Common Questions about
Pantry Cabinets

What is a pantry cabinet?

The word pantry was derived from the Latin word “panis” which means “bread.” Pantries have been around since medieval times where they were used for the same purpose as they are today: food storage. In the times of their origin, pantries were used mostly for holding bread, as their name would suggest. Separate rooms were used for storing meats, alcoholic beverages, and so on. By the Victorian era, food storage was narrowed down to one of three rooms: a cellar, a storeroom, or a pantry. Today, pantries are the most common means of storing food for your everyday household. Pantry cabinets are a modern take on the traditional pantry, as they take up less space and often store just as much food.

In the United States, a pantry is a place where shelf-stable foods reside within a home. Things like canned goods, bread, rice, vegetables, and other non-refrigerated goods are commonly found in North American pantries. Overseas, however, a pantry cabinet might be referred to as a pantry cupboard, or even just a cupboard, but it serves the same purpose as American pantry cabinets.

Pantry cabinets differ from your standard pantry because pantry cabinets don’t have floor space. They are tall cabinets specifically made for storing your food and spices. Pantry cabinets generally range from 84” to 96” inches tall and can be made very narrow or very wide which makes them perfect for fitting them into your kitchen.

How much does a pantry cost?

The total cost of a pantry cabinet depends mostly on the size, weight, and material used to create the pantry cabinet. Particleboard pantry cabinets will most likely be the cheapest because they are light and made with extremely cheap material. However, it is best to avoid particleboard and go with plywood or solid wood cabinets. These tend to be significantly heavier but can last several lifetimes if proper care is taken. The wide variation of sizes, weights, and materials makes the range of pricing very wide. It is safe to say that a pantry cabinet can be purchased from around $200 to $1,000.

At Wholesale Cabinets, we fall in the middle, offering you the best price possible for the best quality possible. Our cabinet boxes are made from plywood to ensure structural integrity and rot resistance, while our doors are made from MDF or Solid wood to offer the most appealing cabinet face designs without compromising quality. Our pantry cabinets can cost as little as $499 for quality that you would normally pay $700 or more for!

How do I build a pantry cabinet?

Every cabinet starts with a box. Most cabinet boxes nowadays are constructed from plywood or MDF because they are cheaper and sturdier than solid wood or particleboard. Shelves are also commonly made from MDF or plywood while doors may be made from solid wood, MDF, or a combination of both.

After the basic construction of the box comes the installation of the shelves. Many different methods can be used for mounting shelves such as using brackets, screws, or dowels. Once you have situated your shelves in their proper locations, it’s time to install the doors. Installing doors is as simple as lining things up where they should go, making marks, drilling holes for the hinges, and then screwing everything together.

While all of this may sound simple, building your pantry cabinets can be a challenging task for those without plans or carpentry experience. RTA cabinets are a great way to get a better understanding of how cabinets go together without taking ages to finish your project. Much like a puzzle, all of the pieces are prepared for you. All you have to do is follow the instructions and put them together. RTA cabinets are also cheaper than assembled cabinets as a bonus which lowers your costs and allows you to customize your kitchen without breaking the bank.

How deep are pantry cabinets?

In cabinet terms, depth means the distance from the front of the cabinet to the wall. It can most easily be measured by taking the length of the “side” of the cabinet.

As previously mentioned, pantry cabinets come in a wide variety of sizes. Custom-built cabinets can come in almost any size you desire but the cost of these cabinets will be double what you would pay anywhere else. Base cabinets are normally about 24” inches deep because they are used to accommodate a countertop. Pantry cabinets can range from 12” to 27” inches deep because they do not need countertops. Narrower pantry cabinets may provide a more open feel for a kitchen while deeper cabinets will offer more storage space.