kitchen base cabinet

8/8/2019 Kitchen Base Cabinet

1/6

129KITCHEN BASE CABINET

Copyright 2004 Martian Auctions 580


2/6

There are two sorts of kitchen cabinets:base cabinets, which sit on the floor, andwall cabinets. Base cabinets provide bothstorage space and work surfaces. Theyoften house sinks, such large appliancesas dishwashers, and sometimes smaller

conveniences, such as slide-out shelvesor cutting boards.Construction: The basic cabinet is

made of a plywood case (sides, floor, andback) and a counter top covered withplastic laminate. Hardwood trim defines

Tools and materials: Radial arm or tablesaw with dado head Saber saw, backsaw.

Router with straight veneer trimmer, bevelveneer cutter, arbor, and pilot, 3/8"rabbeting bit, and 45 chamfer bit. Electricdrill with set of twist bits, No. 10 plug cutter,and Nos. 8 and 10 combination pilot,clearance, and Counterbore bits. Wide chisel,3/16"chisel, fine laminate file Hammerscrewdriver. Several 5' pipe or bar clamps,several 6" C-clamps, vise. Framing square,combination square, level, steel tape rule,compass, utility knife, pencil. Rubber-surfaced pressure roller or rolling pin Beltsander with No. 120 sanding belt Nos 80,100, 150, and 220 sandpaper. Maskingtape, carpenter's glue, constructionadhesive, contact cement Lacquer thinner

or equivalent solvent, tung oil, soft clothsOne 4' x 8' panel each of 1/4", 1/2", and 3/4"

birch-veneer lumber-core plywood and of3/4" high-density particle board. One 2' x 4'panel each of 1/4" and 3/4" cherry-veneerlumber-core plywood, 48' of 4/4 cherry, 20'of 1 x 2 clear pine, and 11' of 2 x 4 firCedar shingles. Enough 1/16" plasticlaminate to cover surface and edges ofcounter top Two flush-mounted pivothinges, five pairs of 20" metal drawer slides,one magnetic door catch, six small rounddrawer/door pulls. 2d, 3d, 4d, 8d, and 12dcommon nails, 4d and 6d finishing nails,7/8" No 6 roundhead wood screws and thefollowing flathead wood screws:

5/8" No 4,

1/2" No 6 1", 1 1/2", and 2" No 8, and 1 1/4"No 10



3/6

Kitchen base cabinetthe openings for the door and drawersand reinforces the case. The case is fas-tened to a platform that has been leveledwith tapered shingles used as shims.

Do-it-yourselfers who build kitchencabinets often order custom-made coun-ter tops. It is a good idea to do so if youneed a large or L-shaped top. Otherwise,you can make your own as shown and

save a good deal of money.Variations: The base cabinet de-scribed in this project has five drawersand a wood-paneled door that opens toreveal a shallow fixed shelf. You can eas-ily rearrange, increase, or eliminate theelements to suit your needs. . You canalso redesign the cabinet to house asink.

The directions that follow are for a cab-inet 3 feet high and 2 feet deep that will fitbeneath the kitchen wall cabinet in thenext project. The counter top is designedto cover not only the cabinet but a dish-washer or other appliance as well. You

can build the base cabinet exactly as it isshown here if you wish, but you will haveto adapt at least the length of the countertop to fit your own kitchen.

A base cabinet has two types of sides.One side (the right, as described in thedirections that follow) reaches only to thecabinet floor, which rests on top of a plat-form. It should be placed against a wall orbutt against another cabinet on a commonplatform. The other side (the left) reachesall the way to the kitchen floor, maskingthe platform. It should be placed against alarge appliance or be left exposed. If it isexposed, use cherry-veneer plywood

and fill the screw holes with cherry plugsas used on the face of the cabinet. If theleft side of the cabinet will not be seen,use less-expensive birch plywood andleave out the plugs. If both sides of yourcabinet will be visible, use the measure-ments, techniques, and materials givenfor the left (outer) side for both sides ofyour cabinet. If both sides butt againstwalls or other cabinets, use only the mea-surements, techniques, and materialsshown for the right (wall) side.

You may want to install a backsplash,which will prevent liquids from runningoff the counter top and down the wall.Although a short backsplash is equal tothe task, the 18-inch-high backsplashrecommended is easier to keep cleanand provides a level support for a wallcabinet. If you plan to install a wall cabinetabove your base cabinet, a high back-splash will make the job easier.



4/6

1. Cut parts A-E tosizes in chartThen cut dadoes,rabbets, and notchesshown in patterns Cut trim(Q) fordivider (C) and shelf (E)and cut a 1/4-x 1/4-in.dado down center ofback edge of each trimpiece. Apply glue todadoes, push trim onto

tongues created byrabbets in divider andshelf. Clamp until dry.Belt-sand trim flush withdivider and shelf.

2. Draw lines across topof cabinet floor (D) 22

5/8

and 23 3/8 in. from leftedge. Continue lines onbottom of floor Clampdivider (C) upside downin vise and glue floor toits bottom edge so thatdivider meets floorbetween lines and dividertrim extends 3/4 in

beyond front of floor.Using lines on bottomof floor as guide, drive 4dcommon nails throughfloor into bottom of dividerevery 6 in. Keepconnection squared whiledoing so.

3. Apply glue to bottomedge of right cabinet side(A) and set cabinet floor(D) upside down on top ofit so that all outer edgesof the two pieces areflush. Drive 4d commonnails through cabinet floorinto bottom edge of side

every 6 in., stopping tocheck for squareness afterdriving in each nail. It is ofutmost importance that thecabinet be square, as thesmooth operation of thedrawers and door willdepend upon it.

4. Turn assembly rightside up Apply glue tolong horizontal dado in leftcabinet side (B) and insertleft edge of cabinet floorinto it so that front edgesof floor and side are flush.Clamp unit and prop up

opposite side of cabinetfloor with two scrap 2 x 4'sset on edge so thatcabinet will sit level untilthe glue dries.

5. Slide shelf (E), with itstrim facing the front, intodadoes in divider (C)and right side (A) Cutback (L) to size andglue it in place so that itsits in rabbet in left sideand is flush with bottomof cabinet floor (D) andouter edge of right sideTongue of left side willextend a bit beyond

back Secure back with4d common nails.

6. Check measurementand cut long bracingstrips (V) to size. Clampone strip along inside ofback (L), fitting it intonotch at top of divider(C) so that its endstouch insides of cabinetsides (A and B) Use

No. 8 combination bit todrill five evenly spacedpilot holes through backinto bracing strip Alsodrill down throughbracing strip into top ofdivider. Drive in 1 1/2-in.No 8 screws andremove clamps

7. Fit other long bracingstrip (V) into notch atfront of divider so that itsends are flush with topsand fronts of cabinetsides. (Trim on dividerwill protrude 3/4 in. at

front) Use No 8 bit todrill through frontbracing strip into dividerand drive in a 1 1/2-in No8 screw. Drill one holethrough each side intoeach end of each longbracing strip and drive2-in No 8 screws intothe holes

8. Check measurementand cut short bracingstrips (W). Clamp onestrip against inside of

right cabinet side (A)with its ends butting longbracing strips (V). UseNo, 8 combination bit todrill three holes throughcabinet side into shortbracing strip. Clampother strip to left side.This time, drill pilot holesthrough strip into sideAttach strips with 2-inNo 8 screws. Sandinside of cabinet withNos. 80, 100, 150, and220 paper



5/6

Kitchen base cabinet

9. Cut trim (Q) for frontedges of cabinet sides,and clamp trim flushwith inner edges andtops of sides. Use No.10 bit to drill pilot holesevery 8 in. through triminto front edges of sides.Counterbore holes % in.deep. Glue and screw

trim in place. Removeclamps when glue is dry.Use No. 10 plug cutterto cut plugs (U) fromcherry Glue plugs intoscrew holes, and chiseland sand their tops flushwith trim.

10. Mark trim on cabinetsides 6 in. from top.Mark trim on divider andleft side 12 in. and 21 1/2in. from top. Cut a pieceof trim and position itacross cabinet front

flush with tops of trim onsides. Use a knife tomark divider where trimcrosses it. Cut andposition a second pieceof trim with top edge at6-in mark and a thirdpiece with top edgeflush with top of cabinetfloor. Mark divider wherethese pieces cross it.

11. Use saber saw tocut

13/16-in.-deep notches

in divider trim wherehorizontal trim will hit it,using knife marks as

guides. With No. 10 bitdrill a deep holethrough each piece oftrim into divider. Glueand screw trim to dividerDrill pilot holes and glueand screw top trim tobracing and bottom trimto cabinet floor. Plug allholes. Use No 8 bit todrill through trim onsides into ends ofhorizontal trim. Drive in2-in. screws

12. Cut two pieces oftrim and position them

between trim on dividerand left cabinet side sothat top of one piece isat 12-in. mark and top ofother piece is at 21 1/2-in.mark made in Step 10Use No. 10 bit to drillholes through trimon divider and on leftcabinet side into ends ofshort horizontal trim.Drive in No. 10 screws.Use router with chamferbit to bevel any edges oftrim that will face thedoor or a drawer.

13. Cut platform beams(Z and AA) to sizePosition one long beamparallel to wall and 1 1/2in from it Put two short2 x 4 scraps into gap tomaintain spacing andserve as nailingsurfaces. Position otherlong beam parallel to

first and 16 in awayLevel each beam, ifnecessary, by pushing acedar shingle under itas far as needed. Levelbeams with each otherin same way, being sureto keep each beam levelalong its length

14. Position the shortbeams (AA) betweenends of long ones Levelshort beams, then levelall beams with eachother Use 12d nails totoenail the 2 x 4 scraps

to wall, face-nail innerlong beam to scraps,toenail short beams toinner long beam, andface-nail outer longbeam to short beams.Also toenail each pieceto kitchen floor Cutkickplate (P), and nail itflush with top of outsidebeam with 6d finishingnails every 10 in

15. Position cabinet onplatform with back edgeof left side (B) touchingwall and cabinet back(L) 1/2in. from wallFrontof cabinet should be 23/4in from kickplate Ifthere are gaps betweenleft side and wall, set acompass with its pointand pencil as wideapart as widest gapDraw point of compassdown wall so that pencilwill mark contours ofwall on left side. Planeor sand away woodbehind marks to makeside fit flush with wall.

16. Drive 8d nailsthrough cabinet floor intoplatform every 10 inUsing dimensions inchart on page 115 forparts F-K, make threesmall and two largedrawers To do so, cutdrawer faces (N and O)to size, then follow thedirections for makingdrawers in platform bed,but skip Steps 16-18and use 20-in. slidesinstead of the largerones required for thebed Sand and set asidedrawersCopyright 2004 Martian Auctions 584


6/6

17. Cut door stiles (R)and rails (S) to size.Mark off both ends ofboth rails for tenons.Each tenon should be 3/4in. long, 3/8in. thick, and1 1/2 in. wide, and havefour shoulders. The longshoulders should be7/32 in. wide and theshort shoulders shouldbe 1/4 in. wide as

shown. Use table orradial arm saw withdado head to cut thetenons.

18. Draw cutting linesfor mortises on doorstiles (R) 1/4and 1 3/4in.from each end of eachstile and 7/32 in. fromeach side edge Test-fitdoor-rail tenons insidethe lines. Cut blindmortises 3/4 in. deep.Glue together, clamp,and square off door

frame. When glue is dry,unclamp frame andmake rabbets 3/8 in.wide and 1/4in deepalong inside perimeterof door frame to acceptpanel. Chisel corners ofrabbets square

19. Sand door framewith Nos. 80, 100, 150,and 220 paper Cut twoslots on outside face ofone door stile, each viin. wide and 1/2in. deep.Position one slot 2 1/2 in.from top of stile andother slot 2

1/2 in. from

bottom. Set hinges intothese slots and usepencil to mark positionsof hinge screw holesDrill pilot holes, andscrew hinges to stile

20. Cut door panel clips(T) and drill a 1/8-in. hole3/16 in from one end ofeach. Sand clips andposition them on insideof door frame so that

when screwed on theycan be turned one wayto cover rabbets and theother to leave rabbetsunobstructed. Mark clipholes on frame, drill5/64-in. pilot holes, andattach clips to framewith No 6 roundheadscrews, but leave screwsloose enough that clipscan be turned.

21. Cut door panel (M)to size and test its fit inframe. Trim it to fit ifnecessary, then sand it.Remove panel and holdframe against cabinetface with rabbets facingin and hinges at rightTop edge of frameshould be 6 3/4 in.belowtop edge of cabinet.

Level door frame, thenmark cabinet withlocation of screw holesin hinges. Remove doorframe and drill holes forhinge screws. Securepanel in frame, but donot install door yet

22. Cut counter top (BB)and batting strips (Xand Y) to size. Attachbatting strips tounderside of countertop, flush with its frontand side edges, withglue and 3d common

nails Cut plasticlaminate for top surfaceand exposed edges ofcounter top, allowing for1/4-in. overhang on allsides. Apply laminate toside edge, front edge,and then top surface ofcounter top. Trim eachpiece and bevel edges

23. Position counter topon cabinet with its longbatting strip overhangingcabinet front and its rightside flush against wall.Use No 8 bit to drill upthrough bracing (V and

W) into counter top ineach corner (Do not drilldeeper than 1 1/8 in. oryou may pierce top.)Drive in 1 1/4-in screwsSand exterior of cabinet,then rub down woodwith tung oil. Attachdrawer/door pulls; installdoor, door catch, anddrawers.

24. If you are installing abacksplash (CC). cut it tosize and apply plasticlaminate to edges that

will show, then to frontTest-fit backsplash onwall If there are gaps,trim as in Step 15. Gluebacksplash to wall withconstruction adhesive Ifpossible, brace it withlumber wedged againstopposite wall untiladhesive dries. Drill pilotholes and drive 2-inscrews through bottomof the counter top intobottom of thebacksplash


kitchen base cabinet

Documents