Why you should strongly consider RTA (Ready-to-Assemble) Cabinets

If you’re looking to purchase cabinetry for a project you have in mind, there are literally hundreds of available choices on the market, ranging from low-cost products made of particle board to high end custom cabinets made of exotic materials. But if you’re looking for excellent value at an affordable price, you should seriously consider RTA cabinets as an option.

Before we continue, let’s address the myth that RTA products are inferior. If an RTA product is of poor quality, it’s not because it requires assembly; it’s because the materials – and in particular, the hardware used to assemble the cabinets – are suspect. However, there are some excellent quality RTA cabinet lines as well. Therefore, it would be a mistake to dismiss RTA cabinets as an option simply because they require assembly. Instead, you should consider the benefits of a quality, unassembled product before you decide which way to go.

Let’s start with a bit of general information about cabinet types. A complete discussion of the various types is beyond the scope of this writing, but here we’ll discuss the three basic types of cabinet boxes; face frame, inset and full access (also known as frameless or Euro cabinets). Face frame cabinets typically have a 3/4 inch thick hardwood frame attached to the front of the box. The doors and drawer fronts overlap – or “overlay” – the openings in the cabinet. Inset cabinets have a hardwood frame as well; however, the doors and drawer fronts sit inside the opening such that they are in the same plane as the frame. Finally, full access cabinets are typically constructed of 3/4 inch sheet goods (either plywood or particle board), which eliminates the need for a structural frame. They are referred to as full access since the openings extend all the way to the inside of cabinet box, whereas framed openings are typically one and half inches less than their frameless counterparts – both in terms of the opening width and height. All three construction types can be found in both preassembled and RTA cabinets.

Regardless of construction type, RTA cabinets have significant benefits that you should be aware of. The primary benefits have to do with the lower cost of production, packaging and shipping, as well as freight damage. In terms of production, RTA cabinets are much easier to make and require far less labor and production space than preassembled cabinets. Therefore, you pay less than a factory-built cabinet of comparable quality.

Further savings are realized in the packaging and shipping of the product. Factory-built cabinets require much more packaging material in order to adequately protect the product from being damaged in shipping. That being said, freight damage is an all-too-common problem with preassembled cabinets. Yes, the manufacturer will replace the damaged goods free of charge, but the delay in receiving the replacement product(s) can throw a wrench into your project timeline. The soft cost of an extended completion date is hard to quantify, but it can be very real, not to mention the resulting frustration and inconvenience. RTA cabinets are packaged and shipped in what is known as a “flat pack”. Flat packs take up much less space and require less packaging material than preassembled cabinets. Also, freight damage is minimized – if not altogether eliminated – with flat packs. Overall, RTA cabinets cost much less to package and ship, so you save even more. By the way, disposing of the packaging material can be a real pain in the neck, but flat packs are much easier to deal with than the preassembled packaging, which often includes a fair amount of Styrofoam and strapping – something that should appeal to the environmentally conscious individual.

Something most people may not be aware of is the fact that most manufacturers of preassembled cabinets will not ship directly to the end user. (If they do, it’s usually at an additional cost.) Typically, they ship to a dealer, who must unload the cabinets at their location and load them on a truck for delivery to you. On the other hand, RTA cabinets are almost always shipped directly to the installation site, eliminating the additional cost (and potential damage) of delivering them from the dealer’s location.

Perhaps you’re thinking “This all sounds good, but what about the fact that I have to assemble the product?” Well, the good news is, it’s a breeze. On average, it takes only 15 or 20 minutes to assemble a typical RTA cabinet regardless of the assembly method. After all, they are ready to assemble. If you can operate the business end of a screwdriver (preferably, a cordless power driver), you’ll have no trouble putting them together. If not, you can hire someone to do it for you – your installer, for instance. Either way, it is certainly no challenge to assemble the product since all of the holes are predrilled and most RTA manufacturers provide assembly videos online in addition to the written instructions that come with the product. Again, having to do the assembly should not dissuade you from considering RTA cabinets.

The bottom line is, well, the bottom line. You’ll certainly realize significant savings with an RTA product, and if you select the right one, the quality will be every bit as good as a preassembled product and the value is significant.