Cabinet Maker in Memphis

June 15, 2026

A cabinet maker builds and installs custom and semi-custom cabinetry for kitchens, baths, built-ins, and commercial millwork, and a Memphis shop gives buyers what an online order cannot: the chance to compare wood species and finishes under showroom lighting, take field measurements in the actual room, and engineer cabinetry around the realities of a Midtown bungalow, a Cooper-Young renovation, or a new build in the surrounding suburbs. Memphis is Tennessee’s second-largest city, with a population of roughly 619,000 as of 2024 (U.S. Census Bureau), anchoring a metro economy that supports a steady mix of residential remodeling and commercial fit-out work. That demand keeps local shops busy with custom kitchen and bath cabinetry, library and entertainment built-ins, custom closets, and the commercial casework that fills offices, medical suites, and retail spaces across the Mid-South.

Custom cabinetry sits at the top of a three-part market. Stock cabinets ship in fixed sizes and finish out quickly at the lowest cost, semi-custom lines allow modifications to standard boxes within a manufacturer’s catalog, and full custom work is built to the exact dimensions of a space with the buyer’s choice of species, joinery, and finish. Memphis shops often work across this range, pairing bespoke builds with semi-custom lines so a project can match a budget. Material choices drive both cost and durability: solid hardwoods such as white oak, walnut, poplar, mahogany, maple, birch, cherry, and hickory for face frames and doors, plywood or medium-density fiberboard (MDF) for cabinet boxes, and finishes ranging from clear and stained to painted, glazed, and distressed.

In Tennessee, licensing turns on the size and nature of the work rather than on the act of building cabinets. A contractor’s license from the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors is required when the total project, combining labor and materials, reaches $25,000 or more. A separate Home Improvement license applies to certain residential projects valued between $3,000 and $25,000 in the counties that have adopted that license class, which include Shelby, Davidson, Knox, and Hamilton. A shop that simply sells cabinets as retail goods needs no contractor license, but installing cabinetry as part of a larger remodel can cross the licensing threshold. Cabinet purchases carry Tennessee’s 7% state sales tax plus the local option tax, bringing the combined rate in Shelby County to 9.75%. Buyers can confirm a license at verify.tn.gov before signing a contract.

Consumers in Memphis are protected by the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104), administered through the Division of Consumer Affairs, which handles complaints about deceptive trade practices. On construction work, the state’s mechanics’ lien law (TCA 66-11-145) gives those who furnish labor or materials 90 days from completion to file a lien, a timeline worth understanding when scheduling payment milestones. Practical steps protect both sides of a cabinetry project: request written specifications listing wood species, box material, finish, and hardware, confirm whether the price separates materials from installation labor, ask for the design drawings before fabrication begins, and verify any required license through the Board for Licensing Contractors. Comparing a shop’s custom capability against a semi-custom line, and confirming lead times in writing, helps a buyer match the work to both the room and the budget.

Top Cabinet Maker Providers in Memphis

1. Old City Millwork

Address: 518 Cumberland Street, Memphis, TN 38112
Phone: (901) 454-1855
Website: http://www.oldcitymillwork.com
Services: residential millwork, commercial millwork, custom cabinetry, custom doors and mouldings, bespoke furniture, general millwork fabrication
Description: Old City Millwork was founded in 2005 to revive fine woodworking in the Mid-South and has grown into a full custom shop serving both residential and commercial building trades from its Cumberland Street location. The company designs and fabricates custom cabinetry, doors, mouldings, and bespoke furniture, executing commercial millwork to exacting standards alongside its home work. Its scale is notable for a custom shop: the firm reports two decades of experience, a staff of 24 craftsmen, more than 5,000 completed projects, and a substantial base of repeat customers. That combination of residential and commercial capability makes it a practical choice for kitchen and bath cabinetry as well as larger casework jobs.

2. Adkins Custom Cabinetry

Address: 2099 Thomas Road, Suite 13, Memphis, TN 38134
Phone: (901) 828-0858
Website: https://adkinscabinetry.com
Services: custom cabinetry design, fabrication and woodworking, professional installation, custom furniture, built-in storage solutions, countertops
Description: Adkins Custom Cabinetry, also operating as Adkins Woodworking, is a Memphis shop owned by Dustin Adkins that handles custom cabinetry for both residential and commercial settings. The company takes a project from design through fabrication to professional installation, and its work extends beyond cabinets to custom furniture and built-in storage solutions. Countertops are offered through a sister operation, Grinding Solutions, which lets a kitchen or bath project pair custom cabinetry with surfaces from a single point of contact. The shop describes its core values as accountability, dedication, expertise, innovation, and sincerity, and it serves the greater Memphis area.

3. Designer Cabinets

Address: 7124 Stage Road, Suite 109, Bartlett, TN 38133
Phone: (901) 452-2100
Website: https://www.designercabinets.com
Services: custom kitchen and bath cabinetry, built-in bookcases and entertainment centers, storage solutions, design consultation, installation
Description: Designer Cabinets has served the Memphis metro from suburban Bartlett since 1987, building custom cabinetry for kitchens, baths, and built-ins for clients across the Mid-South. The company crafts its cabinets at a 30,000-square-foot manufacturing plant in Whiteville, Tennessee, and offers a range of finishes including stained, painted, hand-glazed, and distressed work, with custom Sherwin-Williams paint colors and furniture-grade, heat-cured finishes sealed with a lacquer topcoat. The firm states that it is fully licensed and bonded for both new construction and remodeling, and it holds memberships in the West Tennessee Home Builders Association, the Fayette County Home Builders Association, and the Memphis Chamber of Commerce, along with Better Business Bureau accreditation. Its showroom in Bartlett operates by appointment.

Frequently Asked Questions About Cabinet Maker in Memphis

Q: Does a cabinet maker in Memphis need a contractor license?

It depends on the size of the job. A shop that only sells cabinets as retail goods does not need a contractor license. Once a cabinetry project reaches $25,000 or more in combined labor and materials, the work requires a license from the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors. In Shelby County, which has adopted the Home Improvement license, certain residential projects valued between $3,000 and $25,000 fall under that license class. Installation done as part of a larger remodel can push a project across these thresholds, so buyers should confirm a shop’s license at verify.tn.gov.

Q: What is the difference between custom, semi-custom, and stock cabinets?

Stock cabinets come in fixed sizes and a limited set of finishes and are the fastest and least expensive option. Semi-custom cabinets start from a manufacturer’s standard boxes but allow modifications to size, finish, and detailing within that catalog. Full custom cabinets are built to the exact dimensions of a room with the buyer’s choice of wood species, joinery, and finish, which gives the most design freedom and typically the longest lead time. Many Memphis shops work across all three, which lets a project balance cost against the degree of customization.

Q: How much is sales tax on cabinets in Memphis?

Tennessee charges a 7% state sales tax, and Shelby County adds a local option tax that brings the combined rate to 9.75%. How labor is taxed can depend on whether the cabinet maker structures the job as a retail sale of goods or as an installation contract, so buyers should ask for an itemized invoice that separates materials, labor, and tax before signing.

Q: What wood species and box materials are common for custom cabinets?

Face frames and doors are commonly built from solid hardwoods such as white oak, walnut, poplar, mahogany, maple, birch, cherry, and hickory, each with a distinct grain and price point. Cabinet boxes are typically constructed from plywood or medium-density fiberboard (MDF), with plywood generally favored for moisture resistance and screw-holding strength. Finishes range from clear and stained to painted, glazed, and distressed. A written specification that lists the species, box material, finish, and hardware helps ensure the delivered cabinets match what was quoted.

Q: How do I verify a cabinet maker’s license and protect my project in Memphis?

Confirm any required contractor or Home Improvement license through the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors at verify.tn.gov. Request written specifications and design drawings before fabrication begins, a price that separates materials from installation labor, and a clear payment schedule. Because Tennessee’s mechanics’ lien law (TCA 66-11-145) allows those who furnish labor or materials to file a lien within 90 days of completion, structuring payments around completion milestones offers protection for both the homeowner and the shop.

Q: How do I file a complaint against a cabinet maker in Memphis?

Complaints about deceptive trade practices or contract disputes can be filed with the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs, which enforces the Tennessee Consumer Protection Act (TCA 47-18-104). Disputes involving a licensed contractor can also be directed to the Tennessee Board for Licensing Contractors. Keeping the signed contract, design drawings, payment records, and photographs of any defective work strengthens a complaint.