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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.


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.


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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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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.


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.


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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.


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


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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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.


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.


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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.