Many homeowners may not be aware of the types of wood cabinets available on the market today. In addition to the kitchen and bathroom, other areas of the home will benefit from built-ins and cabinets such as living or family rooms, entertainment centers, home offices, and libraries.  The three types of wooden cabinets available include stock, semi-custom and custom.  

Stock Cabinets
Stock cabinets are mass-produced and are supplied as pre-assembled or ready-to-assemble from the manufacturer.  Stock cabinets come in standard sizes and finishes and are readily available.  Many developers will choose stock cabinets in new home construction to keep the cost down and install quickly.

The cabinet boxes, doors and drawers are constructed using particleboard, medium density fiberboard (MDF) or a veneer layer over plywood.  These are considered sub-standard or low quality materials and will not hold up over time.  Assembly of the various pieces will be with wire staples; therefore, durability is compromised.  Grain uses a high quality glue, wood screws and clamps to assemble our cabinets.

Homeowners will generally choose to go with stock cabinets because of the lower cost and quick availability.  Many of these products are from IKEA, Wayfair and other vendors.  If you are in the market for wooden cabinets, pay attention to the materials used and construction techniques as you compare pricing

Semi-Custom Cabinets
Semi-custom cabinets offer an option between stock and custom cabinets.  Like stock cabinets, these cabinets come in standard sizes but you have various options to add custom accents and accessories.  Some of the options include door and drawer styles, custom paint or finishes, drawer and door pulls, door hinges, drawer inserts, and sliding shelves.  Lead times are longer than stock cabinets due to the add-ons and options available.

Many people find semi-custom cabinets to be a good choice because of various options available and a cost between stock and custom cabinets. 

Custom Cabinets
Custom cabinets allow for greater design flexibility and will give you a unique feel and style.  The design and dimensions of the cabinets will accommodate the space and provide maximize functionality.  There is no limit to the number of options available including cabinet size, wood type, hardware and finishes.  It will take longer to build the cabinets but you will get what you want. Custom cabinets are fabricated based on your design, preferences and specifications and fit the space available. 

All cabinetry is fabricated using high quality materials by skilled craftsmen and craftswomen.  All fabrication work is done in a professional cabinet shop.  Solid hardwoods are used for door and drawer fronts because of its lifetime durability. 

Custom cabinets come at a higher price than semi-custom cabinets.  Many homeowners select this option because of the high quality and they get exactly the customization they desire. 


Grain Architectural Millwork is a residential custom wood cabinetry and commercial architectural millwork shop in the Boston Harbor Shipyard in Boston, Massachusetts with CNC Machining capabilities. 

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