Cabinet planning software

[Michael Conner]

I am about to embark upon a cabinet building adventure as I hope to build all of the cabinets for our soon-to-be-built house. I have built a few pieces of casework in the past and a couple of small workshop cabinets but never anything like a house full of cabinets. Because of this, I would really like to have software that will allow me to layout cabinets for an entire room and then see what they are going to look like. I would then like to have the program generate an accurate cut list.

I googled cabinet planning software and found a number of packages that varied in price from less than 100 to several thousand dollars. Obviously, I don't need high end (at least I hope I don't) software, but I would like to have something that is not too difficult to learn and will do what I want for a reasonable (translated, cheap) price. Do any of you have any recommendations?

[David DeCristoforo]

http://www.ecabinetsystems.com/

[Joe Chritz]

www.kitchendraw.com

Free and fairly powerful, especially for the price.

Joe

[Ed Peters]

www.cabinetplanner.com

Somewhere around $100.00 and you configure the variables to suite your style of construction. I have been using it for over 2 years now and am very satisfied.

Ed

[Randy Carnley]

Another vote for Cabinet Planner

[Greg Heppeard]

I started using ECabinet but quickly switched to Cablinet Planner for my business. As soon as I can justify the expense, I plan on going with Cabinet Vision. For now Cabinet Planner is a good program and would work great for the home owner or someone who only does a couple of cabinet jobs per year.

[Peter Quinn]

http://www.ecabinetsystems.com/

Ditto. Underwritten by thermwood (manufacturer of CNC machinery), this is the equivalent of a $20K program. You need to be a business to get your FREE copy, but they are less than thorough regarding checking. I know many that have simply created a name and gotten a copy. There is a learning curve that I have not concurred, so I suggest you spend some time learning the software on a mock design before you design the actual kitchen if you go this route.

Ecabinetsystems allows you to design your cabinets, order hardware directly via an online coop at competitive prices, and out source any aspects you don't wish to produce yourself. Sound like cheating? It isn't. If you want the experience of having made it all yourself than surely do, but if in the midsts of building a new house you find creating a house full of cabinets a bit much to handle you CAN outsource ANY aspect you choose. Ecabinets is more than just software, it is a network designed to connect CNC owners with excess capacity to end users of cabinet goods in need of parts.

Plywood can be cut on a CNC and shipped on a palate labeled and ready for assembly when you are, a really nice feature if you are using prefinished sheet goods (no scratches) or frameless cabs. Doors, drawers, face frames, moldings, you name it, there is a specialist with a Thermwood CNC ready to help, often for not much more than you could do it your self and with lots of prefinished options. Getting a professional finish on a complete set of cabinets tends to be a major stumbling block for the small shop and non professional so its worth considering.

I am not in any way affiliated with this company, just a guy with a small shop that appreciates the possibilities this type of network affords. You design the cabs, decide what if anything to outsource, upload designs to a CNC shop, your parts arrive as specified. It is an option. Or you can use Ecabinets to design and build everything your self. Also an option, no pressure or commitment to buy anything via their network.

[Joe Dusel (Vista, CA)]

I've been using the eCabinet Systems software for about 6 years. It's very powerful and flexible, but it does take a bit of work to learn.

I've attached a rendering of a job I just installed last week.

Joe