Cabinets

SLAMMED DOORS. Nicks and
kicks. Spills and splashes. The
weight) of canned and bottled
goods, dishes, pots and pans.
Kitchen cabinets have to carry
some heavy loads. Much of the
everyday wear-and-tear to which
they are subjected amounts to
abuse never given to furnishings in
the rest of the house.
But well-made cabinetry is
designed and built to withstand the
heaviest daily abuse for years and
years and, with simple, routine
maintenance, it’s no worse for the
wear,
And, it needn’t be handcrafted
or custom — or costly. Today
there is a wide range of quality
cabinets in many styles, with unit
and accessory options readily
available from = kitchen/tub and
home centre retailers.
However, there’s more to kitch-
en cabinetry than immediately
meets the eye.
And homeowners, whether
remodelling or planning a kitchen
for a new home, need to look
beyond the exterior of cabinets to
make the right choice. Experts
outline important points for ; ;
homeowners to consider when : ; ; ,
selecting kitchen cabinets: | . :
¢ Construction. Durability and:
longevity start with solid construc- : 8: Y NOV 20 NOY
tion. Look for solid hardwood §; awe 5 . a
front frames -~- oak or cherry, for a
example — at least %’’ thick and
1%" wide.
Double-dowelled joints, bonded
with furniture glue, assure perfect
squareness and strength. Wood
glue-blocks —-  triangular-shaped
pieces at the frame and end (side)
panel corners — give added sup-
port.
¢ Shelving and Trays. Since
storage and functional needs vary
from onc homeowner to another,
interior cabinet flexibility is impor-
tant.
Kitchen wall cabinets should be
equipped with adjustable shelves,
allowing space-efficient storage of
everything from tall soft drink
bottles to sardine cans. Look for
base kitchen cabinets that offer
convenient roll-out trays for easy
access.
¢ Hardware. Smooth, quiet and
space-saving drawer and tray guide
systems, and self-closing hinges are
standard hardware features of
quality cabinetry.
¢Door and Drawer Design.
Door frames and drawer fronts on
wood cabinetry should be solid
hardwood, and = grain patterns
should be uniform on all exterior
surfaces. a
Reverse bevels on drawer and ‘a i de :
door edges give ‘‘open anywhere” bs :
convenience and flexibility, |: ' ! ay aes ‘bevelled, Peach & Clear i
whether or not decorative handles . 4 i : } ENTER OU e
or knobs are used. - bas SS ixtur e UGHTING CONTEEING
© Exterior Finishes . Kitchen cab-
inets are subject to spills, splashes
and sprays... water, soaps,
cleansers, syrups, grease and oils. “Ott Our Everyday Low
Wood cabinetry should have a Priced Merchandise Only,
furniture-quality finish resulting
from hand-wiped, oil-based stains,
vinyl sealing to avoid cracking or
warping from moisture, and var-
nish as protection against chemi-
cals, abrasions and detergents.
Melamine-laminated cabinetry —
most often found in Eurostyle cab-
inetry — also should be designed
to withstand exposure to food and
cleaning-related liquids and com-
pounds.
Both furniture-quality wood
finishes and melamine laminates
lend themselves to easy cleaning.

White Quantities Last.
Bulbs Extra