| From dressers and vanities to kitchen and bath | | | | Upper cabinets are constructed in the same basic |
| designs, building great cabinets means knowing the | | | | manner, using box or case construction for the sides, |
| basics. | | | | bottom and a 3/4-inch plywood top. In this case the |
| Regardless of whether you are building a stereo | | | | sides, top and bottom all have 1/4-by-1/4-inch |
| cabinet or dresser, a kitchen cabinet or bathroom | | | | rabbets ripped in their inside edges for the plywood |
| vanity, basic cabinet construction is the same. A | | | | or hardboard back. The facings are cut and installed in |
| cabinet or furniture piece consists of the carcass or | | | | the same manner. Upper cabinets are anchored to |
| case with two sides, bottom and top, a back and a | | | | the wall with a nailer strip at the top and through the |
| front. The front may contain drawers, doors or | | | | back into the studs, as well as with screws through |
| shelves or combinations of the three. Several | | | | the back into the studs. Homemade cabinet jacks of |
| variations may be used in the construction. | | | | 2-by-4's with shingle wedges can be used to |
| | | | | temporarily hold the upper case up in position and |
| The carcass construction can be separated into three | | | | help level and plumb it until you can get it fastened |
| types: leg-and-rail, frame-and-panel, and box or case. | | | | solidly in place. |
| Leg-and-rail construction is found on chairs, tables, | | | | |
| benches, stools and on some furniture such as | | | | Set the nails slightly below the surface. |
| chests. | | | | |
| | | | | Then fill all nail holes flush with wood putty. |
| Frame-and-panel construction is used to make up the | | | | |
| component parts of many types of furniture including | | | | Vertical facers are often anchored with counterbored |
| the sides, doors and interior web frames with dust | | | | screws from the inside edges. |
| panels that are used on many fine, hand-built pieces | | | | |
| of furniture. | | | | A more intricate form of construction involves |
| | | | | creating a facing frame of mortise and tenons joints. |
| Box or case construction is the basic design of | | | | The front facing frame is then anchored to the case |
| dressers, buffets, desks and chests, as well as | | | | sides, top and bottom with glue blocks and |
| kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities. | | | | countersunk wood screws from the inside or with |
| | | | | glue and biscuit joints. This totally eliminates the nail |
| The simplest case construction is a box made of | | | | holes that must be filled and is the best method for |
| plywood. These can be softwood or hardwood | | | | fine furniture cases. |
| plywood, and they can be painted or stained and | | | | |
| varnished. Particle board, finished on one or two | | | | Fine furniture often consists of a case with an |
| sides, is a common material for construction of some | | | | assembled facer frame fastened over the front edge |
| cabinetry. A case can also be constructed of solid | | | | of the case. Mitered corners add to the fine |
| wood, but these days solid wood is used only on | | | | construction. |
| small pieces or for extremely fine furniture. | | | | Another form of construction consists of |
| | | | | legs-and-rails with panels. The legs-and-rails are |
| The simplest cabinetry is a box construction such as | | | | assembled with mortise-and-tenon or dowel joints. |
| a kitchen cabinet. Shown is the typical construction | | | | The panels are held in rabbets. |
| dimensions of an applied-facer kitchen cabinet base. | | | | |
| Kitchen Cabinet Case ConstructionBoth upper and | | | | Frame-and-Panel Construction |
| lower cabinets have the same basic construction | | | | With this type of construction, the corner posts of |
| details. On the lower cabinet, the first step is to cut | | | | the assembly, which may also be the assembly legs, |
| the two sides. Incidentally, you can construct a | | | | are fitted with panels. The frame consists of rails and |
| custom kitchen cabinet to fit any space, rather than | | | | stiles fastened together with mortise and tenons or |
| the small individual sections joined as with purchased | | | | dowels. The corner posts or stiles may be rabbeted |
| cabinetry. Or you can make up smaller units and join | | | | or dadoed to accept the panels, or the panels may |
| them in the same fashion. If a side is to be concealed | | | | be held in place with dowels or biscuits. This is a very |
| against a wall, that side can be made of more | | | | popular method of constructing small chests and |
| economical plywood. The exposed side should be cut | | | | tables, as well as larger pieces of fine furniture. The |
| from a good hardwood- or smooth | | | | panel may be constructed of thinner, or thicker, |
| softwood-surfaced plywood. | | | | stock that is shaped at the edges. |
| This is the typical construction of an upper kitchen | | | | |
| cabinet with applied facer. | | | | The inside framing on built-ins and simple furniture can |
| | | | | consist of shelving standards with adjustable wooden |
| The following is the simplest method of constructing, | | | | shelves, or wooden shelf strips can be used to |
| using glue and finish nails that are then set below the | | | | support permanently located shelves. Drawers can |
| surface and the holes filled with wood putty. Cut a 1 | | | | use metal slide systems. On fine cabinetry and |
| 4-by-1/4-inch rabbet in the inside back edge of each | | | | furniture, however, the inside construction is as |
| side piece for the cabinet back. The bottom shelf is | | | | important as the outside because the inside framing |
| raised above the floor on most cabinets to create a | | | | not only provides for drawers and shelves, but also |
| “toe-space” or kick board. Locate the | | | | provides strength. Drawers are often supported by |
| position of the bottom on the side pieces and mark | | | | inside wooden partitions called web frames. Solid |
| the kick board cut-out on each cabinet side. Cut using | | | | stock or plywood may be used, but they add a |
| a saber saw. | | | | great deal of weight. Open frames are commonly |
| | | | | used. If the frames are fitted with thin wood panels |
| In most instances the bottom front facer is 1-inch in | | | | they are called dust panels. Dust-panels and |
| width, allowing for a 1/4-inch lip to protrude down | | | | web-frames are marks of quality furniture. They are |
| into the toe space. Mark this location and then use a | | | | always used on desks or bureaus with locked |
| carpenter's square to mark a line for the bottom. | | | | drawers; otherwise you could remove an upper |
| Cut the bottom 1/4-inch narrower than the sides, and | | | | drawer and get into the contents of the drawer |
| then fasten the bottom in place with glue and finish | | | | below it. |
| nails, making sure it is aligned with the squared marks. | | | | |
| Install a nailing-strip at the top back. Cut this to fit | | | | Many fine furniture constructions use web frames |
| between the two sides and fasten in place with glue | | | | with dust panels between the drawers. |
| and finish nails. Cut the back to the correct size from | | | | |
| 1/4-inch plywood or hardboard and, with the case | | | | These frames are normally assembled with |
| lying face down, lay the back in place. Use a | | | | mortise-and-tenon joints, and with dadoes for the |
| carpenter's square to make sure the case is square, | | | | thin wooden dust panels. The web frames may be |
| and then fasten the back in place with 1/2-inch | | | | held in place with glue and nails or screws. More |
| staples and an air nailer, or with 3/4-inch coated nails. | | | | often, the frames are fitted into rabbets or dadoes |
| | | | | in the sides of the case and glue blocks used for |
| First step is to assemble the basic box, in this case | | | | support under the frame pieces at the back. |
| of plywood, with glue and screws or nails. | | | | Although the dadoes in the sides of the case could |
| | | | | be the full thickness of the frame pieces, it is best to |
| Cut the side facers first. Apply glue to the case edge. | | | | rabbet the frame edges and cut a narrower dado |
| | | | | joint to provide more gluing surface and a stronger |
| Turn the case upright and you're ready to install the | | | | joint. A dovetail joint is the strongest for this type of |
| facings. Cut and install any dividers of shelves. The | | | | unit; however, the frames must slide in from the |
| simplest method, especially for overlap doors, is to | | | | front. When a frame-and-panel construction is used |
| install veneer tape over the plywood edges. These | | | | for the sides of the case as well, the web frame |
| edges must first, however, be sanded smooth. A | | | | may be fitted with stub mortise-and-tenons. |
| more traditional method is to install individual facer | | | | |
| strips over the front edges of the case. These | | | | If the front edge of the frame is also to act as a |
| normally fit flush with the outside edges of the case, | | | | drawer-front facing, it is covered with hardwood to |
| but overlap the inside edges. | | | | match the exterior of the project. Otherwise the |
| | | | | frame is concealed behind the drawer fronts. If the |
| Cut the two side casings first, fitting them flush with | | | | frames are long, as on buffets, they should have a |
| the upper end of the sides and the lower edge of | | | | middle supporting rail or even two supporting rails if |
| the toe space. Fasten these in place with glue and | | | | necessary. |
| No. 6 finish nails. Then cut the lower facer to fit | | | | Doors and Drawers |
| between the two side facers, ensuring the correct | | | | Doors and drawers can be overlap, lip or flush. |
| width to match the top edge of the bottom shelf | | | | Overlap doors and drawers have the entire front |
| and the bottom edges of the toe spaces on the | | | | thickness exposed. These are often used on |
| sides. To cut to length, cut one end smooth and | | | | “Euro” style kitchen cabinets and bathroom |
| square, then hold it in place and use a sharp pencil to | | | | vanities. Lip doors and drawers normally have a 3 |
| mark the length. Cut the pieces square using a | | | | 8-by-3-inch lip or rabbet around all edges. This allows |
| fine-toothed blade in a radial arm saw. Glue in place | | | | for using 3/8-inch lip hinges for installing the doors. |
| and fasten with No. 6 finish nails into the case-bottom | | | | Flush doors and drawers are fitted with their fronts |
| edge. Use No. 8 finish nails through the side facings | | | | flush with the case facings. These require great care |
| into the sides to further secure in place. Cut the top | | | | in building and installing. Flush doors don't seal off the |
| facing in the same manner, ripping to width, and then | | | | cabinet as well as overlap or lip doors. |
| cutting to length. All facers should have their edges | | | | Shown are common door examples. |
| jointed smooth. | | | | |
| | | | | Door fronts may be made of solid wood or 3/4-inch |
| Align the facer flush with the case edge and fasten in | | | | plywood. The outer edges may be left square on |
| place with finish nails. | | | | overlap doors, but are commonly rounded on lip |
| | | | | doors. Drawers are commonly made of solid wood, |
| Set the nail heads slightly below the wood surface. | | | | sometimes of plywood. |
| | | | | |
| Then measure the upper facer to fit precisely | | | | Finer furniture, however, often utilizes |
| between the two side facers. | | | | frame-and-panel construction for the doors and |
| | | | | sometimes for the drawers. Or the drawers may be |
| In this case the top facing is fastened between the | | | | solid wood with shaped fronts. The frame-and-panel |
| two side facings with glue and No. 8 finish nails | | | | doors consist of two uprights, called stiles, and two |
| through the edges of the side facings into the ends | | | | horizontal pieces, called rails. Some doors also have a |
| of the top facing. If the cabinet has drawers, cut | | | | third horizontal piece, or cross rail, in the middle. The |
| facers and install in the same manner. Cut door and | | | | frame pieces have dadoes cut along their inside |
| drawer dividers to fit between the drawer bottom | | | | edges for panels. Or a rabbet may be cut along the |
| facer or facers and the upper or lower facer as | | | | inside edges of the frame, in which case the panel is |
| needed. These can be anchored in place with | | | | held in place by molding. The inside edge of the |
| toenail-driven, self-starting wood screws in | | | | frame is called “sticking.” It can be left flat or |
| countersunk holes, with glue and finish nails, or with | | | | shaped, or provided with attached decorative |
| glue blocks from the backside. Wood strips 3/4-by-1 | | | | molding. A molded sticking adds to the strength of |
| 1/2-inches are fastened inside the front and back, | | | | the frame structure. |
| and to the sides at the top for anchoring a | | | | |
| countertop in place. | | | | Frame-and-panel doors may be made in several ways. |
| | | | | The simplest is to cut dadoes in the frame pieces |
| | | | | then dowel and glue the frame pieces together, |
| Use a fine-toothed saw and make a square cut so | | | | inserting the panel in place as you assemble the |
| there is no opening in the joint. | | | | frames. Or the frame can be assembled with |
| | | | | mortise-and-tenon joints. The best method, however, |
| Nail the top facer in place, and then install the bottom | | | | is to use a router or shaper to create shaped |
| facer in the same manner. | | | | stickings. This creates a shaped joint and provides a |
| | | | | larger glue surface, as well as a decorative frame |
| Install the divider facers in the same manner. | | | | edge. |
| | | | | |
| Anchor the ends of the facers with No. 8 finish nails | | | | The panels inserted into the frames can be thin |
| through their mating facers. | | | | plywood panels or solid wood with their edges |
| | | | | shaped. The top of the frame and panel can be left |
| At this point the cabinet bottom is ready to be | | | | straight, or an arched panel and top rail may be |
| installed. If plumbing is to be installed for a sink, and | | | | created on a shaper or with a router. |
| electrical connections for a disposal are needed, | | | | |
| measure and cut the openings at this time. Then | | | | Creating cabinetry, whether building your own kitchen |
| place the cabinet in position. The cabinet must be | | | | cabinets or a fine piece of furniture is a rewarding |
| level in all directions. Use a four-foot level to | | | | task. Start with simple box construction and work |
| determine level and wood shingles as shims to ensure | | | | your way toward the more complicated construction |
| a level unit. Locate the studs in the wall and fasten | | | | as you gain experience and tools. |
| the cabinet in place with screws through the rear top | | | | |
| nailing strip. The cabinet back can also be fastened to | | | | Doors and frame-and-panel construction often consist |
| the wall with screws into the studs. Build the | | | | of shaped bead and ogee edges with flat or shaped |
| countertop and install. | | | | panels. These can be cut with a router or shaper. |
| | | | | |