This isn’t a knock on budget cabinets for the sake of it. It’s a practical reality for both Wake County, NC and Horry County, SC. Wake County summers are humid. Horry County’s coastal air carries moisture year-round. Particle board absorbs that moisture — and once it does, it swells, warps, and starts to fail, usually under the sink first, then at the drawer bottoms, then everywhere else.
All-wood construction handles those conditions differently. The boxes stay square, the drawers keep working, and the finish holds. It’s not glamorous to talk about, but it’s the difference between cabinets that look the same at year ten as they did at year one and cabinets that you’re already regretting by year three. When you’re spending real money on a kitchen or bathroom, the material inside the box matters as much as what’s on the outside.