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Thread: Floating Cabinet Plan (Finehomebuilding)

  1. #1
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    Floating Cabinet Plan (Finehomebuilding)

    Hey y'all! Looking to build some floating vanities, I have all of the tools needed. I am simply looking for some design guidance. I have never built cabinets before, but I am hyper attentive to detail, an artist, enjoy woodworking projects and have been constructing wooden models my whole life. I figure that, along with instruction/patience (and a quality track saw), I will be able to accomplish this.

    I am a member over at finehomebuilding and came across this project:

    http://www.finehomebuilding.com/2013...loating-vanity

    The PDF says that i am not allowed to copy or distribute it. So I will explain a couple details that I am concerned about.

    edit:
    these are the correct ingredients!

    cherry-veneered moisture resistant MDF is used for the drawers and door panels (and side panels)
    Solid cherry drawers would be dovetailed for looks and strength.
    solid cherry rail and stiles
    maple 3/4" plywood for carcass


    Because the cabinets were cantilevered from the wall, to be built to resist racking. Biscuits we used to connect butt jointed sides. Then pilot holes were drilled between the biscuits with a stepped bit. Then used 'beefy' confirmat screws.
    so:
    (biscuit) ^ (biscuit) ^ (biscuit) ^ (biscuit) ^

    '^' = 2" confirmat screw

    The author used heavy-duty brackets to fastest the floating vanity to the wall.

    here is a picture of the finished product:
    floatingcabinet22.jpg


    Here is how it is attached to the wall...
    attachingtowall.jpg







    My main concern is stability of the plywood and biscuit joints. though, they are screwed together after the biscuits are glued up?
    I am also worried about the Veneer in a bathroom, however this is on top of moisture resistant MDF?
    Is that stuff really needed? Sounds a bit overkill....

    Any guidance would be greatly appreciated!
    Last edited by mike waters; 09-03-2017 at 11:41 PM.

  2. #2
    Biscuits are great for alignment but they don't add much strength so the screws and glue are the structural components. If the veneer is well sealed, I wouldn't expect a problem. What is the top made of?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Richards View Post
    Biscuits are great for alignment but they don't add much strength so the screws and glue are the structural components. If the veneer is well sealed, I wouldn't expect a problem. What is the top made of?
    Hi dave, thanks for the reply!
    The top is ceaserstone. (spelling?)

    I can chose any top I suppose, I was even considering putting some blue agate on it ...
    Edit: reading this again, i would not put blue agate on it.. Would distract from the beauty of the wood

    edit2:
    Not sure what you meant by top... of the carcass? Here is a snippet of how it is secured to the wall.

    attachingtowall.jpg
    Last edited by mike waters; 09-03-2017 at 4:03 PM.

  4. #4
    Basically, the top isn't going to be wood. I don't think you'll need to worry about the case so much. I'd be inclined to go with the plywood as shown in the drawing but MDF would also work.

  5. #5
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    I'm with Dave - would prefer plywood carcass over MDF. MDF is heavy and does require special fasteners to properly be held together. I like plywood as it glues and holds screws very well. The biscuits in this case are construction helpers as they simply align the parts before you add the screws and as Dave wrote - add minimal (if any) strength.

    You might consider just buying 2 sheets of nice 3/4" cherry veneer plywood. One piece for the face and the remaining as the finished ends. Depending on the overall dimension of the cabinet 1 sheet might be sufficient. You could wrap around side/front/ side for a very nice seamless look. Doing it this way will require some thought as to how to hold it all together as you would not want to screw through the finished panels. Maybe build the box with 1/2" ply and then add 1/4" veneer ply over as your finished product. That could be applied with glue using cauls and clamps. Edge band all visible edges with solid wood or veneer tape.

    Will be a lovely vanity.
    "... for when we become in heart completely poor, we at once are the treasurers & disbursers of enormous riches."
    WQJudge

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Richards View Post
    Biscuits are great for alignment but they don't add much strength so the screws and glue are the structural components. If the veneer is well sealed, I wouldn't expect a problem. What is the top made of?
    In a long grain solid wood glue up I agree biscuits don't add any strength but in a butt joint in panel stock (ply, mdf, particle board)they add a lot of strength. Basically they were invented in Europe for construction of their style of cabinetry, butt joints and no dados.
    Steve Jenkins, McKinney, TX. 469 742-9694
    Always use the word "impossible" with extreme caution

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    Great advice and suggestions gents! keep em comin! I have SIX of these to make...
    Four of them are going to be 24" height, 48" wide with a depth of 24"
    The other two are going to be much longer because they are going in our master bath... Was going to do something very nice - coopered maybe.

    So i looked at the instructions again and i was WRONG.
    The carcass is Maple 3/4" plywood.
    The rail&stile is solid cherry
    The full overlay drawers/doors and end panels are 1/2" custom MDF moisture resistant veneer.
    Is that stuff (moisture resistant mdf) really needed? Sounds a bit overkill....

    Sorry for the wrong information! been a very long day
    Last edited by mike waters; 09-03-2017 at 11:41 PM.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Dave Richards View Post
    Basically, the top isn't going to be wood. I don't think you'll need to worry about the case so much. I'd be inclined to go with the plywood as shown in the drawing but MDF would also work.
    thanks dave

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    The construction approach of the original builder is overkill. He's built a full sheet-goods cabinet, and then wrapped it with more sheet goods. He's holding it up with those big steel angle brackets. Overkill.

    When I've built floating vanities like this, I've built them as a single layer of hardwood-veneer plywood. No need for that double wall stuff. The end walls and interior walls provide complete rack resistance. I include a 3/4" plywood top. I glue the top to all the walls, using biscuits to align everything during glue-up. The finished end walls cannot be screwed, but if you want you can add screws through the top into the top edges of the interior walls. I glue a nail rail to the underside of the top at the back -- usually something like 3/4 by 1, but it turns out to be whatever comes out of the scrap barrel. I also usually add a nail rail at the bottom. If your vanity is mostly drawers, the bottom nail rail can go inside the cabinet. If your vanity is mostly doors, so people could look inside to see the lower nail rail and the screws through it, you can put the nail rail outside the cabinet; it will be well-hidden underneath the cabinet. I install the cabinet with #10 cabinet-hanger screws through the nail rails into every stud. There's plenty of shear strength in that many screws.

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    Here's a floating vanity I built last year. Please excuse the blurry-cam pic. The cabinet is sitting in the shop on a furniture dolly, and it has light-colored temporary supports screwed to it. It is eight feet long. The front is bandsawn claro walnut veneer. The internal structure is exactly as I outlined in my previous post. It has since been installed in the bathroom, had the stone top added, and is doing just fine.

    (The temporary supports are quite useful. They hold the cabinet at the eventual correct height above the floor. They allow the installer to shove the cabinet around while he's putting holes in the cabinet back for plumbing, and in this case for electricity. The supports are screwed to the cabinet body with screws whose heads are inside the cabinet in the bays where drawers will go. The installer screws the cabinet to the wall, then unscrews the temporary supports and pulls them out -- done.)

    claorfloatingvanity.jpg

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    Quote Originally Posted by Jamie Buxton View Post
    Here's a floating vanity I built last year. Please excuse the blurry-cam pic. The cabinet is sitting in the shop on a furniture dolly, and it has light-colored temporary supports screwed to it. It is eight feet long. The front is bandsawn claro walnut veneer. The internal structure is exactly as I outlined in my previous post. It has since been installed in the bathroom, had the stone top added, and is doing just fine.

    (The temporary supports are quite useful. They hold the cabinet at the eventual correct height above the floor. They allow the installer to shove the cabinet around while he's putting holes in the cabinet back for plumbing, and in this case for electricity. The supports are screwed to the cabinet body with screws whose heads are inside the cabinet in the bays where drawers will go. The installer screws the cabinet to the wall, then unscrews the temporary supports and pulls them out -- done.)

    claorfloatingvanity.jpg
    thanks so much jamie! I had a hunch that the project I came across was overkill... just seemed like WAY too much.
    I am a total NOVICE. i do not understand all of the lingo you wrote out.
    Do you suggest a book I could buy to learn about cabinet work? I am already becoming addicted to it simply discussing different designs and features.
    What are end walls and interior walls?
    what purpose does the nail rail serve? is it for support? (again, i am a total novice)
    I made a silly paint drawing right now haha! This is what I think you are saying? (screws going down into the sides, through the top piece.)

    I was also reading about cabinet doors warping in humid areas (like the laundry room). How would I get around this? (see thread below)

    http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...at-do-I-do-now

    Thanks a lot for your assistance!


    plywood.png
    Last edited by mike waters; 09-04-2017 at 2:48 AM.

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    The purpose of an internal carcase with panels overlaid is speedy production and simple joint construction. You simply glue and screw the carcase together and then apply the external skin. This method of construction is common outside USA. Biscuits don't add anything if you do it this way. Glue and screw is plenty.

    Are you sure you need 24" deep? 20" is usually plenty.

    MR mdf is a good idea for all environments unless you live somewhere very dry. Properly polished it will perform very well. Cheers

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    Quote Originally Posted by Steve Jenkins View Post
    ...biscuits...in a butt joint in panel stock (ply, mdf, particle board)they add a lot of strength...
    Agree with biscuits adding strength to this construction. Also with using veneered plywood. Wherever fasteners are required you can countersink using a Fuller bit and cover with a solid plug.
    "Anything seems possible when you don't know what you're doing."

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    I was also reading about plywood cabinet doors warping in humid areas (like the laundry room). How would I get around this? (see thread below)

    http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...at-do-I-do-now

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    Quote Originally Posted by Wayne Lomman View Post
    The purpose of an internal carcase with panels overlaid is speedy production and simple joint construction. You simply glue and screw the carcase together and then apply the external skin. This method of construction is common outside USA. Biscuits don't add anything if you do it this way. Glue and screw is plenty.

    Are you sure you need 24" deep? 20" is usually plenty.

    MR mdf is a good idea for all environments unless you live somewhere very dry. Properly polished it will perform very well. Cheers

    Hi Wayne,
    pheraps 20" is enough, yes. I just figure an additional 4" is not a big deal and I'd rather have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it.

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