Kitchen Cabinets

[ragswl4]

My wife and I will begin building our dream home this spring (April, we hope). This is the lot (actually 4 acres, 6000 ft elevation in So Cal). Palm Springs is on the other side of that mountain you see in the distance. Snows 2-3 months out of the year. Trying to escape the urban sprawl.

I have been asked to build the kitchen cabinets. Kitchen will be 14' x 20' so a lot of cabinets. Looking for a good reference book and/or video on building kitchen cabinets. Any help is greatly appreciated. .

[Ed62]

That's a beautiful spot for a dream home. Just make it earthquake proof!

I don't have anything for your question on cabinets, but I've seen some of the cabinets made by members here. Surely you'll get plenty of ideas/help.

Ed

[Black wallnut]

Depending on which type of cabinet you want, frameless or face frame, you might want to seach through New Yankee Workshop's project videos. I'm sure you could find one detailing the type of cabinet you want. It may not be specifically kitchen related but cabinet boxes are cabinet boxes IMHO. Only the size and placement makes them kitchen cabinets. Unless you want the type that are continous shelves with face frames and doors. In that case you just frame them in and add the faceframe and doors.

[os1kne]

I built some kitchen cabinets last summer. I picked up and read 2 books, "Build Your Own Kitchen Cabinets" by Danny Proulx, and "Building Kitchen Cabinets" by Udo Schmidt. Neither book is perfect, but they both are good.

Good luck!

[p8ntblr]

At least you won't be running out of wood for you cabinets

[LinuxRandal]

I built some kitchen cabinets last summer. I picked up and read 2 books, "Build Your Own Kitchen Cabinets" by Danny Proulx, and "Building Kitchen Cabinets" by Udo Schmidt. Neither book is perfect, but they both are good.

Good luck!

I believe I looked at the Udo book at the library (check yours out), don't remember it.

For opposite ends I bought the Danny Proulx book, and Jim Toplin's Building Traditional Cabinets.

[cabinetman]

There are numerous books and online help including this forum for all phases of planning, design, construction, and installation. Your initial planning is more than just "putting the boxes together". Since you are building the house from scratch, the major phases of the kitchen start to finish are a study all in themselves.

You didn't say if there would be a designer (kitchen), or that the layout would be included in the basic architectural plans for the home. But in essence, your kitchen starts off with an available space, and the cabinet and appliance layout is determined by many factors including a "work triangle", which is a format that uses the sink, refrigerator, and cooktop/stove for points of a triangle to create a sensible movement pattern for working in the kitchen. Appliance layout and the plumbing and electrical needs may be a determining factor of how the cabinets are arranged for your needs.

So as you can see, there are factors to be considered before you think about the boxes. Kitchens. bathrooms, and laundry rooms are really a conceptual evolution from start to finish, which provide a function and aesthetic appeal. In most cases, when selling the home, kitchens and baths could be a determining factor in the sale. They are the only real "furniture and fixtures" that characterize the home that is included in the sale.

Once you have done the initial design for the cabinet/appliance layout, then you can start to create the shop drawings for the cabinets. Basically the cabinet boxes themselves are boxes. There are a few methods for joining the corners and creating a structural cabinet. The amount of info on building the cabinets is plentiful. Along with the basic ABC's of making the cabinets, your choice of overall design, materials, colors and finishes may also have a bearing on the type of cabinet you may make.

For example, in the initial planning of the kitchen if you decide you want a wood kitchen inside and out, then the materials choice would determine what the boxes will look like, and having finished ends that are visible. Or, you may decide that you want a Formica exterior, which may change the manner of construction. Basically, you will have boxes, either with or without face frames, and choices of door design and materials.

As for ordering cabinets from some retailer, be aware of the type of fabrication and materials used. As most production cabinets are made in 3" intervals, and then spacers are used to make up any difference. If you are to make your own, you would make them to fit.

And not to confuse you, but as you have found out even in the forums, there are different points of view on the same subject. There are guidelines to follow. Your decisions may come from a combination of ideas and concepts put together by different authors and or different posters (members).

I can't really recommend any books in particular on "building cabinets" as it would be that one authors opinion. My advice is to check several, and feel free to ask any questions for continued guidance.

[Ken Massingale]

"Build Your Own Kitchen Cabinets" by Danny Proulx is good. Simple explanations with plenty of pics.Be sure to get the updated version.
Beautiful location you have there.
ken

[gary]

http://marcadams.com/index.php?id=145

See Cabinets Video - I took the class there and it was good.

[ragswl4]

Kitchen Cabinets

Wow, what a response! Thanks to all for all the advice and reference recommendations. I take to heart the initial planning phase advice. The kitchen has already been designed into the plans so that is my starting point. I will start with the laundry room to make sure I can actually build a quality cabinet. As one poster pointed out, the kitchen and baths become selling points down the road.

As far as making the house earthquake proof, that's not a problem. The house is being built on top of a granite cliff. There will be 6 ft deep by 2 ft diameter concrete posts every 2 ft for the footings. The holes for these will be blasted or drilled out. Only way the house falls down is if the mountain falls.

We are waiting for the state transportation department to give us a clearance for a driveway into the property. A driveway that's already there. It's the government, go figure.

[JR]

As far as making the house earthquake proof, that's not a problem. The house is being built on top of a granite cliff. There will be 6 ft deep by 2 ft diameter concrete posts every 2 ft for the footings. The holes for these will be blasted or drilled out. Only way the house falls down is if the mountain falls.

Be glad for that. That's a pretty active fault zone, as I'm sure you know. Being on a solid spot can make an earthquake kind of pleasurable!

Good luck with the new house. It really looks like a cool spot.

JR

[jziegler]

I just want to add another source to look at. I've been building new cabinets for my kitchen (all of the larger ones are now installed). I based mine largely on an article from a Workbench magazine published several years ago. The basics are plywood construction with dados, and face frames made with pocket holes. I also read a book that didn't help too much, as well as bits and pieces of various other articles and books. Lots of methods, most of them are probably just as good in the end.

Jim

[crokett]

Stan is a member here and just finished cabinets for his kitchen. He also works in a cabinet shop. PM him and he can probably help.

[tekton]

No books to recommend, but here is what I think will be an invaluable web site for you and others planning to design and build your own cabinets http://www.woodweb.com .

Also you may want to get a free copy of this design software http://www.ecabinetsystems.com/index.html with it you can design complete jobs including cabinet boxes, dovetail drawers, doors, either MDF or five-piece raised panel designs, and face frames and much much more including cut lists, and detailed room views. It,s a very powerful design tool but be warned the learning curve is steep but once you learn it's very easy to use.

[messmaker]

I built some kitchen cabinets last summer. I picked up and read 2 books, "Build Your Own Kitchen Cabinets" by Danny Proulx, and "Building Kitchen Cabinets" by Udo Schmidt. Neither book is perfect, but they both are good.

Good luck!

I think these are two that come up the most. I think Danny P. has a way of making it simple that I like. It is a bit old but Time Life "The Art of Woodworking" cabinetmaking book is not bad either.