Melamine Cabinet Construction Methods

Custom

These two types of modern melamine cabinetry construction can be further subdivided into to two forms, custom and modular. Custom cabinetry design is not bound to incremental proportions; cabinets can be designed and built to any size. For example, let's say you have a wall-to-wall vanity area in a master bathroom measuring 62 1/4 inches. In the custom form you have the ability to design a 62 1/4 inch cabinet to fit the area as a whole. The infrastructure within the custom form is based on 3/4-inch construction. All side panels, top panels, bottom panels and shelving are produced from 3/4-inch melamine. The only thinner material used in this form is 1/4-inch melamine used for cabinetry backs and drawer box bottoms.

Modular cabinetry design is bound to incremental proportions; cabinets are designed and manufactured in 3-inch increments. If we were to consider the above mentioned example for the modular form, you would need to break up the area into segments. In the example of a 62 1/4 inch wall-to-wall vanity area, you could design the area to fit, for example, two 24-inch vanity sinks, one 12-inch vanity drawer unit and two 1-inch fillers. You could not consider, however, a full cabinet to fit wall-to-wall.

In any case, the cabinets manufactured to be installed in the 62 1/4 inch space would need to have ample scribe room to accommodate variability in the walls. With face frame construction, scribe room can be engineered into the custom face frame construction, providing enough of the face frame material protrudes passed the outside surfaces of the cabinets. With the European form, fillers must be allocated and provided to accommodate the potential for wall variability.

Preference between the different styles and forms is determined by design motif and budget. All are good in their own right. If you are looking for a cleaner less cluttered look, European fits the bill well with its tight seams and close transitions. If you are looking to fit a more old world theme, face frame construction gives a deeper artisan feel. If price is the determining factor, with a little creativity, modular cabinets can be designed to look nearly as seamless as European, and almost as authentic as face frame, all for around half the price.