| • General Subject Information: Cabinets and | | | | them to fail prematurely. |
| vanities are an attractive addition to beautify and | | | | • Operate doors and drawers smoothly and |
| provide functional storage in kitchens, baths, and | | | | easily. Metal drawer guides should be lubricated with a |
| laundries. Wood, either painted or stained, is the most | | | | light lubricating oil every two years. |
| popular choice, followed by plastic laminate and faux | | | | • Doors can go out of adjustment, depending |
| wood vinyl. | | | | upon their care and use. Do not slam, hang objects |
| • There are common use and care procedures | | | | from, or pull on the door, as this will cause hinge |
| for cabinets and vanities; all of which can be achieved | | | | mechanisms to weaken not only at their fastening |
| by proper homeowner use and maintenance. Refer | | | | points but also within the mechanisms themselves. |
| to Recommended Use and Maintenance below: | | | | Periodically inspect hinges and retighten if necessary. |
| • Prevent the finish from wearing prematurely: | | | | • Liquids should be cleaned up immediately and |
| Cabinet finishes tend to age more in hot, humid | | | | not left on a surface, particularly at joints or corners. |
| rooms and in areas that surround sinks due to water | | | | This creates the potential for breakdown of the |
| that is splashed on the finish. Cabinets in contact with | | | | glues used to laminate the surface to the substrate. |
| water and lack of proper maintenance are major | | | | • If you have painted wood cabinets, you can |
| contributing factors to warping. Over time and | | | | expect, over time, for a gap to appear at the |
| without proper care, plastic laminate cabinets can | | | | vertical joint where the two cabinet sections are |
| delaminate at joints and corners. This usually occurs | | | | joined together. |
| as a result of water getting into the core of the | | | | • If an uneven or larger gap appears where |
| cabinet door. | | | | two cabinet door close together, this gap can be |
| • Prevent the drawer slide brackets from | | | | narrowed or straightened by turning the adjustment |
| failing: Drawer guides that support the drawer | | | | screw on the hinge with a screwdriver. |
| opening commonly fail. They are often made of | | | | Finishes |
| plastic and may break over time. This is a very | | | | • Comments: Cabinet finishes are created two |
| inexpensive replacement item that can be purchased | | | | ways: (1) as a completely finished module that is |
| at a hardware store. Drawers should not be | | | | either painted, laminated or stained in a factory, or |
| overloaded, and should be operated in a smooth | | | | (2) as a larger component that is made in a cabinet |
| fashion. Both doors and drawers should be operated | | | | shop and painted or stained after it is installed in the |
| without slamming the drawers shut. | | | | house. Cabinets that are stained to show the grain of |
| • Keep cabinets and cabinet doors flush and | | | | the wood will have irregularities in the finish color. This |
| aligning: Gaps appear between cabinet cases or doors | | | | is due to the fact that no two pieces of wood have |
| that do not align. As the house acclimates to the | | | | exactly the same characteristics. Stain absorbs |
| rough framing materials, the structure will have a | | | | differently through flat surfaces, soft grains, and |
| tendency to contract when the rough lumber dries | | | | ends. Painted cabinets should be reasonably uniform in |
| out. This has the potential to affect interior finishes | | | | color because there is no intention to show the grain. |
| and is considered normal. Hinges can also become | | | | Painted cabinets may be made of materials other |
| loose and occasionally may need to be retightened or | | | | than wood. As long as the same paint or stain is used |
| adjusted, a relatively simple maintenance item. | | | | for the entirety of the cabinets, slight irregularities in |
| Recommended Use and Maintenance: | | | | the appearance of the stain or paint are considered |
| • Use caution when loading upper cabinets so | | | | normal. |
| as to not overload them. Heavy plates and dishes | | | | Recommended Use and Maintenance: |
| and canned goods do not belong in upper cabinets. | | | | • Be aware that painted cabinets will separate |
| Refer to “Ten Most Common Mistakes Made | | | | somewhat at the stiles (vertical joints) due to normal |
| By Homeowners” in the Introduction. | | | | drying out of the house frame. |
| • Maintain all cabinets, particularly any cabinetry | | | | • Bathroom and laundry fans should always be |
| that is located in areas that are subject to moisture, | | | | operating when those rooms are in use. |
| i.e. kitchens, bathrooms or laundry rooms. Water | | | | • Never allow water to remain on the cabinet |
| should not be allowed to remain on any wood | | | | surface, as this will cause damage to the finish. |
| products, whether sealed or not. Maintenance | | | | • Cabinets, drawer fronts and doors need to |
| consists of keeping surfaces dry and clean, polishing | | | | be periodically inspected for excessive wear or |
| wood surfaces, and keeping hinges lubricated. | | | | deterioration of the finish. |
| • Be careful not to overload the drawers. This | | | | • Consider stained cabinets as furniture and |
| puts additional stress on the guides, which can cause | | | | treat the wood faces with furniture polish. |