Why We Refuse to Build With Particleboard

Most retail cabinets are built around particleboard or thin MDF wrapped in a veneer. It looks fine in the showroom. In a Texas kitchen — with humidity swings, heat, and daily wear — it doesn’t hold up the same way.

Every IonBuilds project starts with thick domestic plywood or solid wood. No particleboard, ever. That single material decision is the difference between cabinetry that needs replacing in eight years and cabinetry built for the next generation.

What we use instead:

• Thick domestic plywood for boxes and structural panels
• Solid wood for face frames, doors, and load-bearing components
• Structural dado joinery instead of staples or cam locks

If you’re comparing quotes and one number looks a lot lower than the rest, the material spec is usually why. Ask what’s actually inside the box.