RTA kitchen cabinets?

superjedi · 10-20-2009, 07:19 PM

Hi all,
We're in the very early stages of planning a kitchen remodel and I've seen some sites that sell ready to assemble cabinetry. Has anyone had any experience with this type of cabinet?
From what I've read, a lot of them are real wood with a finish applied. But since we would put them together, the prices seem to be significantly less than ready to install cabinets.
I'm pretty handy and I wouldn't foresee any problems putting the cabinets together, and even installing them myself.
If anyone has has good experiences with RTA cabinets, could you describe them? Maybe recommend some trustworthy suppliers?
Thanks for any input!

Maverick7687 · 10-21-2009, 01:39 AM

I would be interested in this too as a kitchen remodel is in my future as well..

granite-girl · 10-21-2009, 08:17 AM

I worked at Lowes years ago & the ones we sold definitely were not solid wood. And were usually bought to put in mobile homes & rentals. I think I've seen online websites for RTA cabinets, and they look really good. I hope they are real wood & better construction now. That would be a great money saving way to get new good looking cabinets for someone who is handy. For what it's worth the ones Lowes had didn't look bad, they were just all particle board & poorly boxed & usually damaged from all the handling done through Lowes' system. Nothing against Lowes, it's just what it is.

FixIt4Me · 10-21-2009, 09:04 AM

does anyone have a website for these cabinets? I am curious

granite-girl · 10-21-2009, 11:01 AM

Just google RTA cabinets- There's a few of them that came up when I did it. They look nice.

ArmchairDIY · 10-21-2009, 12:11 PM

RTA cabinets are like already assembled cabinets, in the sense that they vary in quality and price.
The price savings come from the fact that the are not assembled and they are easier to ship.
I think with a little comparison shopping they can be a good alternative.

superjedi · 10-21-2009, 06:21 PM

Yeah, I've looked at several websites and the cost is definitely much lower than assembled cabinets. One site for example estimated the cost for cabinets for a 10 x 10 kitchen at $1300 for oak cabinets.
I'll keep looking around the web and get some more ideas on prices. Thanks for the replies so far!

kwmainer · 12-03-2009, 10:04 PM

I am planning a kitchen remodel too. One thing I noticed with kitchen cab. manufacturers... is that their literature may say that they're real wood... but apparently they think that particle board = 'real wood'. Other times, you have to remember to specify that you want plywood backs and sides (for an up charge of course). The standard box is particle... and you won't get ply unless you order it that way. The 'real wood' designation only seems to apply to drawer facings and doors.

I'm going to google RTA cabs too... and see what I find.

We just bought a PC plunge router. I was getting ready to learn how to use it... and start building my own boxes and doors. (mind you... I am NOT a woodsmith... so I'm clueless).

handyguys · 12-04-2009, 02:49 PM

i used RTA cabs for a very small kitchen in a summer cottage. I bought them at the home center. Not real wood. They took a little while to put together. I used white cabs. I dressed them up with a maple knob with a lacquer finish. I wouldn't want cabs of that quality in my full time kitchen for for a summer cottage they were very cost effective.

Superpack · 12-08-2009, 04:01 AM

We recently finished building our 1st home and got fed up with the big box retailers that the builder was offering. So we politely asked if we could shop around for an alternate provider; after a few calls we ended up settling on a reputable RTA Cabinet store. We were hesitant at first but after seeing the samples and then getting the order we couldn't be happier with the decision. We were able to select a dark cherry style cabinet for kitchen and a chocolate dual sink vanity for our master, they offered free design service, and delivered to our door for about 20% less than retailer.

Regards,