start with quality materials. Many cabinet makers cut corners here in order to shave price. At Advantage Woodworks we do not cut corners. Only the best available raw materials are used to produce all of the products that we offer.

The table below lists some of the materials that typically go into the construction of wood cabinetry and the problems that develop when lesser materials are used.

Clicking on some of the boxes will open a pop-up window showing examples.

ITEM	OURS	OTHERS	PROBLEMS
SHEET STOCK Used for case and shelf construction	3/4 inch tick veneer-core plywood of North American Manufacture only	Particle Board	Inherently weak material, does not hold fasteners well, absorbs water and tends to crumble back into the sawdust it was made from. Shelves made from this material tend to sag under moderate weight. When used for drawers has a high tendency to fail at joints and for drawer guide mounting fasteners to work loose.
		Melamine	Identical to Particle Board except that it has a plastic face coating that tends to separate from the base and is prone to blister and peel
		MDF core	Somewhat stronger than Particle Board but still not nearly as strong as veneer core plywood. Prone to splitting internally. Does not hold fasteners or accept adhesives well.
		Asian manufactured plywoods	Exceedingly thin face veneers. If damaged, are often unrepairable.
HARDWOODS Used for cabinet face frames, doors and drawers.	Full 3/4" thick kiln-dried Select & Better grade hardwoods	Air dried hardwoods	Most manufacturers use kiln-dried hardwoods. Air dried hardwoods are prone to warping resulting in doors and drawers that don't close properly
DRAWER GUIDES	Blum drawer guides German designed and made in the USA	Lower cost guides of various manufacturers	Shortened drawer guide life. Often hard to find exact replacements when guides do wear out or fall apart
HINGES	Blum Concealed hinges German designed and made in the USA	Lower cost guides of various manufacturers	Poorly fitted doors, doors that won't close properly. Difficult or impossible to adjust to achieve proper door alignment.
FINISH	Oil-based Polyurethane Most difficult to apply, requiring up to 8 hours between coats. Provides best long-term protection against moisture and damage	Lacquer	Most manufacturers choose these finishes for their fast-drying characteristics: product is in and out of the spray booth in minutes, rather than hours as required for oil based polyurethane. All of these are "hard" finishes prone to blistering and peeling, especially in areas where water is present
		Aliphatic Resin Varnish
		Two-part or catalyzed finishes
		Water-based finishes	Chosen because it has no VOC's (volatile organic compounds) making it easier to comply with regulations, these finishes have a tendency to feel 'gummy' especially during periods of high humidity.

So why not just use solid wood for everything ? Find Out.

		Examples of custom cabinetry we have built for customers.
		Some of the door styles we offer.
		The colors we offer as standard.
		What sets our cabinetry apart from the others.


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