Project: Wet Bar for Addition

[Jim Becker]

Over the past two weeks, I've been working hard to get the cabinetry ready for the wet bar area in our new addition. While I normally document my projects with large numbers of photos, this time around, I apologize...there just wasn't time for it. But most folks have seen cabinet boxes go together in my other projects so not much is lost in this case. The only things I did differently for this project were the following:

1. For the base cabinets, I did an experiment and veneered BB ply with rift sawn cherry after edge banding it. Trimming the edges of the face veneers cleanly was difficult, but fortunately repairable. Next time I try this, it will be with solid cherry as a substrate
2. For the uppers, I built them with 1/2" cherry VC plywood, rather than the heavier 18mm-3/4" BB ply. I also got a chance to use my shop-built shelve pin hole jig made from the NYW plans...a reflection of the expensive aluminum MEG jig. I can tell you that I'm very much in favor of building uppers with the lighter material in the future!

So here are a few pictures from the BLOG (which is why they are annotated) I still have to build doors and drawers, but that will have to wait on something else. The lower doors will have the same cherry crotch panels as the vanities and the uppers will likely have glass in them. I needed to get these cabinet carcasses in "now" as the painters are starting Monday and the fit was very tight.

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[Bruce Page]

It's looking good Jim. I bet you are looking forward to having the remodeling project behind you.

[Matt Meiser]

So are you having fun? You've built a lot more cabinets than I have this past year and you've had to build them to a GC's schedule. I was the GC and 95% of the subs on my projects so I was in "control" of the schedule.

[Tom Henry]

Fine Work Jim!!!

[gary Zimmel]

Great work ! It's going to be a fine looking wet bar.

[Jim Becker]

So are you having fun? You've built a lot more cabinets than I have this past year and you've had to build them to a GC's schedule. I was the GC and 95% of the subs on my projects so I was in "control" of the schedule.

This is exactly why I'd be reluctant to be "in the business". I don't like to have to rush through things, although I have to say that if you have a "method", building cabinetry can move along pretty quickly. That said, I used so many different techniques for all these projects that they were more for skill-building than producing for the schedule. I got "lucky" with being "on time" by starting early...and having major delays due to the township helping out. (The guest bath vanity was completed before the hole was dug...)

[C Scott McDonald]

Looking good Jim. Are you going to texture your walls or is that not popular in Pennsy? Cant find a house without it in Colorado.

[Paul Girouard]

Looking good Jim. Are you going to texture your walls or is that not popular in Pennsy? Cant find a house without it in Colorado.

I was wondering the same thing? Maybe it has more to do with when "you have time to install" than proper sequencing, which is totally understandable.

Generally I like to install after texture and paint , but before finish flooring or hardwood flood finish goes down. But there really is no hard and fast rule that ALWAYS gets followed. Every job is "different" in some way schedules get goofed up , stuff is , generally , late , rarely early, etc .

Looks good all in all.

Just think of all the "free time" it will seem you have once this job is done

[Jay Brewer]

Looking great Jim! As nice as the inside of the uppers look, they definatly deserve glass panel doors. Looks like a sink is going in the left base. What kind of top are you going to use? Again, nice work.

[Jim Becker]

No texture on the walls. Brushed/honed black granite on vanitied and wet bar. (soft NOT shiny look!)

[Jason Roehl]

Looks good, Jim!

As a painter, though, I hate to see cabinetry hung on unprimed/unpainted walls, especially a wet bar. If it were me, I'd green board that little alcove (and any ceiling areas below it if they exist), prime and at least first coat it all before the cabinet got installed. Just one of those "just in case" things--you know how plumbing is...

I've worked almost through the night before (or at least late into it), just to get primer and a topcoat on walls before the carpenter started hanging cabinets. There are a lot of GCs out there who need to have their necks wrung because their schedule/haste forces an inferior product...

Sorry for the rant/hijack...back to watching "Fine Cabinetry with Jim"!

[Robert E Johnson III]

Wow, your project is looking good, pine flooring looks good also.

[Charles Wilson]

Jim:

1) Grex nailer? - How do you like it?

2) Face frames - attached with glue and biscuits?

3) Face frames - connected via pocket screws?

Looks nice,

Chuck

[Anthony Anderson]

Very Nice, Jim. Do you just pin the face frames on, or do you use biscuits as well, while the pins act only as a temporary clamp until the biscuits swell and the glue sets? I have wondered how just pins and glue alone would hold up. Have you ever strength tested just pins and glue? You always amaze me with your projects, and your dedication to always take pictures, document, and post your projects so we can all learn. Much appreciated. Regards, Bill

[Jim Becker]

Jason, it would have been preferable to wait on the cabs until after paint, but due to the tight nature of the space and the resulting wall repairs, this was better. We also have the stone folks coming on Monday to template, so they had to be in. The painters are outstanding and will not have issue on this...we asked.

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Face frame constructed with pocket scres. Three biscuits at top just for alignment glue and 1 3\8 pins hold it on. Glue requireed pins not enough.