Chad
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We are unable to offer a shopping cart review where all cabinet sizes are verified against your plans. Our focus is 100% on manufacturing, and we can only provide specific design-related assistance such as appliance sizing recommendations, sink-to-cabinet sizing ratios, cabinet configuration questions, and general design guidance.
This approach helps limit liability, but more importantly, it allows us to stay focused on manufacturing rather than becoming bogged down in project-specific layout verification.
Cabinet layout and measuring are generally straightforward. Follow these three rules and you will avoid the vast majority of issues encountered during installation:
3 Rules of Cabinet Layout
1. Use finished ends on exposed cabinet sides.
Finished end panels should be applied wherever the side of a cabinet will be visible. These panels conceal assembly screw holes and fasteners while providing a clean, finished appearance.2. Use fillers between cabinet runs and walls.
A minimum 2” filler is recommended between the cabinet run and any wall. Fillers compensate for walls that are out of square and provide the necessary clearance for doors and drawers to open without rubbing against the wall.3. Finish the project with toe skins and crown molding.
Toe skins cover the face of the toe-kick area and create the appearance of a single, continuous built-in cabinet run. Crown molding and other decorative millwork can be added to provide additional detail and a more finished appearance. -
Yes, the blind corner cabinets include a full panel in the dead space that is hidden after installation. Unlike some other blind corner designs, this area is completely enclosed, so items stored in the cabinet cannot fall or become trapped in the unused corner space.
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Sure. The holes are pre-drilled for the 3” filler, as shown.
If you’d like the holes removed for the integrated filler, you can request that on City Cabinets using the dropdown option provided. For Barker Cabinets, this is not a selectable option on the website, but you can request hole deletion in the order notes during checkout.
Please note that deleting the holes does not change the filler size. For example, if you plan to move the integrated face-frame filler 1” to the right, you’ll also need to pull the cabinet 1” away from the right wall. In other words, make sure your overall cabinet sizing calculations account for any filler relocation so the finished installation dimensions are correct.
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Chad
AdministratorJune 17, 2026 at 1:42 pm in reply to: Fridge Panels and Wall Corner Recessed Lightsthe height is under 48”, it qualifies as a wall finished end panel, which is significantly less expensive.
Wall and base end panels are edge-banded on all four sides. Tall end panels, however, are not edge-banded on the top and bottom edges since those areas are typically not visible after installation.
If it were my project, I would use a tall end panel with a wall end panel stacked above it. This approach is usually the most cost-effective option while still providing a clean finished appearance.
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Chad
AdministratorJune 16, 2026 at 3:53 pm in reply to: Is Sink base with bottom drawer available from Citycabinet like it is from BarkeSure, I can add this cabinet, but it will likely be a couple of weeks since I am currently out on vacation.
If you need to place the order sooner, simply order a similar cabinet with the exact same size and specifications. In this case, use the B2D1DR cabinet and include a note at checkout requesting that the product code be changed to match the sink cabinet shown on Barker Cabinets in question.
The key requirement is that the quantity of doors, drawer fronts, drawer slides, and related components must remain the same. Otherwise, the paperwork and pricing can get thrown off.
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30” wide drawers are really a medium width in my opinion. Personally, I would use a single pull, even on drawers up to 42” wide.
These drawer boxes and slides are rated for 125 lbs, so you are barely scratching the surface of their weight capacity here.
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Lots of options, all with positives and negatives.
Personally, I would use a FastCap wax kit. Mix up a wax color that mimics the tone and grain of the maple, then get to work filling the holes. Wax is nice because it has a natural sheen, and you can blend different wax colors to create a grain and color match that is nearly impossible to detect.
This is more of an advanced-level craftsmanship skill and does take time to master, so plan on some trial and error before becoming proficient.
About twenty years ago, we had an island on a project get completely destroyed by a subcontractor who used it as a saw stand. Dings everywhere. I went to work with one of these kits and completely saved the island. We could not remove the bar back or end panels because the countertop had already been installed on top and glued to the panel edges. The flooring also ran to the face of the island, so replacing panels would have been a nightmare.
This is what the pros use before the customer ever sees the damage. The results can be phenomenal and last essentially forever when done correctly.
https://www.fastcap.com/product/softwax-kit
Otherwise, just use a color-matched putty from Home Depot and call it good. They sell it near the cabinet stains and finishing supplies. It looks decent, but it is more of a builder-grade quality level.
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Chad
AdministratorJune 16, 2026 at 12:34 pm in reply to: Fridge Panels and Wall Corner Recessed Lights98” tall panels are considered oversized, so they generally do not ship well, are more prone to damage, cost significantly more to freight, and typically require cutting from 10’ panels, which are special order and not commonly stocked by most shops.
If it were me and I had tall refrigerator panels to do, I would break them into two stacked panels or use two separate pieces, keeping the seam away from eye level. This saves money and can look intentional, as long as the seam aligns with something on the face of the cabinet run for a clean, deliberate appearance.
For the wall blind corner with the recessed deck, we are still in the process of adding those options to the website. We actually already have it available on City Cabinets, but Barker lags behind a bit since we use City to test new and experimental cabinet options first. Barker is more of the tried-and-true “Toyota Land Cruiser” equivalent in an automotive sense.
If you need to place your order now, simply order the standard one-door blind corner cabinet in the size you need. Then, in the order notes at checkout, request that the cabinet be changed to the Integrated UCL Version. We will make the change on the backend before production. Just do not forget the order note 🙂
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Chad
AdministratorJune 14, 2026 at 11:42 am in reply to: Unfinished doors – presanded to what grit?Slab maple doors (plywood slab doors with banded edges) are made from maple veneer over a plywood core. The panels come pre sanded from the mill, are cut to size, edge banded, and then hand sanded with an orbital sander using 220 grit to clean up the seams after banding.
There should not be saw marks, as sheet veneers are not cut using a saw blade. If a stain is revealing swirl or “saw like” marks, it may be highlighting the orbital sanding pattern from production. In that case, a light once over with a higher grit sandpaper before staining may help reduce the visibility. Lighter stains tend to be much more temperamental and will expose surface inconsistencies far more than darker stains. Combine this with the fact that each real wood veneer species accepting stain differently and you can see why pros charge a ton for hand staining.
Personally, I prefer selecting a wood species that naturally has the color you want and then applying a clear finish over the top. This approach makes future repairs much easier if damage occurs, since touch ups are generally more forgiving than trying to match a stained finish.
We are currently in the final stages of experimenting with a “weathered tint” finish. This is essentially a clear coat with a very small amount of white pigment, primarily titanium dioxide, mixed in. The goal is to soften wild grain variation and reduce the warmth and yellow tones of the underlying wood.
This works especially well on lighter species like maple, giving it a cleaner, more natural “fresh maple” appearance without the yellowing that can develop over time. Think of it as a very lightly toned, semi transparent finish, just a hint of white, not paint.
Darker wood species can benefit as well. The tint helps reduce color variation between veneer flitches, creating a more even appearance from door to door. For example, you could start with walnut and slightly brighten or soften it to resemble the tone of a medium stained maple.
I prefer this method because our finishing line applies the exact same amount of tint and finish to every door. That consistency removes the variability that comes with hand applied stains, where changes in spray technique or application rate can create noticeable batch to batch differences.
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Chad
AdministratorJune 8, 2026 at 8:25 am in reply to: Barker door test order 1″ gap on hinge side. Cup hole drilling issue or measureYou are fine. The doors are measured correctly, and the hinge cup drilling is universal, it does not change based on which hinge is used or selected. Only the hinges themselves change to accommodate different overlay sizes.
You need the 1” overlay hinges. The hinges you are showing are only 1/2” overlay, which is the more common default hinge.
For a full-overlay reface, you will need to change the hinges to accommodate a larger door overlay. In your situation, go with the 1” overlay hinge to properly cover the 1” gap, as shown.
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Sure. You can order the exposed cabinet 5/8” deeper than the upper cabinet. This will bring the cabinet face flush with the finished end panel for a cleaner appearance.
There will still be a small vertical seam between the end panel and the cabinet, but it is minimal and typically not very noticeable.
You can request a depth adjustment in 5/8” increments by adding it to the preset notes at checkout.
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Yeah, that might work. It is a bit bulky, but it would be durable.
Typically, I do not install the angle restrictor clips because there is still a lot of flex in those hinges. You can literally bend the door back another 15 degrees past the max opening angle if you put some effort into it.
In my own kitchen, I have not had issues with knobs hitting adjacent cabinets, but my kids sure try their best to damage the worst and hardest-to-repair areas, like the tall end panels and refrigerator panels. For example, opening the refrigerator when the oven door is open.
Unfortunately, there is not much we can do about the refrigerator panels, since that is a completely different Liebherr hinge system.
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Chad
AdministratorJune 3, 2026 at 1:33 pm in reply to: Imagine a Refrigerator End Panel as a Shallow PantryAll good 🙂
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Here is a link to their catalog. This is where I am pulling info from:
https://www.blum.com/file/concealedhinges_ep_dok_bus?country=us&language=en -
Sure, I dug up the catalog and found the restrictor plate needed for the straight-arm hinges. It looks like the part number is 70T3553. See the picture below for confirmation, along with screenshots to verify.
I do not believe there are angle restrictor clips for the blind corner hinges, since those hinges are already limited to a 95-degree opening angle.
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