When the back of cabinet shows

[Brian Penning]

Looking for input on the best method for constructing the exposed "rear" of a portable kitchen island.
The front side will have the doors and drawers and the rear/back will have the drop leaf breakfast bar. Something similar to below.

All the carcasses I've previously made had hidden backs with the standard rabbet in the outside edges and the panel attached inside. This time with an exposed back I'm unsure of the best way to go.
Will be approx. 42" wide.
Has to be made of solid wood.
Thanks for any and all replies....

[Brent Smith]

Hi Bri,

Perhaps you could do a face frame with faux paneled doors and drawers to match the front?

[Russ Boyd]

A nice method is as Brent said...panels run across the back. Another is just to use a finish grade ply (birch,oak,etc.). Do your rabbit as normal and cover the joint with an outside corner if you don't like the joint itself.

[willie sobat]

When I a piece of mine will have an exposed back I use raised panel construction. In your case I would place the panels inside a frame that mirrored your front face frame construction for aesthetics. I would overlay the frame on the carcase and attach it with glue and finish nails. Then trim it flush.

[Mike Cruz]

Actually, I've made one of these. I made that back just like the front, with a face frame and two doors. It was quite convenient being able to access the main compartment from both sides. I did not put fake drawer fronts on the back because I KNEW I would just end up yanking on them and getting frustrated. Here are some pics: Oops, looks like I didn't take pics of the back side. Oh, well. You get the idea. Oh, yeah...yes it is on wheels. I made the base recessed so the wheels are up under the cabinet, and there is only about a 1/4" clearance to the floor. So it doesn't look like it is mobile...but it is. And the granite piece is the cut out from our sink. I just took it back to the place that did our counters and asked them to square it up, and round and polish the edges. Under the granite is ply with some holes (about 2" diameter) so that the granite can be removed (pushed up from underneath) if it ever needed it. HA! I just realized that I never put drawers on it at all!

[glenn bradley]

Mike's unified appearance looks great. If you want a definite front/back look, beveled T&G panels are nice.

[J.R. Rutter]

I vote for a double panel (w/center stile) in the same style as the front door rather than a false FF + doors. Biscuit to back of carcass.

[Matt Meiser]

I'm going to be building something similar in about a week. I'm going make the bottom and sides from 3/4" plywood for strength and to give me something to screw the slides into. The sides are then going to get panels like the ends of all the other cabinets. The front will get a regular faceframe. And the back is going to get a modified panel like the sides. Modified, because the island I'm building is going to have a small pull out table on that side.

[Steve Clardy]

I use either plywood [same species] or the frame and panel route.

[Joe Scharle]

Not a good pic, but I think you can see where I hid the all the ends with the exposed legs. This style is quick and easy.

[Jeremy Brant]

You can still use all ply too...use a 45° bevel on the back edges so that your corners aren't showing the ply layers. If needed, run a 1x strip inside the corner with screws for reinforcement.

[Mike Cruz]

Joe, nice one. I would have put a little more bling on mine, but we knew we were selling the house, so the kitchen was not going to be ours. I hate to admit it, but I didn't even make the doors. I used two extra doors that came with the kitchen when we ordered it. Now I remember, that's why I didn't put any drawers on mine...too much work for "giving" it to the next owners. Also, my ends extended over so far so you could pull stools up to it and eat at it.

[Bob Carreiro]

Craftsmanship aside, design reigns. Since your sides are solid, so make your back.

If you want (raised) panels on the back, use them on the sides too.

In any case, I suggest rabbits for corner joining, leaving an eighth-inch reveal (likewise for FF-to-sides). This way, corner jointing will be nearly invisable.

Looks like a nice project. Good luck!

Bob

[Joe Scharle]

Mike,
I made this for one of my girls. She wanted one to roll from kitchen to deck and back. You know how it is; "Dad, (while handing me a picture torn from a mag/catalog) can you have this ready by Friday?"

I thought yours was a built-in from the pic. Looks good, I bet the new owners were happy to get it.