fitted kitchen units - made of real wood?

br1anstorm

There are hundreds of fitted kitchen brands and suppliers, and almost all offer units (ie carcases), whether rigid or flatpack, made of chipboard or similar remanufactured wood-product - with doors of the same stuff with a vinyl or veneer coating.

These materials are cheap. A substantial proportion of the cost of such fitted kitchens is the marketing, franchising and publicity (which is why you see "50% off" sales...); and most of the rest is the labour cost of fitting.

So my question is... can anyone advise on, or provide details of, suppliers of fitted kitchen units made from real solid wood and which are properly made and not just clamped and clipped together?

There are some phenomenally expensive "hand-made craftsman" firms that do upmarket bespoke kitchens. But I'm looking for suppliers of kitchen units made of real wood which might be competitive in price with the mainstream market (and which offer modern designs as well as the "ethnic cottage kitchen" type of units).

All suggestions appreciated...

br1anstorm

ormus

good luck in your quest.
i dont think its possible to get what youre asking for. a handmade set of units in real proper wood, will be very expensive. full stop.
real hardwood alone is very expensive never mind the skilled labour costs.

the price simply cannot compete with the MDF stuff made on a semi automatic production line.

frivolous_fay

I work for one of the bespoke companies

My first thought would be to try a local joiner and see what they can offer.

moonrakerz

Why ?

You can't see the carcase anyway, just spend what you have to for decent all wood doors.
I tried to get a couple of oak doors made to add to my existing units - the cost was astronomical, I gave up that idea !

If you want a Rolls-Royce kitchen you will have to pay Rolls-Royce prices from someone like Smallbones - who probably use chipboard and MDF carcases anyway.

Triker

You can always try ebay.

I managed to get a Scottwood of Nottingham real wood (oak) kitchen including v. posh plate rack and housed fridge and freezer for £300 on ebay.

Obviously it was a bespoke design for the house it came out of but we managed to fit it into our kitchen no probs.

Worth a try.

br1anstorm

moonrakerz wrote: »

Why ?

You can't see the carcase anyway, just spend what you have to for decent all wood doors.
I tried to get a couple of oak doors made to add to my existing units - the cost was astronomical, I gave up that idea !

If you want a Rolls-Royce kitchen you will have to pay Rolls-Royce prices from someone like Smallbones - who probably use chipboard and MDF carcases anyway.

Just to make things clear... I'm not looking for a Rolls-Royce kitchen, just units that are robust, well-put together, and durable. Many (not all...!) regular fitted kitchens are none of these things: just look at a ten-year old chipboard fitted kitchen, or ex-display units, and you'll see sagging drawers, wobbly hinges, and joints that are beginning to come adrift. And (God forbid, but it did happen to my brother) you don't want to see what happens to chipboard units when they get leaked-on or flooded.

I know we have got used to living in an age of disposables. It's fine to buy cheap units and discard/replace them every few years or when fashions change, if that's your preference. I'm just looking for value for money.

Doesn't have to mean real hardwood, or solid oak. Nothing wrong with kitchen unit carcases, drawers etc made of softwood (pine etc), properly dowelled/glued, jointed, etc. I have found one or two possibilities - see for example these people http://www.realwoodkitchens.co.uk/faq.htm (though I don't know how their prices compare). And thanks, frivolous fay and triker - I plan to see what local joiners can do, and to take a look on ebay as well. Any and all other sources would be equally welcome.

br1anstorm

ictmad

br1anstorm wrote: »

Just to make things clear... I'm not looking for a Rolls-Royce kitchen, just units that are robust, well-put together, and durable. Many (not all...!) regular fitted kitchens are none of these things: just look at a ten-year old chipboard fitted kitchen, or ex-display units, and you'll see sagging drawers, wobbly hinges, and joints that are beginning to come adrift. And (God forbid, but it did happen to my brother) you don't want to see what happens to chipboard units when they get leaked-on or flooded.

It's fine to buy cheap units and discard/replace them every few years or when fashions change, if that's your preference. I'm just looking for value for money.

i have just repalced my kitchen,i have been in my house from new(13 years 6 months) and just ripped out the original chipboard kitchen which lasted 13 years with no sagging,problems etc,so if new one lasts half as lnog will be fine

navig8r

While I like real wood there are places where I think it is not as practical as modern materials and kitchen units are one of them. Real wood is not as stable in rapid changes in humidity and has lots of nooks, cranies rough and absorbant surfaces for liquids and powder to soak into and breed germs.

Dave

benood

frivolous_fay wrote: »

I work for one of the bespoke companies

My first thought would be to try a local joiner and see what they can offer.

This is what we did and the result was fantastic, even more important than normal is that you have a good design worked out (and agreed) to the millimetre before work starts.

moonrakerz

br1anstorm wrote: »

I know we have got used to living in an age of disposables. It's fine to buy cheap units and discard/replace them every few years or when fashions change, if that's your preference. I'm just looking for value for money.

Just because it is chipboard or MDF doesn't mean it is cheap and tatty.

My present house is 20 years old, the kitchen cabinets are chipboard and are as good as the day they were put in. I have just put new doors on all the cabinets.
I have just had a new kitchen put into a house I am about to move into, solid wood doors but the carcases are chipboard. It is built like a brick outhouse, and looks great. Come and look at my drawers, they certainly aren't sagging !

I will agree with you that there is a lot of rubbish around in this area, I saw a lot of it when I was searching for my new kitchen. If you want all wood, fine; but is pine a better bet than MDF or chipboard ? I honestly think it is probably not as good; it can split, leak resin, warp, shrink, needs painting/preserving ..............

ozskin

just a start solid wood carcases are possible we could have them made but this is not the best material for the carcase. esp with modern technical drawer box systems that are manfactured to v precise tolerances that real wood would be hopeless at achieving. that being said we do many solid wood doors and veneered end panels. I am sorry but you are sadly mistaken in your assumptions. However i would agree that many esp big high street stores manufacture very mediocre quality kitchens. we now take the benefit of the most modern computer controlled machinery for the carcases with handmade and finished doors. the idea that solid wood even compares is mistaken