RTA Kitchen Cabinets vs Custom Cabinet - Episode 2 

Well done! Informative, factual, and fair. I've had both custom cabinetry and RTA, and I'll go with RTA EVERY time! Thanks for sharing your professional insights, and I wish you the best of continued success!

Man I got to tell you I really appreciate this video. I was wondering why RTA cabinets are so cheap.

All you people saying custom is better, you really need to qualify your responses. For a cabinet to be considered custom, all that’s required is the cabinet is made to order. That doesn’t mean it’s built well. Up until recently, I worked in a “custom” cabinet shop for 8 years. All their cabinets are made of particle board, melamine. But are “custom” because they are designed and made to each specific customer’s dimensions. My cousin just bought RTA cabinets and they are all made of plywood, 12mm I assume. So, yeah, give me the plywood any day. I can get particle board cabinets from IKEA much cheaper. Years ago I worked in a custom shop in Jacksonville FL. Everything was made with 3/4” (19mm) 12-ply plywood. Now THOSE we’re truly good quality, custom cabinets. However, the last job I installed for them in 2003 cost the homeowner (no counters, just the boxes) $148,000. So there’s a downside that many homeowners can’t swallow. While I have yet to purchase RTA, I will be doing so based on my cousin’s recommendation (he is a woodworker by trade, so he’s no idiot on this subject). I’m guessing the major cost savings is in them not being assembled and them being only available in certain dimensions. Long story short: do your homework. If you go “custom”, be sure to verify the materials and hardware being used. Because “custom”, unfortunately, many times does not warrant the cost.

Thank you for this information. We are building and are planning on using RTA cabinets.

We’ve done both, first custom cabinets, professionally installed. We liked them, they looked nice, but it was definitely the expensive way to go. In our next house we bought the rta cabinets, installed them ourselves and it wasn’t too complicated. I loved those cabinets, they were gorgeous. No problems with them at all. Now we’ve moved to a different state, buying another house, I’m shopping the rta cabinets again. In my experience there was no noticeable difference in quality and I actually liked the rta better. And they are more affordable.

Thank you bro

Idk about rta compared to costom cabinets the wood is thicker and more durable when finished when need it done fast and quick | cheap rta comes out on top when you want everything flush and perfectlt match your house go with costom

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What are the best RTA companies?

duh

Sickning excuse for a money pit!

This is a joke

SO NOT TRUE! Please don't be fooled by missing leading videos like this one. While RTA cabinets do have their place, saying they "come out on top" of custom built cabinets every time is simply not true. What you're paying for with custom built cabinets is customer service. Are all the corners of your room perfectly square? All walls perfectly plumb and floors level? Probably not. We had custom built cabinets installed in our home. They were NOT simply dropped off at my house so someone could install them. The cabinet manufacturer personally installed the case work, finished the cabinets and doors, then installed the hardware. He was able to address any issues that came up on the spot. Due you have a schedule your trying to keep? What's going to happen if you have any issues with your RTA cabinets. What if the installer claims they were damaged, but the manufacturer says too bad because you signed for them? Do your research! Are these going in a multi-unit investment property? RTA. Are they going in your dream home? No question, custom cabinets. Good luck!

RTA cabinets are in no way shape or form the same quality as custom-made or even semi-custom American made Cabinetry. Saying that is like saying a Kia is the same quality as a Ferrari. There is without question far superior craftsmanship and materials used in American made custom Cabinetry. Saying that somebody can get a higher quality RTA (made in China) cabinet that's higher quality then an American-made cabinet especially a good custom Cabinet is absolutely ridiculous. And let's cut the baloney of using "RTA" as code for Chinese cabinets. And let's definitely not talk about the slave camps where these products are made using techniques that American cabinet makers are banned from using and chemicals that are not only harmful to our environment but harmful to the very people who are buying them to put into their homes.