Build Kitchen Cabinets
Many homeowners opt to build kitchen cabinets as part of their renovations in order to achieve a custom look without a huge price tag. Even without a major renovation, adding new cabinets can change the overall feel of the room. Consider mixing and matching various styles of cabinetry and different tones to create your perfect kitchen.
Steps
- Design your cabinets. Cabinets are usually about 24" deep to allow for a roughly 25" deep countertop with a slight lip. Cabinets are also usually 34.5" tall, allowing for a 36" overall height once the countertop material is added. To calculate the size of wall (or upper) cabinets, add 18-20" to the counter height. Subtract this from the overall height of your ceiling and you will have the range you can work in for cabinet size. Standard wall cabinet depth is 12-14". The lower cabinet width will be somewhere between 12-60" in 3" increments. 15", 18", 21", and 24" are the most common sizes. Don't forget to plan your cabinet size around the cabinet doors that are available to you (unless you plan to make your own)!
- Cut the side panels. Using 3/4" MDF (or similar material, like plywood), cut out the side pieces for the cabinet. It doesn't matter how this material looks, since the sides will not be seen. Just get something sturdy and affordable! The side panels will be 34.5" high and 24" wide. Add a toe-kick by clamping the two side panels together and then, using a jigsaw, cut a 3x5.5" notch into one corner of the panels. This is the bottom front corner. Unclamp the side pieces after they are cut.
- Adjust the measurements for a wall cabinet and skip the toe-tick. No toes up there, we hope!
- Cut the bottom panel. The bottom panel will be 24" deep. The width will change depending on the dimensions of your kitchen. The width should equal the total width you want for the cabinet, minus the added with of the two side panels.
- A change in dimensions will again be needed for wall cabinets.
- Cut the two base panels. Cut two pieces of 1x6 lumber to the same width as your bottom panel. Skip this step if you are making wall cabinets.
- Cut the top bracers. Cut two pieces of the 1x6 to the same width. These will be used to brace the upper portion of the side panels. Skip this step if you are making wall cabinets.
- Cut the face panels. Assembled like a picture frame, these panels will make up the part of the cabinet that you actually see, so use dimensional lumber of a wood type that appeals to you (and your wallet!). You can use a few different sizes depending on the look you want, including 1x2s, 1x3s, and 1x4s.
- Put together the base. Line up the flat face of one base panel with the back edge of the bottom panel. Line up the second base piece 3" from the other end of the bottom panel, in order to form the toe kick. Glue both pieces in place and then drill pilot holes and secure the pieces firmly together using screws and butt joints.
- Add the side panels. Attach the side panels to the base you just made, using a similar glue-butt-joint-pilot-hole-screw process. Align the base so that the toe kick notches match up and all edges are flush. Use clamps, angle measures, and levels as necessary to ensure proper 90 degree angles.
- Secure the top braces. Fit and glue into place one of the upper braces, such that the flat plane is flush with the back edge of the cabinet and should rest against the wall. Fit and glue the second brace at the front, so that the flat plane would rest against the countertop, once the countertop is installed.
- Nail on a back panel. Trace the entire outside frame of the back of the cabinet and then cut a back panel from a 1/2" plywood. Screw it into place. You will need a thicker material for wall cabinets, such as a 3/4" plywood.
- Reinforce the connections. It is a good idea to reinforce all of the connections within the cabinet. Use corner brackets and screws.
- Insert the shelves. Measure the height for the shelf or shelves and mark it on both sides. Use a laser level to make sure that the marks are level. Then, install four corner brackets per shelf (two to a side) for the shelves to rest on. Slide the shelves in. Wait to add the shelves to wall cabinets.
- Assemble and install the face panels. Using flat or mitered joints, assemble the face pieces the same way you would a picture frame. You can use pocket holes, dowels, or mortise and tenon joints to secure the pieces together (just choose a method that you know how to do). Once that's done, glue and nail the single unit in place. With the nails countersunk, you can use wood putty and paint or stain to finish the cabinets.
- Fit and attach the cabinets. Fit the cabinets into their final location. Secure them in place by screwing through the back panel and into the wall studs. Wall cabinets will require more serious support. You can use L brackets and cover the bottom portion with appliances or a backsplash (or just get decorative brackets).
- Install the doors. Just buy door panels. Unless you're remodeling an industrial size kitchen, buying them will be cheaper than getting all the special equipment necessary to make anything more than the plainest of doors. Install them according to their manufacturer's instructions.
Tips
- Wear safety goggles while cutting and sanding lumber to protect your eyes from dust.
- Build the face frames first, then build the cabinet boxes.
- When staining the cabinets, make sure you have the proper ventilation. If the weather is nice, consider staining the cabinets outside.
Things You'll Need
- Half-inch plywood
- One-by-six lumber
- Dowels
- Hinges
- Wood putty
- Knobs
- Drawer slides
- Wood glue
- Measuring tape
- Finishing nails
- Flathead screws
- Clamps
- Table saw
- Drill
- Sander
- Sandpaper
- Jigsaw router
