# Are they good Shenandoah Cabinets good quality?



## robertmazzo

I am looking Shenandoah Cabinets, which are made by American Woodmark Corp exclusively for Loew's. They seem to be priced a little lower than what we saw at Home Depot. The funny thing is I believe the cabinets I looked at in Home Depot are made by American Woodmark.
I was wondering if anyone know if Shenandoah Cabinets are of good quality. Am I going to be disappointed afterwards ? I don't want to save two thousand dollars and be disappointed later.
Thank you for your advice.

Sinerely,
Bob
New Jersey


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## redline

How thick are the cabinets?
What material are they made of?
Do they feel solid?
What type of joints are used?
Is there a warranty?
Are the sides made of cabinet quality wood or other?


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## robertmazzo

thank you, Redline. I will go ahead and ask those questions at Loews. Hopefully I will get the correct response. Perhaps some online resources will have the answers to those questions as well. I will investigate.
Good day,
Bob


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## handyman923

We bought Shenandoah cabinets from lowes... The drawers are pretty solid; they are maple and I think they may be dovetailed. The face frames are solid maple as well and seem to be of decent quality. The rest of the cabinets are melamine covered particle board. Overall, we were pleased with the cabinets. They are definitely not a custom quality cabinet, but they are decent. We have had them 2 years now and everything has stood up so far. When we got the cabinets, two doors had blemishes on them, but Lowes sent us replacement doors without much hassle.

Hope that helps!


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## fhivinylwindows

How long do you expect them to last? Are you selling the house soon? AM makes good cabinets however they are not great or anywhere near what you would get unless you went with a custom shop. If they fit your needs, buy them. If you want a "Bentley" shop for a "Bentley" if you want a Chevy Cavalier, you found it.


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## 747

always make sure the drawers are dovetail construction.


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## silenttracker

*Shenandoah Cabinets*

I also purchased a base cabinet in Hickory. The drawers are dovetailed with 3/4 face and are solid. The doors are tongue and groove rails and stiles with raised panels and seem well made. I made the top out of solid core door with rounded edges and used Hickory veneer to finish the back and sides for a center isle kitchen cabinet for my wife's birthday. Put locking castors on the bottom for moveability. Stands up well to everyday use by two boys and us.:wink:


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## Mike T

Yes dove tail construction is a must... i thought and was under the impression that HD sold thomasville cabinets but i could be wrong...

Shenandoah are ok ... not by any means the Cadillac of Cabinets but better than some so called new home Woodmark contruction cabinets that are not dovetailed and last about 1 year with hard use


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## jsnae

*addition to house*

We are adding an addition to our existing house thereby making the kitchen much larger. We are in the market for good quality cabinets...we looked at Lowe's Shenandoah line, but am unsure of quality and resale 15 or so years down the line...if anyone can help us it would be greatly appreciated!


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## orsoivebeentold

*quality kitchen furniture*

I found a site with some very nice bakers racks, which compliment almost any kitchen.The site also offers some lovely curio cabinets, and something called bombe chests. I had never heard of a bombe chest before, but they are some of the loveliest and most unique cabinets I have ever seen. Check out www.duvallswoodwright.com and follow the links.


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## Diznix

*NOT so good quality*

I purchased a Shenandoah kitchen in June and because of MULTIPLE quality control issues sent them back in mid Sept. I had 6 different shippments and still did NOT have a complete kitchen to install. BEWARE, Lowes/Shenandoah has a return policy on these cabinets that is not very friendly, ie. if you have installed the cabinets in any way, "they" will only replace/repair. I've had a bit of a fight to get a full refund on the kitchen I returned and it's not final yet. If you are interested, I have photos I'm willing to share of the problems I've had with the cabinets


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## notech

ditto diznix - we have just begun opening the cabinets that were delivered a month ago. Chips on the face and doors of every one of them. the inside edges are VERY sharp and I'm sure they will easily chip. One of them was crushed on the corner and several doors have splits in them. One was even glued at the factory to try to cover it. We haven't even opened the base cabinets yet.

The boxes were fine, so I assume this is all quality control issues at the factory. I am very disappointed and don't expect these cabinets to last more than a couple years. I ordered Cherry Bordeaux for the beauty of cherry, but the only way I see these lasting long term is to putty and paint in the future.

Also, the backs are a thin carboard material covered by interior laminate. Lowes won't tell you that, and you assume they are mdf or something similar thickness by looking at the display.

I googled Shenandoah before purchasing and they had very good reviews. It looks like my delivery in Oct and Diznix in June, quality control has gone downhill bigtime. I thought it was odd that my order was completed in 10 days, when normally it takes 3 weeks minimum, and we had our base cabinets depth customized.

VERY disappointed. Even Lowes stock maple cabinets are far superior to this Shennandoah junk.

Kraftmaid quality has gone downhill also from posts I have read at gardenweb.com's forums, so it looks like these low end cabinets are not worth the money, or aggravation of planning countertop fabrication, etc and not having cabinets to install.

jeez. real bummer. These cabinets are SO bad, after coming up with this thread on a google search, I registered just to post this and warn others.


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## ratbike

*Shenandoah cabinets?*

I was initially looking at Merillat. The guy at Lowes convinced me Shenandoah was a viable alternative. After looking at the sample in the store I was convinced. What they sent to my house and what I bought are definately 2 different expectations. I have half my cabinets in and stopped until a rep. can come out. I have a total of 14 upper cabinets, 12 lower cabinets, and a 6 foot x 4 foot island (not even unboxed yet). Out of 9 uppers and 10 lowers, I have 2 entire cabinets that need replacing along with about 75% of the doors and or drawers. I paid good money. The mechanics of the cabinets seem good, its just the "finish quality" I expected for this good money just isn't there. Its like they cut the doors with dull router bits or something, and then never sanded them and applied the finish right over the dirt and scruff. for the money I paid.... Unacceptable!
I guess this could happen to any cabinet you order. Just research it first to make sure other customers are satisfied. So far I'm not, but they are at least coming to look at it and supposedly going to try and make me happy. We'll see.


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## mdlbldrmatt135

Mike T said:


> Yes dove tail construction is a must... i thought and was under the impression that HD sold thomasville cabinets but i could be wrong...
> 
> Shenandoah are ok ... not by any means the Cadillac of Cabinets but better than some so called new home Woodmark contruction cabinets that are not dovetailed and last about 1 year with hard use


 
HD Sells: Thomasville, Kraftmaid as well as several others

I Got my Kraftmaid thru them melamine w. Dovetailed drawers..... holding up really well after 3 years of use


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## Ron6519

Cabinet companies make multiple carcass types that look the same. Lowest cost is the melamine covered particle board. Next is 1/2" ply and the last is 3/4" ply. There is about an 8-10% upcharge for each step up. Some doors have veneered raised panels , some have solid wood. Alot of companies are moving away from 3/4 extension guides to the full extension guides.
Before you even walk into a dealer to order cabinets, do research on construction options.
Ron


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## starblue337

*shenandoah cabinets*

i think shenandoah cabinets are S*!T ! :furious: the smaller parts get shipped in thin cardboard wrapping that say "fragile" but they are all torn up and the product is all dented and its just crap work. we have had soooo much problems with them.
home depot and Lowe's are owned by the same "mother company" so they are basically the same store.

_{there isn't any information anywhere that indicates Lowes & Home Depot are owned by the same Parent company - Moderator} _

the only GOOD thing is that "American Woodmark has been recognized by the Kitchen Cabinet Manufacturers Association (KCMA) for its use of environmentally responsible materials in its cabinetry.":thumbsup: 

but they are nice looking cabinets (if your lucky)but they have sooo many problems with them. i would suggest you buy the better quality and more expensive brand!!:thumbsup:


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## Construct51

*Shenandoah Cabinets*

I have nothing but great things to say about this company! I did countless research and found American Woodmark found at Home Depot and Shenandoah at Lowe's to be top notch. I found countless articles that ranked them much higher then both Kraftmaid and Thomasville. Reading from the posts listed above I believe that these customers were expecting "Custom Cabinets" that would cost about 15 fold compared to Shenandoah. I also think they must have gotten the very few bad batches that go out becasue I looked at this company in and out before I purchased and they produce thousands and thousands of kitchens on a yearly basis. Whatever the product may be there will always be faults. Its unfortunate that it has happend to the people above. I purchased Winchester Maple Cream and couldn't be more happy. I opted for the silent close option and absolutley love it on my silverware drawer. I also saved about $3500 over the other two companies. This company was also just on "Oprah" and is constantly on "Spice Up My Kitchen" as I am an HGTV addict. Hats off to Shenandoah Cabinetry for my beautiful kitchen.


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## angus242

Construct51 said:


> I have nothing but great things to say about this company! I did countless research and found American Woodmark found at Home Depot and Shenandoah at Lowe's to be top notch. I found countless articles that ranked them much higher then both Kraftmaid and Thomasville. Reading from the posts listed above I believe that these customers were expecting "Custom Cabinets" that would cost about 15 fold compared to Shenandoah. I also think they must have gotten the very few bad batches that go out becasue I looked at this company in and out before I purchased and they produce thousands and thousands of kitchens on a yearly basis. Whatever the product may be there will always be faults. Its unfortunate that it has happend to the people above. I purchased Winchester Maple Cream and couldn't be more happy. I opted for the silent close option and absolutley love it on my silverware drawer. I also saved about $3500 over the other two companies. This company was also just on "Oprah" and is constantly on "Spice Up My Kitchen" as I am an HGTV addict. Hats off to Shenandoah Cabinetry for my beautiful kitchen.


Glad that you are happy! Cabinets are kind of like cars, lots of manufacturers and some are better than others. It comes down to preference a lot of the time....some like a Chevy better than Ford.
What I can tell you is that markup on cabinets can be ridiculous. When you shop at Lowes or Home Depot, they are acting as a sales rep for the cabinet manufacture. This creates an additional middleman. As an independent remodeler, I can deal with who I want and have a more direct purchasing chain. This way, the discounts get passed on directly to the customer. I can tell you 100% of the time, I can not only compete with, but beat the big box stores cabinet lines every time. When I spec out cabinets, they are every bit as equal to, and most times exceed what you can get from the big stores. We _are _talking apples to apples here...and my apples are always better! On top of that, I actually bring samples to your home. You can see what the cabinets will look like in the actual space they will reside. I am also the installer so no mix-ups between the Home Depot sales rep and the contractor who will install. I've tried that game before as an installer for a big store and it went bad. The HO paid for the store rep to come and measure. I showed up to install once the cabinets arrived 4 weeks later (I get mine in 10 working days) and as it turned out, the store rep measured wrong. Now I had to come up with the solution, the HO had to order additional cabinets and I had to highly modify a few of the cabinets anyway. Oh yeah, it took an additional 4 weeks to get the new pieces.
While this won't always be the scenario, there are advantages to an independent installer. My work is guaranteed in writing for 2 years and the cabinets are warrantied for life. Oh yeah, and my prices are about 25-40% cheaper overall. 
I suggest people get MULTIPLE quotes. That's the only way you'll be able to tell if you're getting a good deal for your area. The lowest bid isn't always the best, nor is the highest. Check references and ask to see completed work. And check on the schedule. I do not think 10+ weeks from ordering to completion is reasonable.....unless you are getting CUSTOM cabinets.

I hope you enjoy your new kitchen for many years to come!


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## troubleseeker

notech said:


> ditto diznix -
> our base cabinets depth customized.
> 
> 
> Kraftmaid quality has gone downhill also from posts I have read at gardenweb.com's forums, so it looks like these low end cabinets are not worth the money, or aggravation of planning countertop fabrication, etc and not having cabinets to install.
> quote]
> 
> Although I have not installed any Kraftmaid recently, that is what I have been told by our cabinet supplier. We used to install lots of Kraftmaid; they were a nicely finished cabinet for the price , and the upgrade to wood dovetailed drawer boxes gave you a good unit for still a moderate price. Our supplier dropped the line completely about a year ago, because they said they were having a constant flow of quality control problems from the factory with them.
> 
> We do everything we can to discourage customers from buying cabinets from Lowes/HD, for the problems talked about in other posts. You are most likely going to end up with a wrong/incomplete order and their follow up service is nothing to get excited about IMO. When HO suggest this, we explain that in our experience, the price will be a few hundred dollars cheaper initially, but by the time we have to do extra work to make the wrong cabinets work, or you have to order extra pieces that were overlooked, you are not gaining anything in the end, except a job that is slower to completion than planned and usually still costs the same or more than if you had ordered cabinets from a kitchen supplier.


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## ltmike98

*Horrible Experience with Shenandoah and Lowes*

We're awaiting a second shipment on Shenandoah cabinets since the first set arrived with 6/10 broken, chipped, and in just plain horrible condition. I really don't understand how this stuff can make it past any QC at the factory unless the managers there are blind or actively oblivious to any quality in their craftsmanship. Given that its been over 2months and we still haven't had anything installed yet, I think its time for us to gripe about our miserable experiences with American Woodmark Cabinetry, namely the Shenandoah Cabinets we ordered through Lowes and have yet to be installed in our house as we contracted. We can't even get these folks to return our calls much less install cabinets we've paid good money for. I would never recommend anyone use any of these companies listed above. You are better off using a local, smaller company instead of one of these corporate giants.


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## dabbycosh

*Good Cabinets but beware of Lowes Gift Cards*

We chose to order our cabinets through Lowes, not Home Depot, because of the GREAT offer to get back a Rebate for all the cabinets we ordered.. Once we spent thousands of dollars. We were then told, we did not order the specific cabinets to qualify for a REBATe. Lowes is trying to blame Shenandoah, and will not take blame nor back up the offer. 
If we had none this we would have purchased same cabinets through Home Depot under the American Woodworks name. For a better price.
So make sure to ask alot of questions and do your home work, also if you are ordering and spending money at Lowes or Home Depot, make sure to get it in writting that you are to get the rebate. Or you too may be out hundreds of dollars.
The Cabinets are a good quality, we ordered the Mckinley and love the look. But would have gone with another type if told we were not getting the rebate.:wink::no:


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## Construct51

Just finished putting up my second set of Shenandoah Cabinets up, this time for my basement. I purchased the doorstyle Solana Maple. I guess I'm the lucky one, but I'm two for two with this company. Everything went in without a problem. What do people expect from buying from Lowe's an 80K custom kitchen, I don't think so. I believe the finish this company uses can out do any little mans shop who don't have the million dollar equipment? Anyways 2 thumbs up for Shenandoah!


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## Construct51

*Good Cabinets but beware of Lowes Gift Cards* 
In response to the post two above

Forgot to mention I purchased my Shenandoah Cabinets during this time period as well. Lowe's was offering the gift card not the cabinet company. I called the customer service at the company and was informed that they were not responsible for the cards. I then talk to Lowe's corporate and they took care of it.


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## info29

*Angus 242 ... can you elaborate*



angus242 said:


> Glad that you are happy! Cabinets are kind of like cars, lots of manufacturers and some are better than others. It comes down to preference a lot of the time....some like a Chevy better than Ford.
> What I can tell you is that markup on cabinets can be ridiculous. When you shop at Lowes or Home Depot, they are acting as a sales rep for the cabinet manufacture. This creates an additional middleman. As an independent remodeler, I can deal with who I want and have a more direct purchasing chain. This way, the discounts get passed on directly to the customer. I can tell you 100% of the time, I can not only compete with, but beat the big box stores cabinet lines every time. When I spec out cabinets, they are every bit as equal to, and most times exceed what you can get from the big stores. We _are _talking apples to apples here...and my apples are always better! On top of that, I actually bring samples to your home. You can see what the cabinets will look like in the actual space they will reside. I am also the installer so no mix-ups between the Home Depot sales rep and the contractor who will install. I've tried that game before as an installer for a big store and it went bad. The HO paid for the store rep to come and measure. I showed up to install once the cabinets arrived 4 weeks later (I get mine in 10 working days) and as it turned out, the store rep measured wrong. Now I had to come up with the solution, the HO had to order additional cabinets and I had to highly modify a few of the cabinets anyway. Oh yeah, it took an additional 4 weeks to get the new pieces.
> While this won't always be the scenario, there are advantages to an independent installer. My work is guaranteed in writing for 2 years and the cabinets are warrantied for life. Oh yeah, and my prices are about 25-40% cheaper overall.
> I suggest people get MULTIPLE quotes. That's the only way you'll be able to tell if you're getting a good deal for your area. The lowest bid isn't always the best, nor is the highest. Check references and ask to see completed work. And check on the schedule. I do not think 10+ weeks from ordering to completion is reasonable.....unless you are getting CUSTOM cabinets.
> 
> I hope you enjoy your new kitchen for many years to come!


I'm in the process and have sat with approx 8 places mapping out my new kitchen. They all sell different brands. I'm trying to understand the difference between Kraftmaid, Crystal, Armstrong, Schrock, Diamond, Showplace, Candlelight, Decora, Quakermaid, Camelot (made by Elm Mfg). They all have dovetails, apprently can all come in complete wood box and interior. However, how does one distinguish between the long term quality of the build vs paying for the name recognition, etc. To further the car anology ... I buy Toyota, although it is more expensive than the comparable American vehicle because of the quality for the $. However, I would not buy a Lexus as the incremental functionality is not justified by me and the extra $s in my mind is more of the nameplate. Any advise you can provide to assist me in narrowing down my selection is appreciated. 

Also, what are your thoughts on the decision between granite vs quartz? 

We currently have an island and are contemplating utilizing a peninsula instead due to the comparative narrow width of the kitchen. We have received differing feedback ... some state a peninsula is fine othes say peninsulas have come and gone. 

And finally, we also currently have a built in pantry. It is looking like it would be the best utilization of the space to get rid of the pantry and place the refrigerator in that place. Feedback from some is that a built-in pantry is "to die for". Thoughts?

Tx


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## Termite

There's nothing like custom-made cabinets. That can't be argued!

That being said, a couple of posts earlier in this thread stated that you must have dovetailed drawers, and one person theorized that drawers without dovetails would hardly last a year. Pooey.

I think it is worth mentioning that there are other ways to build drawers that are absolutely rock solid, without the added expense of dovetails. I do a lot of dovetails, and they're undoubtedly strong and classic. But, they're pricey. The new "drawer lock" bits are often used by cabinet companies, and they produce incredibly strong glue joints. Some shops use rabbeted joints that are strong enough to last decades under all sorts of use.


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## angus242

info29 said:


> I'm in the process and have sat with approx 8 places mapping out my new kitchen. They all sell different brands. I'm trying to understand the difference between Kraftmaid, Crystal, Armstrong, Schrock, Diamond, Showplace, Candlelight, Decora, Quakermaid, Camelot (made by Elm Mfg). They all have dovetails, apprently can all come in complete wood box and interior. However, how does one distinguish between the long term quality of the build vs paying for the name recognition, etc. To further the car anology ... I buy Toyota, although it is more expensive than the comparable American vehicle because of the quality for the $. However, I would not buy a Lexus as the incremental functionality is not justified by me and the extra $s in my mind is more of the nameplate. Any advise you can provide to assist me in narrowing down my selection is appreciated.
> 
> Also, what are your thoughts on the decision between granite vs quartz?
> 
> We currently have an island and are contemplating utilizing a peninsula instead due to the comparative narrow width of the kitchen. We have received differing feedback ... some state a peninsula is fine othes say peninsulas have come and gone.
> 
> And finally, we also currently have a built in pantry. It is looking like it would be the best utilization of the space to get rid of the pantry and place the refrigerator in that place. Feedback from some is that a built-in pantry is "to die for". Thoughts?
> 
> Tx


Info,

There's no real answer to your question. It's going to be a combination of finding the features YOU want for your budget. The main line of cabinets I sell would be considered mid-grade. I, however, feel they're more than that. Yes, I can get the stripped down version with particle board ends and glued drawers with standard glides. Or, I can get full ply boxes with dovetail under mount glides w/full extension and soft close (Blumotion). I can get matching interiors and I can even customize certain cabinets to my specs because of how much business I do with them. Someone mentioned here waiting 10 weeks for their order...that's crazy. I can get mine in 10 days. If I have a problem with a delivery (damage), I get replacements in a week. 
Bottom line is to make sure you LOVE what you are choosing. 
Granite is a fad. There's nothing wrong with it but some people put too much into it. I personally love the uniqueness of some granite. Others are so typical I can't imagine people paying the premium for it (uba tuba). I just got a one of a kind slab for my hall bath. It cannot be duplicated by a man-made material. That said, I feel quartz is perhaps the best kitchen counter choice....all things considered. That is IF you can handle the look of it. Some people want the granite look so they need to go with granite. Quartz is about as indestructible as you will get. Not porous, no sealing, highly heat resistant, highly scratch resistant. 
I lean towards islands over peninsulas because of traffic patterns. Islands allow free flow, peninsulas create barriers. 
Pantries are a luxury. While you might not need the storage, most families surely do. If you truly want the frig relocated to the current pantry area, consider a stand alone pantry to match your cabinets. I do them all the time. Only 2 adults and a pre-teen in my house and we couldn't live without one!

Good luck


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## AggieMom

*Good Info*



angus242 said:


> Glad that you are happy! Cabinets are kind of like cars, lots of manufacturers and some are better than others. It comes down to preference a lot of the time....some like a Chevy better than Ford.
> What I can tell you is that markup on cabinets can be ridiculous. When you shop at Lowes or Home Depot, they are acting as a sales rep for the cabinet manufacture. This creates an additional middleman. As an independent remodeler, I can deal with who I want and have a more direct purchasing chain. This way, the discounts get passed on directly to the customer. I can tell you 100% of the time, I can not only compete with, but beat the big box stores cabinet lines every time. When I spec out cabinets, they are every bit as equal to, and most times exceed what you can get from the big stores. We _are _talking apples to apples here...and my apples are always better! On top of that, I actually bring samples to your home. You can see what the cabinets will look like in the actual space they will reside. I am also the installer so no mix-ups between the Home Depot sales rep and the contractor who will install. I've tried that game before as an installer for a big store and it went bad. The HO paid for the store rep to come and measure. I showed up to install once the cabinets arrived 4 weeks later (I get mine in 10 working days) and as it turned out, the store rep measured wrong. Now I had to come up with the solution, the HO had to order additional cabinets and I had to highly modify a few of the cabinets anyway. Oh yeah, it took an additional 4 weeks to get the new pieces.
> While this won't always be the scenario, there are advantages to an independent installer. My work is guaranteed in writing for 2 years and the cabinets are warrantied for life. Oh yeah, and my prices are about 25-40% cheaper overall.
> I suggest people get MULTIPLE quotes. That's the only way you'll be able to tell if you're getting a good deal for your area. The lowest bid isn't always the best, nor is the highest. Check references and ask to see completed work. And check on the schedule. I do not think 10+ weeks from ordering to completion is reasonable.....unless you are getting CUSTOM cabinets.
> 
> I hope you enjoy your new kitchen for many years to come!


Gosh Angus, where do you live???? I'm looking for somebody just like you in San Antonio


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## desintgry

*I'm glad you asked this question!*

I'm curious myself about the quality of these cabinets too! I haven't been able to figure them out. Every time I inquire with a designer at Lowes I haven't been able to get a straight forward answer about quality and damage control on these cabinets. I knew the prices were good on them but I have been reading other comments and some of these posts aren't making any sense. The Shenandoah booklet I picked up claims that these are all wood cabinets. It says nothing about a furniture board laminated backing. The only way to know for sure if Shannadoah is the same company at Homedepot is to look for the manufacturer listed. For example, Diamond cabinetry at Lowes is sold at Menards as Schrock Cabinetry. Same exact thing, just a different contract with the supplier at different costs. They change the door names and supply different lines but both companies are manufactured by Masterbrand Cabinetry!


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## AggieMom

*Lowe's Cabinets*

Best as I can determine, Shenandoah cabinets is the name applied to the American Woodmark Cabinetry sold at Home Depot. While at Lowes, I picked up two separate books--one had "Shenandoah" and one had "American Woodmark". They were the exact same cabinets. If you go to americanwoodmark.com, it states: 
Our *Shenandoah Cabinetry®* brand is available exclusively at _Lowe's_. Offered in 50 different style and finish combinations, *Shenandoah* makes cabinetry more affordable with a quality look that holds up over time. All cabinetry comes with American Woodmark’s TuffTech® and BeautyGuard® finishes to resist scuffs, scratches, fading and moisture.

So in my opinion, they are the same, just sorta like mattress companies produce the exact same product, but with different names, to sell at different stores--that way you cannot compare prices and you cannot get the "price guarantee" if the price is lower somewhere else.

A friend of mine ordered the Lowes Shenandoah cabinetry a few weeks ago. I'll post as soon as her project is complete and let you all know how it went.


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## grannygee

*Recently Ordered Shenandoah Cabinets with multi discounts and $500 gift card*

We recently placed an order fat Lowes for Shenandoah's Dominion Cherry cabinets. We received and immediate 20 % off order, free sink base and promised $500 gift card. I also just learned that I could have received a color upgrade for Chocolate Glaze if 10 cabinets or more purchased but was not told that. I am going to try to make that change since we just activated the order. Lowes told us that Woodmark folks are trying offering big perks for business in order to keep all their plants open.After reading some of these posts regarding problems getting the card and damage problems, I hope we made the right decision. One problem we have encountered is that Shenandoah's website does not work despite them telling us vis the phone, Yea, that's what we are hearing. Yet, nothing done to correct problems with the website. Will let you know the end results.


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## grannygee

*Update On Shenandoah Cabinet Order*

As mentioned in my last post I discovered another discount offer by Shenandoah giving the option of free glaze colors on their Cherry line. Of course, we had already submitted our Dominion Cherry cabinet order with several discount offers.

We called American Woodmark which is the same folks as Shenandoah to see if it was too late to make a color change request and it was not. We were told that Lowes needed to be the one to contact them for any changes and it was possible that the entire order would need to be resubmitted which meant we would lose the other discounts. On a leap of faith, I was prepared to tell them to just cancel the order. I found out that the *American Woodmark folks were trying to keep all of their plants in operation and that is the reason for the many discount offers. This is a good thing to know if you need to negotiate pricing! *

Our Lowes guy made the call to request Chocolate Glaze and had it taken care of without losing our discounts. Although our Lowes guy was pretty helpful, he did not tell me about all the offers. He also told me that *Lowes was matching HD prices as well as other stores. I read a post where a lady shopped the Bird Cage style cabinet hardware on the internet and Lowes matched the price.*

*This forum is also a great tool!* There was a post and photo of cabinets that were the same as my original color selection. Yikes! It looked extremely dark and more red than I cared for. That was also the general oppinion of posts. So, Thanks DIY members! Meanwhile, Granny will be looking for the $500 Lowes gift card, free sink base, 20 % off total price, free glazing and old Santa around December 16th.:thumbsup:


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## Jeeper1970

I'll go ahead and jump into this thread. I totally agree with Angus, you will be much happier going with a small kitchen remodel company.

All mass produced cabinets are built essentially the same, maybe with slight differences from manufacturer to manufacturer, no matter the price point. They're all hot glued together.

Structurally, plywood is no better than particle board, in fact, it can be argued that particle board is actually stronger and warps less. About the only time you'll find 3/4" sides is from a custom builder or if the cabinet is "frameless," has no face frame, also referred to as "Euro Style." Many cabinets use only 3/8" sides, some are 7/16", some are 1/2".

Dovetail drawer construction is more of a marketing ploy than anything else, a gimmick. What most people don't realize, the drawer bottom is almost always the same 3/16" material, no matter the drawer side construction. The cabinets in my kitchen are more than 30 years old, and the drawers aren't dovetailed, still in excellent condition. Pretty soon, you're going to hear people saying, "if the drawer glide isn't a soft close design, they're junk." Another gimmick. You'd be amazed how easily those little shock absorbers fail. I do, however, like the full extension glides, and always recommend those.

Take an Armstrong, Shenandoah or Kraftmaid cabinet at Lowe's/HD, add cherry full overlay doors, dovetail drawer option with full extension glides and look at the price. You're probably at or near the price you would pay for a much nicer looking cabinet at small, locally owned kitchen and bath remodeling store. Compare the finish quality of the Lowe's/HD cabinet to the finish quality of any cabinet at the small store, you won't go back to Lowe's/HD.


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## grannygee

*Angus and Jeepers, come to Georgia!*

I would much rather have a custom made cabinet over a Lowes or HD but the local cabinet shops around these parts were more expensive than the "fast food" ones! My daughter just installed custom cabinetry all over her 4400 sq ft home and they are solid. But I don't have the big bucks in my wallet!
I'm trying to prepare myself for the poor quality when compared to the solid wood cabinets I am taking out. I do not like not being able to communicate with the carpenters either. Had I been allowed, I would not have to worry over that stupid duct. The carpenter would have come up with a solution and i would love the the layout on the first meeting. In my case, I had to get what I could why Pa was willing to commit to the remodel and then he nearly had a stroke! Thanks for the response.


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## montelatici

*Shenendoah vs. American Woodmark*

I recently replaced my cabinets (Diamond) with Shenendoah. I got quotes from both Home Depot and Lowes. The prices for the cabinets were about the same, the installation about a thousand higher at Home Depot but the same granite countertop including installation was substantially less expensive from Home Depot so I went with Lowes for the cabinets and installation and with Home Depot for the counter top and installation.

Some comments:

The standard Shenendoah cabinets I received have plywood sides. The same exact American Woodmark style quoted were advertised with particle board sides and would have cost more with the plywood side option. Besides being half the weight (for which the installer and my studs and walls were pleased) the problems I had with the old cabinets (30 years old) was the warping of the particle board after the occasional liquid spill and the virtual destruction of the sink cabinet particle board sides after a water leak. The installer, an older fellow who has been installing for Lowes and Home Depot for 15+ years said that the installs he has done lately with America Woodmark and Kraftmaid have been particle board sided cabinets, although both brands have plywood side options at 10-15% more. So when comparing between the brands ask what the standard cabinet construction is. According to this installer fellow he found the American Woodmark brands were packed the best with fewer damaged cabinets, except for a short period when their new Cumberland, Maryland plant was just starting production about a year ago, they seemed to make fewer mistakes on the orders.

By the way, the installer is probably more important than the cabinets. This guy was very careful levelling everything and was very attentive to detail, the counter guy congratulated him when he came by and shot the elevations with his laser level.


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## samjonesplant

*cabinets*

We all have different thoughts on what is good and what is bad. For me American Woodmark is not so good.
We were disappointed by cabinets we received form them. Well very sad because of their customer service.
I will next time spend a little more money and get something better. 
I think I will use a local cabinet shop or spent more for any other brand . 
Live and learn.


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## Construct51

*2 More Shenandoah Kitchens!!!!!!!!! A++++++*

I just got finished installing 2 sets of Shenandoah Cabinets. My clients took advantage of a 20% discount at Lowe's as well as one of them took advantage of the free glaze too. Each of them saved over $2500 +. I have now installed 5 Shenandoah kitchens in the last 6 months without a problem. I still believe that these small mom and pop shops can't touch the big companies. Like I said in a previous post, I don't believe these small shops are putting on 12 coats of finishing and using ultraviolet razes to slow down the aging process of wood! Keep up the good work Shenandoah!!!!!!


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## [email protected]

Shenandoah cabs are, at least what I've seen and installed, CRAP. There's absolutely no workmanship in them whatsoever. The finish so thin, you would bruise it just moving them around safely. No dovetails, as I don't think anyone in their factory would know one if it hit them. There were only sloppy and loose tolerance glue joints, no screws no staples no pins. Just glue. Glueing works pretty well when the joints are tight, but these are not. The cabs were not near square, hinges are cheap pot metal stamped junk. The trim work included was cardboard with vinyl tape on it. The sides are NOT 1/2 board as they advertise. the backs are cardboard. Go somewhere else if you want dcent, not custom, but decent boxes. these are crap.


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## [email protected]

Construct51 said:


> I just got finished installing 2 sets of Shenandoah Cabinets. My clients took advantage of a 20% discount at Lowe's as well as one of them took advantage of the free glaze too. Each of them saved over $2500 +. I have now installed 5 Shenandoah kitchens in the last 6 months without a problem. I still believe that these small mom and pop shops can't touch the big companies. Like I said in a previous post, I don't believe these small shops are putting on 12 coats of finishing and using ultraviolet razes to slow down the aging process of wood! Keep up the good work Shenandoah!!!!!!


 

you must work for them. The "glaze" you speak of, what the heck is that. My mom and pop shops use conversion varnish, and it is the best in the business. There's no reason whatsoever to put or need 12 coats of anything on a cabinet, if it's quality. Shenandoah is junk, plain and simple


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## montelatici

My Shenendoah cabinets do have dovetail joints, have 1/2 inch plywood sides, and the backs are, as you say, particle board, but being white cabinets it really does not bother me that much as the backs are white and not all that visible. The hinges on the cabinets I bought are not "pot metal" they are stainless steel, have the CE-Mark and are made in Italy.

Saying these cabinets are "crap" is just plain silly. They may not be at the level of true "custom" made cabinets like the one's you make, but they offer a very high cost/performance ratio for people that don't want to spend what a small house might cost for a kitchen remodelling. I suspect there will be many more people in this category as time goes on, given the financial crisis.


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## hompac

*Installing Now*

I am in the process of installing a Shennadoah kitchen. The client had them ordered and they are not from stock on the floor. The sides are 1/2" flakeboard, the drawers are dovetailed, and I have seen better finishes. My gripe is quality control or lack of. When the cabinets arrived I opened all the boxes and did a visual inspection some doors had defects, drawer slides missing but the best of all a base cabinet was smashed on the back, totally unusable...and there was not a mark on the cardboard box. Yesterday I began the installation, corner wall cabinet has a warped frame, another 3 wall units with warped frames same on a bank of drawers. 3 corner shelves were not properly lined up when put together. When I got consumer relations on the phone they noited the first replacements that were shipped and were not too happy with this second call. I was told that it was and expensive replacement and a field rep may have to verify the complaint. Now I have to sit and wait until they decide what to do. I asked if quality control was off the day these cabinets were made.


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## [email protected]

*Shenandoah cabs*

I experienced much of the same 3 times. Wether Euro style or overlay, my clients wish they had taken my advice, ya get watcha pay for. One client wanted white painted cabs and thermofoil doors. the doors are fine, ya can't fight plastic, but the white finish is see through, and look old faded and bleached out. Terrible quality control. She paid 5K for a very small kitchen, my builder was 6K. He builds his boxes using 3/4 ply, all solid kiln dried face frames, and uses only conversion varnish for clear finishes. I can install his cabs in a blink. they are square, solid, screwed and glued, Blum hardware, 100lb rails, and warranteed till death. I attach them on the ground and set them in place. Too easy. Plus, when I have client that wants a change, he's right down the street and whatever the change may be, major resizing or alterations, he has them back to me the next morning. All his trim is solid wood. He made my kitchen boxes for 17K. My wife got quotes from Lowes and HD just for the heck of it. They were each around 14K. Maybe if I wasn't a contractor and QA/QC inspector, I could stand having the cheaper stuff. But once you've seen the good stuff, and worked with it, quality sells itself. Being the contractor, it just isn't worth it to me as I don't charge a markup on materials I supply. The client calls me first, not the vendor, when they find problems. They're bummed when I just tell them, call your vendor, not me.


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## whyme

*SOOO Disapointed*

I ordered the Bluemont Maple Spice cabinets with a Mocha glaze from Shannondoah...what i got was bright orange looking cabinets. I have painted my kitchen 2 different times trying to get the cabinets to look "normal" with no luck. The guy @ Sherwin Williams said that the best thing he could think to tell me to do since the color was so "Odd" was to paint the kitchen a close color orange so that the cabinets would not clash with the walls.... I spent $7,500 on cabinets & counter tops and i am about 3 seconds away from buying paint from walmart and painting them white. 

Bottom Line:
*Opened the box and the door feel right off the hinge. A few spots were dinged or scratched on a few of the cabinets.
*The "12" coats of glaze is so thin I can scratch it off with my finger nail
*Sample cabinets on display @ lowes are a nice well detailed cabinet...I received nothing of that quality or craftmanship. 

I called Shannondoah about my concerns and was told that when I activated my order I agreed that i wanted Maple Mocha Spice and thats what they sent out and that if I had a problem I had to take it up with Lowes. 

What i got is so bad I just want to cry. There is no fixing it. I will attach a few pics so you can see what i am talking about.

The color displayed in Lowes:









The color i received compared to the color displayed:









Cheep cabinets (Left) sold in lowes store looks just like what they sent me (Right) but i paid twice as much to get the same look









Orange is apparent in all light (sun, florecent, normal)


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## sam8925

*Happy with Shenandoah*

After researching many brands for quality, we purchased 14 Shenandoah cabinets through Lowes. We received a free sink base and the $500 gift card.
We had one problem with a miss aligned turntable shelf inside a corner cabinet but fixed it with a screwdriver adjustement. We are very satisfied with Shenandoah. They are well made and look very good.


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## Ivy

Yikes!!! I'm redoing my kitchen and went to Lowes this morning. I initially was going to go with the stock cabinets but seen the Shenadoah/Breckenridge Cherry Spice cabinets and fell in love with them. About $600.00 difference from the stock cabinets. Thank goodness I haven't paid for them yet, was going to do it in the morning. Going to do more research on these cabinets and from what I have been reading on this forum I might end up going elsewhere.


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## IcanDIY

*Shenandoah = American Woodmark = Worthless*

I work with clients in kitchen design and total kitchen remodel. Whenever possible, we try to avoid Shenandoah AKA American Woodmark (Same stuff, one name at Lowe's one name at Home Depot). We also avoid "custom shops" because there are two types of custom 1) Custom where clowns throw stuff together in their garage and are cheap but people fall for the custome line or 2) Really, really expensive and are not any more special than most higher end semi-custom cabinets. 

Shenandoah is made cheaply, usually falls apart by the time we open boxes. They are good about replacing screwed up doors, but I'd rather not have to deal with all the replacements. 

JD Power ranks them DEAD LAST in their consumer ratings for good reason. Typically, I try to lead my clients to either Kraftmaid or Armstrong, both of which are much, much higher quality than Shenandoah and American woodmark. Kraftmaid usually ranks tops in consumer opinion and is only a little but more expensive than Shen. I'd assume by stock over Shen because at least there is a big price difference to explain the lack of quality/shoddy finish. 

Unfortunately, I had a number of clients cash in when they do ridiculous sales offering 20% off or more, which I assume they have to do because they do not sell otherwise. Why pay almost the same when you can get much bette product? Go with Kraftmaid at HD or Lowes, but always buy when there is a promo going on whish is at least once a month. For a slightly cheaper option hookup with Armstrong, which doesnt have the options but is good to deal with (wont find at HD or Lowes).


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## happy face

*About Shenandoah cabinets*

I am going to Lowes this weekend to have them write up a quote for the Winchester butterscotch glaze style. I was going to ask for all plywood construction and my husband and son will install them. From what I've just read from the other bloggers, I'm now wondering if Shenandoah is the right choice. Where I live (Palm Beach County) the small cabinet shops are extremely expensive. Any suggestions to either look elsewhere or questions and guarentees to ask Lowes? Thanks in advance.





IcanDIY said:


> I work with clients in kitchen design and total kitchen remodel. Whenever possible, we try to avoid Shenandoah AKA American Woodmark (Same stuff, one name at Lowe's one name at Home Depot). We also avoid "custom shops" because there are two types of custom 1) Custom where clowns throw stuff together in their garage and are cheap but people fall for the custome line or 2) Really, really expensive and are not any more special than most higher end semi-custom cabinets.
> 
> Shenandoah is made cheaply, usually falls apart by the time we open boxes. They are good about replacing screwed up doors, but I'd rather not have to deal with all the replacements.
> 
> JD Power ranks them DEAD LAST in their consumer ratings for good reason. Typically, I try to lead my clients to either Kraftmaid or Armstrong, both of which are much, much higher quality than Shenandoah and American woodmark. Kraftmaid usually ranks tops in consumer opinion and is only a little but more expensive than Shen. I'd assume by stock over Shen because at least there is a big price difference to explain the lack of quality/shoddy finish.
> 
> Unfortunately, I had a number of clients cash in when they do ridiculous sales offering 20% off or more, which I assume they have to do because they do not sell otherwise. Why pay almost the same when you can get much bette product? Go with Kraftmaid at HD or Lowes, but always buy when there is a promo going on whish is at least once a month. For a slightly cheaper option hookup with Armstrong, which doesnt have the options but is good to deal with (wont find at HD or Lowes).


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## tlovesm

We just purchased *Shenandoah Cabinets* about two weeks ago and received a call today saying that they'll be delivered next week - very fast! It appears as though most people on here had problems, so we'll see. If you look at what they have to offer, they offer all Plywood Construction to beef them up. Some of the standard things like dovetail drawers and the very strong ballbearing glides. Yeah, these are not top of the line cabinets, but they're certainly NOT builder special either. Anyway, I'll post back once ours arrive - McKinley Maple with butterscotch finish - lots of upgrades!


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## tlovesm

*Received Shenandoah Cabinets Today*

Delivery was flawless. So far, everything has been top notch. The delivery guys brought in all 35+ boxes and every single box was well intact - absolutely no damage. So I called our Lowes installer so that he could unpack and inspect everything - per our installation contract. He came within an hour and unpacked everything. The cabinets are absolutely gorgeous. Again, we bought the Maple McKinley Hazlenut Glaze. We opted for the all plywood construction, which added about $1000 to the total $10K price tag (we got a lot of extras). The cabinets seem and appear very sturdy. No real damage. The only thing is that three doors will get replaced due to minor (looks like factory) scratches. Everything else looks perfect. Thus far, we are very satisfied with our purchase. Lowes has been an excellent store for us.


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## Construct51

To [email protected], to answer your question I have no affiliation with Shenandoah cabinetry american woodmark, whatever you want to call them. (just purchase alot of product from them because of price point for my clients). I just try to back up a product I believe in as I believe much of the American Spirit is gone nowadays when it comes to quality product and customer service. Yes, I've had a few problems with Shenandoah cabinetry since I've last posted on here, however, they took care of everything I've requested. I'd say that about 75% of my installs have involved this company. Every now and then I get a damaged cabinet or a scratch here or there but overall they've been pretty good about replacing items.


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## tlovesm

*Going in Friday...4 days from now*

Our cabinets will be installed this Friday and will post how everything went and looks. They've been sitting here while I tile, paint, etc...will post a pic or two...


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## LJTA

*Refreshing to hear something positive*



Construct51 said:


> I have nothing but great things to say about this company! I did countless research and found American Woodmark found at Home Depot and Shenandoah at Lowe's to be top notch. I found countless articles that ranked them much higher then both Kraftmaid and Thomasville. Reading from the posts listed above I believe that these customers were expecting "Custom Cabinets" that would cost about 15 fold compared to Shenandoah. I also think they must have gotten the very few bad batches that go out becasue I looked at this company in and out before I purchased and they produce thousands and thousands of kitchens on a yearly basis. Whatever the product may be there will always be faults. Its unfortunate that it has happend to the people above. I purchased Winchester Maple Cream and couldn't be more happy. I opted for the silent close option and absolutley love it on my silverware drawer. I also saved about $3500 over the other two companies. This company was also just on "Oprah" and is constantly on "Spice Up My Kitchen" as I am an HGTV addict. Hats off to Shenandoah Cabinetry for my beautiful kitchen.


 


I am so happy to read your positive review! My old kitchen is under renovation, and I have purchased all Shenandoah cabinets and hardware, etc. I'm glad you're happy with your kitchen, and i trust i will be, too.

Last year, after I purchased my new Frigidaire Affinity Energy Star front laod washer and dryer combo w/pedestals, I read one negative review after another, and was worried. After having the machines for over a year now, I am absolutely in love with the product, and I'm so glad i wasn't disappointed. It's a shame if people make decisions based on all the negativity out there. They may be missing out on the best and most cost efficient products available. 

Sorry, but I suspect a lot of the negative reviews are generated by competing companies setting up fake feedback to hurt their competitors.


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## LJTA

*Confused*

Response to originial post by "I can DIY" You stated----<<<<Unfortunately, I had a number of clients cash in when they do ridiculous sales offering 20% off or more, which I assume they have to do because they do not sell otherwise. Why pay almost the same when you can get much bette product? Go with Kraftmaid at HD or Lowes, but always buy when there is a promo going on whish is at least once a month. For a slightly cheaper option hookup with Armstrong, which doesnt have the options but is good to deal with (wont find at HD or Lowes)>>>>>

------You suggest that cabinet companies offer discounts because their product isn't selling well enough, yet you suggest that people buy the cabinets you recommend when those companies are offering monthly discounts. 

A little confused here.


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## oldtimer

*Shenandoah Cabinets*

After we retired, we moved and rebuilt. That was 6 years ago. We bought the oak cabinets from the Shenandoah Windsor collection. Today, I noticed that there is a separation between the vertical and the bottom horizontal wood on one cabinet. Any quick fixes for that?


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## decksrus

oldtimer said:


> After we retired, we moved and rebuilt. That was 6 years ago. We bought the oak cabinets from the Shenandoah collection. Today, I noticed that there is a separation between the vertical and the bottom horizontal wood on one cabinet. Any quick fixes for that?


I saw this on their website: 
The manufacturer of Shenandoah Cabinetry® hereby warrants to the original purchaser, for residential applications only, that all Shenandoah Cabinetry cabinets and accessories, are free from defects in materials and workmanship. This warranty runs for as long as you own your home and begins upon the date of delivery to you. This warranty is expressly limited to repair or replacement of the defective part at the discretion of the manufacturer of Shenandoah Cabinetry, and does not include labor for removal or replacement. This warranty does not extend to defects caused by improper handling, storage, installation, assembly or disassembly, intentional damage, product modifications, exposure to the elements including humidity which may result in warping or splitting, accidental misuse, abuse or negligence. 

So it sounds like they are under warranty as long as you own your home.

tlovesm....I am looking forward to your pics. We bought the Shenandoah Hickory cabinets, can't wait to see them!


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## oldtimer

Thank you, decksrus. I wisely kept the book in which the different styles are shown. Guess my other half will have to go to Lowe's and talk to someone. I had cherry cabinets in our other house and never had a momen'ts problems with them. They looked as good after 35 years as they did when we built that house.


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## decksrus

They sure don't make things to last anymore, do they.


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## decksrus

tlovesm said:


> Our cabinets will be installed this Friday and will post how everything went and looks. They've been sitting here while I tile, paint, etc...will post a pic or two...


When you have the time, I would love to see a picture of your new kitchen! How happy are you with it? Thanks


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## logic1

*Shenandoah cabinet*

Just got done placing an order with Lowes for Shenandoah cabinets. I read all the posts here and wanted to share my experience for those who may want to read more about this company/product. I had the most difficult time trying to decide whether to upgrade to "plywood sides" (not all plywood) box construction vs. their standard particle board construction. I went with just plywood sides ($700 upgrade) and not all plywood (additional $500 upgrade). I am still a little confused as to whether I made the right choice after reading so many differing opinions. I guess my logic with this decision was that the cabinets will transport better and will be a little stronger than going with all particle board. 

They said delivery will take 3 - 4 weeks so I will post further comments again after receiving and inspecting the cabinets. 
Anyone can chime in if they wish....


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## quickt

*Still pleased with Shenadoah cabinets*

In the winter 2005/2006 I installed a new kitchen consisting of 8 wall cabinets, 10 base cabinets and a built-in pantry closet with pull out drawers using Shenadoah Winchester Catheridal oak. This installation represents approximately 30 linear feet of counter space in and ell with island configeration. We are quite pleased with the results.

I cannot identify any specific issue with the installed cabinets or any complaints regarding to cabinate integrity during the installation. The chosen cabinates are well made and the melamine covered partical board sides proved to be quit sturdy. I did chose to cover exposed sides with matching oak plywood skins, but I see no reason to upgrade to plywood sides for structural purposes.

There were a few returns necessary due to less than perfect fit/finish or shipping damage. However Lowes was very responsive and expedited the replacements. Accessary parts (other than cabinets) such as fillers, moldings, additional door/drawer fronts, carvings, skins were shipped usually in padded paper wrapping, which proved to be subject to shipping damage. Where this occurred the damaged part was promptly replaced. Further, I was not required to return the damaged items as they would have been destroyed at the store rather than returned to American Woodmark. This was appreciated as such damaged or off-color fillers proved most useful during installation. Having installed other brand kitchen cabinets from other vendors I did not find the defective/damaged returns unusual. I was very pleased with the Lowes cabinet designer /sales associate we delt with; she cared and went out of her way to expidate replacements to make my installation sucessful, alas she in no longer with Lowes. Unless there has been a drop in quality since 2005/2006, I would not hesitate in using Shenadoah for future cabinet installations


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## Jim F

Just wanted to add to this post. I found this thread when considering the Shenandoah cabinets fo my kitchen renovation. I just want to say the 15 cabinets I ordered came very fast. I could have had them in 2 weeks but opted for a week later delivery because I was not ready for them yet. The order was accurate except for one base cabinet with the door hinged on the wrong side- an easy fix. The all pylwood upgrade cost around $650 and well worth the extra IMO. No damage at all.


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## PatandJim

We are considering Shenandoah cabinets for an upcoming kitchen renovation. The latest posts/opinions we see here are about a year old. Is there anyone out there that has worked with the cabinets and with Lowes since then, that may have an opinion about the quality, service, delivery, return, anything????


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## Ron6519

PatandJim said:


> We are considering Shenandoah cabinets for an upcoming kitchen renovation. The latest posts/opinions we see here are about a year old. Is there anyone out there that has worked with the cabinets and with Lowes since then, that may have an opinion about the quality, service, delivery, return, anything????


I wouldn't have any apron's stores contractors do the work on anything.
Buy the cabinets anywhere you want, but hire you're own contractor.
Ron


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## DangerMouse

Better yet, do the install yourself and save all that $$$!!!

DM


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## PatandJim

*Shenandoah cabinets*

We do have our own contractor that will install these. I just don't want 'lousy' quality. I will definitely make sure about a return policy if we decide to go with this company. We got a price quote from Lowes, that we were told has a 30 day limit. Time to compare.


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## Ron6519

PatandJim said:


> We do have our own contractor that will install these. I just don't want 'lousy' quality. I will definitely make sure about a return policy if we decide to go with this company. We got a price quote from Lowes, that we were told has a 30 day limit. Time to compare.


I've been putting in kitchen cabinets for 25 years. Rarely have I had an issue with a cabinet company and only once had to return an entire kitchen(due to finish problems).
It wasn't Shenandoah.
Stay away from particle board carcasses and you'll be fine.
Ron


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## musicman27pa

*Shenandoah Cabinets at Lowes*

I bought some Shenandoah cabinets back in January from Lowes in Budd Lake, NJ (last install back in 2007 was great -- both cabinets/install), but this is 2011.

Night and day from 2007 when I lived in PA.

Quality is now horrible -- tremendous variations in staining (horrible shade contrast on kitchen cabinets). Ordered a vanity and wall cabinet for bath at same time and vanity front was bowed really bad and the wall cabinet doors were screwed on crooked. 

Had Shenandoah ship 7 replacement doors and 1/2 of them were just as bad as the originals... Quality I would expect from a Surplus store on Ikea -- not for a mid grade kitchen cabinet replacement.

Installer was horrible -- banged out in a day and had to come back 3 times -- didn't predrill anything (cracked the valance 2 times), forgot to install scribe molding and drew lines on my freshly painted walls.

I understand Lowes uses subcontractors -- this one's workmanship was not even mediocre (too busy trying to bang out the job to focus on doing a good job).

The quality of Shenandoah has gone way down -- never again and Lowes choice of subcontractors here at Budd Lake NJ is not up to snuff.

All I can say never again to either Shenandoah and better screening of contractors is definitely in order.


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## Ron6519

You should never use contractors from a big box store.


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## Stretch Claws

*Shenandoah Cabinet Quality Lacking*



musicman27pa said:


> I bought some Shenandoah cabinets back in January from Lowes in Budd Lake, NJ (last install back in 2007 was great -- both cabinets/install), but this is 2011.
> 
> Night and day from 2007 when I lived in PA.
> 
> Quality is now horrible -- tremendous variations in staining (horrible shade contrast on kitchen cabinets). Ordered a vanity and wall cabinet for bath at same time and vanity front was bowed really bad and the wall cabinet doors were screwed on crooked.
> 
> Had Shenandoah ship 7 replacement doors and 1/2 of them were just as bad as the originals... Quality I would expect from a Surplus store on Ikea -- not for a mid grade kitchen cabinet replacement.
> 
> Installer was horrible -- banged out in a day and had to come back 3 times -- didn't predrill anything (cracked the valance 2 times), forgot to install scribe molding and drew lines on my freshly painted walls.
> 
> I understand Lowes uses subcontractors -- this one's workmanship was not even mediocre (too busy trying to bang out the job to focus on doing a good job).
> 
> The quality of Shenandoah has gone way down -- never again and Lowes choice of subcontractors here at Budd Lake NJ is not up to snuff.
> 
> All I can say never again to either Shenandoah and better screening of contractors is definitely in order.



Installed the solid oak cabinets Nov 2011 and had to replace 8 drawer faces due to rough edges. Service rep was very responsive to the request, BUT after the deliver is not when i want them to perform their quality checks. During the installation we found one cabinet they tried to repair and did a poor job, unfortunately we didn't find the issue until after we completed the initial inspection. If you do purchase, check everything closely after delivery. Then today the spice rack drawer fell apart since they used short wood screws. And as was mentioned by Budd Lake, the staining is inconsistent. Also wE ordered 19" cabinets and the drawers are only 14.5" deep so we have all that wasted spaced. Don't think they will hold up for the 20 years we had our old cabinets. Overall disappointed with the quality of the workmanship.


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## mrgins

Ron6519 said:


> You should never use contractors from a big box store.


That's a generalization. I've installed for a big box store for 14yrs as a side business to my regular contracts and the customers love my work, my attention to detail, and my dependability. I know two or three other guys who also install for the same company store who I would hire. Admittedly they go thru a number of duds to find the gems, but you could say that about any contractor.


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## jdwalter

*Kitchen Cabinets*

My wife just had to have a new kitchen so we went to Lowes and bought Shenandoah Cabinets in 2009. Needless to say i wish they had them back doors are falling off screws will not stay tight. Called Lowes over a month ago and had two people show up and said they will take care of it because there is a life time warranty on them. Well that was the last we have heard.


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## jdwalter

We bought new shenandoah cabinets from lowes in 2009 and the doors are falling off them and the ones that are loose the screws will not stay tight. Called lowes over amonth ago and they came down and looked at them and said they were going to take care of it and have not heard a word from them since.


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## mrgins

jdwalter said:


> We bought new shenandoah cabinets from lowes in 2009 and the doors are falling off them and the ones that are loose the screws will not stay tight. Called lowes over amonth ago and they came down and looked at them and said they were going to take care of it and have not heard a word from them since.


I installed red birch cabinets that the customer had bought from a kitchen shop. After a while, the doors were falling off because of the birch was too soft and the screw guage too small. I replaced all the screws and they've been fine. If you keep calling the lowes manager, they will respond. I know my local home depot store is very responsive to complaints


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## OR1614

*Not correct*



IcanDIY said:


> I work with clients in kitchen design and total kitchen remodel. Whenever possible, we try to avoid Shenandoah AKA American Woodmark (Same stuff, one name at Lowe's one name at Home Depot). We also avoid "custom shops" because there are two types of custom 1) Custom where clowns throw stuff together in their garage and are cheap but people fall for the custome line or 2) Really, really expensive and are not any more special than most higher end semi-custom cabinets.
> 
> Shenandoah is made cheaply, usually falls apart by the time we open boxes. They are good about replacing screwed up doors, but I'd rather not have to deal with all the replacements.
> 
> JD Power ranks them DEAD LAST in their consumer ratings for good reason. Typically, I try to lead my clients to either Kraftmaid or Armstrong, both of which are much, much higher quality than Shenandoah and American woodmark. Kraftmaid usually ranks tops in consumer opinion and is only a little but more expensive than Shen. I'd assume by stock over Shen because at least there is a big price difference to explain the lack of quality/shoddy finish.
> 
> Unfortunately, I had a number of clients cash in when they do ridiculous sales offering 20% off or more, which I assume they have to do because they do not sell otherwise. Why pay almost the same when you can get much bette product? Go with Kraftmaid at HD or Lowes, but always buy when there is a promo going on whish is at least once a month. For a slightly cheaper option hookup with Armstrong, which doesnt have the options but is good to deal with (wont find at HD or Lowes).


So, just to correct one of the many incorrect statements JD Power rates Woodmark cabinets second with a score of 767 (Ikea is #1 at 776) with an industry average of 756.


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## jfgimp

*Hardware!*



redline said:


> How thick are the cabinets?
> What material are they made of?
> Do they feel solid?
> What type of joints are used?
> Is there a warranty?
> Are the sides made of cabinet quality wood or other?


...don't forget the quality of the hardware; especially the hinges. Inspect the quality of the hinges and the way in which they are attached. Open and close the cabinet doors. If they are glass-front, do they close silently without too much vibration? Do the drawers have soft-close glides?

Without disclosing a personal preference... .. are the wood joints finger-joints or dove-tails? (Google it...) ( By the way...the former occasionally indicating recycled scrap if you note changes in wood-tone). Feel it out. Open, close and play. 

And remember the other hand.. Is it construction that you need to out-live? Or does the construction need to out-live you? In other words: Do you care about re-sale of your house or can you live with some compromises in carpentry?


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## [email protected]

*Shenandoah Cabinets Review*

I have purchased the Shenandoah Cabinet= winchester style in Maple Linen.

These cabinets have dovetail drawers and so far look good. I chose this one ,because it is a midgrade cabinet and looks really good. my kitchen is a country style setting so did not want things too fancy.

The cabinet specialist at Lowes was wonderful. He/She , there were 2 on staff and I had contact with both of them. Both were very careful to explain everything and give options for cheaper or more expensive.

My husband and I have installed the cabinets with out a hitch. a few things here and there we have made adjustments. BY doing the work ourselves we saved a bundle of money for installation. 

I am happy with customer service from Lowes. All the cabinets came at one time and were here in 2 weeks. they are constructed well , no warping or unlevel cabinets. no damage on any of the cabinets. Since I chose the maple linen finish, the manufacturer sent a touch up tube of the paint for any scratch or other blemish that occurs.

Counter tops were ordered separately. Near to the time of needing them I called with the dimension of the center of the sink, so the opening could be cut out for the sink. The counter tops came in a day before we were going on vacation. the kitchen specialist requested a hold on the countertops for October 1, so we picked them up after vacation.

I am very happy with my kitchen. Should b in kitchen in about a week.

My home store is Lowes in Dickson, Tn. 37055. The kitchen specialists are John and Patricia. Both are wonderful and very helpful.


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## LoveMyKitchen

*Love My Shenandoah Kitchen!*

My cabinets were installed 14 months ago and look brand new. I got Grove Honey Oak Cathedral, plywood construction. I got beautiful rope crown. EVERYTHING went wonderfully! Lowe's designer (Mario, Ft Myers, FL) was wonderful and made excellent suggestions. Upon delivery the glass for a cabinet was broken and I was unhappy with the grain/color on 2 large doors. (Like a black peice of wood down the middle of them.) All were replaced immediately. VERY quickly. The installers had a problem with the tracks for 1 drawer and ordered a replacement which also came quickly. Installers were very skilled and really nice guys. They ordered some extra trim for a few places and came back a few weeks later (due to my job schedule) to finish up. My favorite things are the beautiful rope crown, the 3" pull out filler (useful for prescriptions, tic tacs, vitamins, etc as well as the spices it is made for) and the 6" spice drawers. My kitchen is so wonderful. I would do it again exactly the same. NO complaints here!!


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## uvarn75

*looking at cabinets*

I am looking at Shenendoah cabinets at Lowes ..are the value line any good ? We are only going to be in this house for another 8yrs tops..any recommendations ??


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