study guide: Cabinets -...
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1 STUDY GUIDE: CABINETS Learning Objectives: • The features and benefits of the products you sell. • How to answer your customers’ product-related questions. • How to help your customer choose the right products. • How to increase transaction sizes by learning more about add-on sales and upselling techniques. Product Knowledge: Chapter 1: Kitchen Planning Module 1: Elements of a Kitchen Food Storage Area • The food storage area of the kitchen is where most of the food is stored. • Major appliances in this section include the refrigerator. • This area is often located near the back or side house door so groceries can be brought in and set down next to the refrigerator on a countertop. • Wall and base cabinets around the refrigerator are often used to store food. • A pantry cabinet or closet is another part of this area. Food Preparation Area • The food preparation area of the kitchen is for activities like washing vegetables, cutting meat, baking, boiling and frying food. • Major appliances in this area include the range and microwave. It also includes the sink and any small appliances, such as a toaster, blender or slow cooker. • Some kitchens include a range top separate from the oven, and some have two oven units. • The design plan should include counter space on either side of the major appliances. • A general design rule is to have space to store items at point of first use. For example, keep pots near the sink but frying pans near the stove. • This area includes cabinet space to store small appliances, or counter space where they are permanently stored. • It also includes base and wall cabinet storage space for pots, pans, cooking utensils and seasonings. Clean-Up Area • The clean-up area of the kitchen is for washing dishes and cleaning small appliances. • A major appliance in this area is the dishwasher. • This area also includes the sink. While single-bowl sinks are available, most people end up wishing they had a double bowl sink. • A waste disposal system is another appliance common to this area. • Cabinets for this area include mainly the space under the sink for storing detergents and cleaning supplies. It may also include a broom and mop closet as well as a drawer for dishcloths and towels. Cabinets can be used in nearly every room of the house, but typically, customers buy them for kitchens or bathrooms. And when they start shopping for kitchen cabinets, customers generally have a much larger goal in mind: they want to expand the functionality of their kitchens while refreshing the way they look. To be effective at selling cabinets, you may need to help each customer plan the layout of his or her new kitchen so it’s efficient, functional and beautiful. This chapter offers a basic overview of kitchen planning. In the first module, we’ll review the basic elements of a kitchen. NOTE: Always consult your local and provincial codes
Transcript of study guide: Cabinets -...
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study guide: Cabinets
Learning Objectives:• Thefeaturesandbenefitsoftheproductsyousell.
• Howtoansweryourcustomers’product-relatedquestions.
• Howtohelpyourcustomerchoosetherightproducts.
• Howtoincreasetransactionsizesbylearningmoreaboutadd-onsalesandupsellingtechniques.
Product Knowledge:
Chapter 1: Kitchen PlanningModule 1: Elements of a Kitchen
Food Storage Area
• Thefoodstorageareaofthekitcheniswheremostofthefoodisstored.
• Majorappliancesinthissectionincludetherefrigerator.
• Thisareaisoftenlocatednearthebackorsidehousedoorsogroceriescanbebroughtinandsetdownnexttotherefrigeratoronacountertop.
• Wallandbasecabinetsaroundtherefrigeratorareoftenusedtostorefood.
• Apantrycabinetorclosetisanotherpartofthisarea.
Food Preparation Area
• Thefoodpreparationareaofthekitchenisforactivitieslikewashingvegetables,cuttingmeat,baking,boilingandfryingfood.
• Majorappliancesinthisareaincludetherangeandmicrowave.Italsoincludesthesinkandanysmallappliances,suchasatoaster,blenderorslowcooker.
• Somekitchensincludearangetopseparatefromtheoven,andsomehavetwoovenunits.
• Thedesignplanshouldincludecounterspaceoneithersideofthemajorappliances.
• Ageneraldesignruleistohavespacetostoreitemsatpointoffirstuse.Forexample,keeppotsnearthesinkbutfryingpansnearthestove.
• Thisareaincludescabinetspacetostoresmallappliances,orcounterspacewheretheyarepermanentlystored.
• Italsoincludesbaseandwallcabinetstoragespaceforpots,pans,cookingutensilsandseasonings.
Clean-Up Area
• Theclean-upareaofthekitchenisforwashingdishesandcleaningsmallappliances.
• Amajorapplianceinthisareaisthedishwasher.
• Thisareaalsoincludesthesink.Whilesingle-bowlsinksareavailable,mostpeopleendupwishingtheyhadadoublebowlsink.
• Awastedisposalsystemisanotherappliancecommontothisarea.
• Cabinetsforthisareaincludemainlythespaceunderthesinkforstoringdetergentsandcleaningsupplies.Itmayalsoincludeabroomandmopclosetaswellasadrawerfordishclothsandtowels.
Cabinetscanbeusedinnearlyeveryroomofthehouse,buttypically,customersbuythemforkitchensorbathrooms.Andwhentheystartshoppingforkitchencabinets,customersgenerallyhaveamuchlargergoalinmind:theywanttoexpandthefunctionalityoftheirkitchenswhilerefreshingthewaytheylook.Tobeeffectiveatsellingcabinets,youmayneedtohelpeachcustomerplanthelayoutofhisorhernewkitchensoit’sefficient,functionalandbeautiful.Thischapteroffersabasicoverviewofkitchenplanning.Inthefirstmodule,we’llreviewthebasicelementsofakitchen.
NOTE:Alwaysconsultyourlocalandprovincialcodes
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Eating/Dining Area
• Theeatinganddiningareaisaninformalareaforeatingmealsoutsideoftheformaldiningroom.
• Itmaybepartoftheregularcountertop,andoftenapartofapeninsula.
• Countertopsforthisareaareoftenmadeanextra8”to18”widersothereiskneespaceundertheoverhang.
• Seatingmaybeonstoolsthatcanbeslidunderthecounterwhennotinuse.Overhangcanalsobeloweredtochairheight.
• Anotheroptionismakingspaceinthekitchenforasmalltableandchairs,orabuilt-intablewithbenchseats,commonlycalledabreakfastnook.
Laundry Area
• Thelaundryareaisoftenanextensionofthekitchenarea.
• Majorappliancesincludethewasheranddryer.
• Itmayalsoincludealaundrysink,clothesfoldingtable,ironingboardandhamper.
• Cabinetsmaybethesamestyleasthekitchenforcontinuityandcanbeusedformiscellaneousstorage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: I don’t have a dishwasher and hadn’t planned on getting one, so why should I include it in my plan?A: Evenifyoudon’tplantohaveadishwasher,youmaywanttoincludea24”basecabinetbesidethesink.Youcanalwaysusethecabinetspace.Moreimportantly,ifyoudecidetosellthehouseandmakethekitchenmoreappealingtothebuyer,youcanremovethe24”cabinetandinsertadishwasherwithoutreconfiguringtheentirekitchen.
Q: Can I work my stand-alone freezer into my kitchen plan?A: Insteadofputtingthestand-alonefreezerinthekitchen,tryputtingitinthebasement,garageorotherroomwhereitdoesnottakeupspaceinthekitchen.
Q: How many cabinets do you recommend for a medium sized house?A: Foramediumsizedhouse,youshouldhaveatleast10’ofwallcabinetsand10’ofbasecabinets.
Q: Where is the best place to locate the sink in the kitchen?A: Ifyouhavethechoiceastowheretoplacethesink,andyouplantoonlyhaveonesink,putitnexttooracrossfromthecookingsurfaceandrefrigerator.Youshouldalsoplacetheedgeofthedishwasherwithin36inchesofthenearestsinkedge.
Add-on Sales
• Lighting–Remodelingthekitchenisagoodtimetoupgradelightingfixtures.Eachworkareashouldhaveitsowndirectlighting.Generally,peoplewantplentyoflightforthekitchen.
• Electrical–Remodelingisalsoagoodtimeforaddingelectricaloutletsorlightfixtures.ThecustomermayalsoneedtoupgradereceptaclestoGFCI.
• Windows–Naturallightthroughwindowsisabigplusforkitchens,andremodelingisthetimetoaddthemormakethembigger.Noteveryonewillwanttoaddthattotheremodelinglist,butasasalesperson,youcanmakethesuggestion.
Taking it to the Floor:
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Product Knowledge:
Module 2: Kitchen Layout
The Work Triangle
Theworktriangleisaconceptusedfordesigningthemostefficientkitchen.Anyonepreparingfoodnaturallymovesbetweenthreeareasofthekitchen:thesink,thestoveandtherefrigerator.Theworktriangleisanimaginarylineconnectingthethreeofthese.Eachlegofthetriangleshouldbebetween4’and9’long.Thetotallengthshouldnotbemorethan26’.Areasforfoodpreparationshouldnaturallyfallsomewhereinthistriangle.
Kitchenscanhavefivebasicconfigurations.Sometimesacustomermayhavenochoiceabouttheshapeofthekitchen.Ifthereissomeflexibility,youcanworkwiththecustomertopicktheshapethatbestsuitshisorhersituation.Makingtherightcabinetrychoiceswillhelpenhancetheefficiencyofthekitchen.
Single Wall
• Insteadofaworktriangle,thesinglewallplanhasallofthekitchenelementsinaline.
• Theadvantageisthatistakeslittlespace,isbestforsmallerhomesandapartments,andisveryopen.
• Thedisadvantageisthatishaslimiteddesignflexibilityandhasnoworktriangle.Itusuallyhaslimitedstoragespaceandworksbestonlyforsmallfamilies.
• Helpthecustomergetmoreoutofthisshapebystackingcabinetrywheneverpossibleandusingpull-outracks.
Galley
• Inthegalley,orcorridor,design,allofthekitchenelementsfaceeachotheronparallelwalls.
• Theadvantageisthatitmakesefficientuseofasmallspace.Italsohasthemostefficientworktriangleandnocorners.
• Thedisadvantageisthatitrequiresmovingpotsandpansacrossthefloorasthecounterisnotcontinuous.Countersarealsousuallyseparatedbyatrafficcorridor.
• Helpthecustomergetmoreoutofthisshapebystackingstoragesolutionswhereverpossible.
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L-Shape
• IntheL-shapedkitchen,kitchenelementsareonadjacentwalls,creatinganaturalworktriangle.
• Theadvantageisthatthereisnotrafficthroughtheworktriangle,andtwowallsgivedesignflexibilityforapplianceplacement.Therearecontinuouscountertopsandmayevenincorporateanisland.
• Thisisthebeststyletouseifmorethanonepersonatatimeusesthekitchen.Itcanalsoallowfordininginthekitchen.
• Thedisadvantageisthattheworktrianglecangettoolarge,anditalsohasacorner.
U-Shape
• TheU-shapeisveryversatileandsurroundsthecookonthreesides.
• Thisdesignprovidesmaximumdesignflexibilityandoffersalargekitchenspacewithanefficientworktriangle.Thereisnotrafficthroughtheworktriangle.
• Ofallofthekitchendesigns,thisdesignusuallyoffersthemostcountertopareaandthemoststoragearea.
• Itcanallowformultiplecookstoprepareamealtogetherwithoutgettingineachother’sway.
• Thedisadvantageisthatithasthemostunusablecornerspaceofalldesigns.Itcanalsobecomecrowdedifthefacingcabinetsaretooclose.ThereistypicallynoroomfordininginsidetheU.
G-Shape
• TheG-shapeissimilartoaU-shape,asthereisacounteronthreesidesofthecook.Thedifferenceisanadditionalpeninsulaorpartialfourthwallofcabinets.
• Theadvantageisthatithascontinuouscounterspacewithalotofstoragespace.
• Thedisadvantage,however,isthatitcanseemedcrampedifthekitchenissmall.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How much space should I leave for a walkway when planning a kitchen?A:Thegeneralruleistoleaveatleast42”betweenthefrontedgeofthecountertoptothenearesttableorisland.
Q: How much room do I need for an eating table?A: Allow36”betweenthenearestobstructionandaneatingtable,sothereisroomtopullachairawayfromthetable.
Q: How much countertop space should I have beside the sink?A: Expertsrecommendhaving36”ofcountertopspaceoneithersideofthesink,with24”asthebaremini-mum.Therearesomeotherguidelinesforcounterspacetoconsider,too,whenplanningakitchen.Besidetherefrigerator,therecommendedspaceis18”,with15”asthebareminimum.Thisshouldbelocatedonthelatchside.Besidetherange,have24”,withabareminimumof15”.Besidethebuilt-inoven,have18”,withabareminimumof15”.
Add-on Sales
• Ascustomersbegindesigningthekitchen,askiftheywouldlikecabinetsforotherareasofthehome.Herearesomepotentialareasforcabinets.
• Suggestabathroom vanitywithextracabinetspacefortowelsandtoiletryitems.
• Cabinetscancreateadistinguishedlooktoahome office.
• Cabinetscandressupandaddfunctiontoamudroomorentryway.
Taking it to the Floor:
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study guide: Cabinets
Product Knowledge:
Chapter 2: CabinetsModule 1: Cabinet Construction
Stock vs. Custom Cabinets
• Oneofthefirstdecisionsyourcustomerwillneedtomakeiswhethertobuystockorcustom-madecabinets.
• Stock:Cabinetmanufacturersbuildstockcabinetsinafactorytosetsizesandspecifications.Thesearetypicallylow-tomedium-pricedcabinets.Youlikelystockavarietyofsizesthatareimmediatelyavailabletothecustomer.Thedownsidehereisthatchoicesarelimited.Yourcustomermayalsoneedspacefillerstogetthecabinetstofitthekitchenspace.
• Semi-Custom:Themanufacturerhasalistofsetsizes,butdoesnotmakethemuntilanorderisreceived.Thatcouldmeanadeliverydateofseveralweeksaway.However,thecustomerhasmorecontroloverstyleandsize.
• Custom:Acabinetmakercustombuildsthecabinetsonthejoborintheirlocalshop.Youlikelywon’tdealwiththecustomerlookingforthistypeofcabinet.Thecabinetmakerwoulddoallofthemeasuringandestimating.
Cabinet Construction
• Therearetwobasicwayscabinetsareconstructed.
• Traditionalcabinetshaveaframedconstruction.Thismeanstheyuserailsandstilestoformaframearoundthecabinetbox.Doorhingesattachtotheframe.Theframehelpskeepthecabinetboxsquareandstable.
• Framelesscabinetsdonothaveaframearoundthecabinetbox.Hingesattachtothesideofthecabinetandmustbeusedwithafulloverlaydoor.Theyrelyontheconstructionofthecabinettokeeptheboxsquare.Theadvantageisthatthistypeofconstructionallowsfullaccesstothecabinet’sinterior.
Door Styles
• Oneofthedefiningcharacteristicsthatdistinguishonetypeofcabinetfromanotheristhedesignandstyleofthedoorsanddrawers.Whenhelpingacustomerchoosetheparticularstyleheorshewouldlike,onecharacteristictopointoutisthedooroverlay,orthewayinwhichthedoorrestsonthefaceofthecabinet.
• TheStandardorTraditionaloverlaydoorleavesaportionoftheframe,orthecabinetbox,exposed.Thiscreatesamoretraditionallook.
• Afull overlaydoorismountedsothatverylittleifanyofthecabinetframeisexposed.Thiscreatesamoremodernandsleeklooktothekitchen.Itcanalsobeusedwithoutknobsorpulls.
• Thesetypesarethemosttypical,buttherearealsotwoothertypesavailable:
• An insetcabinetdoorismountedflushtothecabinetframesothattheentireframeisexposed.Thesedoorsmakeforasmooth-lookingkitchen.However,iftheframeshifts,thedistancebetweenthedooredgeandfaceframewillopenupandbecomenoticeable.
• Alippedoverlaycabinetdoorhasa3/8”liparoundtheinsideedgeofthedoorthatlaysonthecabinetframe.Thisleavesmostofthecabinetfaceexposed.
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Interior Cabinet Materials
• Thetypeofmaterialusedinacabinet’sconstructionwilldetermineitsquality.Oftentimes,cabinetsareconstructedofacombinationofmaterials.
• Theinteriorportionsofthecabinetareusuallymadewithplywood,MDForparticleboard.SeetheEngineeredWooddepartmentformoreinformationonthesetypesofwood.Generally,plywoodisusedforhigher-endcabinetry.MDF,ormediumdensityfibreboard,isoftenthebestchoice,asitisstrongbutlessexpensivethanplywood.Particleboardistheleastexpensive,butnotasstrongastheothertwochoices.
Exterior Cabinet Materials
• Thebiggestchoicescustomerswillmakewhenitcomestocabinetconstructionwillbethetypesofmaterialstheychoosefortheexteriorareasofthecabinet.
• Manycustomerswillprefersolidwoodcabinetdoorsandfacings.Oak,maple,birch,hickoryandcherrywoodsarecommonwoodsused.RefertotheLumberdepartmentofthiscourseformoreinformationonthecharacteristicsofthesetypesofwood.
• Wood veneerconsistsofathinlayerofwoodgluedtothecabinetmaterial.Thistypecanbelessexpensivethansolidwoodwhileofferingtheappearanceofsolidwood.
• ThermofoilconsistsofthinlayerofPVCpressedontoaMDFcore.Thisresultsinauniformappearancewithasurfacethatiseasytoclean.However,theyaremoresusceptibletodamagefromexcessiveheat(fromovens)andmayyellowovertime.
• Laminatecabinetshaveathinlayerofplasticadheredtothecabinetmaterialunderneath.Theyaretypicallyavailableinavarietyofdesigns,butmaypeelorchip.
• Melamineisanotherplasticveneercoveringthecabinetmaterial.Itisdurable,easytomaintainandresistsstaining,chippingandfading.Itcanalsobepainted.
Cabinet Finishes
• Finally,yourcustomerwillchoosethetypeofcabinetheorshewantsbasedonavarietyofstylesandfinishes.
• Cabinetfacingsmadeofsolidwoodcanbestainedorpainted.Somemanufacturersofferavarietyoffinishingtechniques,suchasglazing,antiquingorburnishing.
• Doorscanhaveasolidpanel,araisedpanelorarecessedpanel.
• Thedoorsanddrawerscanalsoreflectavarietyofstyles,suchasarches,theShakerstyles,contemporaryorclassical.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What is glazing on a cabinet?A: Thisisatechniquewhereaglazepaintisappliedtothecabinet,usuallyafterastainhasbeenapplied,thenwipedoff.Itaddsarusticstyleandagedeffectdesirablebysomehomeowners. Q: Why doesn’t the cabinet door have a knob?A: Manycabinetscomewithoutthepullorknobhardwareinstalled.Ifyouwanttoinstallhardware,thereisawideselectionorstylesandfinishesavailable.Youmayalsowanttoinstallbackplates,whichareroundorrectangularplatesthatsitbehindtheknobsandpullsandprotectthecabinetsurfaceareathatisfrequentlyscratchedwhengrabbingthepull. Q: I don’t want to completely replace all of my cabinets, but would like to give them a facelift. What are my options?A: Youcantryrefacingthecabinetsbyreplacingthefrontofthecabinetwithnewdoorsandfacings.Or,youcanapplyanewfinishorpainttotheexistingdoorsandfacings.
Add-on Sales
• AnyonebuyingacabinetwillneedtopurchaseKnobsorPulls,asmostcabinetsdonotcomewiththem.Ifyourstoreoffersaspecialorderservice,remindthecustomerofthewidevarietyavailablebeyondwhatyouofferinstock.
• Suggestthecustomerusea Backplate withknobsandpulls,asthisprotectsthecabinetsurface.
• Toinstallknobs,pullsandbackplates,thecustomerwillneedaScrewdriver,aDrillandthepropersizeDrill Bits
Upselling Skills
• Drawer quality—Betterqualitydrawershavesidesandabackmadeofsolidwoodorfurniture-gradeplywood.Theboxshouldalsobeconstructedusingadovetailjoint.
• Hinges—Mostmanufacturersincludehingeswiththecabinet.Avarietyofstylesandfinishesmaybeavailable.Betterhingesincludeself-closingtypes.
• Drawer Guides—Theseareinstalledatthefactory.Ifthecabinetsarecustom,thecustomercanchooseabetterguide.Betterguideshaveadoubletrackdrawerglidewheretheguideisattachedtoeachdrawerside.Somehaveano-slamoptionthatquietlyclosesthedrawerandeliminatesslamming.Aself-closingfeatureisalsoavailableonsomedrawers,andbetterdrawersalsohaveafullextension.
Taking it to the Floor:
Product Knowledge:
Module 2: Base Cabinets
Base Cabinet
• Thebasecabinetsitsunderthecountertopandcomesinavarietyofdimensions.
• Severaldifferentbasecabinetunitsofvaryingwidthsmaybecombinedforarunofcabinets.
• Thistypeofcabinetmayhaveafullshelf,halfshelforpulloutshelvesortrays.Differentmanufacturersmayhavedifferentoptions.
• Itmayalsohavedrawersoracombinationofatopdrawerwithashelfonthebottomportion.
• Ithasa4”recessedareaatthebottomcalledthetoekick.
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Common Base Cabinet Sizes
• Theheightofabasecabinetisaconstant34-1/2”,althoughsomemanufacturersmayofferalineoftallercabinets.Whena1-1/2”thickcountertopisadded,thetotalheightis36”.
Cabinetwidthsvarywithmanufacturer.Usually,thestandardbasecabinetsaremadein3”incrementsfrom9”to48”,butnoteverymanufacturermakeseach3”increment.Commonsizes:
• A9” Base Cabinetusuallyhasnodrawerorshelves.Itmaybecalledatraystoragecabinet.
• A12” to 18” Base Cabinethasasingledooranddrawer.Thecustomermayneedtospecifyifthedooris“hingedright”or“hingedleft.”
• A27” to 48” Base Cabinetincludesadoubledraweranddoor.Thedoorsusuallyopeninoppositedirectionsandhavea“stylepiece”inthemiddle.Some27”cabinetsmayhaveasingledrawer.
• A12” to 24” Base Drawer Cabinethasastackofthreetofourdrawers.Commonsizesare15”,18”and24”.
Base Cabinet Naming Conventions
• Widthsofabasecabinetareusuallypartofthenameofthecabinet.Forexample,aB24meansaBaseunitthatis24”wide.
• Thenamealsoindicatesifadrawerisincluded.Forexample,aDB24meansaDrawerBaseunitthatis24”wide.
Sink Base Cabinet
• Asinkbasecabinetsitsundertheportionofthecountertopthatholdsthesink.
• Insteadofdrawers,ithasafalsedrawerfront,andnoshelvesbutadoororsetofdoors.
• The24” Sink Base Cabinetisastandardsizeforasinglesink.Itisoftenusedasacooktopcabinet.
• The27” to 48” Sink Base Cabinetisastandardsizeforsupportingadoublesink.The36”sizeisthemostpopular,followedby30”and33”.Notallmanufacturersofferallincrementsofsize.
Peninsula Base
• Apeninsulabaseisarowofcabinetsthatcanbeaccessedfrombothsides.
• Itisoftenusedwhereonesideofthepeninsulaopensintothekitchenandtheotherisinthediningarea.
• Ithasatoekickonbothsides.
• Thedoorsmayopeninbothdirections,butthedrawerwillonlyopentooneside.
Commonsizes:
• The24”/27” peninsula base startercanbeadjustedtooccupyawallspacethatisbetween24”and27”.Thisstarterwouldnormallygointhecornerwherethepeninsulameetsthestandardcabinets.Itonlyopensfromthediningroomside.
• An18” and 24” peninsula baseisasingledooranddrawerbasecabinetwithdoorsopeningfrombothsides.
• A30” to 48” peninsula basehasadoubledooranddrawercabinet.
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Blind Corner Base
• Cabinetssittingnearacornermustsolvetheproblemcausedbydoorsordrawersopeningtoadrawerordooratanimmediaterightangle.Theproblemisthatitmaynothaveroomtoclearthehardwareoftheopposingdrawerordoor.
• Theblindcornerbasealsohasacabinetboxthatislargerthanthedoor,asthisallowssomeofthecornerspacetobeused.
• Ithasawidestile(panel)ononesidesothatitmaybeslidforwardupto3”toaccommodateoddlengthsinrunsofcabinets.
• The36” Lazy Susan Baseisanotherwayofsolvingthecornercabinetproblem.Itincludesaspinningrackorshelfthatallowstheentirecornertobeaccessed.Theproblemisthatitdoesnotallowforadjustingforodddimensionsinarunofbasecabinets.
Vanity Sink Base Cabinet
• Avanitysinkbasecabinetisalsoknownasabathroomcabinetandholdsthebathroomsink.
• Itissimilartokitchenbasecabinets,butthedepthis21”insteadof24”.
• Smallercabinetswillnothavedrawers,onlyafalsedrawerfrontwithoperatingdoorswithnoshelves.
• TheletterVisusedinnamingthistype,alongwiththesize.Forexample,24Vmeansa24”vanity.
• The24”,30”and36”sinkbasesarethestandardsizesandthesmallestsizesavailable.
Vanity Drawer Base Cabinet
• Similartoavanitysinkbasecabinet,butinsteadofholdingasink,itholdsdrawers.
• Useitwithasinkbaseformoredrawerandshelfspace.
• Mostcommonwidthis15”,while12”and18”arealsocommon.
Frequently Asked Questions Q: What do I do about the space between the wall and the last cabinet?
A:Youcanbuyanarrowfillertofillinthatgap.Thewoodisstainedandfinishedtomatchtheothercabinetsyouwillbebuying.
Q: How do I check if my walls are square?A: Usethe3-4-5method.Measurealongonewallforthreefeet(oramultipleofthree—thebiggerthebetter).Markthispoint.Next,measurealongtheotherwallfromthesamecornerfourfeet(orthesamemultiple)andmarkthespot.Thenmeasurediagonallyfrommarktomark.Ifthediagonalisfivefeet(orthesamemultiple),thecornerissquare.Ifnot,itisoutofsquare.
Q: Can I just purchase the sink front to save money?A: Somemanufacturersofferthesinkfrontthatcanbeorderedseparately.Thisconsistsofonlythefrontpor-tionofthesinkbasecabinet;doesnotincludethesides,backorbottom.Thismakesitlessexpensivethantheentirebaseunit,butbythetimetheotherpiecesareboughtandattached,itisjustasexpensive.Asinkfrontmayalsobeusedtorefaceoldcabinets.Whiletherearestandardsizes,itismadesosomeofthefacecanbecutdowntoasmallersize.
Q: Do you have a sink base that will fit in a corner?A: Therearetwobasictypesofsinkbasesthatfitintoacorner.The36”to42”diagonalsinkfrontcanuseastandardsink,eventhoughitsitsinthecorner.Thebaseiscutdiagonallyacrossacornerwith“wings”oneitherside.The40”squaresinkfrontisanL-shapedcabinet.ThistyperequiresanL-shapedsink.Rememberthatwhiletheideaofacornersinkmayseemlikeanovelty,havingasinkinthecornerwillmakethatareacongestedandthisshouldbeusedasalastresort.
Taking it to the Floor:
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Upselling Skills
• Therearemanyaccessoriesavailableforcabinets,manyofwhichareaddedonwhenthecustomerismakingthecabinetorder.Checktheliteratureofthecabinetmanufacturerthatsuppliesyourstore.Herearesomecommonaccessories.
• ALazy Susanmakesthebestuseofspaceinacornercabinet.
• Suggestasilverware trayforaddingtoadrawer.
• Pull-out shelvesallowthecustomertohavefullaccesstotheitemsintheshelf.Ifthesearenotofferedbythemanufacturer,thereareunitsthecustomercaninstall.Someoftheseunitscanholdwastebaskets.
• Atilt-out trayisofteninstalledatthetopofthesinkbase,whichallowsforstorageofsmallitemslikedishscrubbers.
• Youmayalsobeabletosuggestadditionaldesignpiecestoenhancetheappearanceofthecabinet.Forbasecabinets,youmightsuggestaCorbelforcountertopoverhangs.Columnsandfeetcanaddahandcraftedlooktothecabinet.
Add-on Sales
• Replacingabathvanitysinkbaseisaprojectyourdo-it-yourselfercustomersmaywanttotackle.Iftheydo,herearesomeitemstheywillneedfortheinstallation.
• Recommendacarpenter’s levelforlevelingthevanity.
• Useshimsformakingadjustmentsonanunevenfloor.
• Suggestacarpenter’s pencilformarkinglines.
• Thecustomerwillneedasaber sawformakingtheplumbingcutoutinthebackofthevanity.
• Suggestastud finderforlocatingasturdyplacetoinstallthevanity.
• Askifthecustomerhasadrill,drill bits,andscrewsforattachingthevanitytothewall.
• Recommendthecustomerusesafety glasseswhenusingpowertools.
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Wall Cabinet
• Awallcabinetisavailableinavarietyofheights,widthsanddepths.
• Thestandarddepthis12”,although24”isalsoavailable.
• Generally,cabinetsthrough24”widearesingledoor.Cabinets27”andwiderhaveadoubledoor.
• Customermayneedtospecifyhingedrightorhingedleftforsomecabinets.
Common Wall Cabinet Sizes
• Herearesomeofthecommondimensionsofwallcabinets.
• Cabinets18”higharenottoocommon,butcouldbeusedoverautilitycabinetoraspartofapeninsula.Iftheirwidthis27”to48”,theymaybeusedabovearangeorcooktop.
• Cabinets15”highdonothaveashelfandareoftenusedoverarefrigeratororrangewhentheyare30”to36”wide.
• Cabinets12”highand30”to36”wideareusedoverarefrigeratororrange,orinplaceofthesoffitaboveregularwallcabinets.
• Cabinets24”highgenerallyhaveoneshelf.Thedoubledoor,27”to48”widthsaremostcommon.
• Cabinets30”highhavetwoshelves.Theyareavailableinsingledoor9”to24”widthsanddoubledoor27”to148”widths.
Wall Cabinet Naming Conventions
• Whenreferringtowallcabinetsduringtheorderingprocess,youwilltypicallyusefournumbersplusoneormoreletters.Thenumberslistthewidthfirst,thentheheight,ininches.
• Forexample,WC2730wouldbeawallcornercabinetthatis27”wideand30”high.
• CommonletternamesincludeWforwall,SWfordiagonalwallandWCforwallcorner.Eachmanufacturerhasitsowncodeyou’llneedtounderstand.
Peninsula Wall Cabinet
• Apeninsulawallcabinetismountedoverapeninsulaandhasdoorsthatopenfrombothsides.
• Onepopularoptionistohaveadecorativeglassinthedoorsfacingthediningarea.
• Thesecabinetsareoftenshortertoallowforabetterviewintotheotherroom.
• Two-doorcabinetsthatare24”highx24”wideisthestandard.
Corner Wall Cabinet
• Turningacornerwithawallcabinetisnotasdifficultaswithabaseunit,astherearenodrawers.Butthehingesmayclashiftheyarebacktobackontheopposingdoors.
• Theblind corner wall cabinetsaremadewithanextra-largestilesotheycanbeadjustedupto3”.Sizesaremadetocovereverymeasurementfrom24”to39”(singledoor)and42”to51”(doubledoor).Usuallyavailablein24”and30”heights.
• Thediagonal wall cabinethastwoshelvesandis24”wide.Itmakesgooduseofthecorner,buttakesawaytheflexibilityofmakingadjustmentsinarunofwallcabinets.AlsoavailablewithaLazySusan.
• Thepeninsula diagonal wall cabinetturnsthecornerandhelpsgetthepeninsulastarted.Itis24”wideandhastwoshelvesoraLazySusan.
Module 3: Wall Cabinets
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Tall Cabinets
• Alsocalledutilitycabinets,orpantry,tallcabinetsareusually84”(or7’)tall.Somemaybeavailableina66”height.Instandardinstallations,thetopofthehighestrunofcabinetsis84”fromthefloor.
• Standardsizecabinetsoftenhavecabinetendsstainedtomatchcabinetfacingssincetheywillbeexposed.Youshouldspecifywhichendsneedtobefinishedduringtheorderingprocess,asthefactorymayonlyfinishthespecifiedends.
• Tallcabinetscanalsobeusedinthegarageorotherstorageareas.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How can I cover the space between the top of the cabinet and the ceiling?A: Oneoptionistoblockintheareabybuildingaframeworkof2x2lumberandcoveringitwithdrywall.Thisiscalledasoffit.Youcanmakethissoffitextendpastthecabinetdepthforanoverhangthatisagoodplaceforinstallinglight-ing.Asecondoptionistoleavetheareaopenandaddcrownmouldingalongthetopforadecorativeeffect.
Q: What should I do about the ends of the cabinet that will be exposed?A: Mostmanufacturersofferaplywoodbackerorveneerstainedtomatchthecabinetfacing,whichyoucanuseforendsofcabinetsthatdonotbuttupagainstawall.Whenordering,you’llneedtospecifywhichendwillbeexposed,asthefactorymayonlyfinishspecifiedends. Q: How do I clean my wood cabinets?A: Checkthemanufacturermaterialforcleaningrecommendations.Generally,donotuseoilypolishes,deter-gentsorglasscleanersonwoodfinishes.Forhighglossfinishes,neveruseawaxfinish.Useagoodfurniturebrandpolish,andifthereisasoiledarea,useadampclothandmilddishsoap.Rinsetheareawithadampclothanddrywithacleancloth.
Q: Do you have a cabinet to accommodate a stand-alone oven?A:Theovencabinetisusedtohouseanoventhatisseparatefromarange.Theyare27”or33”wide.Theycan
Taking it to the Floor:
Upselling Skills Eachmanufacturerwillhaveitsownsetofaccessoriesavailabletoenhancethefunctionalityofwallcabinets,buthereareafewofthetypicalones.
• Use plate racksdisplayplateswhilemakingthemeasytoaccess.
• Suggest wine racks,whicharehandyforstoringbottles.
• Suggestaflourbinorapotato binforbulkyfooditems.
• Youcanalsosuggestthecustomerinstallaventilationsystemtoproperlyexhaustcookingodoursandexcessmoisture.Akitchenremodelmaybethetimetoaddorupgradearange hoodorotherkitchenventilationsystem.
Add-on Sales
• Ifyoustockunfinishedstockcabinets,bereadytoofferthecustomeralloftheitemsneededtofinishwood.RefertothePaintandDecoratingportionoftheBasicTrainingCourseinHardwareRetailingforacompleteoverviewofhowtosellthisproject,buthereareafewoftheitemstosuggest.
• Ifyourcustomerisbuyingasoftwoodcabinet,recommendpaintasafinish.Ifheorsheisbuyingahardwoodcabinet,suggestsastain.
• Forthosebuyingstain,suggestapolyurethane finishasadurabletopcoat.
• Offertheappropriatebrushesandstain pads.
• Recommendsandpaperandtack clothsforusebetweencoatsofpolyurethane.
• Suggestdrop cloths toprotectthefloor.
• Finally,alwaysrecommendrubber glovesforprotectinghandsfromstainandpolyurethane.
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study guide: Cabinets
Product Knowledge:
Chapter 3: Countertops
Laminate
• Laminateconsistsoflayersofpapersoakedandstackedinplastic.Thisplasticisthengluedontoan1-1/2”particleboardbase.
• Alaminatecountertopisdurable,easytocleanandwaterresistant.Itisalsoeasytoinstallandeconomical.
• However,itisdifficulttorepaironcemarredandmayshowwearfasterthanothermaterials.
• Itisavailableinawidevarietyofcolours,texturesandpatterns.
• Standardedgeisrounded,butabevelededgeisavailableasacustomoption.Somemanufacturersmayofferano-dripedge,alsoknownasamarineedge.
• Theymayincludeanintegratedbacksplash,whichisapartofthecountertopthatextendsupthewallafewinches.
• Thepost-formtypeisprefabricatedandlessexpensivethancustomlaminatetops.Itmaybesoldbythefoot.
Synthetic Marble
• Syntheticmarbleisusuallysoldforuseinthebathroom.
• Itrepresentsavarietyofproductsknownascastpolymers.
• Easytocleanandusuallyincludesanintegratedsink.
• Tendstolookcheapandnotasdurableasothercountertoptypes.
• Itmayalsoscratchandaredifficulttorepair.
• Typesincludeculturedmarble,culturedonyxandculturedgranite.
Ceramic Tile
• Ceramictileisaneconomicaloptionforcountertopssinceitisscratchandheatresistant.
• However,itishighmaintenanceasthegroutlinesneedtobesealedregularly.
• Sometilesmayreacttoacidsofcleaningchemicals,andsomemaybepronetochipping.
• Ceramictileisavailableinavarietyofstyles,sizesandcolours.
Stone
• Stonecountertopsareusuallygranite,whichisexpensivebutconsideredupscale.However,manyothertypesareavailable,suchasmarble,slate,soapstone,limestoneandtravertine.
• Graniteisavailableinavarietyofcoloursandeachslabtendstobeuniqueinitsgrainpattern.
• Moststoneneedstobeseamedandsealedagainststains.
• It’sbigadvantageisthatitisheatproof,water-resistantandeasytoclean.
• However,itiseasilystainedbyoil,alcoholandacids.
• Itneedsastrongsupportunderneathandprofessionalinstallationisrecommended.
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Solid Surface
• Asolidsurfacecountertopconsistsofacastacrylicorpolyesterplasticwithmineralfillers.
• Itishomogenous,meaningthecolourandpatternisconsistentthroughoutthematerial.Thismeansthereisnoveneertochiporwearoutandthatblemishesandscratchesareeasilysandedout.
• Itisalsodurable,nonporous,heat-andstain-resistant,andeasytoclean.
• Ithasseamlessfacewithseamsonlyvisiblefromtheunderside.
• Itusuallyincludesanintegratedsink.
• Professionalinstallationisrecommendedandismoreexpensivethanothercountertoptypes.
• Availableinawidevarietyofcoloursandtextures.
Wood
• Themostpopulartypeofwoodcountertopisbutcherblock,whichconsistsofwoodstripsgluedtogetherandplanedsmooth.
• Itrequiresmaintenancewithmineraloiltreatments.
• Mayscorchfromheatandblackenwhennearamoisturesource,anditisnotscratchresistant.
• However,itisconsideredoneofthemoresanitarysurfacesavailabletothekitchen,aswoodhasinherentpropertiestoprotectfrombacteriabuild-up.
• Popularwoodtypesincludeoak,maple,cherry,redbeech,walnut,teakandmahogany.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How often do I need to reseal my granite countertop?A: Checktheproductyouusetosealit.You’llneedtoresealthecountertopeveryfiveyears,butsomeproductsmayneedtobereappliedeverytwoyears.
Q: How do I care for a solid surface countertop?A:Youcanmakeasolidsurfacecountertoplastlongerbynotplacinghotdishesdirectlyonthesurface.Astrong,localizedheatsourcecanscorchorcrackasolidsurfacecountertop.Usetrivetsormatsunderhotpansordishes.Cleaningthistypeofcountertopiseasy;justusesoapandwater.
Q: Do you recommend having a backsplash?A:Havingabacksplashisagoodidea.Itcanaddadecorativefeaturetoyourkitchenbutitisalsoverypractical.Abacksplashwillprotectthewallfromsplashesofwater,greaseandfood.Italsomakesthatsurfaceeasiertocleanandmoresanitary. Upselling
• Mostmanufacturersofferavarietyofoptionsforprofilesalongtheedgeofthecountertop.Bevels,OgeesandBullnosearecommonprofiles.
• Customerspurchasingasolidsurfacecountertopcanpurchaseanintegratedsinkthatisseamlesslyfusedtothecountertopmaterial.
Taking it to the Floor:
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Add-on Sales
• Ifacustomerisreplacingacountertop,askiftheyhaveconsideredreplacingtheirsinkaswell.Dependingonthetypeofcountertopmaterialtheyarepurchasing,youcanshowthemsomeahigher-endsink,suchasanunder-countermounttype.
• Suggestitmayalsobetimetoreplacethe faucettocompletethenewandfreshlookofthekitchen.
• Askthecustomerifheorshehasconsideredaddingabacksplashtothewallbehindthenewcountertop.Tileisoneofthemostpopularitemsusedforabacksplash.Youcanencouragethecustomerthatthisisaprojectaccessibletomostdoityourselfers.
• Acustomerpurchasingalaminatecountertopmaywanttoinstallit.Herearesomeoftheitemsneededforinstallation.
• Recommendasaber sawforcuttingtheopeningforthesink.Thecustomerwillalsoneedadrillanddrill bitforcuttingastarterholeforthesabersaw.
• Suggestacompassfordrawingthelinesneededtofitthecountertopagainstanirregularwall.
• Suggestbelt sanderforsandingdownanyareasneededtofitthecountertopagainstthewall.
• Ifthecountertopwillhaveamiterjoint,recommendwater-resistantglueforjoiningthetwopieces.
• Recommendsilicone caulkforsealingthejointbetweenthewallandthecountertop.
• Forcustomerswhomustcuttheirowncountertoptofit,suggestanend-cap kittocoveranyexposedend.
