Scribing kitchen cabinets

[180x]

When using a scribe on cabinets, do you scribe every single cabinet or just the ones at the end? For frameless cabinets it seems that would be a bit much to do every cabinet, instead of using shims.

[cabinetman]

When using a scribe on cabinets, do you scribe every single cabinet or just the ones at the end? For frameless cabinets it seems that would be a bit much to do every cabinet, instead of using shims.

An excellent question. There's not much of a difference in installing a face framed cabinet or a frameless one. The front edge of the cabinets should line up. To align the fronts of faceframed cabinets (or can be adopted for frameless) this thread may help.

The most common way for scribing wall cabinets is to install the back into a rabbet 1/4" x whatever depth you choose. That leaves a 1/2" edge (if using 3/4" for the carcass), that hits the wall. That 1/2" edge is easier to scribe than a 3/4" one. By recessing the back, high spots on the wall may be avoided.

The simple way to transfer wall variations to the cabinet is to use a compass:
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Since it's only necessary to scribe that which is visible, those edges to be scribed (usually side and bottom) for upper wall cabinets are left full depth, and the remaining ends or tops are left short. It does look a little funny, but it 's better than scribing every cabinet. When installing, shims would be used.

For those installations that have a full backsplash where the bottom of the cabinet sits on a backsplash, it still may have to be scribed if there are high spots on the wall. scribe could be figured on every cabinet if there is a need to account for inordinate wall conditions.
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[Bruce Cohen]

Hey Cab,

What about using filler strips, that's what we used to do when designing using a fully customized cabinet (like Plain & Fancy).

Bruce

[JimD]

If you can, I would put a straight edge on the wall and see if it really needs scribed. I've successfully ignored the scribing step in two not real well built houses.

Jim

[sdk1000000]

From observation of many model homes it appears that the quick and dirty method is to pin nail a pre-finished "scribe molding" along the edge that needs to be scribed. The scribe molding is typically an about 1/2" wide by maybe 1/8" thick rectangle cross section that is rounded over on one edge. I would check a decent lumber yard to see if they stock it.

Of course the cabinets must be shimmed to hang plumb and even with each other.

[sdk1000000]

I just received a Rockler flyer and they have some "solid wood edging" (item #67634) http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?p...0&filter=67634 that looks close to the scribe moldings I've seen used. The first two pictured on the left are rounded over while the third is a rectangular cross section. I'm not suggesting you buy these, even though they are on sale, because I don't know if the size is right, if you need hardwood, and what an actual scribe molding would cost. Of course one could easily make this by rounding over the edge of a board with an 1/8" round over bit and then ripping the thin 1/8" molding off.