topic Re: White cabinets in Kitchen

White cabinets

shopqvcless — Tue, 01 Apr 2014 16:05:01 GMT

Need advice!!!!

We are finally doing our kitchen (lots of unrelated kitchen setbacks). We have found a construction company to do the total project (gutting). I'm going with white cabinets - still not sure of bead board look or shaker style. My questions is....the ones we looked at yesterday were thermofoil - didn't know what that was so have been doing research and sounds like there could be some problems.

Anyone that has a white kitchen and has bought cabinets through a company - not custom built, please let me know what brand and if they are wood/thermofoil or whatever. The crew we are working with uses Mid Continent, Timberlake and not sure the other brands of cabinets.

THANK YOU!!!!!!

Re: White cabinets

151949 — Tue, 01 Apr 2014 16:14:09 GMT

Our builder used Timberlake cabinets and some of our neighbors are complaining that they are yellowing after only 3 years. I have a med brown maple cabinets and they look fine , so be careful in your choices.

Re: White cabinets

denisemb — Tue, 01 Apr 2014 19:33:22 GMT

I have no idea the maker of our white kitchen cabinets (bought the house used) but they've yellowed over the years and I hate them!!! I understand that sunlight can cause the yellowing...and our having a huge skylight facing southwest in FL doesn't help. Never had that problem with our white cabinets in MI.

I'm assuming they are thermofoil as running a toaster near an upper cabinet also "melted" a spot at the bottom of the "arched/carved" inset of the cabinet face. (Didn't burn it, just a lumpy, melty area.) So beware of that, too.

JMHO, but I'd run far away from white cabinets and go with a wood tone.

Re: White cabinets

carolina2 — Tue, 01 Apr 2014 19:56:27 GMT

We bought our house 8 years ago. The kitchen cabinets are white and I've had no problem with them. I looked inside to see if I could find the name of the manufacturer but can't find it. I will say that through the years my neighbors have had some problems with items that the builder used but none of us has had a problem with the cabinets. I just wash them twice a year with soapy water and they look as good as new. If I find the brand name I'll let you know.

Re: White cabinets

Sandygb — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 09:11:52 GMT

we have white cabinets. I chose them when the house was built 16 years ago. They haven't yellowed but the cabinet doors are starting to peel in several places around the edges, and using the toaster directly under the cabinet melted a small bit on the edge of the cabinet door. I love white cabinets but next time I would make sure the doors were solid wood and could be refinished.

Re: White cabinets

ID2 — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 10:47:59 GMT

On 4/2/2014 sandygb said:
we have white cabinets. I chose them when the house was built 16 years ago. They haven't yellowed but the cabinet doors are starting to peel in several places around the edges, and using the toaster directly under the cabinet melted a small bit on the edge of the cabinet door. I love white cabinets but next time I would make sure the doors were solid wood and could be refinished.

Um you are blaming your cabinets for melting because YOU put your HOT toaster underneath it? Oh come on! I have 17 year old white Merillat cabinets in my kitchen. They are still white and beautiful even after all this time.

Re: White cabinets

candys mine — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 11:40:36 GMT

SANDYGB Thanks for the info. Sorry about your cabinets. Live and learn.

Re: White cabinets

shopqvcless — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 14:13:44 GMT

Thanks for all the replies! So I assume the cabinets that are yellowing and peeling are the thermofoil cabinets?

Sandy, thanks for the heads up about the toaster. Our cabinets now are plywood or some type of cheaper wood. For 30 plus years I have just popped bread in the toaster without pulling it out and we have never had a problem….I would never have thought to pull it out with the new cabinets either - guess I'm having an appliance garage put in so I will have to pull to of that.

Re: White cabinets

SunnysMom — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 15:00:41 GMT

I have Kraftmaid Thermofoil cabinets in my master bath...white. They have been great...ez clean etc. HOWEVER, I am wanting to paint them. For a new look and it is IMPOSSIBLE because the surface does not allow anything to stick. Dirt a good thing...paint not a good thing...I need a change and am stumped short of buying new ones. Kitchen cabs are natural cherry...beautiful.

Re: White cabinets

Lipstickdiva — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 15:06:54 GMT

On 4/2/2014 ID2 said:
On 4/2/2014 sandygb said:
we have white cabinets. I chose them when the house was built 16 years ago. They haven't yellowed but the cabinet doors are starting to peel in several places around the edges, and using the toaster directly under the cabinet melted a small bit on the edge of the cabinet door. I love white cabinets but next time I would make sure the doors were solid wood and could be refinished.

Um you are blaming your cabinets for melting because YOU put your HOT toaster underneath it? Oh come on! I have 17 year old white Merillat cabinets in my kitchen. They are still white and beautiful even after all this time.

She's not blaming the cabinets. She is stating a fact.

Re: White cabinets

Sooner — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 15:39:58 GMT

On 4/2/2014 LipstickDiva said:
On 4/2/2014 ID2 said:
On 4/2/2014 sandygb said:
we have white cabinets. I chose them when the house was built 16 years ago. They haven't yellowed but the cabinet doors are starting to peel in several places around the edges, and using the toaster directly under the cabinet melted a small bit on the edge of the cabinet door. I love white cabinets but next time I would make sure the doors were solid wood and could be refinished.

Um you are blaming your cabinets for melting because YOU put your HOT toaster underneath it? Oh come on! I have 17 year old white Merillat cabinets in my kitchen. They are still white and beautiful even after all this time.

She's not blaming the cabinets. She is stating a fact.

I didn't know cabinets could melt. It would have happened to me.

Re: White cabinets

denisemb — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 16:08:48 GMT

On 4/2/2014 shopqvcless said:
Thanks for all the replies! So I assume the cabinets that are yellowing and peeling are the thermofoil cabinets?

Sandy, thanks for the heads up about the toaster. Our cabinets now are plywood or some type of cheaper wood. For 30 plus years I have just popped bread in the toaster without pulling it out and we have never had a problem….I would never have thought to pull it out with the new cabinets either - guess I'm having an appliance garage put in so I will have to pull to of that.

Just checked with DH and yes, our approx. 14 y.o. white kitchen cabinets are thermofoil. As mentioned, didn't have a problem with our similar white cabinets in MI, but ours here in FL have definitely yellowed in the 10 years we've lived here. I blame it on the sunlight, as our kitchen is in full sunshine, while similar cabinets in baths and laundry (in darker areas) are fine.

If you Google thermofoil, you'll also find heat issues involved in the yellowing/melting...heat shields are often installed for stoves, dishwashers, etc. I also had a "toaster" incident, and mine wasn't directly beneath the upper cupboards - thought I'd pulled it out far enough, but quickly learned I need to pull it out to the edge of countertop to avoid heat damage. Never had that issue with previous wood cabinets, so I, too, was ignorant of the possibility.

Now...I can't vouch for newer thermofoil. Perhaps they've improved on the product.

Re: White cabinets

shopqvcless — Wed, 02 Apr 2014 21:35:26 GMT

Between research and everyone's help on here i have a list of questions to ask designer (he is co-owner of the construction crew) he just does the quotes/designs. As of right now I think I'm going to go with some type of wood….even though I love the thermofoil look/feel.