What Are RTA Cabinets & How To DoIt

Posted by LauraDerb on March 21st, 2021

Ready to assemble (RTA) cabinets are just like regular boxed cabinets but are made to hang from a studded wall and come with complete instructions that include the hardware you'll need to assemble the entire cabinets - the drawers, door fronts, hinges, drawer finishes, and molding. You can easily assemble a set of RTA cabinets using their simple instructions. The RTA look is a fresh and modern twist on the traditional kitchen cabinetry style and allows people to save a significant amount of money. They're a snap to put together and take down too, making them an economical solution for those on a tight budget who still want quality kitchen cabinetry.

RTA cabinets are a snap to install because everything is already pre-cut and set out for you to install. They usually consist of a base cabinet, then the drawers and doors, which snap right into place once they're attached to the base cabinet. Some RTA cabinets come with a top already attached, while other kits only include the base and the drawer fronts. With RTA cabinets, there's no need to cut any interior walls to attach the drawer units; they simply fit together.

There are several advantages to opting for ready to assemble (RTA) cabinets over the fully assembled cabinets. The biggest advantage is obviously the price. RTA cabinets cost significantly less than full cabinet models, depending on the size of the set. In some cases, the RTA price is a third or less of the price of full cabinetry. Even with quality standards that are less than high, the price of RTA cabinetry is still surprisingly affordable.

In addition to being cheaper than full RTA cabinets, RTA cabinets can be more versatile in terms of design. RTA cabinets allow for greater customization in terms of size, style and color. Since the cabinets are all pre-cut and organized for you, the possibilities for your kitchen are virtually limitless. You don't have to choose to customize your kitchen and save money. With RTA cabinets, you can customize your kitchen without spending hundreds of dollars.

Also popular for use with RTA cabinets is veneer cabinetry. Veneer cabinetry comes pre-finished and unfinished, allowing you to apply a variety of stains, paint designs and finishes to the cabinets. These designs can be similar to those of full RTA cabinets, but you can also get them in modern, country or retro styles. One thing that you do need to watch for with veneer cabinetry is the tendency of the veneer to chip over time, especially if it is not properly sealed.

Another option available for the budget-minded shopper is the ready to assemble (or rta) cabinets. Ready to assemble cabinets are an affordable alternative to the traditional hand-assembled cabinets. In a rta cabinet, all the hardware and cabinet lining is included. The cabinets are completely assembled, so all you have to do is put the pieces together like you would with a traditional cabinet. If you already have kitchen furniture set, the only difference you'll see is the layout of the furniture and where the drawers will go.

The advantage to the ready to assemble cabinets is that you don't have to pay the extra money to have the doors specially made. You save money by using cheaper materials, and you have the added benefit of having the convenience of being able to open and close the doors yourself. Also, you can purchase a ready to assemble cabinet with the same wood dovetail drawers that are found in a standard RTA set. This means that the quality of the drawers is the same as you'd expect from a high-end ready to assemble cabinet.

RTA cabinets are usually made out of solid wood, but sometimes they are available in veneer. Veneer is similar to wood dovetail joinery, in that the wood is actually attached to veneer, rather than the other way around. The only real difference is that the veneer isn't "real" wood, so it's not as durable as real wood drawers would be. This doesn't mean that the veneer is substandard, however. It just means that it won't hold up as long as RTA's made of true wood.