# Making Your Own Kitchen Cabinets-Easy? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 24, 2013, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-your-own-kitchen-cabinets-easy/651253 "2013-02-24T15:47:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Finagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b19c9b/32.png) [@Finagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Finagle)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 5:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-your-own-kitchen-cabinets-easy/651253/41 "2013-03-03T05:47:11Z")
> [@ralph124c](#): > > Watching an experienced carpenter/cabinetmaker like Norm Abrams on TV, I get the impression that building a nice set of kitchen cabinets is quite easy-provided you have the correct tools (table saw, router), correct measurements, and you KNOW WHAT YO ARE Doing. > That said, suppose a guy like me (moderately handy, can cut wood) has a software program that will generate the drawings-I then get the wood cut by a pro, and then, I can screw the whole thing together-is this possible? Abrams made a beautiful set on TV once (glider track drawers, concealed hinges, etc.), using interior plywood-they looked great. Is it reasonable that I could do the same? Um, maybe. But probably not cost effective unless you need odd sizes. Figure what you’re competing against – factories that churn out thousands of cabinets per year and/or professional cabinet makers who have all the tools and experience to do it fast and right without wasting materials. I’ve actually made a few raised panel cabinets and doors and it’s not rocket science, but it is very finicky work. It’s also rather scary – the router bits for shaping the doors are quite large (probably a shaper is the correct tool to use, but when all you have is a router and a router table, that’s what you use.) And doing a full kitchen’s worth of cabinets would be tedious as hell – that’s a whole lot of clamping and gluing and sanding and finishing. In the end, it comes down to how much you value your time and whether you consider gaining those skills (and acquiring all the necessary tools) worthwhile. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-your-own-kitchen-cabinets-easy/651253/42 "2013-03-03T06:19:10Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > I’m going to throw a bit of disagreement in here. A good circular saw with the proper blade will make the same cut a table saw will. You have to more precise measuring to get a good parallel cut and it needs a good guide bar. I’m talking about something like [this](http://www.core77.com/blog/featured_items/the_ez_smart_woodworking_system_10777.asp). It even has an edge guide designed to keep it from chipping the edge which a table saw can’t do. Nice to see that they are ripping off good ideas. A friend [has the original](http://festoolusa.com/power-tools/track-saws/), and I lust after it. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-your-own-kitchen-cabinets-easy/651253/43 "2013-03-03T08:54:08Z")
> [@gaffa](#): > > Nice to see that they are ripping off good ideas. A friend [has the original](http://festoolusa.com/power-tools/track-saws/), and I lust after it. Very nice. Expensive, but nice. ---
**Author:** ![Doggo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/87869e/32.png) [@Doggo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doggo)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-your-own-kitchen-cabinets-easy/651253/44 "2013-03-03T10:57:51Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Sort of. You can buy kitchen cabinets in pieces that need assembling. But I believe the cost savings is minimal. What can save money is buying unfinished cabinets and doing the finishing yourself. I concur. Anyone can make anything after sufficient practice ( and the right tools ), but redoing something once or more till an acceptable result is achieved can cost as much or more than buying the unfinished cabinets and finishing yourself, as said. When I do a DIY project, I know that I will eventually achieve an acceptable result, but I do it because in my experience, the “professionals” often do a worse job than I do on my second or third try. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [March 4, 2013, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-your-own-kitchen-cabinets-easy/651253/45 "2013-03-04T02:00:53Z")
Gotta point out that “unfinished” cabinets, like unfinished furniture are not ONLY “unfinished”. They are also nowhere near ready to finish (sand, sand some more, etc). Then you have a box made of cheap wood - good for paint, not so much stain or natural finishes. Find a lumberyard which handles real hardwood - they will rip the sticks down to finish dimensions, and should be able to provide thin planks in random lengths that you can side glue (see Mr. Abrams using pipe clamps) to form doors and drawer faces. Or, to be cheap - plywood with the a face of the same wood as the sticks for doors (use sticks to make a frame, use the plywood to float inside the frame - the edge will never be seen). The reason you use random lengths/widths of hardwood is because finding a piece of cherry 20" wide x 20’ long is impossible - the bigger the solid piece you want, the exponentially more expensive it gets. 200 years ago, a person in NY could get oak 12"x10"x15’ - there were 100’s of ancient growth oaks “out back”. Those trees are all gone. (The USS Constitution’s hull is made of live oak 6" thick. Try ordering live oak in 6" width now) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Librarian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_librarian/32/402_2.png) [@The\_Librarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Librarian)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-your-own-kitchen-cabinets-easy/651253/46 "2013-03-05T11:52:03Z")
> [@FordPrefect](#): > > Asking if it’s easy to make cabinets is like asking the dealer how much the Ferrari will cost. If you have to ask… > > However, I must take umbrage with this bit. > Obviously, you have not watched the show, nor his other gig This Old House. Nahm (as he is affectionately named in many woodworking forums) too often (in my mind) favoured the easier weekend warrior projects and had an unfortunate penchant for using his brad nailer ( until the glue sets :)) , but he is a great carpenter, a great woodworker and while they probably edited out a lot of whoops he most certainly built everything on the show, most often twice. > > Typically, the first “prototype” was built off camera and was on display in the shop to point to and use as an example as he built the second item. Consider me surprised. You’re telling me he hosts a weekly tvshow and doesn’t have a couple of carpenters on staff? Not even to do some sanding? Sweeping the shop? ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-your-own-kitchen-cabinets-easy/651253/47 "2013-03-05T16:32:58Z")
i’ve heard that Nahm has staff carpenters. they likely have multiple project components made up waiting for on camera use, if he mumbles or muffs something then they can quickly do another take. now Roy keeps it real. ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-your-own-kitchen-cabinets-easy/651253/48 "2013-03-05T17:35:55Z")
> [@The\_Librarian](#): > > Consider me surprised. > > You’re telling me he hosts a weekly tvshow and doesn’t have a couple of carpenters on staff? Not even to do some sanding? Sweeping the shop? That’s not what you were balking at before. He may have had support, I don’t know, my point was that if you watched the show you wouldn’t have implied that he isn’t a carpenter. He happens to be a carpenter that can present, and Og knows there are far too few of them. ---
**Author:** ![Bones\_Daley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@Bones\_Daley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bones_Daley)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-your-own-kitchen-cabinets-easy/651253/49 "2013-03-05T18:14:39Z")
> [@usedtobe](#): > > Data point: > > There is a difference (a huge one, actually) between a table saw and a cabinet saw. > > Table saws are good for small pieces. If you want to rip a 4’x8’ sheet perfectly down the middle. you will need a cabinet saw with large extensions and a very accurate rip fence. Uhhh …no. I suspect that you are confusing the term “tablesaw” with the lighter portable saw which is correctly termed a “benchtop saw”. Tablesaws come in two configurations …one is the cabinet saw, which will always have a 3hp (or more) motor and a milled and ground cast iron table (some of the higher end cabinet saws saws have granite tables). Then you have your contractor’s saw, which is technically portable, but in fact is often used as a permanent fixture in a workshop. The contractor’s saw is characterised by a lower powered motor and (normally) a pressed steel table. The contractor’s saw is still perfectly capable of doing the work of the cabinet saw if you take your time setting up extension wings, and fitting a Biesemeyer fence. Cabinet saw …contractor’s saw …they are both tablesaws. What is _ **not** _ a tablesaw is the benchtop saw, a lightweight machine which can be lifted up onto a bench for light duty ripping and crosscutting. It will not, however, handle full sheets, nor was it ever designed to, but it can still be a useful machine for site work, and light DIY work.. ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-your-own-kitchen-cabinets-easy/651253/50 "2013-03-05T18:37:30Z")
I’m a sort-of-good-ish amateur carpenter, and I’ve built cabinets. The way to cut a big sheet of plywood without an enormous table saw is to lay it on your garage floor, elevated on some 2x4s, clamp a straightedge to it, then use your skilsaw to make the cut. Take your time, rehearse everything before pulling the trigger, and it’ll be all right. Once the big sheet has been cut up, you can use an ordinary table saw to refine the pieces (bevel the edges, cut to precise length, etc). Buy good plywood, with a birch face. Ordinary lumber-store plywood isn’t going to be nice enough to look at every day. For your face frames, use 1x4 lumber, connected with lap joints (easy to make). Make a cardboard mockup of the cabinet first. Corrugated cardboard, tacked together with hot-melt glue, goes together fast, and you can make sure you’re not making any aesthetic errors before you start using the expensive materials. The cabinets I built, which are oddly shaped, went through two or three iterations to make sure they didn’t block the view, that they didn’t “loom” over you in an intimidating way, that the doors were going to be big enough, that they’d have enough space to accommodate everything we panned to put in them. A little thought upfront will pay off bigtime later. For a finish, I stained, then used semi-gloss Deft, a very forgiving, quick-drying varnish. ---
**Author:** ![Bones\_Daley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@Bones\_Daley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bones_Daley)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-your-own-kitchen-cabinets-easy/651253/51 "2013-03-05T20:08:29Z")
I am just slightly confused by the input on this thread. I spent the latter half of the 1990’s working in cabinet shops up and down the Eastern Seaboard of the US, all the way from Boston to Miami …amd it was a never ending source of amazement to me that customers commissioned custom built kitchen cabinets (both base and wall-hung) Back in the UK (and in fact in the whole of Europe) the kitchen cabinet market had been totally monopolised ( by the late 70’s and certainly by the early 80’s) by far eastern manufacturers who were able to supply melamine faced cabinets supplied in flat pack form, for a fraction of what it would cost to have them custom built. Reading this thread, it would seem that nothing has changed …is it really the case that cabinets still have to be custom built, and are face frames still the order of the day ?..Nobody in Europe would dream of ordering a set of face frame cabinets … The other thing that I am wondering about is whether the contributors above who have built their own kitchen cabinets are making them out of plywood with plastic laminate subsequently glued on (which makes for a first class job btw, better by far than melamine covered particle board) or whether they are making the entire cabinet out of plywood with a lacquered or varnished internal finish, ( which is _ **never** _ going to be successful in the long run) ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 5, 2013, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-your-own-kitchen-cabinets-easy/651253/52 "2013-03-05T21:50:24Z")
**Bones** , I can’t say what is most common, but the custom cabinets here are often just cut to size from standard stock and some filler boards used to fill the gaps. The term ‘custom’ means anything from ‘ordered at the big box store’ to ‘custom built by skilled carpenters’. Laminate on particle board is common for the low end, and solid hardwood is desired at top end. Plywood cores with wood veneer (or wood-like veneer) seem to dominate the mid-range. (Just casual observations, YMMV). I’d think anyone with a little skill could do just as good a job of installing the mid to low end cabinets as the crews sent out by most of the retailers. Whether I do it myself or buy them, install them myself or pay someone to do it, I’m going for solid hardwood. ---
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2013, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-your-own-kitchen-cabinets-easy/651253/53 "2013-03-06T04:17:06Z")
> [@Bones\_Daley](#): > > Back in the UK (and in fact in the whole of Europe) the kitchen cabinet market had been totally monopolised ( by the late 70’s and certainly by the early 80’s) by far eastern manufacturers who were able to supply melamine faced cabinets supplied in flat pack form, for a fraction of what it would cost to have them custom built. > > Reading this thread, it would seem that nothing has changed …is it really the case that cabinets still have to be custom built, and are face frames still the order of the day ?..Nobody in Europe would dream of ordering a set of face frame cabinets … There is a certain amount of conservatism in American kitchen design. And one of the most enduring principles is that you’ll pay, and pay a lot, to redo your kitchen. It’s the one prestige thing in a house that people are willing to pay for (all right, they’ll pay for huge TVs and entertainment systems as well). The house might be all ticky-tacky cheapo trim and finishes and light fixtures, but the kitchen will feature $20,000 worth of stainless-steel appliances, granite countertops, and cherry cabinets. So if the cabinets are vastly more expensive than knockdown melamine boxes, well, it’s all part of the game. It’s expected. As to face-framed versus frameless cabinets, I think face-frames continue to be the more popular choice. There’s that conservatism again. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2013, 5:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-your-own-kitchen-cabinets-easy/651253/54 "2013-03-06T05:14:09Z")
> [@Bones\_Daley](#): > > I am just slightly confused by the input on this thread. > > I spent the latter half of the 1990’s working in cabinet shops up and down the Eastern Seaboard of the US, all the way from Boston to Miami …amd it was a never ending source of amazement to me that customers commissioned custom built kitchen cabinets (both base and wall-hung) > > Back in the UK (and in fact in the whole of Europe) the kitchen cabinet market had been totally monopolised ( by the late 70’s and certainly by the early 80’s) by far eastern manufacturers who were able to supply melamine faced cabinets supplied in flat pack form, for a fraction of what it would cost to have them custom built. > Reading this thread, it would seem that nothing has changed …is it really the case that cabinets still have to be custom built, and are face frames still the order of the day ?..Nobody in Europe would dream of ordering a set of face frame cabinets … how could you live in the US and not know you can buy cabinets all day long at box stores? And we’re just not too fond of particle board and melamine. Particle board doesn’t hold up well and you’re pretty much stuck with a modern look if using melamine. There’s something of an architectural disconnect to have a modern kitchen in a home that is not modern. > [@Bones\_Daley](#): > > The other thing that I am wondering about is whether the contributors above who have built their own kitchen cabinets are making them out of plywood with plastic laminate subsequently glued on (which makes for a first class job btw, better by far than melamine covered particle board) or whether they are making the entire cabinet out of plywood with a lacquered or varnished internal finish, ( which is _ **never** _ going to be successful in the long run) Generally we’re talking about plywood with a high grade veneer on both sides which can be stained and finished as desired. ---
**Author:** ![Bones\_Daley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@Bones\_Daley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bones_Daley)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2013, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-your-own-kitchen-cabinets-easy/651253/55 "2013-03-06T10:13:37Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > There’s something of an architectural disconnect to have a modern kitchen in a home that is not modern. I see your point, but what I don’t get is why, in a kitchen, you would want anything other than melamine or (preferably) a plastic laminate on the interior of your cabinets… with constant placing and removing of cans, crockery etc, the abrasion on the lacquer is going to wear down to the wood in no time. It just all seems a bit yeeugh to me. When you get right down to it, the appearance of the kitchen is all in the doors and the trim , crown molding, light baffle (is that what it’s called in the States, I can’t remember) and filler panels. The interior of the units really don’t matter as far as the overall impression of the kitchen is concerned, but what _ **does** _ matter is that the interior should be hygienic and easily wiped clean. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [March 6, 2013, 11:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-your-own-kitchen-cabinets-easy/651253/56 "2013-03-06T11:14:46Z")
> [@Bones\_Daley](#): > > I see your point, but what I don’t get is why, in a kitchen, you would want anything other than melamine or (preferably) a plastic laminate on the interior of your cabinets… with constant placing and removing of cans, crockery etc, the abrasion on the lacquer is going to wear down to the wood in no time. It just all seems a bit yeeugh to me. > > When you get right down to it, the appearance of the kitchen is all in the doors and the trim , crown molding, light baffle (is that what it’s called in the States, I can’t remember) and filler panels. The interior of the units really don’t matter as far as the overall impression of the kitchen is concerned, but what _ **does** _ matter is that the interior should be hygienic and easily wiped clean. we use shelf paper on … well shelves. I paint the bottom sink cabinet with garage floor enamel to make it resistant to cleaning chemicals. I only know of one kitchen done in no-front laminate. It’s a modern house and the cabinets are all chipped up. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/making-your-own-kitchen-cabinets-easy/651253.md?page=2)