subject: Build A Kitchen Cabinet [print this page] Kitchen cabinets add value to a house along with adding a lot of functional storage space but they can be really costly. However, if you possess previous experience with woodworking you can build cabinets on your own and eliminate the cost of hiring a professional; here's how.
Required Tools
Table Saw/circular saw
A doweling jig or a horizontal boring tool
Mallet
Drill
Router
Clamps for gluing
Sandpaper
Required Materials
Cabinet grade plywood for carcass (frame)
Plywood for door, false front insert and kick plate face
1" x 6" oak for face frame
Dowels
Hinges
Knobs
Glue
Finishing nails (6d)
Self drilling screws
Drawer materials and slides (if needed)
Counter top materials
Instructions
The base for the cabinets ought to be 3 and quarter inches high and the size ought to be the same as the floor of the cabinets minus the sides, front and back of the cabinets. Use the table saw or a circular saw to cut the plywood to the required size and nail it all together.
Use the cabinet grade plywood to create the bottom of the cabinet and use a little glue and some finishing nails to hold it to the base. Next glue and nail the walls of the cabinet to the base, using the clamps to secure them in position while you drive the nails. Make sure that the carcass is accurately squared. You can now put in whatever shelving you intend to include.
When the carcass is completed proceed to the face frame; cut the oak wood to the required length and then determine where the dowel holes will go and lay out the face frame and the stiles (vertical pieces) to make certain that everything fits properly. Use the doweling jig or horizontal boring tool to drill the required holes for the dowels you are using. Place wood glue on the stiles, dowels and in the dowel holes and then push the dowels into their designated holes using the mallet to secure them fully. Use the clamps to keep the assembly together until the glue dries and everything is locked in place.
Drill holes along the top, middle, bottom and sides of the face frame to keep it to the carcass. Apply glue to the edges of the plywood (the carcass) and the face frame and use clamps to hold the face frame in position. Ensure that the face frame is correctly lined up prior to tightening the clamps. Next nail 6d finishing nails into the pre-drilled holes to keep the face frame in place.
You can choose to buy pre-made doors or you can build them too. As with the face frame use dowels, clamps and glue to put the doors together, but for the doors you need to use the router to create a space for the door insert. Glue, clamp and nail the drawers together too and install the slides for the drawers and doors.
Put in the door inserts and sand down all the sections of the cabinet and then put in the doors and drawers. Fill in all nail holes with wood dough and apply whatever finishing touch you choose like stain, varnish and polyurethane.
Put in the drawers, doors, knobs, handles, hinges and position the cabinet in position. Use a drill and the self drilling screws to hold the cabinets to the wall and lastly, install the top of the cabinet and you are done.
Tips and Warnings
Use a clamp to hold a ruler or other straight item onto the plywood when cutting to act as a guide.
Any height or width the counters are to be, build the frame about three quarter of an inch lower and narrower so that the cabinets are the desired size when the doors and counter tops are in place.
