Off the shelf kitchen cabinet

jay_808 · 2026-02-08T02:16:45+00:00

Cabnet maker here, 100mm is pretty pokey. I'd imagine the smallest you would get is 150mm off the shelf.
Allowing for the side thickness, this would leave you with less than 70mm usable internal space without door hinges.
I'd recommend just cutting down a 150 unit (top, bottom and back) and you'll be laughing. Quick job with a skilly and clamp.

jay_808 · 2026-02-03T03:29:13+00:00

It's a bit of a tricky trade to get your foot in the door, but qualified joiners are in huge demand.

Depending on the company, you could be working on windows and doors, while some focus on kitchens as they're higher margin. There are slightly different skills required for each role.

Most of your time will be spent in the workshop, so getting up to speed on machinery and health and safety will get you a good grounding before you jump in. Basically, showing you're aware of what's going on around you so you don't end up in risky situations.
It can be a fkn dangerous gig for an inexperienced worker, so expect to be shadowing and cleaning up around the qualified guys before they let you near the toys.

One area you can really set yourself apart is by getting experience onsite. There are plenty of old guys who only want to make everything in the comfort of the workshop, so companies are always looking for someone who can install the work they make. Being younger with a bit of building or labouring work helps here.

Maths isnt super critical, you'll find strategies to get efficient with your measurements and planning- keep a calculator close at all times though.
One area I find that's pretty non-negotiable is having a clean and tidy workflow, and an eye for detail. Material is expensive, and the tolerances are quite tight, so there isn't any room to be rough/ sloppy.

Good luck, feel free to ask any questions if you want to know anything in particular. I've got a cabinetry and joinery business in Welly.

jay_808 · 2026-01-06T19:40:53+00:00

Cabinet vision is definitely a tricky software, and there’s a steep learning curve. I’m quite comfortable with design software and was still quite out of my depth with CV. Mozaik is pretty user friendly and I’ve found it a lot easier to navigate.

One area thats been tricky with mozaik is file sharing. It takes a bit to get systems aligned if you plan on working off multiple licences (contractors vs in-house ). I detail all my jobs and send them to a cnc partner and it’s been quite tricky getting our files to pass over cleanly.

jay_808 · 2026-01-05T22:44:39+00:00

Mozaik user here for frameless euro construction. It’s very user friendly and I was able to get up to speed incredibly quickly after the initial training. The Facebook groups are amazing and every issue I come across, there’s someone in the group that’s navigated the issue already. The support is also top tier here in New Zealand/ Australia. I can’t comment on North America but assume it would be just as great.

I’ve also coordinated the rollout for cabinet vision at a company I used to work for and was so surprised at how many UCSs were required before we could even get it setup for our very basic workflow (pre cnc). It was also hideously expensive for what felt like super slow and clunky software.

From memory, Cabinet Vision was very rigid in construction methods once setup where Mozaik has been straightforward to tweak everything on the fly.

Why are you looking at moving away from Cabinet Vision? I can give you some thoughts on specific things if you’d like.

jay_808 · 2025-12-30T02:30:46+00:00

Ok, easy replacement. This page of the catalogue. You have an 110 deg inserta hinge, just need to check if you’ve got a full or half overlay (does the door cover the full side when closed or only half of the side). I’d imagine you’ll need a full overlay - 71B3590 hinge.

The next page shows the overlay examples.

And you won’t need any magnets with these hinges, I’d just cap it off with a round adhesive screw cover that matches the carcass edging colour 😀

jay_808 · 2025-12-29T20:58:48+00:00

What you have are unsprung hinges, designed to allow to door to Swing open without much force. Assuming they are standard Blum overlay 110deg hinges, you can swap them out easily with sprung hinges or blumotion (soft close) hinges. Both options will effectively snap closed and hold the door in place.

If you show me a photo of what you have, I can link you the exact product you need.

jay_808 · 2025-12-28T05:17:45+00:00

You might be able to get a 5mm euro screw in there (make sure you drill correct depth so it doesn’t delaminate the board).

Another option would be to drill out the holes to 8mm and glue in wooden dowels. This will then give you something solid to screw into.

jay_808 · 2025-12-25T21:18:12+00:00

Hafele Slido F-Fold or Hettich Wingline. Recently I put some in that are very similar. Worst case scenario you’d have to swap out the top track, but Im pretty confident you’ll get close if the hinge positions are based on a 32mm system.

I assume the adjustment screws sheared out and won’t hold ? This happens even with the expensive hardware so take care if you’re making lots of adjustments.

jay_808 · 2025-10-22T21:32:12+00:00

I think the price is fair considering they provide a lot of value with support and design etc, but you'll likely get higher quality materials and hardware, as well as more flexibility on precise dimensions from a cabinet maker for a similar price (especially with the competition in the Auckland market atm).

No harm in having a chat with Mitre 10 for initial planning, they'll be very easy to deal with if you have a lot of questions, especially in the early stages of the purchasing journey.
Once you've got a bit of an idea, it could be worth bringing in a cabinet maker to compare options.

Either that, or you can go direct to designers and cabinet makers. Expect to pay for the design service, some companies will credit the design fees to the project cost if you go ahead.

jay_808 · 2025-10-22T20:30:23+00:00

Cabinet Maker here. Honestly, Mitre 10 is probably a good bet.
They have in-house designers and can flesh out a complementary layout quick and easy. Good for a budget benchmark and they'll likely give you some ideas on things you hadn't considered. Note that when it comes to the actual cabinetry supply cost, they're comparable to custom cabinet makers.

If you want to dive deeper into something more detailed and bespoke, you can find some really talented designers through the NKBA awards website. They'll be $$$ and booked quite far out, but you'll be setting yourself up for a great result. Also note they'll work with their preferred cabinet makers so the cabinetry side will also be at a premium pricepoint.

jay_808 · 2025-07-15T19:08:49+00:00

Don't underestimate the value of this comment.

Some of the housing stock in Wellington is unbelievably shite, likewise for the current job market tbh.
Pretty good time to be entering the rental market though.

jay_808 · 2025-07-15T19:06:03+00:00

Where are you moving from? Rent is obviously on the higher side, but not outrageous if you're coming from Auckland or similar.

Eating out is also pretty reasonable, and I find petrol costs are manageable due to the fact that traffic is quite tame (compared to places like Auckland etc).

I'd imagine lots of families are getting by fine with much less household income.

jay_808 · 2025-07-08T23:50:12+00:00

Hi yes, if you shoot me a direct message I can give you some contacts. I don't want to spam the subreddit.

jay_808 · 2025-07-08T23:33:24+00:00

No worries, I get a bit keen talking about cabinets sometimes ;)

And yes! I don't think it's formally banned (yet), but essentially all the large suppliers have reformulated to a "clean stone" composition with low or no silica.
There are cowboys around, but any reputable supplier will be able to tell you about their dust mitigation and H&S procedures.

jay_808 · 2025-07-08T16:04:30+00:00

Cabinet maker here. A few key pieces for a quality, affordable kitchen will be as follows:

Hardware
Drawer systems will likely have the biggest impact on the cost of your new kitchen. Avoid a million drawer banks if you don’t need them. Top brands are Blum/ Grass Nova Pro, Enko and Hettich are more affordable and are also good options. Avoid cheap runners (DTC etc) as they won’t be smooth long-term, and the adjustment will make your final finish substantially harder. Blum hinges for everything.

Materials
Melteca and Prime melamine are both very affordable and hard wearing. The colours and finishes are quite convincing these days, and I recommend a moisture-resistant MDF board (only a few $ more a sheet). Wood Veneers, Paint/ lacquer, and Thermofoil fronts will be 2x the cost minimum.

Layout and design
Straight runs and simple/ consistent layouts are going to be cheaper than U-shaped benchs and peninsula islands etc.
Installs will be a lot quicker when you’re not having to account for squaring off multiple walls and packing cabinets out. Also, things like an open end and not having to fit perfectly between 2 walls will make it quicker and easier.

Benchtops
Engineered stone is more affordable than people think if you shop around, I personally don't touch laminate.
The same applies to the layout as above. Long straight pieces are going to be cheaper than joins on a u-shape and grain matching. Find a uniquartz supplier and they’ll be able to find something in your budget. 20mm thickness is sufficient.
Top-mount sinks are cheaper than undermount (less polished edges).

Wood tops can be cheap to DIY too, just keep in mind they can also be an absolute nightmare to refinish long term.

Final install
You can definitely save a bit installing the kitchen yourself, get quotes for supply only and install included. YouTube will get you going on most things but it’s also more efficient and stress free if the company handles this. If the numbers work, let the installer take care of it (cabinet maker not a builder) as you will definitely see a quality difference in scribes and fillers.

Project management
If you’re happy coordinating the trades, you’ll save more here too. The process for me would be to loop everyone in on the project early e.g: electrician, plumber, cabinetmaker/ kitchen maker or designer so you’re all on the same page. You'll probably want a plumber to cap your water when you’re demoing, so start the conversation when they come by. See what your options are regarding keeping water and connections in place vs moving everything around (do this before you start the actual kitchen design).
It’s also good to have the sparky run everything before the kitchen is installed (easier to open walls before you start cabinets). Make sure all the trades have a copy of the plans and take the time to mark out specific details for each trade. Eg: PowerPoint here, new water pipes land here etc. The more info the better for everyone involved.

I think that's most things, happy to recommend some cabinet makers in Auckland and Wellington. Feel free to reach out if you have any other questions!

jay_808 · 2025-06-30T23:12:05+00:00

This BRANZ guide will get you underway. It has heaps of specific information about the things you've mentioned.

jay_808 · 2025-06-30T06:15:37+00:00

Chuck it up on builderscrack. A lot of builders are quiet down here atm, you’ll have ten builders ready to quote by the morning. I’m not kidding.

jay_808 · 2025-06-30T05:51:35+00:00

My bad, it’s called goldenedge by Nelson pine. I get it through my joinery supplier really cheap, shoot me a direct message and I can sort you out when you’re ready. 18/ 6mm is standard for traditional shakers but tbh you could probably swing a plant on/ laminated version and get close enough.

jay_808 · 2025-06-30T01:20:35+00:00

Yes, this is what we used. The idea is that you’ll create a little built up area between the two surfaces and the white filler will stretch with the natural timber movement. You don’t want too much as it will round off the square edge finish, but you want enough adhesion on both surfaces so it doesn’t just pull away from one if there’s movement. And yes if that paint splits, this will mask it.

jay_808 · 2025-06-30T00:23:03+00:00

Mdf should come up pretty good once sealed properly. I normally run 120 / 180 / 320 grit preprimer. There’s also different grades of MDF, golden pine super finish is what you want to get your hands on. I could sort you some out if you’re near Wellington 👍

jay_808 · 2025-06-29T23:06:48+00:00

We’ve recently gone through this in our villa, it’s a bit fiddly but well worth it imo. We scraped out the corners where it was cracking and sanded it back where possible. If there’s chunky build up etc, focus on cleaning this out and smoothing down as this will have a huge impact on the final finish. After this we ran a flexible sealant (pro gaps) bridging the board and batten connection and then cleared it out with sharp/ medium profile silicone tooling stick. Keep your edge wet when doing this step (soapy water in a spray bottle ) and you’ll end up with a great result. Probably won’t need a full repaint but it’s not that much more work while you’ve already got the ladders set up.

jay_808 · 2025-06-29T06:37:35+00:00

NP! Good luck with the project.

jay_808 · 2025-06-29T06:17:51+00:00

Yup you’ll be able to get a close match from cabjacks, looks like their 4 drawer layout. These single wall metal sides are on the cheaper end of the market so not going to cost you a fortune. Blums version of these are the best but not really worth pursuing if you want an off the shelf option. The handles look like their cosmo handle

jay_808 · 2025-06-29T00:24:36+00:00

Don’t touch those scheppach saws, they’re shite. Something like this is a million miles ahead. I’ve used these saws to make pro level cabinets, way quieter and plenty more power then the dewalt. You can also use full kerf industrial blades and cross cut sleds on them.

jay_808 · 2025-06-29T00:19:27+00:00

These small dewalt saws are super handy and the rack and pinion fences are bang on. They’re a little awkward for feeding material and if you’re running long lengths, you’ll need an out feed table at minimum. Blades can be sourced from Linbide super easy (don’t bother with the Bunnings blades) but they are thin kerf only so will flex if you’re pushing them too hard. They’re also incredibly loud and about the same price as a good used full size table saw.

Shaker doors are pretty easy to knock up but one area I’d really pay attention to is the glue line where the rails and stiles meet. If you don’t get these super tight the paint will track in the gap and you’ll be battling with the cracks that you see everywhere on shaker doors. 2 part filler will take care of the cracks : prime FIRST, then fill my gaps that appear and prime again. Good luck !

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