That job in a 1920s bungalow where the previous guy used particle board for everything

I got called in to fix a kitchen in an old bungalow near downtown Portland last month. The previous cabinetmaker had used particle board for all the drawer boxes and even some face frames. After three years, the stuff was swelling up and falling apart from normal kitchen moisture. The homeowner showed me a drawer that literally crumbled when she pulled it out. I ended up ripping out every piece he installed and replacing it with Baltic birch plywood. It cost her around $4,000 more than it should have if he had done it right the first time. Has anyone else run into builders using cheap materials to save a buck?

2 comments

2 Comments

evan_anderson1mo ago

Particle board's got its place. Cheap stock cabinets at the big box store use it and last ten years easy. Not everything needs to be heirloom quality.

grant1301mo ago

Did you read that article in Fine Homebuilding last year where they tested particle board drawers and they all failed after like 18 months of normal use? It's wild how some guys still use that stuff even knowing it'll just fall apart.