Kitchen Cabinet Dimensions/Plans

[Frank Lopez]

I'm getting ready to start building some kitchen cabinets. I am looking for a good source that has good details with cabinet dimensions. Are there also any good places to find kitchen cabinets plans? I really like designing my own projects, but I find I spend 4 times as long when I'm doing the engineering. Not to mention trying to correct mistakes because I forget to take something into consideration. I'm way behind schedule to complete our kitchen remodel and hoped to make up some ground if I follow a good set of plans.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[Dave Richards]

Frank, if you want common dimensions you might look at sites of the various kitchen cabinet manufacturers. They all have standard dimensions listed. They can also give you an idea of various things to do for space utilization.

As far as construction goes, unless you are going to get real creative with the carcases you should be able to use the same general building method for every cabinet. You might consider trying to group operations. For example if you will be cutting a dado in the sides for base cabinet bottoms, prepare all the side pieces at once. Then cut the dadoes for every cabinet at the same time.

You don't say what you're using for cabinet materials but if you are using MDF or plywood, you might want to consider something I found helpful. I like to lay out the cabinet sides next to each other with their back edges together (allowing for a saw kerf, of course.). Then I cut the dado for the bottom in both sides in a single pass. With the sides laid out together it is impossible to screw up one side.

Things like that will help you work faster and more accurately. That will let you get the job done sooner.

Good luck.