Sprinter Motorhome in the Making, Part 2!

The Savannah Cabinet Shop is exploring the world of recreational vehicle customization and bringing our own brand of style, beauty and exceptional craftsmanship with us. Our Sprinter customization project is designed to show off the flexibility of our services and the ingenuity, creativity and precision of our design knowledge and implementation, while exploring a niche market we feel could use an aesthetic upgrade. The design of our Sprinter conversion van is an exercise in combining simplicity and flexibility. The materials are a combination or durability, practicality and luxury.


The Cork flooring not only adds elegance and aesthetic movement to the space but is durable, sustainable and naturally hypo-allergenic, anti-microbial and anti-fungal. Cork also absorbs sound and shock, creating a quieter atmosphere and a softer feel under tired feet.

The cabinet doors, wall panel inserts, and bed platform are made of a Teak and Holly plywood. Along with its beauty, Teak is naturally weather resistant. The natural oils present in Teak make it termite and pest proof. The beautiful white of the Holly wood adds unexpected visual interest as a natural foil to the rich brown of the Teak.


The Corian® countertop provides the look of natural stone and glass embedded in concrete without the weight and maintenance. Corian® is easy to clean and because it is nonporous, stains do not penetrate the surface. Corian® resists the growth of mold, mildew and bacteria and is one of the few countertop materials that can be easily repaired. Shallow cuts, stains and burns can be sanded out and the sheen returned with a Corian® specific cleaner.

The paneling behind the kitchenette and the inserts in the coffered ceiling are a metal veneered laminate in a brushed light bronze aluminum finish. This surface adds glamour and is easily cleaned. The decorative metal surface also makes the most of the Sprinters’ windows, allowing light to reflect and bounce throughout the cabin.


The curtain dividers are made of a PVC oilcloth in a gold lace design to add a funky flare and touch of whimsy. This fabric is waterproof and fade, stain, and soil resistant.

The couch and bed cushions along with the throw pillows are covered in a woven indoor/outdoor fabric in both geometric patterns and bold solid colors. This fabric is resistant to mold, mildew and fading allowing for years of use.

We look forward to begining the installation process. Check back for updates on the project’s status and pictures of our work in progress.

Sprinter Motorhome in the Making, Part 1!

Over the past nine years I have been a kite-boarding and traveling enthusiast. I have traveled around the world in search of great wind conditions, local flavor, new experiences and just a plain old good time. On many of these travels I was with friends and family, and most of the time we either rented an RV or stayed in a hotel. The problems that I have found with most RVs are that they are big, slow, and use a ton of gas. The gas consumption of your average RV is around 12 MPG, turning what should be an affordable family vacation into an expensive, eco-disaster.

I have personally owned a couple of RVs and have always been enchanted with the idea of building my own. Mercedes makes and imports a vehicle called Sprinter and badges it Dodge, Freightliner and many other name brands. The vehicle gets 21-25 MPG and is powered by a Mercedes Benz diesel engine that is not only powerful and gas efficient but reliable for the long haul. Over the years I have been chomping at the bit to own a Sprinter and do a conversion and the time has finally come! The Savannah Cabinet Shop purchased a Dodge Sprinter in October of this year with plans to convert this vehicle into an RV. With this project The Savannah Cabinet Shop hopes to gain knowledge in another field besides remodeling and cabinetry and to show our strengths in design.

We are currently producing drawings and renderings of the interior. If you’re curious about what the design, look and feel of the interior will be, then check back here periodically for updates.

What are the Construction Options for Cabinetry?

In the wonderful world of cabinetry there are many different construction options to choose from. If you are using a stock line of cabinetry, most of these decisions will likely already be made for you. Semi-custom lines generally have their base construction level with the ability to upgrade certain features. With custom cabinetry you are able to choose the construction style for each individual part. The major construction decision areas are the style of cabinet box, the construction materials for the cabinet box, the construction and material of the drawer box, and the drawer glides.

Construction options have less to do with the look of the cabinetry and more with the structure and moving parts, but they can greatly affect the cost. Between look and construction, there exists a price equilibrium when working within a budget. So, if the look of the kitchen is the most important thing to you, you might consider trading off construction upgrades for look upgrades. Conversely, if construction is the most important thing, you might have to trade look upgrades for construction upgrades. Obviously if the sky’s the limit when it comes to your budget then everything can be upgraded. Your kitchen designer can help you determine what exact combination of give and take results in the perfect kitchen for you.

For the style of the cabinet box you have two options, framed or frameless. As the name suggests, the difference between framed and frameless construction in cabinetry is the presence or absence of a face frame. With a cabinet that has a face frame, the doors and drawer heads can be mounted inset flush into the frame, partially overlaying the frame, or fully overlaying it. With frameless cabinetry, the doors are mounted to the sides of the cabinet box and therefore fully-overlay the box. Once installed, both construction types are of equal stability when made with comparable materials. Framed construction can give a more traditional look to your cabinetry; especially the inset and partial-overlay styles. Frameless construction is often used in contemporary, modern or transitional areas. Frameless cabinetry is also used in industrial settings like laboratories and hospitals. Because of the absence of an overlapping frame, the clear width of the cabinet’s openings is wider with frameless construction, though the box volume remains the same. Stock and semi-custom cabinetry lines generally only make one type of cabinet box, framed or frameless. Custom cabinetry can be either and the construction types can even be mixed throughout your kitchen.

Both types of cabinet boxes can be made with engineered wood, plywood or solid wood. There are pros and cons to each type of box construction, and clients usually have their own biases. Generally speaking, engineered wood is the base construction level, with plywood construction being the upgrade. Occasionally specific projects require a solid wood box, like when using reclaimed wood, but this is rare and very costly.

Plywood is more stable than solid wood and available in many grades and species. Plywood is also relatively economical. Medium-density fiberboard (MDF), particleboard, and oriented strand board, all common types of engineered wood, offer more weight, a lower cost and a flatter panel with more surface uniformity. However, the dimensional stability, screw-holding and bending strength of engineered wood is less than plywood’s. Even though engineered wood panels have some advantages over plywood panels, some people just don’t like the idea that the panels are not made from all natural wood. Chemically sensitive clients might also react badly to the adhesives used in engineered wood which emit a greater amount of formaldehyde as they cure than plywood.

The plywood versus engineered wood choice is the same for your drawer box construction with the addition of the solid wood dovetail drawer box option. Dovetailed drawer boxes are made from solid wood stock and are constructed by cutting a series of pins in the end of one board to interlock with a series of tails cut into the end of another board. Once glued, a wooden dovetail joint requires no mechanical fasteners. The plywood and engineered wood drawer boxes are glued and pinned together.

Once you have decided on your drawer box you must also decide on what type of drawer glides to use. You must decide if you want your drawer boxes to extend from the cabinet box ¾ of the way or in full. If you choose to have full-extension glides you will also then have the option to add a soft-close feature that pulls the drawer softly closed once pushed in 90% of the way. Soft-close drawer glides also make it impossible for anyone to slam the drawers. Each type of glide can be installed mounted to the underneath or to the side of the drawer box. Glides mounted to the bottom of the drawer box will take room from the depth of the drawer box. Glides mounted to the sides will take room from the width of the drawer box.

In short, there are many things to consider and decide upon about your cabinets’ construction. At The Savannah Cabinet Shop we can help you navigate through these difficult decisions. When you work with our design staff, our knowledge becomes your knowledge. Check out our portfolio or come in today to start your cabinetry project.

Savannah’s Remodeling Contractors are Making a Comeback with Savannah Home Remodeling

Remodeling your newly purchased or existing home in the greater Savannah area? The Savannah Cabinet Shop can help with all of your Savannah home remodeling needs. Whether you are remodeling for an updated look or a complete design overhaul we are here to make the remodeling process as painless as possible. With our selection of stock, custom and semi-custom cabinetry, our design knowledge and remodeling contractor relationships, The Savannah Cabinet Shop is your one stop shop for Savannah home remodeling.

With the government and state tax credits for first time home buyers, and foreclosures being sold at drastically reduced rates, now is the perfect time to buy a house. But, getting a steal of a home doesn’t always mean getting the exact kitchen or bath that you had dreamed of. Don’t fret! The Savannah Cabinet Shop makes home remodeling easy and affordable.

Our monthly specials can help stretch your remodeling dollar so you can update and improve every area you had hoped for. Our wide selection of styles and construction options guarantees that we have the perfect cabinetry for your Savannah remodeling project. Our in-house interior designer can help you with space planning, materials selection and everything else associated with your Savannah remodel. Let us set up your tile and countertop appointments and help you with selection. We can also recommend Savannah remodeling contractors such as plumbers and electricians.

Our downtown Savannah showroom has the look and feel of a well-appointed home so spending time in design meetings is stress free and fun. Access to our own custom shop means that if you can dream it, we can build it. Get inspired with our portfolio or call and schedule an appointment today.