Learn How to Build Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets add value to a residence along with adding a lot of helpful storage space however, they can be really pricey. But if you have previous skill with woodworking you can build kitchen cabinets on your own and get rid of 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 should be 3¼ inches high and the size should be the same as the floor of the cabinets without the sides, front and back of the cabinets. Use the table saw or a circular saw to cut the plywood to the necessary size and nail it all together.
Use the cabinet grade plywood to make the floor of the cabinet and use a little glue and some finishing nails to join it to the base. Next glue and nail the walls of the cabinet to the base, using the clamps to secure them in place while you drive the nails. Make sure that the carcass is properly squared. You can now add any shelving you intend to include.
When the carcass is done move on to the face frame; cut the oak wood to the necessary length and then determine where the dowel holes will go and set out the face frame and the stiles (vertical pieces) to ensure that everything fits correctly. Use the doweling jig or horizontal boring tool to drill the needed holes for the dowels you are using. Put wood glue on the stiles, dowels and in the dowel holes and then insert the dowels into their selected holes using the mallet to seat them properly. Use the clamps to hold the assembly together until the glue dries and everything is dried in place.
Drill holes along the top, middle, bottom and sides of the face frame to hold 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 place. Make sure that the face frame is properly 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 opt to purchase pre-made doors or you can build them too. Just like the face frame use dowels, clamps and glue to put the doors together, but for the doors you need to use the router to make 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 install the doors and drawers. Fill in any nail holes with wood putty and apply whatever finishing touch you choose such as stain, varnish and polyurethane.
Put in the drawers, doors, knobs, handles, hinges and set the cabinet in position. Use a drill and the self drilling screws to hold the cabinets to the wall and lastly, put in the top of the cabinet and you are finished.
Tips and Warnings
Use a clamp to secure a ruler or other straight item onto the plywood when cutting to work as a guide.
Any height or width the counters are to be, build the frame about ¾ of an inch lower and narrower so that the cabinets are the desired size when the doors and counter tops are in place.