More cabinet questions

[Justin Leiwig]

I'm finishing up the closet project on my honey-do list a weekend early, so I'm planning on starting the laundry room cabinets next weekend. That being said in the final stages of design I have some questions.

1.) what is everyones preferred method of attaching the face frame to the carcase?

2.) Is there any harm in making the upper cabinets 18 inches deep instead of 14 for extra storage?

3.) I'm going with beaded inset for the style. I've read everything from 1 1/2" rails and stiles to up to 2". What is the most common rail and stile size for beaded inset. It will be a 1/4" bead if that makes a difference.

[Joe Chritz]

1: I use pocket screws and glue when ever possible. On a finished end that won't have an applied panel just glue and clamps. Biscuits for alignment on tall cabs or if I feel like using them at the time.

2: You can make them any depth you want. More material is the only real negative. In fact custom cabs are often a shade deeper. I like to use maximum depth and get 4 cuts from one piece of plywood. That makes the carcass about 11 3/4 + 3/4 frame for 12 1/2. After the back is in (I use 1/2 backs which I strongly recommend) I have 11 3/4 inside dimension.

3: Not sure. I know 1 1/2 is pretty common for face frames and is about all I do. You should probably mock up a few but if I was going for beaded I would likely add a 1/4 and go with 1 3/4.

Joe

[Matt Meiser]

For the cabinets I've done I've used pocket screws where they will be hidden. But I've also just glued the face frame on a couple projects with success.

I agree with Joe, go a little wider with the bead or they may look to thin.

One possible drawback to the deeper cabinets, if you have a top-load washer: In our laundry room we have cabinets over the washer and dryer. The lid of the washer hits the bottom of the cabinets so I had to pull the washer and dryer 2" further from the wall than I would do otherwise so the lid will stay open. If they were at the same height and 2" deeper, it wouldn't work because 2" further and the washer would block the door. Of course you could change the mounting height and adjust for this if the people in the house can reach.

[frank shic]

i agree: pocket screws on the outside if you can hide them otherwise glue and clamp. you may run into some difficulty grabbing objects from the top shelf in an 18" deep wall cabinet. i used 2" wide rails and stiles with a 1/4" routed bead on my last bathroom wall cabinet which works out well since the door rails and stiles were 2" as well.

[Justin Leiwig]

The only possible place for anyone to see the pocket screws would be where the washer and dryer are. The washer and dryer are going to be sandwiched between two base cabinets and then there will be a wall of cabinets above.

Any thoughts as to making the cabinets 38" high to match the eventual washer and dryer combo I'll be getting? That way I can put a countertop all the way across?

[Lee Schierer]

I prefer a rabbet and glue for attaching face frames. On solid wood cabinets you can hide the corner joint pretty easily if you abbet it and it helps with alignment to the carcase.

[Justin Leiwig]

I prefer a rabbet and glue for attaching face frames. On solid wood cabinets you can hide the corner joint pretty easily if you abbet it and it helps with alignment to the carcase.

This is how I was intending on doing it at first, just not sure I have the clamps to pull it off though. Although since there isn't a "rush job" on these cabinets I could build them one at a time.

[Paul Demetropoulos]

Pocket screwing is the easiest method as those before have said, other than nailing them on with a finish nailer. And if the cabinets will be painted you can use the pocket screws anywhere.

The deeper you go you risk having things lost in the back of the box; and as to the 38" base, why not, that's the advantage of making them yourself, size them to your own needs.

[Matthew Henderson]

I've used biscuits and glue with great success. They help immensely with alignment and are quick.

-Matt

[Paul Demetropoulos]

Agree Matt the biscuits are an excellent choice as well, especially for alignment, he was just saying he's short on clamps

[Sue Wise]

From my vast experience of building just one shop cabinet, I used a couple dominoes for alignment, glue and a few pocket screws instead of clamping it. But I hear that glue is sufficient for holding power.

-Sue

[Rob Cunningham]

If the cabinet sides are not going to be seen, then I would use some pocket screws. I usually use a few biscuits for alignment and glue and clamp the face frames to the cabinet. You could use some cauls along the FF if you are short on clamps.

[Joe Chritz]

Just to add...

Sue has hit the nail so to speak. The pocket screws are for clamping and the biscuits (or dominos) are for alignment. The glue is all the strength needed for holding on a face frame.

A base cab 36" wide with 3/4" sides has about 70 Sq, in of glue surface. Even if have of the area is end grain plys that is still the same as face gluing a 7"x5" block. It isn't going anywhere once that glue dries.

I have had to "re engineer" a couple and it is destruction to take one apart.

Joe