Why Are Select Grade Cabinet Doors From Cutting Edge So Expensive?
Updated December 2, 2024
Discover why select grade cabinet doors cost at least 20% more than standard grade doors. Learn why the materials and craftsmanship add this value.
Have you ever quoted a project assuming your usual pricing would suffice, only to discover later that the project requires select grade material. “No problem,” you think, as you update the order to select grade. But then the pricing recalculates, and suddenly your project is at least 20% over budget. Now, you’re faced with a difficult choice: use a lower-grade material that might disappoint your client, or absorb the unexpected cost and risk losing money on the project.
Why are select grade cabinet doors so expensive? And how can you know when to plan for this higher-quality material to meet your project’s needs? Understanding these questions is essential to delivering exceptional results while protecting your bottom line.
At Cutting Edge Doors & Woodworking, we’ve spent over 20 years working with raw lumber, crafting cabinet doors for projects with varying quality expectations. To make your decision-making process easier, we developed specific material grades – including our select grade – to ensure you always get the right material for the job.
In this article, you’ll discover:
- Why select grade cabinet doors cost more
- When to choose this premium option
- Why it remains a preferred choice despite the price difference
By the end, you’ll feel confident in selecting the right grade for your next project.
Select Grade Is More Expensive
Upgrading to select grade material will cause the cabinet door price to increase by at least 20%, depending on the door style and profiles. As a rule of thumb, the more solid wood a door needs, the more the price will increase.
But why does the price increase so much?
It all comes back to what select grade material is. Our select grade material is sorted for consistent color and grain pattern. We aim to have no noticeable differences from one cabinet door to the next.
Intense Sorting of the Raw Lumber Leads to Increased Material Waste
Achieving the needed level of consistency requires the basic lumber to go through a more rigorous sorting process.
Because of the increased vigilance on a select grade order, more raw lumber gets rejected at the first couple stages of our production line. Approximately 60% of the lumber we receive isn’t up to the quality requirements of our select grade material.
For comparison purposes, approximately 20% of raw lumber is unusable for our standard grade material. Upgrading to select grade material means the waste increases by about 40%.
Increased Attention to Detail Means More Doors Get Rejected
At every step of production, select grade orders go through a more intense quality inspection.
When we look at a select grade cabinet door, we ask ourselves:
- Is the color consistent?
- Is the grain pattern similar across the entire door?
- Are there any noticeable details that could draw the eye?
If the cabinet door has inconsistent color or grain pattern or has a detail that could draw attention, it is rejected and remade.
In summary, select grade orders incur extra expense at every stage of the production line because additional labor and materials are needed to ensure that every cabinet door in the order meets the select grade requirements.
When You Should Order Select Grade Cabinet Doors
Now you understand why select grade materials are more expensive. But when should you choose select grade over a less expensive grade?
As a rule, if your customer wants highly consistent color and wood grain, you should order select grade cabinet doors. Some customers want their solid wood kitchen to look almost perfect, like veneer or thermofoil.
In cases like this, it is vital to ensure you choose a select grade material to make sure your customer is happy with the end product.
More generally, you should choose select grade material for any orders getting a light stain finish, a clear lacquer finish, or a whitewash finish. Those finish options don’t hide color variation in the wood, so it is important to have consistent wood color.
When You Should Not Order Select Grade Cabinet Doors
There are some cases when you don’t need to order select grade cabinet doors, regardless of the finish type. If your customer likes the natural characteristics of wood, and wants those characteristics to shine, you shouldn’t choose select grade materials.
Why People Still Order Select Grade Cabinet Doors
While it’s true that select grade cabinet doors are a lot more expensive, people still request and pay for them. Why?
If the kitchen design your customer wants requires consistent color, select grade material is the best option available. Your customers will accept the cost if the style or design they want is important to them. Or, they will adjust the design if the cost is too great.
Either way, it is vital to understand that great color consistency comes with a higher cost. You can’t compromise on the price and still expect the same quality and color consistency.
Select Grade Cabinet Doors Are Worth the Extra Cost
In the past, you may have struggled with knowing when to use select grade materials or how to convey their value to your customers. This uncertainty could lead to orders that didn’t meet expectations, creating costly adjustments and dissatisfied clients. Now, you understand why select grade cabinet doors are more expensive, when they are the right choice, and how to explain their benefits to customers who value premium quality.
With this knowledge, you can budget accurately, avoid project setbacks, and confidently deliver results that meet your customers’ high standards. Now, learn how to price out your select grade cabinet doors online to streamline your quoting.
