Advice on a base cabinet
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I'm a bit new to woodworking, at least of the cabinet variety. I was hoping I could get a little help on a cabinet I'd like to build myself. Attached is the my first idea for this. A few things to note.
- This is not the right dimensions. I roughed it out intuitively. Particularly the length and the height of each shelf can and probably will change.
- 2/3rds of it will open to both sides, kitchen and dining room; the 1/3rd next to the stove will open only into the dining room.
- This will probably be a plywood box with poplar face frame, painted white, so I'm not super concerned about using fasteners. Tips for getting a very smooth, even finish would be appreciated.
- I don't love the vertical braces I've put under the shelves, so I'm open to suggestions to stabilize the long shelves.
- I don't love the way the end grain of the frame will be exposed at the narrow end. Suggestions to finish this end differently?
- How should I fasten this whole thing to the floor? It will be located where I removed a wall, so currently the subfloor is exposed in that area.
- How should I fasten the counter top to the top? I will be making my own concrete counter top, so I could potentially cast-in fasteners, but is that necessary? Would construction adhesive be enough? How are stone counter tops usually fastened?
- What kind of doors should I use? I'm tight on space, so the less they intrude the better. I was thinking double doors for each opening, but that's a lot of doors. If I attempted sliders, does anybody have good details for that?
Any and all help is greatly appreciated!
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@ledisnomad said:
I'm a bit new to woodworking, at least of the cabinet variety. I was hoping I could get a little help on a cabinet I'd like to build myself. Attached is the my first idea for this. A few things to note.
- This is not the right dimensions. I roughed it out intuitively. Particularly the length and the height of each shelf can and probably will change.
I would make them adjustable
- 2/3rds of it will open to both sides, kitchen and dining room; the 1/3rd next to the stove will open only into the dining room.
- This will probably be a plywood box with poplar face frame, painted white, so I'm not super concerned about using fasteners. Tips for getting a very smooth, even finish would be appreciated.
Plywood is tough to finish smooth. Look for a product (Ultracore where I am) that has a plywood core and a thin skin of MDF on the faces.
- I don't love the vertical braces I've put under the shelves, so I'm open to suggestions to stabilize the long shelves.
You could make 3 boxes side by side.
- I don't love the way the end grain of the frame will be exposed at the narrow end. Suggestions to finish this end differently?
Put a panel on the end that matches the doors and overlaps the end of the frame.
- How should I fasten this whole thing to the floor? It will be located where I removed a wall, so currently the subfloor is exposed in that area.
Build a base and attach it first. Mount the cabinet on top of that.
- How should I fasten the counter top to the top? I will be making my own concrete counter top, so I could potentially cast-in fasteners, but is that necessary? Would construction adhesive be enough? How are stone counter tops usually fastened?
I would have said silicone, but my granite guy uses an epoxy that sets up in 20 minutes.
- What kind of doors should I use? I'm tight on space, so the less they intrude the better. I was thinking double doors for each opening, but that's a lot of doors. If I attempted sliders, does anybody have good details for that?
What ever you do, I wouldn't want doors that open in front of the stove.
Any and all help is greatly appreciated!
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Dropout covered all but here are some other thoughts for you:
Consider making the face frame with pocket screws then you do no have to have a mortise set up;
I would be a little concerned about racking and maybe consider a top rabbit for some say 1/8" plywood and the you have much more surface area to bond the top too. You can do that on the bottom also;
If you make a base then consider a toe kick. You must secure to floor with the top load you will have. If you have children they will prrobably climb on it?? I have not looked up the guide line for that( toe kick) however;
I do not think you need the shelf supports so wide slim then down. If push comes to shove you can always build shelf as a torsion panel and they will resist bending much better and it is easy to do. There are rules for load vs support distance , material type and design bending. Do some search.
BTW watch nominal thickness vs what you actually buy. -
Typically the outer stiles (vertical members on a face frame) run to the full height and the rails fit inside them. This avoids the visible end grain. Pocket screws are expedient but I wouldn't talk you out of mortise and tenon joinery if you prefer it. Like Mac1, I was thinking toe kick but as shallow as that cabinet is, there's no place for one. I would make the bottom rails wider and get that bottom shelf up off the floor. Maybe wrap the base with the base molding to match the wall.
Plan to screw it to the wall and the floor. Consider making the bottom shelf three pieces. Leave them loose until after installation. Put blocks on the inside at floor level. Put similar blocks in to support the bottom shelf. Screw and glue them to the inside of the bottom rails. Install the cabinet screwing the blocks to the floor. Insert the bottom shelf pieces, ends first into the dadoes and then the center piece.
I didn't get time to to add the blocking in but I can do that in my modification to your model if you want.
I'd make the doors on the kitchen side fixed.
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Thank you all for your feedback. I'll need some time to digest and research each idea, but I'll be back with more questions. Thanks again!
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