When it comes to custom made cabinet,carcass is easy to overlook since you’ll only see the carcass when you open up your cabinet. However, choosing the right cabinet carcass is just as important as choosing a cabinet door style that’s aesthetically pleasing.A well-built carcass is crucial for the durability and longevity of the cabinet, as it must withstand the weight of stored items and the stresses of daily use.
What is Cabinet Carcass?
Cabinet carcass is the framework or structure of your cabinet – the base unit where doors and drawers are attached.It’s essentially the “skeleton” of the cabinet, providing the basic framework,shape and main storage spaces.
What are the Different Cabinet Carcass Materials?
Regarding cabinet carcass,there are various options to choose from. You’ll find that there are many quick and affordable options, but these might not give your cabinet the long-lasting durability it needs. It’s important to choose quality materials to ensure that your cabinets don’t break apart or warp after a certain amount of time!
In this post,we’ll explore 2 quality materials that most commonly used in cabinet carcasses:
1.Solid Wood Carcass
Solid wood is elegant and luxury,but it’s one of the more expensive carcass options, so consider your budget before deciding on this material.
Pros:
- Eco-friendly High-quality solid wood (such as white oak, red oak, cherry wood, etc.) is naturally formaldehyde-free and uses minimal amounts of glue, making it suitable for families with high environmental standards (such as those with children, pregnant women, or allergy sufferers).
- Repairable: Scratches or wear and tear can be repaired through sanding and repainting.What’s more,it can be refurbished after few years usage,extending the cabinet’s lifespan.
- The natural texture is incomparable.
- High Resale Value Cabinets made from premium woods (such as black walnut or teak) have significant collection and resale potential.
Cons:
- Instability:Solid wood is easy to warping, twisting when exposed to moisture and temperature condtion e.g. kitchen and bathroom.
- High Cost:Solid wood carcass are significantly more expensive(approx.2-5 times higher price) than other options like plywood.
- Labor Intensive:Constructing solid wood carcasses involves more labor and time compared to using pre-fabricated materials.
- Difficult to maintain:Requires regular maintenance (such as waxing and moisture protection) and should be kept out of direct sunlight or heat, otherwise it may fade or crack.
When Solid Wood Carcass Might Be Used:
- Visible Ends or Panels:Solid wood can be used for visible end panels or other areas where a natural wood appearance is desired.
- Adequate budget and a desire for natural texture.
- Stable humidity in the home (e.g., installation of fresh air and constant temperature systems) or willingness to perform regular maintenance.
- Style requirements: Pure solid wood style enthusiasts, prefer Nordic, Japanese, and other styles that emphasize natural textures.
2.Plywood Carcass
Plywood (also known as laminated wood) is an excellent choice for custom cabinet due to its superior overall performance. It has become one of the best alternatives to solid wood cabinet carcass.
Pros:
- High stability,more moisture-resistant than solid wood,outstanding deformation resistance
- Eco-friendly,quality plywood is made from thick layers of hardwood veneers and bonded with E0 grade glue.
- Excellent physical properties: good load-bearing capacity and strong nail-holding strength.The transverse compressive strength is three times than that of particleboard, making it suitable for hanging heavy objects (such as wardrobe hanging area and bookshelf shelves).
- Diverse surface treatments: real wood veneer, PVC memberane, melamine finish etc..It has hundreds of color options to match different door panel color & style.
Cons:
- Edge sealing process affect lifespan:Laser edge sealing or PUR edge sealing is preferred, as ordinary EVA edge sealing is prone to detached or cracking.
- The wood grain does not look as realistic & vivid as real wood.
When Plywood Carcass Might Be Used:
- Focus more on cost-effectiveness
- Long-term exposure to humid environment（e.g.kitchen,bathroom）
- Low maintenance willingness & requirements
Do Carcasses Come in Different Colors?
For solid wood carcass,it’s normally painted or stained together with door panel . So the color options for carcass is same as that for door panels and there are no color difference cause they are processed in the same batch.
While for plywood carcass,it come with 100+ patterns and colors in melamine finish on both sides to match different door panel color & style.You can choose the carcase color that match door panel the most.But slight color difference still exist.
It will be fine since most part will be covered by door panels or drawer fronts. For those visible parts,decorative panel with same material as door panel will work.
To choose solid wood cabinet carcass or plywood carcass should be considered based on specific needs, budget, and usage scenarios.
If you want to explore more options for carcass or door panel,please refer to our previous post:
https://topbuildingmaterial.com/material-options-for-custom-made-cabinets/
Need help with home decor or free sample?Please feel free to contact us.
