face frame width

[Jeremy Bracey]

I am getting ready to build some kitchen cabinets. I have done this several times before and always used 2" ff width. As I look around I am finding anything from 1 1/4" to 2 1/4". For those of you that make Face frame cabinets, what width do you make your FF rail and styles?

[Todd Burch]

I use 2". 3" for stiles against a wall where I'll have to scribe. Sometimes 1 1/4" for inner stiles when I'm trying to maximize space. If a cabinet is sitting on the floor, I'll go 4" for the bottom rail.

[Jim Becker]

It's all about proportion, Jeremy. But I suspect that most folks use "common" dimensions for these things. In my kitchen project last year, my top rails were 1 1/4", my outer stiles were 1 1/2", my inner stiles 1 1/4" and my bottom rail was 2 1/2". These are narrower than some because I used inset doors which had rails and stiles that were 2". That points out that the style of the cabinets also affects sizing these components. Todd's use of 4" at the bottom of base cabinets also brings into play "viewing angle"...because those bottom rails are...um...on the bottom...and most folks are looking at them from a high angle, they actually appear to be about the same size as the narrower upper rails in the same cabinet.

[Jim Andrew]

Component cabinets usually have 1 1/2" stiles and rails. When butted
together they look like 3". The common size for cabinets built in is 2". I
used to use a 2 3/4 top rail as I would put trim around the top and would
hold it down 3/4". Also used to nail the tops on the cabinets and then
use a 1 1/2" front edge and put the laminate on in place. JIm

[Bill White]

4" x 4" toe kick, 2" rails and stiles all around, 3/8" overlay doors & drawers w/ Blum hinges. This puts floor of base cabinet 6" off the floor.