How do you tell what my cabinets are made of?

Author: Mr. Gordon Gerlach  |  Last update: Tuesday, March 25, 2025

Most manufactured cabinets have two options for sides, plywood or furniture board/melamine. The plywood will have real wood veneer with grain and visible layers on the ends. Furniture board will be smooth and might be a different color on the inside.

How can I tell what wood my cabinets are made of?

The grain pattern is a sure way of identifying the wood type. In practice, hardwoods such as European oak lumber or mahogany have an open poor structure while softwoods are almost smooth with zero grain indentations. Another pattern worth observing is if the wood was plain sawn or quarter sawn at the time of cutting.

Are my cabinets laminate or melamine?

Appearance: Melamine cabinets typically have a solid colour or wood grain pattern throughout the entire thickness of the material. In contrast, laminate cabinets can have a wide variety of colours, patterns, and textures, including options that mimic the look of natural wood or stone.

How do you know what type of kitchen cabinets you have?

To find out where your kitchen cabinets are from, start by checking for any branding or labeling on the cabinets themselves. If there are no visible indicators, you can try contacting the manufacturer or installer for information.

How do I tell what material my cabinets are?

The material that makes up the cabinet can be identified by one or more distinctive features and will help you determine if it is made of solid wood, plywood, medium-density fibreboard (MDF), or another particleboard. Distinctive features include things like grain, joint construction, texture, and color.

Don't Buy A Kitchen Without Watching This! How to Tell the Difference in Cabinet Materials!

What are the 3 grades of cabinets?

Cabinets are grouped into four grades based on quality of construction: ready-to-assemble (RTA), stock, semi-custom and custom. Decide up front on the amount of money to be invested in cabinetry and then browse cabinetry lines and options within your budget.

How to tell if melamine?

Melamine dinnerware won't bend because of its thickness and sturdiness. True melamine won't snap when moderate force is applied to it, either. Another way to determine if a dish is made of plastic or melamine is to apply heat to it.

Can you paint over laminate cabinets?

Can you paint laminate? Yes—and it's actually quite simple. Follow our step-by-step guide on how to paint laminate furniture, including project-specific tips for painting laminate cabinets, desks, coffee tables, bookshelves and dressers.

How to tell if cabinets are MDF or particle board?

Particleboard is very smooth, consistent, and holds screws and other fasteners well. MDF has a smoother finish, takes machining very well, but doesn't hold screws too well. Use dowels or other fasteners. MDF is heavier than particleboard.

How do I identify laminate?

To distinguish between natural wood, laminate, and vinyl flooring, observe the pattern repetition on the boards. Natural wood will have unique variations like knots and grain patterns, while laminate and vinyl will show repeated, uniform patterns due to their mass-produced printed layers.

Can you paint melamine cabinets?

While it's entirely possible to paint your melamine countertops or cabinets yourself, it's quite a bit of work and isn't easy to do properly.

Does Home Depot sell solid wood cabinets?

Solid Wood - In Stock Kitchen Cabinets - The Home Depot.

How do I know if my cabinets are laminate or veneer?

To discern between the two, it's helpful to feel the surface of the material. Laminate will have a smooth, plastic feel, while veneer will have the warmth and texture of real wood.

What are my cheap cabinets made of?

Stainless steel, solid wood, and plywood are some of the most common and durable materials for kitchen cabinets, but they tend to be more expensive than other materials. On the other hand, laminate, thermofoil, particleboard, and MDF are more affordable, but may not be as strong and durable as the higher-end materials.

Is there an app to identify wood type?

Xylorix PocketWood is a free-to-use app where users can access information and macroscopic images of over hundreds of wood species from around the world.

How do I tell what my cabinets are made of?

Some distinctive features include grain patterning on its surface as well as joint construction. Solid wood cabinet doors will have noticeable joints where the frame was constructed. Laminate doors, on the other hand, will have a smooth, seamless finish.

What kind of kitchen cabinets cannot be painted?

Cabinets that aren't solid wood—those made of stainless steel, vinyl, laminate, engineered wood, or any other non-solid wood material—are a much bigger task to undertake as they aren't as easy to paint. Paint will not adhere to the finished cabinet surface easily and will often peel off or chip.

How can I tell what wood my cabinets are?

Softwoods usually have smooth grain patterns, while hardwoods have rougher, more porous patterns. Look at the grain and feel it with your fingertips to determine if it has the texture of a hardwood. Hardwoods come from flowering trees like walnuts, oak, and maple.

How do I find out what kitchen cabinets I have?

Some manufacturers will brand the inside, or outside of the drawer boxes with their logo as seen below. If you don't find a logo on the side of your drawer, remove the drawer from the cabinet base and look on the back side for a label identifying the manufacturer and order information.

Are Formica and melamine the same thing?

Melamine is a low-pressure laminate (LPL) because it is made with a pressure of 300-500 pounds-per-square-inch. High-pressure laminate (HPL), also called Formica, is made with over 1400 pounds-per-square-inch of pressure.

How to tell if cabinets are high quality?

Top 10 Characteristics of High Quality Kitchen Cabinets
  1. All-plywood construction. ...
  2. Full-height back panels. ...
  3. Soft-close hinges. ...
  4. Undermount, soft-close drawer glides. ...
  5. Hardwood dovetail drawer boxes. ...
  6. Fully assembled in the factory. ...
  7. Face frames. ...
  8. Customizability and modifications.

What are Lily Ann cabinets made of?

At Lily Ann Cabinets, all our RTA cabinets are made from genuine wood. Our RTA cabinet face frames and doors are made from either Birch or North American Maple. Drawer and box construction features furniture-grade A plywood.

What type of cabinets last the longest?

Solid wood cabinets, particularly oak, are the most durable kitchen cabinet material due to their strength, resistance to wear and tear, and ability to withstand moisture without warping. Plywood and medium-density fiberboard (MDF) are also durable, economical options.

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