USED KITCHEN CABINETS
 This doesn't mean that you have to go with kitchen cabinets that are beat up and ugly. There are many ways and places that you can find cabinets in very nice shape that'll look great in your home. After all, cabinets are one of the most expensive upgrades within a kitchen, so saving here can save you a lot on your total remodel cost. If you decide on used kitchen cabinets, here's a few places to check out and what to look for. Where to Find Them• Online - The best place to begin looking for cupboards (as my grandma used to call them) for your kitchen is on the web. There are many sites where used items are sold or even given away. Often great bargains can be found on sites like Craigslist or eBay. FreeCycle.org is a website where people give away items to be recycled. They say "It's all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills." There are other online classified sites where you may find used cabinets, and for your specific area, search "used cabinets your town", "free kitchen cabinets your town", (ie; used cabinets portland maine) etc. using the Google Custom Search Box (right).• Building Salvage Stores - Sometimes wealthy people become bored with their kitchen cabinets and appliances. They then may decide to tear out everything and get new. In many cases, the contractor may simply give their old used kitchen cabinets to a building salvage store. Check with the salvage stores in your area. You may be able to find some beautiful used kitchen cabinets that look brand new. If you have one in your town, go by. Once you peruse a salvage store, it'll become one of your favorite places! Search "building salvage your city" (ex: building salvage jackson wyoming). • Other Do-it-Yourselfers - You may be able to find these cabinets used from other do-it-yourselfers. When people remodeling their kitchen want to install new cabinets, it means that they must uninstall the ones they currently have. Many do-it-yourselfers are happy to give away the cabinets if someone will come take them out. It can cost a lot to get rid of older cabinets, so many people will advertise them for free if you'll simply come and take them away. Again, Craigslist (be ready to get in your truck) or the thrifty papers or newspaper classifieds. Or, place your own ad, saying something like "Looking for free kitchen cabinets. Will remove, clean up and haul away." Be sure to clean up after you're done. What to Look ForIf this is the route you choose, several things must be kept in mind. You want something that looks nice and is constructed well. This means you need to look carefully at the cabinets—inside and out—before you decide they're the right options for your kitchen. First, make sure that they're in good overall shape. Don't expect them to be perfect, but they shouldn't be "loose" or falling apart either.Small cracks, scratches, and even a missing handle or two are problems that you can easily fix. Consider how much it will cost you to fix the flaws or replace the hardware when you're making your decision. Make sure that the brackets on the used kitchen cabinets were not damaged when they were removed from the previous home as well. In the end, there are times when used kitchen cabinets are a far better choice than new ones. One example is most MDF cabinetry. MDF cabinets are on the cheap side and prone to breaking. Instead of going with cheap new cabinets, you may find that you get a better deal and better durability by choosing used.
Before You Head Out Grab a tape measure, a pencil and paper and measure the walls of your kitchen. Show where the sink, frige, range, etc. are now located, but draw those in very lightly, as your new/used cabinets probably won't exactly match what you now have. NOTE: The line spacing on the paper equals 1 ft.Make copies (Home Depot and Lowes have copiers) because you will want to draw and write on them. For instance, you may find the perfect set of cabinets, but the range will have to go somewhere else. Or, the set you like has the dishwasher in an odd place. This drawing just makes things a lot easier. Clip these copies and any other paper you need for this project on a clip-board and remember to have fun! |
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