Cabinetmaking

Comparing Custom vs. Factory Cabinets for Students in Cabinetmaking School

May 29, 2019

The creation of a good-quality cabinet may seem simple, but it actually involves as lot more than many may first think. It takes a careful attention to detail to work in this profession, but it’s also a career path that is very rewarding.

Cabinets, of course, can come in many different materials and styles, but they can also be sourced from different places. Each option will have different advantages and drawbacks. As a professional cabinetmaker, your primary goal is to create a product that fits a customer’s needs. Some customers may want special custom cabinets, while others may prefer stock or factory-made options that better fit their budget.

If you’re interested in finding out what you can expect after you finish cabinetmaking training, read on to learn more!

Stock or Factory-Made Cabinets Can Be More Efficient for Cabinetmakers

Essentially, stock cabinetry is anything that is prefabricated, manufactured, or ready-made. It is mass-produced in standard sizes and common shapes, and is meant to be created and delivered quickly to customers on short notice. Stock cabinets are modular by nature, which means they often come in simple designs and can’t be customized further after they arrive.

Stock cabinetry can help cabinet installers better fit their customers’ budgets

While this may not be ideal for every customer, the benefit of installing stock cabinetry after cabinetmaking training is that it offers a quick and cost-effective option that fits a customer’s budget. If you become a cabinet installer, you might work installing stock cabinets for customers who decide to go for this option.

You Can Use Your Cabinetmaking Training to Craft Custom and Semi-Custom Options

On the other end of the cabinet spectrum, you can choose to create more personalized products after cabinetmaking school.

Custom cabinets are appealing to any cabinetmaker, because they allow them to express their creative side, as well as reflect the personality and tastes of their customers. Generally, custom cabinet services begin by offering customers a standard base size, and then adding the custom features and details they want. Due to the amount of time and labour that goes into creating a custom cabinet, they are generally of a better quality and craftsmanship than factory-made options, but also tend to be more expensive.

Students at NATS can use their training to create customized cabinetry for future customers

Some customers, however, may want a middle ground between custom and stock cabinetry, and you have the option to offer semi-custom cabinets. Semi-custom cabinets allow for more variety in size and style than stock cabinets, and are also usually made from higher-quality materials. This option helps customers get something that matches their kitchen and tastes a little more than a stock option would, while still staying on the more affordable side. The layout and design of a kitchen can change dramatically from one customer to another, and both customized and semi-customized cabinets allow you to adjust your work to each specific parameter.

Are you interested in taking the next step towards a rewarding, hands-on career?

Contact the North American Trade School for more information about our cabinetmaking courses.

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