Youngstown Steel Kitchen Cabinets

[hunter]

Does anyone on the forum have a kitchen with these in them?

Did you install them?

More importantly, did you refinish them?

I have a bunch to put in my kitchen and am wondering about the best way to restore the finish.

 

[gansky1]

Pictures please!

 

I seem to remember you mentioning this before?  Congratulations, those are some fine examples of steel construction.  I have seen them repainted with spray painting "electrostatic" method but by far the best way would likely be to powder-coat the doors for the best durability and longevity.  Do they need complete refinishing or just a sprucing up?

 

[mattl]

What is the shape of the finish now?  Are you dong the work or having it done?  Regardless it looks like a bit of work.

 

My cousin has a small set he's trying to get rid of, but I don't think they are Youngstown.  He pulled them out of a kitchen remodel in chicago, building dated from the early 60's.  He debated refinishing them, but decided it was too much work for the potential payback.  He's asking $400 for the  (if I recall correctly...) 6' sink base, several other base units, assorted uppers, and a tall narrow pantry/broom closet unit.   If anyone in Mid- Michigan is looking for a set let me know....

 

[circlew]

I have one Youngstown cabinet, a 15" unit with 4 drawers; the rest are Lyon. They were repainted in the early 70's after a fire, and were done in the painting contractors shop. They did a fair job with them.

I have known people who sent cabinets to the auto body shop to have them refinished, and they looked just like new. They used a high quality acrylic auto finish on them.

The gym I go to had the lockers painted electrostaticaly, and the finish didn't hold up well at all, nor look all that good to begin with.

The only thing I've heard bad about powder coating is that the heat can cause warpage if they are not careful.

Proper prep and good materials are the key to a quality refinish job.

 

[norgeway]

I would!

If possible, take them to a automotive body shop and have them painted, this may get pricey , but will look like they did when new, congratulations, you have imho, the best cabinets ever!

 

[hunter]

I may do just that.

They are incredible construction. Some of them have some rust on them but it isn't major.

The best thing...there is countertop that came with it. I DON'T plan to use it because (frankly) I'd rather have a continuous countertop.

But my wife came up with a brilliant thought: The look is a counter top in one of various colors, with a stainless steel backsplash. We can use the existing backsplash on a laminate countertop of our choice. (I wondered if we couldn't have the nose set in with a stainless-looking piece of laminate too. We'll see).

We need to have a bunch of work done before we get there. This is a job bigger than the kitchen; it involves taking our adjacent bathroom and turning it into 2 baths (it is 5x11 feet so it is JUST big enough). It'll be expensive but i think in the long run it will be worth it.

We looked at kitchen cabinets (literally) for years. All of them left me flat. Plus, with inhalant allergies it is better NOT to have plywood or particle board. The steel is ideal.

 

[norgeway]

I Love..

The look of the original tops, all that chrome!!!

 

[hunter]

I'm very pleased.

I actually bought 2 sets: One from a young man who was going to use it, then realized in his 70s house it was already ORIGINAL so why keep it, and the other from a couple who were ripping it out in a rental house to make their rental a little more upscale.

It was good to find 2 sets 'cause the kitchen sink cabinet in one of them is not in good shape but the other is.

All in all I got more cabinets than I will need for just a few hundred dollars - I think I paid < 40 per cabinet.

Now comes the fun of making it all fit together!

A long tall thin pantry would be nice - I'm jealous of the one in Michigan. My thought in my 60s kitchen is this:

It was once an eat in kit with everything arranged in an 'L.' There are 2 doors in the room, which means a corridor straight thru.

One door will get closed and the kitchen will become a galley. At the one end I have bought an island/breakfast bar on wheels for the wall end of the galley. The north side of the kitchen will have a cabinet in the corner, the sink, dishwasher, then another cabinet (with uppers). On the south wall, will be a tall pantry, then the refrigerator, then a small cabinet, the range, a cabinet with my Miele oven in it, then another cabinet in the corner (which may or may not be the lazy susan corner cabinet that I've gotten - haven't decided yet).

The kitchen isn't particularly large, only 10x13, but still...

 

[mattl]

Hey, post some picts as you  so we can follow...

 

[firedome]

Believe it or not...

Youngstowns are HOT with the Mid-Century Modern set and highly sought after by those interested in renovating or preserving their Mid Century Ranchers etc... just take a peek at www.retrorenovation.com one of my favorite websites!! They have a whole section on Youngstown and other metal cabinets!

 

[hunter]

Yes I do look at that site!

My house was built in 1962 so it's VERY appropriate for me, and I do look at it.

I've had a period-type screen room that my wife designed, built onto the house, as well as the fence (see the pic)

Hunter

PS for those of you who find the fence odd, tall fences at least round your back yard are very common here. We don't have much in the way of hedges for privacy so folks use fences. Since I live on a corner, the front yard fence keeps the lights out.