Many cabinet shops begin by building every component in-house, including cabinet doors. As a shop grows, door production can quickly become a bottleneck, and one of the most time consuming, schedule derailing parts of the process.
That’s when many cabinetmakers begin to consider outsourcing some or all of their cabinet doors.
A lot of cabinetmakers don’t outsource because they can’t build the doors, but because it helps keep projects on schedule. It becomes a decision about making production run more efficiently so shops can use the same craftsmen and and increase throughput and continue to deliver quality work, on time.
When Outsourcing Cabinet Doors Benefits a Cabinet Shop
When Door Production Impacts Cabinet Delivery Schedule
Door production requires machining, sanding, assembly, finish prep and specific material, tooling and equipment inventory . When several projects are in process, door work can compete with cabinet construction for shop time and space, and schedules can fall behind.
Outsourcing cabinet doors can help maintain production momentum and keep installations on schedule.
When Customers Request New Door Styles or Materials
Homeowners and designers often request door styles or materials that require specialized tooling or material. Producing these doors in-house may require additional tooling, setup, machinery or material inventory. Outsourcing cabinet doors allows cabinetmakers to offer a wider variety of styles and materials while keeping workflow efficient. And it frees up that shop space for additional cabinet business.
When Knowing Exact Cabinet Door Cost Is Important
When cabinet shops make cabinet doors in house, there is estimating of shop overhead, labor, raw material waste, remakes, machinery maintenance, etc that all factor into the cabinet door cost. These estimates can vary in accuracy depending on the project which makes profit margins more difficult to forecast.
Outsourcing cabinet doors means the entire cabinet door cost is known. It can make estimating and budgeting more concrete and accurate.
Common Questions About Outsourcing Cabinet Doors
For many cabinetmakers, outsourcing doors raises understandable questions. Cabinet doors are one of the most visible elements of a finished cabinet, so quality and consistency matter.
Common questions from cabinet shops:
- Will the doors arrive exact size and square?
- Will construction and sanding be consistent?
- Will wood quality match the rest of the cabinetry?
- Will outsourcing complicate the shop’s workflow?
The key to finding a cabinet door supplier whose answers to these questions fits the needs of your cabinet shop, is working with a door maker who understands cabinetmakers’ needs, and builds doors to the same standards shops expect in their own work.
TaylorCraft started long ago as a cabinet company, before we transitioned to solely making cabinet doors. We are not just business to business. We are craftsman to craftsman, woodworker to woodworker. Read more about our focus, experience and history on our About page.
To see what cabinetmakers say about buying from TaylorCraft, visit our Reviews page and read and watch videos where seasoned cabinetmakers talk from their shop floor about their experience buying custom cabinet doors.
What Cabinetmakers Should Look for in a Cabinet Door Supplier
When a cabinetmaker decides to outsource doors, whether regularly or to supplement during busy times, choosing the right supplier makes all the difference.
Precision and Consistency
Cabinetmakers depend on doors that arrive to exact specifications. Accurate size and square and consistent joinery make installation faster and reduce the need for adjustments. TaylorCraft uses the latest CNC, measuring, sanding and QC equipment which allows us to deliver 100% precise and accurate size and square cabinet doors.
Quality Materials
The quality of hardwood selection, joinery and sanding all affect how well doors finish and how they perform over time. TaylorCraft’s decades of experience as a cabinet shop prior to switching entirely to cabinet door production gives us an understanding of cabinetmakers’ need for consistent material quality. We offer multiple lumber species and grades to fit the needs of every project, from the highest end, stain-grade jobs to paint grade projects with tight budget constraints.
Customization without Overwhelm
Cabinetmakers need flexibility in edge and panel profiles, stile and rail widths, without having to look through hundreds of options. TaylorCraft has curated a selection of the top requested profiles and options to simplify the selection process and give buyers confidence they’re selecting an option with staying power.
A Simple Way to Start
Many cabinetmakers begin outsourcing by purchasing doors for a single project to evaluate quality, lead time and workflow. When the process works well, the supplier becomes a reliable option when schedules tighten, additional capacity is needed or as an extension of the shop without adding fixed overhead.
Supporting the Craft of Cabinetmaking
Outsourcing cabinet doors doesn’t replace craftsmanship. It supports it. Many cabinetmakers find that working with a reliable door supplier allows them to focus on cabinet construction, installation and growing their business.
TaylorCraft builds custom cabinet doors to cabinetmakers’ door lists, shipping nationwide from our Central Texas shop. Our doors arrive 100% accurate and precise size and square, ready for finishing (may need a light touch up sand depending on humidity variation between our shop and yours).
Whether your shop needs occasional backup or ongoing door production support, the goal remains the same: help the finest wood craftsmen keep their cabinet projects on schedule while delivering the quality their customers expect.
Need Extra Cabinet Door Capacity?
If you have an upcoming cabinet job where cabinet door production could slow the schedule, TaylorCraft can help.
Visit our Order Forms and Info page to find out how easy it is to quote a job and place an order. We’ll get back to you quickly with a quote. Or contact us through out Contact page with any questions. We look forward to hearing from you.
