At Wayfair, we offer ready-to-assemble (RTA), and pre-assembled (stock) cabinetry, so you have a variety of options to fulfill your kitchen storage needs. Keep reading to clear up any confusion you may have about these types of cabinets and which will work best for you.

1. Choose Your Production Type
2. Choose Your Unit Type
3. Choose a Door Style and Overlay Type
4. Choose Cabinet Features
5. Decide on a Color Scheme

1. Choose Your Production Type

Types of cabinets on Wayfair Canada fit into two categories: ready-to-assemble (RTA), and pre-assembled (stock). Each varies in price, design selection, and installation requirements. Read below to help determine which production type you need:

Ready-To-Assemble Cabinets (RTA): Ready-to-assemble cabinets are super budget-friendly because they come in standard sizes and colors and come disassembled as flat-packs. They usually also have pre-drilled holes and come with included hardware for easy installation. Opt for ready-to-assemble cabinets to build them yourself or to have them installed by a professional.

Pre-Assembled Cabinets: Pre-assembled cabinets are the way to go if you plan to install cabinets yourself and want the most stress-free, seamless installation experience. They come as already-assembled units. They offer flexibility through standard sizing and color options. Some come without cabinet drawer pulls/knobs so you can customize them to your liking post-purchase. Pre-assembled cabinetry is typically more expensive when compared to ready-to-assemble options, but considering all you have to do is install them, the slight increase in price is well worth it!

2. Choose Your Unit Type

When exploring types of cabinets for your kitchen, you also need to consider the unit type(s) you need. These include floor and wall cabinet units with interior storage compartments and either a single- or double-door design. Check out these kitchen cabinet staples to determine which units will complete your kitchen.

Base Unit: Base units are kitchen cabinet types you install on the floor (unless specified as a freestanding unit). Base cabinets consist of a single- or double-door system with an interior compartment and come in a variety of sizes. They comprise the lower level of kitchen cabinets when installed directly beside one another. Base cabinets support the weight of your countertop and provide under-counter storage. Base cabinets fulfill storage needs for pots and pans, small kitchen appliances, bakeware, and utensil drawers.

Sink Base Unit: Sink units are a type of base unit installed on the floor. Sink units are pre-cut at the top for the installation of kitchen sink basins. They're also designed to accommodate under-sink hardware, plumbing holes and storage for things like cleaning supplies.

Wall Unit: Wall cabinets comprise the upper kitchen cabinets above the kitchen countertop. Wall cabinets vary in height to accommodate your ceiling height, while making the most use of vertical space. This makes them a must in small kitchens with big storage needs. Wall units come in single- or double-door configurations and typically come with shelving for dishware and glassware. Use wall cabinets to store everyday dishware, serveware, and glassware.

Corner Unit: Corner cabinet units are a necessity to make the most of space in L-shaped kitchens. Corner cabinets typically have double-door configurations and spacious internal shelving. This makes corner units a must for bulky items like pots and pans or large serveware items. Corner cabinet units can come as wall or base units.

Pantry Unit: Pantry cabinets are a tall, narrow, and space-friendly type of kitchen cabinets. You can install pantry cabinet units on the floor. However, some come as freestanding units that don't require installation. Whether your kitchen doesn't have a pantry closet or you need extra storage space for dried goods, a pantry unit can be a great addition to your kitchen.

Full Kitchen Unit: Full kitchen cabinet units come as pre-assembled or ready-to-assemble units to help you transform your kitchen in one go. These cabinet units can include base cabinets, sink base units, wall cabinets, and cut-outs for kitchen appliances like refrigerators or microwaves.

Tip!

Thinking about doing your kitchen remodel yourself? Check out How to Install Kitchen Cabinets for helpful tips to get started.

3. Choose a Door Style and Overlay Type

Elevate your kitchen cabinets by reviewing your door style options. Door styles include panel types and overlays. These small but intentional details help refine your cabinets and add character to your kitchen.

Panel Type

Cabinet panels change the overall appearance of cabinet doors based on frame designs. Panel designs help soften the edges of cabinet doors for a fresh, refined aesthetic. Learn more about different types of cabinet panels below.

Recessed Panel: Recessed cabinet door panels get their name because the center panel rests inside of a raised frame. This makes the outer edges of your cabinet doors pop. Recessed cabinet panels work well in modern and traditional kitchens alike thanks to the panel design. Their pared-back design also makes them relatively budget-friendly. Shaker panels are a perfect example of a simplistic recessed design.

Raised Panel: In contrast to recessed cabinet door panels, raised panels consist of a raised center panel with receding sides that blend into a raised outer frame. These cabinet door panels work well in traditional kitchen aesthetics and create a cool 3D look. Because of their ornate detail, raised panel doors typically cost more than recessed paneling. They come as part of ready-to-assemble cabinet units or as custom orders.

Slab: Slab cabinet door panels are ultra-modern due to their smooth, panelless appearance and exposed edges. Their simplistic design also makes them super affordable and easy to clean!

Open: Open cabinet paneling leaves out the center panel, which exposes interior cabinet shelving. Some open panel cabinet doors have glass center panels (mullion doors) framed with raised paneling. However, other open panel cabinets are completely doorless. Open cabinet paneling is a great option if you want to put your dishware, glassware, and serveware on display. These cabinet panel styles vary in price depending on the use of glass center paneling. These typically come as part of pre-assembled or ready-to-assemble cabinet units.

Overlay Type

Now that we've reviewed your panel options, let's talk overlays. Cabinet door overlays refer to where the edge of the cabinet door is in relation to the cabinet unit's face frame. Your cabinet door overlay style affects the appearance of your cabinets and price point ranges. Review these overlay options to further your search for the perfect types of cabinets for your home.

Full: Cabinet doors with a full overlay cover the cabinet unit's face frame entirely. Cabinet doors and drawers have minimal space between them. This creates a sleek look perfect for a modern kitchen. You will need cabinet hardware to open full overlay doors with ease.

Partial: Cabinet doors with a partial overlay typically cover half, if not most of the unit's face frame when installed. Partial cabinet door overlays create more space between single or double cabinet door configurations. This makes it easier to open cabinet doors and drawers without the need for knobs or pulls. Partial overlays are also more budget-friendly compared to full overlays. This is because they don't take up the entire face frame, therefore using less wood.

Inset: Inset cabinet doors fit within the cabinet face frame when installed. This makes the face frame completely visible. Inset cabinet doors create an intentional clean look by keeping the cabinet doors small and quaint. Inset cabinets work well in traditional or farmhouse kitchens due to their appearance. Inset cabinet overlays are typically more expensive due to their custom-like fit and design.

4. Choose Cabinet Features

Refine your kitchen cabinets with useful features to help you get the most out of your kitchen storage. Flexible storage, space-saving functions, and ease of use are all things to take into consideration when choosing types of cabinets for a kitchen. Check out these features to get inspired.

Adjustable Shelves: Cabinets with adjustable shelves include pre-drilled holes on each side of the interior compartment and movable pegs for shelves to rest on. You can instantly change up your cabinet storage layout by removing the shelf and moving the pegs up or down before repositioning the shelf on the pegs. This way you can make room for tall glassware and larger dishware items that need more vertical space.

Pull-Out Shelves: Pull-out cabinet shelves pair well with base cabinet units because they allow you to pull-out the entire shelf to look for what you need. This means no more bending down and searching through the depths of your cabinets. Pull-out shelves rest on movable drawer slides for easy access. You can typically find pull-out shelving options with ready-to-assemble and pre-assembled cabinetry.

Soft-Close: Maintain a relaxed, calming ambience for midnight snacks with soft-close cabinet door features. Soft-close cabinet doors come with soft-close hinges that contain spring-like devices. When the cabinet door starts to close, the spring puts pressure on the door hinge, allowing it to close softly and quietly.

Push-To-Open Doors: Push-to-open cabinet door features remove the need for cabinet knobs and handles so you can maintain an ultra-modern vibe in your kitchen. Push latches attach to the inner side of the cabinet on the opening side. They feature a retractable spring feature. When you close the cabinet door, the push latch spring retracts into itself. When you push your hand against the opening side of the door this should trigger the latch to release the spring to open the cabinet door far enough that you can open it fully.

Lazy Susan: Lazy susans pair with corner cabinet units to provide easy access to kitchenware. This typically consists of one or two turntables stacked on top of each other. When you want to access pots, pans, and other items from a large corner cabinet unit, simply turn the turntable! Lazy susans get their turning function from a set of turntable bearing mechanisms or rings that require installation on the bottom tier of the cabinet.

Cabinet Hardware: When choosing your kitchen cabinets, there are so many decorative and functional pieces of cabinet hardware you can pair them with! These include hinges, knobs, pulls, handles, decorative backplates, cabinet organizers, and so much more. Together, you can use cabinet hardware to get a customized look and feel with standard cabinetry.

Number of Shelves/Drawers: Kitchen cabinets can come with different numbers of shelves or drawers to accommodate your storage needs. You can search by shelf or drawer number under the "configuration" filter tab to the left-hand side of cabinet product pages.

Tip!

While we're on the topic of shelving and storage features, read Declutter Your Life: How to Organize Your Kitchen Cabinets.

5. Decide on a Color Scheme

Choose from a range of standard cabinetry colors and finishes to complete your cabinetry search.

Cabinet Colors: Standard cabinet colors range from white, gray, brown, black, and more. Custom cabinetry offers some of the same color options, along with more unique color choices like placid blue, mountain lake, or clover green.

Cabinet Finishes: There are a range of cabinet finishes to choose from whether you plan to purchase standard cabinetry or custom cabinetry. Standard cabinetry offers matte, glossy, stained (wood), and painted finish options. You can also select unfinished if you want to DIY your own cabinet look. Select the finish filter to the left-hand side of the product page to explore specific finish options.

Looking to achieve a full kitchen renovation? Check out How Much Does a Kitchen Remodel Cost? for a price breakdown.

Get browsing for standard cabinetry or explore your custom cabinetry options now!