Carrie writes:

Pam,

I was wondering if you have ever done any research on Shelf Edging and if so where could I get some.  I don’t think that I ever mentioned that the previous owner had placed shelf edging in the linen closet and also in certain cabinets in the kitchen.  Since I have lived in my house for almost a year now the shelf edging is starting to tear and I would like to have some more on hand when I am ready to put more up.  

.

Any information that you have would be greatly appreciated.  Always remember that you are doing a wonderful job in making Retro Renovation what is has become.  I appreciate more and more the smalls details of my house that everyone else would take for granted.  I sent you some pictures of the shelf edging in my cabinets I hope they help.

Carrie

Thanks for the question and for your lovely words of support, Carrie. This was a fun one to research. From what I can tell looking online, there were four waves of shelf edging design:

1. In the “early days” I am betting the major name making this was Meyercord. They are also known for their furniture and cabinet decals. The paper shelf edging was, I am quite sure, a way for women to dress up their farmhouse and apartment kitchen shelves without having to go to the expense of renovating.
2. In the postwar era, the big name seems to have been Royledge also marketed as Roylies and as Roylcraft. I also see some Betty Brite out there. You should also note that the edging came either as “just edging” or as edging attached to white shelf paper – but all still in one piece.
3. In the 60s, I am seeing plastic, pleated / ruffled , self-adhesive shelf edging from Contact. I like this idea a lot. As you demonstrate with your experience – that paper is going to tear in any high-use area. Also, the adhesive is pretty nifty. Otherwise, I am thinking that housewives earlier put the edging down with thumbtacks.
4. Today’s limited options “new”.

Where to get shelf edging and shelf paper?

Betty Brite "Edge 'n Lining" shelf paper from RetroRubbish. 12" deep, 15' wide, $10. Click on the image to go to the listing.

• Etsy seems to be a great source. The going price for a 15′ strip seems be $5 and up. Search terms: shelf edging, shelf paper, Royledge, Roylies, Meyercord, Betty Brite, Vintage Contact Paper

• You should also watch ebay. – I see only two sources. There is an Asian company making vinyl, self-adhesive lace style edging.

• New #1 — I found a company in Scotland — Diana Forrester — selling gorgeous fabric shelf edging embroidered in France.
  

  cotton and linen embroidered shelf edging from diana forrester

• New #2 — And a company that sells vinyl, pre-pasted, lace style edging.
• Finally, if you are handy, you could also make paper edging yourself out of wallpaper (new or vintage.) Create a decorative edge with scrapbooking scissors that you can find at Target; this is going to take a very steady hand, though. And, unlike the vintage edging – which is white where it sits on the shelf itself – your wallpaper-edging is going to be visible on the shelf, too. This may not be desirable. Trying to seam the decorative paper to a white piece of shelf paper may not work either as such a seam would be vulnerable to tearing.

This was a fun question to reseach, Carrie. Good luck!

Related posts:

1. California Kathy’s vintage shelf edging After the post on where to find shelf edging,...
2. Mad Men Yourself That’s me, drinking coffee with with Betty Draper in...
3. Carrie’s home sweet home Cinderella ranch in Los Banos, Calif. My name is Carrie, I was not born (actually...

Reader Erika Rae found these instructions about how to clean St. Charles steel kitchen cabinets, enameled right inside of  one of her cabinet doors. I presume these instructions still hold. Errr, umm, does anyone know where to get St. Charles Cleaner & Polish?

Interestingly — if you look at my cabinets, there *is* rust on the bottom of the base cabinet doors, close to the floor. Ahhh, the janitors at the cooking school (my cabinets’ original home) did not take care to “always wipe off sub base and bottom of door or drawer above sub base with clean cloth after kitchen floor has been washed.” Alas, but fortunately the rust does not seem to be spreading. Thank you, Erika Rae!

Meanwhile, this is a good opportunity for Renovate-Safe-Pam to remind readers: Remember that old painted surfaces on metal cabinets (and other places in your home) may contain lead (and asbestos may be elsewhere in our vintage homes, etc.), so take responsibility to inform yourself and consult pros about proper attention to environmental and safety issues. For example, the EPA hosts a website on lead in the home and a website on asbestos in the home.

Related posts:

1. How and where to sell your vintage metal kitchen cabinets Do you want to sell your old metal kitchen cabinets?...
2. Are you looking for vintage metal kitchen cabinets? I love this photo posted on our vintage steel kitchen...
3. How old is this metal cabinet and kitchen sink? How old is this metal kitchen sink base? Emily...

Bob wrote yesterday to ask for a “No. 622 Soap Holder with Crystal Tray…Over the years the Crystal Tray got broken and the plating in the soap dish is pitted and in bad shape….” This question comes up a lot. Here are some ideas.

1. Watch for vintage. First of all, if you keep your eyes peeled and can be patient, there is new old stock out there. A favorite new source: Anderson’s Classic Plumbing. Joy, who’s in the family and handles internet sales, recently contacted me. She found a major stash and is slowly but surely listing it on their site. The image above is from Joy’s stock – gorgeous. Also watch ebay — there’s usually always some vintage Hall-Mack of some sort listed at any given time.
2. Replace the whole thing altogether — Franklin Brass offers recessed soap and tumbler holders in both stainless steel (no rust!) and chrome. They look to have acrylic liners. Link here to FB soap dishes. Link here to my previous post on Franklin Brass products.
   

   Franklin Brass - stainless steel

3. Replacement acrylic liners. Buy a replacement acrylic liner: Okay, now I am *holding this space*. That’s because I coulda sworn a reader recently wrote in with a suggested source, but of course I can’t find it. (If I don’t nab the stuff as it comes in and make a post right away, my retroworld spins right out of control.)
4. As for glass: No known source that I know of. But if we find one, we will add it.

UPDATE: Larson Supply Catalog recommended by Lauren; I need to study.

Related posts:

1. 12 recessed porcelain ceramic soap dishes, TP holders, towel bars WHEN I WAS RENOVATING my three bathrooms, I searched high...
2. A 2nd source for recessed ceramic soap dishes, shelves and more – 33 colors THANKS GO OUT TO JOAN (I *think*) for finding this...
3. A vintage plastic crystal cake plate – Elizabeth’s 2nd entry Elizabeth serves us this 2nd entry in our Found...

I purchased this vintage wallpaper earlier this year off ebay - in my view, it was not packed well and arrived broken up like this. The seller was very accommodating, apologized and gave me a refund immediately. Even so, it was sad because I liked the paper, and the price.

A reader recently reported that a lovely glass item bought off of ebay arrived broken. This situation has happened also to me, at least twice, in the past year. A gorgeous — and in some respects *priceless* find — was packaged with inadequate cushioning. And of course it breaks.

This makes me think I’ll do a post about: How to do your best to ensure that your ebay seller pays attention and ships your precious item so it arrives safely.  It’s not just about the money involved — it’s also the heartache at seeing something you’ve been searching for and finally found — needlessly destroyed. I’d love to hear your thoughts on this subject as well.

So, what can you do to ensure your items gets shipped properly?

1. Check the feedback of the seller. If there are negatives about shipping, beware.
2. Before you even bid, send the seller an email, and ask them to post an answer to the question, “What steps will you take to ensure that this fragile item is packaged properly and won’t break in shipping? Please be specific on your packaging procedures.”
3. Pay with PayPal. I *believe* this provides you with extra protection in case the deal goes sour. Read up on their policies and make choices, if possible, that give you the opportunity to resolve disputes.
4. Pay for insurance.
5. Even with insurance, write in the Notes when you pay the seller,  something to the effect, “As this is a fragile item, please be sure to comply with all shipping company policies when it comes to packaging it appropriately. As you know, shipping companies and the USPS will not pay the insurance claim if you do not wrap the item and all of its parts properly and in compliance with their guidelines.” I learned this when I had a broken item. A gorgeous pull down light with all-glass globes. Basically thrown in a box with some newspaper and shipped. It was ensured. But when I took it into the USPS place they took one look at it and said that they would not pay the insurance as it was not packed properly. USPS and UPS have written guidelines on how items must be packaged in order to be covered by insurance – did you know that? Yes, they do!  Again…what you can see I’m saying is to put pressure on the seller to pay attention. Another thing that I learned: I had to do the schlepping when it came to insurance claims.
6. A variation on this theme: Mint-in-box items. I bought a wonderful MIB item once and the seller just slapped packing tape and labels over the ORIGINAL box and threw it in the mail. Not only did the item get smashed as the original box did not provide enough cushioning, but the box was ruined – and that’s part of MIB’s value. Again: Ask the question up front about packaging procedures before you buy… get it posted on the listing… reinforce it with a note… get insurance.
7. Before you buy, read all of ebay’s and paypal’s policies about resolving disputes — and if you get in that situation, promptly pursue them.

These are just my personal thoughts… . Readers, what do you think? Have you had experiences like this, too? What else can we do to ensure that sellers take care with our precious purchases?

Related posts:

1. Craigslist safety tips Yesterday we discussed how to ensure eBay items arrived safely....
2. Miller Studios chalkware fish on ebay Of course, chalkware fishes — and mermaids and starfishes —...
3. 12 vintage pinch pleat panels on ebay These vintage draperies are just beautiful – and there...

If you are looking for mid-century bathroom fixtures — tubs, toilets, sinks, shower doors — you surely are going to scour your craigslist daily, and haunt your local Re-Store / Habitat for Humanity. Another source is just a click away on this site:  This site’s Steel Kitchen Cabinet Forum also has a spot for “Other Stuff” including “Bathroom Stuff.” And, intrepid reader Scathing Jane posts there almost every single day.

She looks at Craigslist listings from all over the country and loads up some of the best. Case in point: Look at the vintage American Standard bathroom suite, above,  with its swoonable sweet Cinderella tub. And the tile to the left – there’s 38 s.f. of it, posted by Jane last night. Hint: It’s easy to see what’s new on the Forum every day. Register. Then, after you log in each morning, just click the spot along the top Nav bar just above Mr. Cabinet Man that says “View New Posts.” The Forum remembers you and only shows you messages since you last logged in. Thank you, Jane, and others of you who post often to help out other readers.

Related posts:

1. Pink and gray bathroom: Jane’s retro renovation construction zone SCATHING JANE IS READER OF THE YEAR — not because...
2. Vintage 40s and 50s kitchen drainboard sinks In response to Friday’s post on the patriotic 40s...
3. Vintage pink and blue bathroom fixtures for sale in Arlington, Virginia Reader Nathan spotted these pink bathroom fixtures for sale...

A reader recently wrote to ask, “What color stain would be most appropriate or authentic for a mid-century oak floor?” Drats, I cannot find the email. And, I am not academically sure what the correct answer is. I would guess… a “natural” stain.

Natural meaning – virtually no color. Matte or gloss finish. Gloss, though, would show more scratches. When we refinished the oak parquet floor in our dining room, above, the floor guy said, “All the old floors were done with a natural finish.” We chose matte finish and have been very happy with it. Our oak is getting a nice golden hue as time goes on. Under all the carpets, it’s a lighter color — the sunlight is affecting the color.

I think I may consult with some mid-century historic homes to discern the proper academic answer. But meanwhile: Readers — what do you think? What are you finding in your homes, with original wood floors, including what may have been hidden underneath carpet that’s been there for ages? What is the “authentic” color for mid-century oak flooring?

Related posts:

1. Octagon and dot floor tiles in 13 color combinations OCTAGON FLOOR TILES are great for pre-war homes — 1920s,...
2. Terrazzo tiles in 19 color ways and 3 sizes from Daltile Daltile snuck these in on me: Authentic terrazzo tiles. Terrazzo...
3. 60 colors of mosaic floor tile for a mid-century bathroom JOHN SPOTTED THIS GREAT PORCELAIN CERAMIC MOSAIC bathroom tile,...

Lara Jane writes:

Hey, Pam!

Sorry to bother you again, but I have a question I couldn’t figure out while reading through the site: When you buy a set of vintage steel cabinets, how do you configure them so they fit your space? What if there are a bunch of small, “chopped up” cabinets and you have a long galley? Or conversely, what if you buy a long, galley’s worth of cabinets but your walls are “short?” I know the pieces are all separate but how do you get that “finished” look when you put your own kitchen puzzle together? I’m imagining all kinds of gaps in between!This has baffled me and made me pass on some fabulous sets because I wasn’t sure how to make them work for my space! Any info you can offer is appreciated!

Lara Jane

Lara Jane, This is an excellent question. You have hit on an important issue for sure:  While vintage kitchens are most wonderful, it can be a real bear to try to fit someone else’s particular kitchen into your required kitchen space. (Also, this issue was the one that, round about, led to me creating this blog.)

To make an even longer story somewhat shorter, I also hunted and passed on several kitchens — for pretty much five years – - knowing that they would not provide enough cabinets for me to work with.  My kitchen is pretty big for a mid-century kitchen, 15 x 15, as it was expanded in the 70s into an adjacent mudroom – the kind that runs long ways between the garage and the kitchen and also is accessible via a second front door.  In planning for my kitchen renovation, I also was not able to move walls.  And, I had a big picture window and three doors to work around.  So,  I knew that I would need a lot of cabinets to make a salvaged kitchen fit into my space just right. So, as I said, I watched ebay and waited for five years.  There was one set I wept about letting go, but it turned out to be a blessing, as these things usually do. When we were finally ready to do the kitchen, had the money, I still had NO CABINETS. But, just when I was about to give up and buy MDF cabinets in a radius-edge slab-door style and paint them aqua — we had them specked out, I’m not kidding,  the retro decorating gods sent me a humongous aqua metal kitchen – 67 cabinets in all.  I knew — well, I crossed my fingers — that they would provide enough variety for me to make the cabinets work in my space. And they did – but by a hair and only a hair, I swear. When I bought the cabinets there were too many for me to even keep track of, I kept losing count of the exact sizes.  So when I got them home, I took all their measurements, and started playing around on Excel. The final layout is above. BTW, the reason this led to the blog? Over the five years of watching and waiting, I started buying brochures and other materials all about vintage steel cabinets on ebay. Then, bathroom stuff. Etc. My expertise really started to grow, my interest never waned, my projects turned out well. Blogs were “new,” and I thought that starting one would be a good way to share resources and experiences with others going through the same struggles.

Back to the cabinets.

So how to prepare if you are interested in looking for vintage cabinets and planning to install them in your space? Some thoughts:

1. Start by taking complete measurements of your kitchen space. (You can use grid paper to scale, or not. I did used Excel, not to scale.) If you cannot move doors, windows or walls, you’ll only need one drawing. This will give you the basic outline to work with. Make a whole lot of copies so you can mark them up.
2. Determine where you would ideally want to put key appliances — the sink, fridge, stove, dishwasher. Typically, the sink gets centered under a window. The dishwasher goes next to it. I think that the “textbook” place to put the fridge is close to the entry door where you bring in groceries — and, make sure that the door of fridge is swinging the proper way, creating the opening in a way compatible with your other kitchen work spaces. I also personally believe the fridge can go closer to wherever folks are likely to access it the most – say coming in from a family room to get drinks. The “textbook” place to put the stove is nearer to the dining room — with the idea that you serve from this spot. But in my mind, the rule for appliances need not be hard and fast — except for the sink, which I tend to think really works best under the main window. Think  “functionality.” While you’re at this step, play around with the possibilities. You can even make little cutouts pieces for the appliances and move them around.
3. Also, as you are trying to imagine your ideal layout(s), look to see where the working spaces between the areas are. You are going to be cooking – where will you mix stuff? Store stuff? Can you make space next to the fridge where the door opens to stage stuff that goes in and out? Can you make space to the right and left of the stove, which is ideal if possible? The “textbook” says to measure the number of feet in your work triangle — the space on the floor connecting the stove, sink and fridge, and that the sum of the three lines should not exceed 27 feet.
4. Once you are comfortable playing with your core layout – measure the spaces left.  Worry about the base cabinets first. Metal cabinets (and new ones, for that matter) were made in 3″ increments – 9″, 12″ 15″, 18″, 21″, 24″, 36″, 42″. Working with your “leftover” space – what cabinets would/could you put where – ideally.  Also, do you prefer drawer-cabinets, or door-cabinets (most vintage door-cabinets have one drawer on the top.) A lazy susan corner cabinet usually has 12″ doors – one to each side of the L. Otherwise, plan for a corner filler piece. Is a lazy susan something you feel you “must” have? If you have a very small kitchen, I’d recommend holding out for one…but this may depend upon your patience.
5. Now think about wall cabinets. These can be a little easier, I think, because it’s easier to fill in left-over spaces with open shelving.
6. Think about symmetry and asymmetry and how they feel in this layout. For example, I think it’s good for wall cabinetry flanking the sink and both wall/base cabinetry flanking the stove to be symmetrical.
7. Know that filler pieces may be necessary – these can be a real bear to find. I think there might be an alternate solution: Fabricate fillers in wood and then paint them high-gloss to match your cabinets; this would of course be easier if you are also repainting the cabinets.

Once you go through all these steps, you should have a good feel for the number and size of cabinets you want — and also what alternatives might be acceptable. You can then watch sets for sale with more clarity. Even so — I’ll tell you, I think that a number of readers out there are collecting multiple sets to make their kitchen work, and you may need to do this as well. Scathing Jane, I believe, has three sets of St. Charles. I also think that she has been pretty brutal about not paying a lot. And you have that going for you – while you know I think these cabinets are very valuable – they do require this hunting and hassle, therefore, you can tell sellers “take it or leave it.”

I asked Jane for her comments as well, and here is what she said:

If you do want to collect multiple sets to create one complete set that fits your kitchen, I recommend focusing on a mainstream brand where you will find more availability – Youngstown, Genevas and St. Charles’ were the big-three brands. I think you might have best luck with Genevas and St. Charles’ because they seem to have longer runs of cabinets with the same basic lines and handles. In some regions, though, it seems like certain brands were more popular. Start looking- and paying attention – before you buy, and you will get a good feel for your local market. If you collect batches, you may be forced into repainting to get the cabinets all back to the same color. Please know that the paint on anything from this era can contain lead – please educate yourself, take appropriate precautions.

That is exactly why I bought 3 kitchens and have leftovers, and you bought a giant kitchen and had leftovers…

The answer is as unique as the kitchen.

The hard/important pieces for me:

1. A good sink front. I am actually using the front grill to the radiator cover; the box for it was built from wood to hold the front by contractors (Montgomery Building Company).  .  It was 42 or 43 inches wide.  I had two other sink fronts and one full cabinet.  The cabinet was badly “injured” during removal.  Neither of the sink fronts was as wide as I wanted, and frankly I love the design punched into the grill front I am using.
2. The cabinet for the cooktop and the cabinet over it if you are going to vent that way.  The upper cabinets can be trickier than the lowers.  I ended up seeing the perfect over-the-range cabinets in a set for sale on eBay and negotiated for that one, including the original vent system.  If I had not already purchased the cabinets I was using, that set would have been great (good condition), or the large green set up in Maine (?) from last year.
3. Wall oven cabinet.  You need to accept that you might be using a narrower oven than the one you are accustomed to using, and that it might not be perfect.  My cabinet was originally for a single oven and was “expanded” lengthwise for a double oven.  The second oven sits too low.  I will be using the 24’’ wide oven that came with the cabinet (budget) so that was the cabinet to use.   I do have a 30” cabinet, but not a 30” wide oven…
4. Specialty cabinets.  You have to think about where cutlery drawers or pan cabinets should be located.  My husband did an original layout on paper based only on dimensions.  The contractor assigned one of his guys (Sam aka Mr. Patient) to drag cabinets around for me one afternoon as I really looked at everything.
5. Shim pieces. The cabinets you buy should come with “shims” the original installers had to use; these pieces can come in handy.

You really have to think about what different cabinets add up to the exact inches you have available while sticking to a work triangle.  The direction doors open is also a factor: it needs to make sense.

And the all-important piece: the installer.  Your installer needs to be patient, creative and experienced in carpentry and kitchen installations (Russ Carnes of the Cool tile installation in my Pink & Gray bathroom).  In the end, my contractor built a set of shelves for one end of the install because none of the upper cabinets I had really fit.  If you have the budget, you might also want to retain a Kitchen layout person to help you through those details.

Related posts very specific to steel kitchen cabinets:
- How much are my cabinets worth? (or in reverse, how much should I spend?)
- How do I sell my metal kitchen cabinets? (or in reverse: how to buy?)
- “The Hard Way” – this renovation stuff is not easy.

Related posts:

1. Vintage 1941 Montgomery Ward metal kitchen cabinets VINTAGE EYE CANDY today — a complete catalog of steel...
2. How and where to sell your vintage metal kitchen cabinets Do you want to sell your old metal kitchen cabinets?...
3. How much are my metal kitchen cabinets worth? WHAT IS THE VALUE of a set of vintage steel...

I RECENTLY STUMBLED upon this company, C.F. Stinson, which seems to carry upholstery weight vinyl in about 2000 styles and colors. I am not kidding. For example, this very classic, retro-style “Avant” line, which reminds me of vintage naugahyde, comes in 110 colors alone. Surely one is just right to reupholster your vintage Daystrom or Arvin dinette? In addition, there are many other more ‘decorative’ styles.

Interestingly, I also seem to get questions from folks renovating their canned hams (trailers) about where to find vinyl or naugahyde. The catch, however, is that this C.F. Stinson supply is all “contract” – that is, sold only to designers, “the trade.” And I fear you may need to order 30 yards or something. To check this out, I suggest you work directly with an upholstery shop. The website is pretty terrific – lots of fun to browse around. There’s also an outlet store with smaller yardages available (contract only).

If you’re looking for vinyl and want to try other routes… Well, I have not done any more research on this question, but I think that you can have some luck at very large upholstery stores. Every region seems to have at least one. There’s a really big one an hour from me in Springfield, Mass. Osgoods. Blinding inventory. Be sure to eat protein beforehand or you will pass out from the exhaustion of it all. We also used to have a big Waverly outlet about 45 minutes north. They had GREAT stuff. It went out of business but I think that the chain still exists. If you’re looking for a specific fabric – vinyl, or vinyl in a specific color, best to call first before driving an hour. I’ve generally found the folks who work at these stores very nice and helpful – but alas, quite overworked. So, sometimes, you just gotta get in the car and drive and see what the retro decorating gods want to send you.

Related posts:

1. Vintage auto upholstery This vintage auto upholstery for 50s and 60s Fords,...
2. Inexpensive upholstery for midcentury and Danish Modern furniture Shelly found a wonderful Danish Modern side chair and wants...
3. Vinyl sheet flooring with a mosaic tile look: Earthscapes Rivulet Marsha took inspiration from the blog and found this vinyl...

 

Reader Russell also has recommended Locke Plumbing for hard-to-find toilet replacement parts. Apparently they have a good system to identify the exact parts you need based on the brand and model number – it worked spectacularly for him, he reports. Here’s the link to Locke Plumbing’s toilet part guide. Thank you, Russell!

Meanwhile – isn’t Kelly’s bathroom great? She has not moved in yet and gearing up to use tips from the site to clean up her tile. In particular look at the shower – real leaves are laminated into the plastic. And this is one of the first examples that I have seen of a full-sized walk-in shower. I like the way the floor pan is set – the way they handled the tile. Thanks for sharing, Kelly – we look forward to seeing more of your house.

Related posts:

1. Retro bathroom faucet with shampoo sprayer Most midcentury bathrooms have a sink with a 4″...
2. A special faucet for vintage American Brand kitchen drainboard sinks – still available Can you believe it? You can still get the exact...
3. Where to get a toilet seat to match my vintage toilet? Where can you find the perfect pink, peach, blue,...

WHERE IS THE BEST PLACE to sell your vintage steel kitchen cabinets? As a follow up to my post on how much your metal cabinets may be worth, here is an outline of where and how you can sell them.

The market for these cabinets is very local. People will want to come look at them before they buy and to be sure, it will be a lot cheaper if they can pick them up rather than having to arrange for a moving company. But, “local” actually means “within driving distance” for someone who wants to buy a set of steel kitchen cabinets. So your marketing and outreach should really extend…3 or 4 hours in a circle around where you live. Here are the sources:

1. Craigslist is probably the most common source for cabinet listings when you take into account the entire U.S.  I think they will only let you list in one city, and if that is their rule, you should abide by it. What a great service they are providing for free, after all! But, it’s my experience that avid craigslist users really on the hunt for a specific item also set up google alerts so that they will see what comes up around the country. So, make sure that you use good keywords in your listing.

2. My Postwar Steel forum — http://retrorenovation.com/forum — was created in December 2007 to connect buyers and sellers of vintage steel cabinets. It’s also free. I do insist, though, that you include your LOCATION and PHOTOS as these are always requested. And if you are wise, you will also include your EMAIL. Note, after you have sold your cabinets you may come back and delete your listing and email. (And I am beginning to delete all posts after 6 months unless they include groovy photos which we like to ogle forever.) The forum requires registration. Remember your password!

3. eBay — I see lots of listing come up, and only 1 in 10 seems to sell. However, there may be after-market bidding going on (at a lower price). eBay may work for you if you are in a larger market where there are more potential buyers.

If you cannot sell your cabinets, they don’t have to go to the dump! You can take them to Habitat for Humanity / Re-Store, where they can be stored until their next owner finds them. And what a great cause. Remember, though: Condition matters.

Finally, if your cabinets are in really bad shape — with tons of rust, for example — take a look at the hardware. There is a market for vintage cabinet pulls — in particular old Youngstown handles. And, people with the old Geneva’s are always eager to connect with the white plastic concave piece behind the chrome pull. And, folks want the knife hinges that connect the doors to the base and wall cabinets. If you have parts, I’d recommend eBay — as they are not expensive to ship.

Related posts:

1. How much are my metal kitchen cabinets worth? WHAT IS THE VALUE of a set of vintage steel...
2. Are you looking for vintage metal kitchen cabinets? I love this photo posted on our vintage steel kitchen...
3. Vintage 1941 Montgomery Ward metal kitchen cabinets VINTAGE EYE CANDY today — a complete catalog of steel...