How to choose a cabinet: what to consider

A cabinet is a piece you open every day, so the parts that move are the parts that matter. These are the things worth settling before you choose one. The numbers are common rules of thumb, not fixed rules.

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Size and placement

Measure the wall and the space in front of it, including the room doors and drawers need to open fully.
Check the depth: deep cabinets hold more but stick out into the room; shallow ones suit hallways.
Check the plinth or legs against skirting boards and uneven floors; adjustable feet help.

Doors and drawers

Hinged doors need clear space in front; sliding doors do not. Soft-close hinges and runners are a common feature, but ask whether they can be replaced.
Drawers on full-extension runners show everything at the back; check the weight a drawer is built to carry.
A push-to-open door has no handle and needs a gentle touch; check how it works if you have little hands or full arms.

Fixing to the wall

A tall or top-heavy cabinet can tip if drawers are pulled out or a child climbs it. Fix it to the wall with fittings that suit your wall (concrete, brick, studs or plasterboard).
A wall-mounted cabinet needs fixings rated for the load and the wall, and often a mounting rail; the weight of what it will hold matters.

Inside

Adjustable shelves let you change the layout later. Check the shelf's span and the weight it can take.
Glass shelves and doors should be toughened or laminated safety glass.

Materials and finish

Solid wood can be refinished; veneer over a core is more stable but allows less refinishing. Lacquered surfaces resist marks and are harder to repair.
Check whether the back panel and inside are finished, and whether any smell from new finishes fades.

Questions worth asking the maker

What are the exact dimensions and clear opening room? What is the cabinet made of and how is it finished? How is it fixed to the wall? Are the shelves adjustable? Are spare hinges and runners available? What are the delivery and return terms?

Sources and further reading

A label covers one aspect of a product, such as where the wood came from or which chemicals are in a textile, not its whole footprint. These pages explain what each covers; they are not endorsements, and Formground does not rate products.

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