Would love to see pics of vintage kitchen cabinets in the workshop and any resources for finding them that you guys might have...
Watcha got?
Watcha got?
vintage kitchen cabinets...
- Thread starter Ryan
- Start date
PAToyota
Well-known member
Check out your local kitchen remodelers. I went in and asked the one here in town whether they'd have any old cabinets - they told me they bring the cabinets they remove back to the shop and sit them next to their dumpster. If they don't "disappear" they break them down after a few days and throw them in the dumpster. If they "disappear" it saves them the trouble.
Der Bugmeister
Well-known member
- Joined
- Dec 29, 2005
- Messages
- 445
Demo sites can be a good source, but you've probably already figured that one out. I got one set of cupboards from a house that was being torn down (they didn't charge me for the live 22 calibre round I found in it ;-P) and a full set of cabinets from when we remodelled our lodge kitchen.
Not worth taking photos of them at the moment as they're piled with junk and about to be taken out of the attached garage and moved to the new detached...
Not worth taking photos of them at the moment as they're piled with junk and about to be taken out of the attached garage and moved to the new detached...
I have some awaiting refinishing. They came from a friend's home remodel a few years ago. Unfortunately, they are all wall cabinets. I'd like to find some nice base units, too.
The toughest part is going to be removing 60 years' worth of contact paper from the insides...
The toughest part is going to be removing 60 years' worth of contact paper from the insides...
autoist
MEMBER EMERITUS
Apartment complex in my area was remodeling & I bought all their old upper cabinets for $5 a box!
jwh
Well-known member
Don't forget the ones that are on the curb trash day...That's where all mine came from!!!!!
A little paint works wonders!
John in Rochester NY
A little paint works wonders!
John in Rochester NY
PAToyota
Well-known member
Oh, now I understand! I just thought you were looking for cheap cabinets - like what autoist did. Actually, I have a few of those metal cabinets and plan on painting them up. There's a house down the street for sale that has a full kitchen of them. I'll probably introduce myself to the new neighbors when it sells and see if I can get the cabinets! 
DynoDave said:
Do you have any idea of their age? (I mean the cabinets, not the guys on the poster LOL)
Those are very similar to the ones I have. Mine have a metal shelf in the "over-the-sink" area. I also have a single door cabinet, plus a double door "over the fridge" size.
They need to be stripped (or sanded) and painted...but I can't decide on a color.
Not that it really matters in my slum of a shop...I could just paint them flat black and they would fit right in
Will
autoist
MEMBER EMERITUS
Yep, mine are the 'cheap' particle board '70's cabinets....& they do the job quite adequately...& at $5 apiece, I've got more than enough to cover my entire garage - every wall!
wilbilt said:Do you have any idea of their age? (I mean the cabinets, not the guys on the poster LOL)
Those are very similar to the ones I have. Mine have a metal shelf in the "over-the-sink" area. I also have a single door cabinet, plus a double door "over the fridge" size.
They need to be stripped (or sanded) and painted...but I can't decide on a color.
Not that it really matters in my slum of a shop...I could just paint them flat black and they would fit right in
Will
Will,
I don't know their exact age. They came out of my Grandmothers house. They were original to the house, and that whole area of town was being developed in the late 50's, early 60's. My guess would be early 60's. My Dad built the house I grew up in sometime between 60-64 (62?). And I think this place was just a few years older than that. Don't discount covering them in a vinyl contact paper. It's super easy to work with, has been very durable, cleans well, etc.
Jimbo55
Member
The house I rented before I bought my own had a full set with stainless countertops stored in the basement. The house next door did too, the landlord said he just didn't want to bother with having them hauled away and that they had been there for years. Maybe ask around people you know with rental properties.
There are several sets on ebay, if you are close enough for pickup.
I like this base corner:
http://cgi.ebay.com/50s-YOUNGSTOWN-...ryZ63564QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
I like this base corner:
http://cgi.ebay.com/50s-YOUNGSTOWN-...ryZ63564QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
sirstude
Active member
Dave,
I have the same cabinets im my garage, and I got them from the Hospital where I work. We opened in 1968 so that should be a good indication. The bad thing, is about 10 years ago, when we did a remodel, the maintenance department took 145 of the cabinets to the dump and made sure that the crusher ran over them so no one could use them. Sure is short sited thinking, by the maint director then.
Dogu
I have the same cabinets im my garage, and I got them from the Hospital where I work. We opened in 1968 so that should be a good indication. The bad thing, is about 10 years ago, when we did a remodel, the maintenance department took 145 of the cabinets to the dump and made sure that the crusher ran over them so no one could use them. Sure is short sited thinking, by the maint director then.
Dogu
PAToyota
Well-known member
From working on hospital projects, it is often a case of sanitation. Rather than run the risk of issues due to what may have been stored in the cabinets or what they may have come in contact with, they are destroyed.
sirstude
Active member
In this case, it was "No one is ever going to use these" attitude. Nothing to do with sanitation. That is what I hated to see since they are great cabinets.
Doug
Doug
PAToyota
Well-known member
Agreed. I've seen a number of projects where I would have either salvaged materials or put the word out to others - heck, it would have save demo and dumping costs - but they just threw it all in a dumpster...
Special55
Well-known member
I agree,
My father-in-law is a school teacher. Two years ago they were redoing the science department. You know the cabinets I'm talking about. Heavy duty birch base and wall as well as lab cabs. Well he asked the construction guys what they were doing with the old cabs. The response: out to the dumpster with everything. He asked if he could take them once they were set out to the trash and they said help yourself.
Well, needless to say he, my wifes uncle, grandmother and me now have plenty of storage space in our garages and basements.
Sometimes it does pay to just go ahead and ask.
My father-in-law is a school teacher. Two years ago they were redoing the science department. You know the cabinets I'm talking about. Heavy duty birch base and wall as well as lab cabs. Well he asked the construction guys what they were doing with the old cabs. The response: out to the dumpster with everything. He asked if he could take them once they were set out to the trash and they said help yourself.
Well, needless to say he, my wifes uncle, grandmother and me now have plenty of storage space in our garages and basements.
Sometimes it does pay to just go ahead and ask.
I owned and operated a store in our local mall for a while and there was always things being set out by the dumpster from stores remodeling or just getting new display cabinets, all the time. I hauled home this one unit that was actually four shelving units (there were two attached side to side then two more attached to the the back, so it made a large rectangle). It then had two side units attached as well and a top to cover the whole thing. I don't know how the got it out of the mall completely assembled, but it sat that way for a while. Some one finally came and detached all the units, that's where I came in and snatched 'em up. I didn't have enough space for all of them, so I gave two to my brother. I cut the top up and made doors for one of them.
The mall is a great place to find stuff! I'd just check with the rent-a-cops before you start loading up.
The mall is a great place to find stuff! I'd just check with the rent-a-cops before you start loading up.
jhchoppers
Well-known member
I found these at Scott Air Force Base, only paid $300 for all of them. These were from the on base housing that was built back in the 70s and was being torn down.
Inetmonkey
Well-known member
jhchoppers said:
Hey, those are great! Nice bike too!
Where'd you get the Budweiser chair? Is that one of those inflatable ones?
jhchoppers
Well-known member
Thanks, I got the chair from the Bud store here in St. Louis after a brewey tour and a couple of free samples....
Toxicscrew
Well-known member
I have a metal kitchen sink cabinet sitting in my dad's barn awaiting resto. I see it in bright Ferrari Red.
Another source is to watch Craigslist all kinds of stuff comes up on there. I got mine off the local Jeep boad.
My Brother in law works for a co. in Manhattan, NY and they redo offices, you would not believe the stuff they through away. My brother drove up there from STL to get a $15K mahagony desk and credenza that was going to the dump. In fact my desk is supported by two heavy azz metal filing cabinets, courtesy of a remodel.
Another source is to watch Craigslist all kinds of stuff comes up on there. I got mine off the local Jeep boad.
My Brother in law works for a co. in Manhattan, NY and they redo offices, you would not believe the stuff they through away. My brother drove up there from STL to get a $15K mahagony desk and credenza that was going to the dump. In fact my desk is supported by two heavy azz metal filing cabinets, courtesy of a remodel.