Problems You Might Face When Buying Finished Cabinet Doors
Thinking about buying finished cabinet doors? Learn about common problems like delays, quality issues, and higher costs – plus how to avoid them.
You’re probably reading this article because you hope buying finished cabinet doors might ease some of the pressure on your shop. Maybe you’re overwhelmed with projects and need a way to speed up production. You might be tired of the mess, time, and labour that finishing doors in-house requires. But will outsourcing make your life easier or create new problems? Before you commit, you need to know what challenges to expect.
At Cutting Edge, we’ve produced custom cabinet doors for over 20 years. While most of our doors ship unfinished, we offer finished cabinet doors as well. We understand that ordering finished cabinet doors isn’t always a perfect solution. In fact, it can cause more problems than it solves for some customers.
In this article, you’ll learn about seven common problems with finished cabinet doors, why they happen, and how to avoid them.
7 Problems You Might Experience When Buying Finished Cabinet Doors
Ordering finished cabinet doors seems like a time-saver, but delays, mismatched finishes, or unexpected costs can create more stress than relief.
Before you decide, here are some common problems to watch out for:
- Longer lead times – Finished doors take extra time to produce and ship.
- Limited finish options – Your supplier may not offer the finish you need.
- Quality inconsistencies – The finish might not meet your standards.
- Higher costs – Prefinished doors cost more than unfinished ones.
- Colour mismatches – Doors may not match prefinished cabinetry.
- Unexpected delays – Shipping or supplier issues can push back timelines.
- Hidden defects – Some flaws only appear after finishing.
If you’ve ever had to delay a project because of supply issues, you know how stressful it can be. Let’s look at each problem and how to avoid them.
1. Finished Cabinet Doors Take Longer to Arrive at Your Shop
Ordering finished cabinet doors may seem efficient – but it can extend your timeline. While an unfinished door can ship out as soon as it’s built, a finished door goes through additional steps – staining, painting, drying, and curing – before it’s ready to leave the shop.
If the supplier has a backlog, your order could sit in a queue for days or weeks. Plus, shipping delays and supplier capacity limits can push your timeline back even further. Instead of speeding up your workflow, you could find yourself waiting on doors while your project sits unfinished.
Solutions and Workarounds
- Plan ahead. Order finished doors well in advance to avoid last-minute delays.
- Find a supplier with quick turnaround times. Not all suppliers operate at the same speed. Some cabinet door suppliers have more efficient processes or greater capacity.
2. Your Supplier May Not Provide All the Finishes You Need
Clients often have specific finish needs, but not all suppliers offer a wide range of stains, paints, or sheens. Some suppliers stick to a limited selection of standard finishes, while others might struggle to match a custom stain or paint.
If your supplier doesn’t have what you need, you have three choices: compromise on the finish, find a new supplier, or finish the doors yourself. Each of these options can lead to frustration and unexpected costs.
Solutions and Workarounds
- Check finish availability before committing to a supplier.
- Ask for samples to ensure the finish aligns with your needs.
- Consider finishing doors in-house if you need a custom finish.
3. Your Supplier’s Finished Doors May Not Meet Your Quality Demands
Even high-quality suppliers may not meet your exact finishing standards. Some contractors have extremely stringent quality standards, and even minor variations in sheen, texture, or consistency can be a dealbreaker.
Factors like humidity, temperature, and application techniques all impact how a finish turns out, and slight inconsistencies are sometimes unavoidable. If you or your client require a perfect match to existing cabinetry, relying on a supplier’s finishing process can feel like a gamble.
Solutions and Workarounds
- Request samples before placing large orders
- Choose reputable suppliers known for high-quality finishes
- Discuss your supplier’s expectations and processes before ordering
4. Finished Cabinet Doors May Be More Expensive
Finished cabinet doors cost more due to materials, labour, and quality control. Many suppliers charge extra for specialty finishes or colour matching, increasing costs again.
The extra finishing costs add up quickly if you’re on a tight project budget. While finishing in-house has costs like labour and materials, some contractors find it the more affordable option in the long run.
Solutions and Workarounds
- Compare the cost of outsourcing vs. in-house finishing
- Offer clients multiple pricing options, explaining the benefits of prefinished doors
- Get a detailed quote on your order before giving a price to your customers
5. Finished Cabinet Doors May Not Match Your Prefinished Cabinetry
Matching finished cabinet doors to prefinished cabinetry can be frustrating. Even if you provide a sample, there is no guarantee that the supplier’s finish will be an exact match. Different wood types absorb stains differently, and variations in finishing techniques can lead to noticeable colour differences.
This can be especially problematic if you’re replacing only a few doors in an existing kitchen or trying to coordinate new cabinetry with prefinished panels. If the colours don’t align, you may have to spend extra time and money correcting the mismatch.
Solutions and Workarounds
- Order a test door before committing to a full order.
- Work with a supplier who has experience with custom colour matching.
- Provide your supplier with a sample door to match to
6. Finished Cabinet Doors Are Prone to Unexpected Delays
Even with an estimated timeline, supply chain issues, shortages, or order backlogs can cause delays.
Since finishing requires extra steps and drying time, any holdup in the production process can snowball into a longer wait. If your project is already on a tight schedule, receiving your finished doors late can throw everything off, leaving you scrambling to keep clients happy and installations on track.
Solutions and Workarounds
- Have a backup supplier in case of urgent needs
- Place orders early to accommodate possible delays
- Keep your clients informed to manage their expectations
Some defects, like cracks or glue marks, only become visible after finishing. In some cases, a finished cabinet door might look perfect when it arrives, but imperfections appear once it’s installed under different lighting conditions.
If a defect isn’t noticeable until later, you may have to reorder doors or attempt on-site fixes, which adds time and cost to your project. Since returning finished doors is often more complicated than returning unfinished ones, catching these issues early is crucial.
Solutions and Workarounds
- Test your supplier’s quality by ordering unfinished doors before buying finished doors
- Work with a supplier known for quality control
- Carefully inspect each cabinet door upon arrival at your shop
Should You Buy Finished Cabinet Doors?
Finished cabinet doors seem convenient, but challenges like delays and quality issues can slow projects and frustrate clients. Plus, the added expense might not always justify the convenience. If you’ve ever dealt with late orders or finish issues, you know how frustrating it can be.
That’s why it’s important to weigh the risks before deciding. But if outsourcing still makes sense for you, working with a reliable supplier and planning can help minimize the risks. The next step? Learn how much finished cabinet doors cost to decide if they’re worth the potential challenges for your business.
