Ready-to-Assemble (RTA) kitchen cabinets have largely replaced made-to-order cabinets in most kitchens. People find it convenient to get RTA cabinets for their kitchen, and they find it to be a cheaper and high in quality alternative to made-to-order cabinets. The custom made cabinets certainly cost much more than RTA cabinets, and there is no guarantee as to what quality standard will they maintain. On the other hand, you can be sure about the quality standards of RTA cabinets. If you have any plans to give your kitchen a makeover, it is better if you choose Ready-to-Assemble cabinets.
If we take into consideration the type of material and the pattern of construction, RTA cabinets are certainly better when compared to made-to-order cabinets. If you compare both the makes, things like the outer wooden doors will turn out to be the same in both cases. When you will go further in your comparison, you will find that majority of RTA cabinets come with ¾-inch thick plywood boxes, and the Made-to-Order cabinets that you get from numerous retailers and manufacturers come with compressed wood like particle board.
The salesperson will only talk about the thickness of the outer door in Made-to-Order Cabinets, and not the compressed wood that they use inside the cabinets. Moreover, in Made-to-Order Cabinets, the drawers are also made up of particle board, which is in sheer contrast to the RTA cabinets that use dovetail joints to enhance the durability of the cabinets.
In case you do not know the difference between durability of plywood and a particle board, here is one experiment that you must do. Place a piece of particle board in a cup of water for a day or two, you will see it will become as soft as a paper. This shows how weak particle board is, and how susceptible it can be to common things like moisture. If you use such a material is used for your kitchen where the level of moisture is high, especially around the sink, you are making a very big mistake. A mere mopping is also harmful for particle board, let alone a direct contact with water.
Prefabricated kitchen cabinets come in a wide assortment of colours and styles to suit the theme of your kitchen. They are easy to install and are much more durable than their counterpart is. The low cost of these prefabricated cabinets is because they are produced in massive quantities that call for less labour cost.
Summary:
Kitchen cabinets have to be pretty strong and durable, as they have to withstand the warm and moist atmosphere of kitchens. Prefabricated cabinets seem to be much stronger and durable than made-to-order cabinets.