Building Cabinets 1 - Introduction

Introduction - Materials - Overview - Cutting/Assembly - Faceframe - Doors/Drawers - Finishing - Attaching/Installing

Project Introduction

Everyone enjoys the look and feel of fine wood furniture. It has a warmth and elegance that enhances every home. With the prices of quality wood furniture increasing, many do it yourselfers are making their own custom pieces. In this article we are going to show you the correct way to build a cabinet in your own workshop. We will take you through step by step, from initial planning to the finished product. As you build this project, remember, every new skill and technique you learn building this cabinet can be carried over into other wood working projects.

Planning

Review the checklist thoroughly before proceeding with this project. Go through the tools and materials and study your plans carefully. Know the safety standards for the project. Before you begin, plan to gather the items that you will be using, and place them where you will build the cabinet.

You will find an extensive list of ALL tools and materials necessary to build your cabinet in the tools and materials checklist, but let's simplify things a little and look at the basic components you will be working with to build your cabinet.

Basic Cabinet Components

• Kick-plate
  
• Carcass
  
• Strong-back
  
• Face frame
  
• Doors
  
• Drawers (optional)
  
• False Front

 

It really is a simple project, when you divide it into manageable components!

Terminology

Before you begin your project, you will want to become familiar with the wood working terms shown below.

• Miter Cut - Angle cut across the width or thickness of the board
  
• Rabbet - L-shaped cut
  
• Dado - Channel cut across the board, into which a second piece of wood is fitted
  
• Kerf - Width of the blade
  
• Countersink - To set a screw head at or below the surface
  
• Dowel - Wooden pin used to provide strength and alignment
  
• AA Lumber - Lumber which has a good finish on both sides.
  
• Ripping - A cut with the grain
  
• Crosscutting - A cut across the grain
  
• Shim - A thin, wedge-shaped piece of wood used for leveling or spacing.
  
• But Joint - The square end of one piece butting up against the flat surface or end of another piece.

 

Materials

Because of the size of the lumber involved in this project, you need an extra person to help with cutting some of the wood. Plan ahead so your "Assistant" is available at the appropriate times.

Wood Selection

Before you purchase your wood and select a finish for your cabinet, you should ask yourself some simple questions about how you plan to use and display it in you home, Where will the cabinet be located? Do the dimensions of the cabinet fit properly in the space you have allowed for it?

NOTE: Because this cabinet is small and will be pushed flush with the wall, we will use a strong-back to add strength and hold the cabinet together. You may decide to add a plywood back depending on the use and size of the cabinet.

The selection of Wood in our color photos is oak plywood with a thin layer of veneer of solid oak on its surface. You can use a plywood that has a furniture grade veneer on only one side (AB plywood), since only one side will be visible. Plywood with a finished veneer on both sides (AA) can also be used for a top quality look. face frames of solid oak will be used to cover the plywood when necessary.

Similar to laying a pattern out on a piece of cloth, often you can cut several different pieces of the same thickness of wood out of a single piece. It is a good idea to add up the total number of boards, being careful to make sure you group short pieces in with long pieces to minimize waste.

Now that you have reviewed safety hints, learned the mistakes to avoid, reviewed the basic components and gathered your tools and materials for your bookcase - you are ready to BEGIN!

Introduction - Materials - Overview - Cutting/Assembly - Faceframe - Doors/Drawers - Finishing - Attaching/Installing