European Custom
Woodworking
(813) 786-9228

Questions

Questions we get
asked most.

What people ask before commissioning a piece. If yours is not here, call or send a message and we will answer it properly.

What areas do you serve?

Wesley Chapel and the greater Tampa Bay area, including Tampa, New Tampa, Lutz, Land O' Lakes, Brandon, Carrollwood, Riverview, Odessa and Trinity, along with the marinas around the bay. If you are just outside that, ask anyway.

Do you work on boats as well as homes?

Yes. Alongside kitchens and built-ins we build galley, saloon and stateroom cabinetry for motor yachts and sport boats. Marine work is the hardest test a cabinetmaker can take: nothing aboard a boat is flat or square, so every piece is scribed and hand-fitted to a curved hull, then finished to survive humidity, vibration and salt air.

Do you take small projects, or only whole kitchens?

Anything from a single built-in to a whole home. A bookcase for one awkward wall is a normal job here, and so is fitting out an entire house.

Do you install what you build?

Yes. It is built in our own shop, delivered, and installed by our team, so there is one point of contact from the first visit to the final adjustment.

How does a project start?

With a visit. We come to you, look at the space, and talk through what you have in mind. There is no charge for that and no obligation to go ahead.

Will I have a price before any work begins?

Yes. Wood, finish, hardware and sizes are agreed in writing, with a price and a timeline, before anything is cut. If the budget is tight we will show you where it can flex.

What woods do you work in?

Cabinet boxes are built from furniture-grade plywood, which stays flat and does not move with the seasons the way a wide solid panel will. Doors, face frames and trim are solid hardwood, commonly cherry, walnut, mahogany, maple and oak, with figured veneers and burls where a piece calls for them. Painted work is the same construction with a paint-grade face. If you have a particular wood in mind, ask.

Why choose custom cabinets over stock?

The difference starts with what is underneath the finish. Most stock cabinets are boxed in particle board or MDF behind a thin veneer or foil. That material carries weight poorly over the years, and if it ever meets water under a sink it swells and never recovers. Our boxes are furniture-grade plywood with solid hardwood doors and face frames, joined properly rather than stapled and glued, so the cabinet is still square and closing correctly in twenty years.

Fit is the second difference. Stock cabinets come in fixed sizes, so a room gets padded out with filler strips and dead corners. Custom work is built to your walls, with the storage laid out around what you actually own. In an older or out-of-square house it is often the only way to get a clean line.

Still not answered? Send us the question or call (813) 786-9228.