Kitchen Cabinet carcass material?

[Dan McLaughlin]

I'm going to be putting a refrigerator surround up for the LOML with a top cabinet and long side cabinet. Cabinets are going to be painted white to match the existing cabinets which are not great (probably not even good) quality but they are there and might get replaced somewhere in the future. (Yeah right! the list gets longer every day ). For all of you who have tackled the painted kitchen cabinets, what have you used for the carcasses of the cabinets. The existing cabinets are 1/2" something (not MDF). I was looking at both birch and oak faced plywood at the local Borg and Lowes. Neither seemed to have A/A sanded pine (best I could find at Lowes was B/C - B sanded). While I don't mind the cost of the oak and birch faced plywood , I was wondering if I am missing something. Not looking to do MDF, especially on the long cabinet. The face frame will be a suitable aspen or decent select pine. Thanks

[John Christiansen]

I'm going to be putting a refrigerator surround up for the LOML with a top cabinet and long side cabinet. Cabinets are going to be painted white to match the existing cabinets which are not great (probably not even good) quality but they are there and might get replaced somewhere in the future. (Yeah right! the list gets longer every day ). For all of you who have tackled the painted kitchen cabinets, what have you used for the carcasses of the cabinets. The existing cabinets are 1/2" something (not MDF). I was looking at both birch and oak faced plywood at the local Borg and Lowes. Neither seemed to have A/A sanded pine (best I could find at Lowes was B/C - B sanded). While I don't mind the cost of the oak and birch faced plywood , I was wondering if I am missing something. Not looking to do MDF, especially on the long cabinet. The face frame will be a suitable aspen or decent select pine. Thanks

Melamine.... Why paint any more than you have too?

The stuff is easy to keep wiped off and clean also

[Von Bickley]

Dan,

I would use the birch plywood for the cabinets and use poplar or soft maple to face the cabinets.
I wouldn't use the oak if you are painting the cabinets.

[Phil Phelps]

You'll want a tight grain wood for painting. The birch or the maple will be best. Use a oil base primer for sure. I like an alkyd base, low luster, for the finish. Stay away from MDF in the kitchen.

[Halsey MCCombs]

Don't forget to leave good vent area in the back top of the cabinet.Halsey

[Dan McLaughlin]

Don't forget to leave good vent area in the back top of the cabinet.Halsey

Halsey - that's something I hadn't considered. What is "good vent area"? The ceiling is 8 foot but the refrigerator sits under a 1 ft soffit. That leaves about 14 or 15 inches between the top of the refrigerator and bottom of the soffit. The soffit is 26" deep. Most of the heat seems to be dissipated from the bottom but I'm not standing between the wall and the back of the refrigerator to feel how much heat is released back there

[Ron Meadows]

For my last few painted projects I've used Appleply. Home Depot carries it around here. It has smooth faces and is virtually void free. I quick sanding and you have a very smooth medium on which to paint. I always use poplar for painted face frames.


Ron

[Lee Schierer]

Halsey - that's something I hadn't considered. What is "good vent area"? The ceiling is 8 foot but the refrigerator sits under a 1 ft soffit. That leaves about 14 or 15 inches between the top of the refrigerator and bottom of the soffit. The soffit is 26" deep. Most of the heat seems to be dissipated from the bottom but I'm not standing between the wall and the back of the refrigerator to feel how much heat is released back there

Consult your fridge owners manual. Some have all the coils underneath. Our new one has no coils on the back at all and can be set tight to the wall plus it requires no overhead clearance either. All the air flow is in and out of the grill on the bottom under the door.

[jack duren]

I'm going to be putting a refrigerator surround up for the LOML with a top cabinet and long side cabinet. Cabinets are going to be painted white to match the existing cabinets which are not great (probably not even good) quality but they are there and might get replaced somewhere in the future. (Yeah right! the list gets longer every day ). For all of you who have tackled the painted kitchen cabinets, what have you used for the carcasses of the cabinets. The existing cabinets are 1/2" something (not MDF). I was looking at both birch and oak faced plywood at the local Borg and Lowes. Neither seemed to have A/A sanded pine (best I could find at Lowes was B/C - B sanded). While I don't mind the cost of the oak and birch faced plywood , I was wondering if I am missing something. Not looking to do MDF, especially on the long cabinet. The face frame will be a suitable aspen or decent select pine. Thanks

mdf,particle board and melamine are all good choices for interior carcasses. melamine is my favorite. the exteriopr if painted can be from mdf. unless you have deep pockets.

so...interior melamine, frame poplar and finished ends would be mdf.. works just fine on these cabinets...jack