Why Does The Cost of Cabinet Doors Increase Each Year?

Find out what factors cause cabinet doors to get more expensive each year and what contractors like you can do to plan ahead.

Five stacks of coins getting higher from left to right with letters spelling out COSTS atop the piles. Many factors cause the cost of cabinet doors to increase yearly.

You’re reading this article because your prices have just gone up. Again. But you’re not alone. Contractors and cabinet makers across Canada are asking the same thing. Why does this keep happening? How do I explain it to my clients? How can I stay ahead of these changes next year?

We get it. Price increases can feel frustrating and unpredictable, especially when managing quotes, timelines, and customer expectations. 

At Cutting Edge, we’ve seen these changes firsthand. We’ve been in the woodworking and cabinet door industry for over 20 years. We know what causes prices to rise, and we’ve learned how to stay on top of those factors so you’re not blindsided. 

In this article, you’ll learn:

By the end of this article, you’ll have a better understanding of what causes cabinet doors to increase in price each year and why.

What Factors Cause The Price Of Cabinet Doors To Increase?

Cabinet doors don’t just get more expensive for no reason. There are many things behind the scenes driving those changes, many of which are completely out of your or your supplier’s control.

Let’s look at the biggest reasons cabinet door prices go up.

1. Lumber Supply Fluctuations

Lumber is the backbone of every cabinet door. When supply is low, prices rise. Weather events, forest fires, and logging restrictions (especially in B.C. and parts of the U.S.) can drastically affect how much lumber is available. When there’s less of it, prices go up.

Even engineered materials like MDF or plywood are affected, as they rely on wood fibres from those limited sources.

Lifts of lumber resting atop warehouse racking. Lumber supply fluctuations can cause the cost of cabinet doors to increase.

2. Increased Demand for Renovations and Custom Builds

When more people are renovating or building homes, especially during housing booms or post-pandemic surges, demand for cabinets skyrockets. That demand drives up the price of raw materials, labour, and shipping. The more orders cabinet shops are trying to fill, the more expensive it becomes to get what you need, when you need it.

3. US-Canada Exchange Rate

Most hardwood is sourced from the U.S. and priced in U.S. dollars. When the Canadian dollar drops in value, it costs more for you, or your supplier, to buy those items. That extra cost usually gets passed down.

Let’s say a hinge costs $3 USD. At a 1.25 exchange rate, that’s $3.75 CAD. But if the dollar drops and the rate becomes 1.40, the same hinge now costs $4.20 CAD. Multiply that by hundreds or thousands of pieces, and that’s a serious cost jump.

4. Tariffs and Trade Regulations

Tariffs on wood (especially between Canada and the U.S.) can shift prices quickly. If a new duty is applied or changed, suppliers have to cover that cost, and it often gets added to your invoice in the form of a price increase. Even small increases in tariffs can ripple through your entire order.

5. Interest Rates and Financing Costs

When the Bank of Canada raises interest rates, it becomes more expensive for businesses to borrow money. Cabinet door manufacturers often rely on financing to buy materials in bulk, maintain inventory, or invest in equipment. As borrowing costs rise, those additional expenses get passed along as higher prices. Even if you’re not borrowing directly, you still feel the impact in every hinge, panel, and delivery charge.

Higher interest rates also affect freight companies and suppliers across the chain, from lumber mills to finish suppliers. If they cut back on stock or raise their rates to offset costs, cabinet door pricing gets hit from all sides. What used to be a stable expense can fluctuate, just like fuel or lumber.

6. Labour Shortages and Wage Increases

It’s getting harder to find skilled workers in manufacturing and woodworking. To keep good staff, companies are raising wages, which affects production costs. As labour gets more expensive, so does the final product.

A Cutting Edge employee working on two cabinet doors. A lack of skilled labour also causes the cost of cabinet doors to increase.

7. Freight and Fuel Costs

Gas prices affect everything, from the delivery of your raw materials to the shipment of finished cabinet doors to your shop or site. If fuel costs spike, so do freight charges. In some cases, that’s an extra fee. In others, it’s just baked into the final price.

Some Cabinet Door Suppliers Increase The Cost of Cabinet Doors Yearly

You might notice that many cabinet door companies apply yearly price increases, often at the start of the calendar year. This isn’t just to keep profits up. It’s a way to stay ahead of rising costs and prevent surprises later on.

By updating prices once a year, suppliers can:

  • Account for trends in wood supply and demand
  • Adapt to new shipping, labour, or material costs
  • Avoid the need for multiple price hikes throughout the year

For you, yearly price increases mean more predictable budgeting and fewer unexpected changes mid-project. You know what to expect, and you can plan your quotes around it.

Why Cutting Edge Increases the Cost of Cabinet Doors Each Year

At Cutting Edge, we didn’t always do annual increases.

In fact, before 2020, we went several years without adjusting our prices. But when COVID hit, the market changed overnight. Supply chains broke. Lumber became harder to find. Demand soared. We were suddenly forced to apply a 25% price increase in one go just to keep up with rising material and shipping costs.

We hated doing that. And we know you hated receiving it.

That moment made us change our approach. Now, we:

  • Track supply chain and cost trends year-round
  • Review our pricing each year based on real-world data
  • Give you as much notice as possible about upcoming changes

By doing a planned annual update, we protect you from sudden, major jumps. It also helps us maintain:

  • The high-quality materials you’ve come to expect
  • Our on-time delivery and accurate lead times
  • The personal customer service that sets us apart

We want you to finish your installs on time, avoid surprise costs, and never feel like you’re in the dark. That’s why we stay transparent and proactive about pricing.

Learn How Much The Wood Type Affects The Cost Of Cabinet Doors

After years of juggling rising material and shipping costs, you’ve likely felt the frustration of watching your cabinet door prices creep up. It can be overwhelming, especially when you’re trying to explain it to your clients and protect your margins.

Now that you understand the key reasons behind these price changes – from tariffs and exchange rates to labour and freight costs – you can make smarter decisions and choose suppliers who help you plan ahead.

At Cutting Edge, we keep our price increases predictable so you can keep your projects on time and your customers happy. So what’s your next step? Learn how wood type affects the cost of cabinet doors.

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