I don't line my cabinet shelves. I wipe them down with a damp cloth as needed, but wouldn't I have to do this with a liner too?

Is this done for aesthetic reasons? Or is it to protect the actual shelves?

I lined the drawers in my kids' rooms when they were little but it was because I liked the look.

Maura (who still has a lot to learn)

Marie, We put floor tiles under the kitchen sink. I thought they were harder to clean (slight crevices where the sides of the cabinet weren't necessarily straight, even if the tiles were).

Maura, Our cabinets are in awful shape. They're painted, and the paint is flakey in places--just ugly inside (and outside for that matter). I've though about re-painting them, but I hate them too much to make it worth my while.

Funny story--I've about got DH convinced to gut and remodel the kitchen. He's convinced it will take less than $5000 to put in a new kitchen floor, cabinets, counter top, etc. I *know* he's wrong, but I can't convince him. I'm about ready to gut the kitchen myself, then let him pay the extra to get everything put back in. LOL

I use different things in different places.

I use a very thin (almost papery) smooth plastic sheeet w/a slighty tacky back in the drawers silverware drawers, bcs it's so thin.

I use the ribbed clear stuff from Bed Bath & Beyond (and other places--I just can't remember its name right now) under the glasses bcs it provides air gaps so stuff can dry.

I use this also under the cast-iron griddle, so it cushions it a bit.

Wallpaper is often recommended over on the kitchen forum; linoleum or vinyl (either tiles or sheet) is sometimes recommended, but it's thicker than I'd want, esp in my shallow drawers).

Stuff that's a lot like those sheets of white foam for packing & cushioning (cushy cupboard, I think it the brand name) is very popular, though I like the gaps that the ribs provide.

I line my cabine tshelves bcs the company I bought them from cheaped out when they made them and started using a nearly-paper "laminate" for the interiors--I can scrape through it w/ my fingernail. Grr!

Before we did our kitchen remodel, Mike's aunt put contact paper on all of the shelves. I think she would have done it on brand new cabinets, since since they were old, I didn't stop her. It wiped off really well. We never did change out the bathroom cabinets and it was still there 10 years later when we moved.

I really prefer not to use anything and just wipe out as needed. My DH was always taught to put glasses open end down which makes no sense to me. He said it was to keep the dust out. What dust? We go through every glass in the house several times a week. Why put the part for your mouth on the surface which may accumulate something?

I've had the cushy ribbed stuff. Mine was Rubbermaid, but it always bunched up at the back of the cabinet. I must push things in, rather than set the directly down.

I wonder where your DH got his $5,000 figure? Even if you guys do every bit of the labor yourselves, you'd never be able to get new cabinets and materials for that price. Maybe if you just painted and put on a new laminate counter.

Gloria

Gloria--We also put our glasses in the cabinet open end down because of dust. Now you've got me wondering!

I also had trouble with bunching with the Rubbermaid cushy liner. I'm definitely a "slider", not a "setter". DH puts dishes away wet, which is how the painted shelves were ruined (we've been here 20+ years).

DH made up the $5,000 figure off the top of his head. The cabinets are banged up enough they're not worth salvaging. As small as our kitchen is, I'm pretty sure he's off by a good $15,000 (but I wasn't wanting laminate counter tops, if you know what I mean, LOL).

Julie, If your DH shops the cabinets, counters, and floor tile for the best prices, then does the work himself, he may not be far off on the price. We just got new cabs for our ski condo which is fairly small, and the cabs were about $5K at the lower-middle price range. Granite was $1K for 8' long counter width, but granite tile is cheaper and easier to DYI. HD usually has some decent floor tile for

Kris,
OH MY GOSH!! I sure hope that's not what my husband is thinking. He hates to shop, will base a decision solely on what's cheapest and nothing about quality, and can't assemble anything and have it stay together (explain to me why we've tried a billion kinds of toilet paper dispensers and not a one has ever stayed on the wall?? LOL)

I'm still not convinced unless you want particle board for the cabinets. Our last kitchen was not large at all. Nothing fancy, just laminte counters and vinyl flooring. No new appliances. The cabinets alone were $8,000 and that was in 1995. Wood doors, but laminate interiors. No major gadgets inside the cabinets either. Total job was $18,000. I couldn't touch it for less than $30,000 now with the way materials have gone up.

Julie, one place to save some good bucks if you can find a creative contractor is salvage yards or places like the Habitat resale store. We have some people pulling out really nice oak and maple cabinets because they want the cherry, granite and stainless steel look. I kept the cabinets in our current house even though they scream 1990 because it would have cost me at least $50,000 to get this kitchen done with this quality of cabinets. All solid wood and plywood with lots of fancy insides. I doubt if I'll ever get enough energy to restain them.

Gloria

I have White Kitchen cabinets, that are now 10 years old. I stumbled onto "Cushy Cupboards" a few years back at my hardware store "Krueger True Value" in Neenah Wi.(They always get new and different stuff in) Anyway they were demoing it. I fell in love with it. It has a real Cush to it so it protects my cabinets from additional wear! It also protects my glassware from chipping and breaking due to kids unloading the dishwasher. I also use it in the refrigerator drawers (easier to take out and clean than the whole draw) The reason I use "CC" there is it is dishwasher safe. That is HUGE to me....there is nothing worse than the veggie drawer! I also use "CC" os other dirty places...under my oils and honey. "CC" came in 2 sizes small and wider (topshelf and bottom shelf) The other great thing was it just laid in place and stayed (no sticky or rubbery stuff) Hope this helps...by far the best.....It still looks the same as the day I put it in!

I was using old linoleum in my cabinets and drawers. Then I met my husband who is an Industrial Hygienist and Asbestos expert. He immediately removed them and used special bags for them. they were asbestos on the back. If you have asbestos on the back of your floor tiles its not a problem unless you remove them from the floor or put them in your cabinets as a liner.
The reason to use a liner is so if you spill something or it leaks, it doesnt make the wood warp or raise.
Gloria, we just painted the wood cabinets in this apt kitchen white and they look terrific. Even Martha is painting kitchen cabinets. Its murder trying to restain. I think men hate to paint real wood though they kind of like the log cabin look. Luckily us ladies don't have that problem.