Working With Leg Levelers
Revising an installation process to include leg levelers. October 20, 2004

Techniques and Equipment for Long-Grain Miters
Cabinetmakers who like to miter their face frames to their end panels discuss table-saw and shaper setups, joinery, and gluing techniques. September 28, 2006

Switching to Melamine
A cabinetmaker who usually builds with plywood gets advice on working with melamine. July 5, 2006

Trying Out Face-Frame Cabinetry
and discuss what exactly he will have to learn if he does take it. April 9, 2008

Speeding Up Euro Box Construction
A homebuilder who shop-builds his own cabinets for 15 houses a year asks for advice on speeding up carcase construction. March 3, 2009

Thirty-Inch Deep Base Cabinets
Extra depth brings cabinet faces out flush with a standard refrigerator, but it introduces other complications. In this discussion, cabinetmakers share techniques for building 30-inch deep cabinets that work. December 28, 2005

Strength of Cabinet Joinery Using Pre-Finished Plywood
When you use pre-finished plywood, does the finish compromise the strength of glue joints? The question sets off an extended discussion of structural issues in cabinet carcass construction. September 23, 2006

Toekick Drawers
Construction details and images for toekick drawers. January 14, 2004


Vertical Versus Horizontal Grain and Material Optimization
Is it okay to run the grain horizontally on some cabinet sides, in order to use up extra material? December 14, 2009

Speaker Box Material — Solid Wood or MDF?
Solid wood turns out to be a poor choice for speaker cabinets. This discussion explains why, and covers other ground concerning speaker construction. November 20, 2005

To dado or not to dado?
The pros and cons of dadoing melamine cabinet boxes. November 22, 2003

Squaring Up Cabinets
What's the best way to keep cabinet carcasses square — and is it worth it? Cabinetmakers share techniques and opinions. August 14, 2007

Tandem Slides and Drawer Dimensions
To notch, or not? Cabinetmakers discuss the fine points of matching slide specs to drawer sizes. August 29, 2005

Skinning the Bottoms of Frameless Upper Cabinets
Extended discussion of how to treat the underside of an upper cabinet, with a conversation about space-saver corner drawers on the side. March 5, 2007

- What makes a cabinet "custom"?
Is there a specific standard that qualifies a cabinet as custom? June 24, 2002

Tall Cabinet Calculations For Ceiling Clearance
Formulas for figuring how tall a cabinet will be at its longest point. March 14, 2004

Why Build Face Frame?
Reasons the face-frame tradition survives. September 9, 2004

Solid Mahogany Countertop Details
Cabinetmakers discuss glue-up, attachment, and finishing methods for a solid mahogany kitchen countertop. May 23, 2007

Solid Wood Curved Counter Edge
Extended discussion of fabricating a rounded-over inside radius solid-wood countertop edge. September 23, 2006

Tool Choice for Dadoing Panels — Router, Shaper, or Table Saw?
Pros describe their preferred methods for running dadoes in cabinet panels. November 20, 2005

Speedy Face Frame Construction
Cabinetmakers debate the details of fast methods for building and attaching face frames. July 9, 2005

Solid Wood Versus Veneer for a Bar Top
Quarter-inch veneer over MDF might show less movement at the miter joints in this large bar top. But can they dance on it in high heels? December 6, 2006

Sanding Face Frames
Cabinetmakers discuss whether to sand face frames before or after assembling them, and other fine points of sanding technique. October 2, 2007

Staining Edgebanding for Prefinished Plywood
Ways to make edgebanding match drawer and door faces when using prefinished plywood to build frameless cabinets. December 30, 2005

Steel Support for an Overhanging Granite Countertop
Advice on the use of structural steel to support a stone counter, without overkill or excessive weight (and cost). April 9, 2008

Sanding Hard Maple
A cabinetmaker complains of little swirl marks, and gets advice on sanding (and card scraping) technique. July 21, 2005

Solid Wood Cabinet Backs and Wood Movement
A cabinetmaker considers, then rejects, the customer's request for an 8-foot-long solid wood back for an island cabinet. July 25, 2010

Using Dowels and Confirmats Together
A cabinetmaker gets advice on an assembly method that would combine Confirmat screws and dowels. September 27, 2008

Where Doors and Panels Meet
How various cabinetmakers deal with the relationsihp between overlay doors and the adjacent edges of finished end panels. January 24, 2005

Structural Concerns for Boat Cabinetry
A proposal for a free-standing entertainment center on a boat sets off a discussion about appropriate technology in nautical cabinetry. July 30, 2007

Supporting a Cantilevered Shelf
but how? Pros share ideas. June 23, 2006

Self-Countersinking Screws
The pros and cons of screw-head "knibs." June 22, 2005

The Revolving Door Lazy Susan (She's Trouble)
A revolving-door Lazy Susan is kind of like a bad dream. But there are ways to cope with it. October 2, 2007

Tear-Out when Dovetailing Baltic Birch
Observations on router tear-out when dovetailing plywood, and advice on how to prevent it. July 5, 2006

Sheet Materials for a Cat Condo
What do you use to construct temporary accomodations for cats? April 21, 2011

Template Materials
Pros discuss the merits of various materials for making router patterns, including MDF, plexiglass, phenolic board, and more. October 22, 2005

Supporting a Giant Lazy Susan
A brainstorming session on the mechanical aspects of a super-sized-and-customized Lazy Susan. January 21, 2007

Very Heavy Stainless Steel Cabinets
Cabinetmakers discuss materials sourcing for an unusual job: 3/8-inch solid stainless steel cabinets. October 15, 2009

Supporting Overhanging Granite
Building a structurally sound kitchen island. November 22, 2004

Standard Height for Base Cabinets
Cabinetmakers discuss the standard height of cabinets, and reasons to make an exception. November 13, 2009

Shop-Built Cabinet Lift Photos
Detailed images of a jack designed to help with cabinet installation. December 21, 2008

Squaring Up Plywood
Out-of-whack plywood can throw off all your cabinet carcase dimensions. Here, cabinetmakers discuss techniques for truing up plywood when the factory dimensions are off. October 22, 2005

Screw Length and Dado Depth
Basics of dadoed cabinet joinery. March 20, 2006

Working with Pre-Finished Plywood
A little extra care is needed to prevent scratches, but the convenience can be well worth it. November 11, 2005

Stiffening Long-Span Shelves
Woodworkers discuss torsion boxes and steel-angle reinforcement for long-span shelf situations. November 11, 2005

TV cabinets
Designs for large, small and flat screens. April 9, 2003

Trimming real wood edgeband
Tricks for avoiding tears. April 17, 2002

Tall Box Dilemma
How to build cabinets with sides higher than 8 feet, without any unsightly plywood joints. March 1, 2006

Splitting stiles with pocket screws
Suggestions are offered on how to overcome the problem. July 24, 2002

Wine Cubes
Experienced hands describe ways to design and assemble wine storage cabinets. June 13, 2005

Strong face frame assembly
Methods for attaching face frames to cabinets. September 25, 2002

"Standard" Cabinet Dimensions
Cabinetmakers discuss the fine points of "standard" cabinet sizes. October 1, 2005

"Soft-Close" Drawer Slides
Soft-close drawer slides are bothered by dust, and require careful installation. May 22, 2006

Stop Options for Inset Doors
There's more than one way to stop a door. August 29, 2005

Slides for Five-Foot-Deep Drawers
Where there's a will, there's a way. April 29, 2012

Trash Bin Pull-Out Drawer Dimensions
Trash-bin drawer show and tell. July 27, 2008

Supporting an Overhanging Granite Countertop
What sort of fastening and support will make a projecting granite bar top rock solid? Pros provide advice. November 21, 2005

Shelf Edging Options
Pros and cons of solid wood shelf edging as compared to edgebanding. November 24, 2006

Span Limits for Plywood Shelving
Over three feet, and you're looking at potential sagging issues. Pros discuss span limits and shelf stiffening options. November 11, 2005

Slide-Out Table Details
Cabinetmakers try to figure out how a large slide-out table works. August 31, 2010

Warming Drawer Installation Issues
Getting a warming drawer to fit into an already-built cabinet as a change order calls for some creative tweaking. February 26, 2007

Template Forming for Farmhouse Sinks
Farmhouse sinks require cabinet frames to be scribed and fit to the sink. Here, cabinetmakers discuss ways to make a template for better accuracy and fit. November 26, 2007

Whether to Glue Cabinet Cases
More opinions and reasoning on the question, "To glue or not to glue?"February 26, 2007

Squaring the Notch for a Toe Kick
Cabinetmakers describe different approaches to the troublesome toe-kick cutout. April 6, 2007

Shelf Edge Treatment
Alternatives to edgebanding for plywood shelf edges. May 22, 2006

Safe Materials for Museum Storage Cabinets
Wood's acidity and release of volatile substances make it a risk to stored artifacts, including paper art work. Here's advice on "art-safe" materials for museum storage or display cabinetry. November 13, 2009

Toe-Kick Drawer Details
A few more tips on toe-kick drawers. June 5, 2006

Screw Sizes for Cabinet Box Construction
Cabinetmakers discuss screw preferences for assembling carcases. December 27, 2008

Square-trimming face frame stock
Woodworkers share their secrets for getting dead-square cuts on the ends of face frame members.

Sink Tip-Out Hinge Choices
Cabinetmakers discuss hinge option for sink-front tip-out trays. June 23, 2006

Working with HDPE Sheet Goods
Tips on cutting, machining and joining high density polyethylene (HDPE) sheet goods for cabinet fabrication. July 27, 2008

Supporting a Molded Plastic Sink
Suggestions: wooden supports or a mortar bed. January 21, 2007

Supporting Drawer Slides in Face-Frame Cabinets
When face frames aren't flush with the cabinet box, setting drawer slides is tricky. Cabinetmakers share tips and techniques. July 9, 2005

Using Euro-Style Hinges On Face-Frame Cabinets
Pros share tips and methods for a tricky problem: using "Euro" hardware with face-frame cabinets. December 28, 2005

Wheelchair-Accessible Vanity Details
Heights, construction details, and other considerations for a wheelchair-accessible bath vanity. October 13, 2005

Upper Corner Cabinet Dimensions
For his first time building one, a cabinetmaker gets help figuring out an upper corner cabinet with a lazy Susan. September 23, 2006

Wide Glass Doors
Cabinetmakers consider glazing options for large doors, including tempered glass, polycarbonate, and plexiglass. December 28, 2005

Supporting the Front of a Farmhouse Sink Cabinet
"Farmhouse" sinks have issues when it comes to support and access. August 14, 2007

Stapling Cabinet Backs On
Avoiding blow-outs when attaching cabinet backs using staples. October 25, 2007

Wall Cabinet Undersides
Should they match the face frames? Or be a lighter shade to reflect light? Does it even matter? Cabinetmakers discuss the options. July 9, 2005

Warping and cracking in glued-up pine
To find clues for cracked and warped pine panels, a measure of moisture content is needed before the splitting occurs. 1998.

Sanding Methods for Face Frames
Is it worth using the wide-belt sander, or will a random-orbital sander get the job done? Pros share opinions and experiences. July 22, 2005

Solid Wood Edging for Euro Cabs
Tips for attaching thick wood banding to frameless cabinet panels, instead of standard edgebanding. October 27, 2008

Square Pegs in Round Holes
Quick tips on a custom historic detail touch. October 9, 2006

Thicknessing Face Frame Stock
Cabinetmakers discuss how they dimension rough stock for face frames. October 13, 2005

Shop-Made Frame Assembly Table
Details on construction, including images. March 14, 2004

Warming Drawer Depth and Frameless Cabinetry
Tips on making cabinets the right dimensions to fit warming drawer units. December 1, 2010

Sliding Breadboard Ideas
Cabinetmakers suggest options for building slide-out breadboards in limited space. September 20, 2005

Wooden Tray Divider Installation Ideas
Suggestions for a customized, adjustable cabinet component that lets homeowners stack cookie sheets and trays on edge. January 19, 2011

Speaker Materials that Sound Good
Some quick insights into building speaker cabinets with pleasing acoustic performance. April 17, 2009

Supporting Pull-Outs Behind Doors in A Frameless Cabinet
Cabinetmakers chime in on a tricky design problem: A wide pull-out below, a pair of drawers above. December 14, 2005

Trimming Pocket Hole Plugs
Router and hand methods briefly described. November 20, 2005

2x4 Base Under Base Cabinets
Constructing ladder bases. December 26, 2004

Troubleshooting Melamine Panel Joints
Melamine cabinet parts aren't fitting tight. Is it the panel cuts, or the assembly technique? June 12, 2005

Spring-Loaded Touch-Open Toe-Kick Drawers
but the hardware is available. May 22, 2007

Shelf to Support an Oven
Thoughts on the connection detail required for a shelf that supports a built-in oven. February 26, 2007

Warming Drawer Basics
Kitchen pros discuss the details of installing a warming drawer. November 20, 2005

Space Between Cabinet Doors
Cabinetmakers weigh in on the proper gap between doors. November 11, 2005

Upper Cabinet Heights
Suggestions for upper cabinet dimensions in a kitchen with high ceilings. May 10, 2005

Spice Racks on Doors
Tips for building spice racks into door backs. May 14, 2006

Wire Management in a Moving Cabinet
Products and a shop-built solution for enabling wiring for lights to follow a cabinet that extends and retracts in use.February 16, 2014

Wooden Dovetail Drawer Slides
Tips on how to detail traditional wooden drawer slides. June 3, 2007

Using a Pin Router
They're just the ticket for one-off custom parts. June 4, 2009

Telescoping Gates for Pets and Toddlers
Ideas for safety gates built into a kitchen cabinet. January 2, 2012

Substitutes for Cherry MDF
There are more economical choices when grain is not an issue. May 10, 2005

The KISS II System: A Simplified Approach to Building Cabinets Using the 32mm System
This authoritative introduction lays out a simple road map for efficient, standardized cutting, drilling, and assembly of Euro-style frameless cabinets. September 22, 2007

Space for Space Balls
Quick info on tolerances for space balls in raised-panel doors. January 10, 2006

Face frame versus frameless
December 28, 2002

Melamine Carcasses
Can melamine interiors be considered high end? April 18, 2004

Frameless carcass construction
A detailed discussion of the quality of frameless cabinets. July 24, 2001

Methods of 32 mm system layout
Different interpretations on the 32mm system. (Cabinetmaking Forum) March 23, 2003

Plywood Thickness for Cabinet Construction
What starts out as a question about 1/4" versus 1/2" plywood for cabinet backs, turns into a long discussion of what plywood cabinetmakers prefer for building carcases, and why. January 20, 2007

NC lacquer for kitchen cabinets
Why shouldn't this old standby be used? March 23, 2003

MDF versus particleboard
Strength and other qualities in relation to cabinet construction. (From WOODWEB's Cabinetmaking Forum) March 23, 2003

Preparing Face Frame Stock
A lively discussion among cabinetmakers about whether, when, and how to joint, plane, or sand stock for face frames. October 8, 2005

Hand Cut Dovetails (Are They Worth It?)
Cabinetmakers discuss the esthetic merits (and practical demerits) of hand-cut dovetailed drawer boxes. October 8, 2005

Face Frame Joinery
The definitive, final, last-word discussion on all the ways there are to assemble face frames, until next time. June 28, 2007

Frame-and-Panel Carcases Versus Applied End Panels
What's better, building a plywood box and attaching frame-and-panel elements to it, or using the raised-panel frames as structural elements in the cabinet? Cabinetmakers discuss history, technique, and the state of the art. June 5, 2006

Frameless Cabinet Carcase Fastener Choices
Kicking around a timeless topic again: What's the best way to put a cabinet together? April 10, 2012

Recessed or flush cabinet backs
Which method cabinetmakers find preferable, plus materials and methods used. December 17, 2003

Kitchen Corner Cabinets
Creative solutions for this awkward space. February 10, 2004

Going from handcrafted to CNC
Discussion of P2Ps, dedicated boring, edgebanders and other equipment, software and processes. August 29, 2001

Proper Depth for Frameless Cabinets
In a long discussion, cabinetmakers share observations, opinions and experiences about the dimensions of frameless cabinets. December 14, 2005

Melamine Cabinet Boxes
Can melamine move in as plywood quality degrades? October 5, 2004

Is Glue Necessary with Pocket-Hole Joinery?
If you build cabinets with pocket-hole screws, should you also glue the joints? Opinions vary. February 26, 2007

Fine-Tuning Inset Drawers
Advice on getting and keeping a consistent fit for drawer faces in full-inset cabinetry. October 27, 2008

Positioning Drawer Fronts
Cabinetmakers swap ideas for the jigs and methods they use to set drawer fronts onto drawer boxes. September 21, 2005

Low-tech panel squaring
Methods and machines for squaring that don't involve CNC equipment. April 9, 2003

Gluing Methods and Strength of Dado Joints
Here's a long and serious debate about how to apply glue to dado joints in cabinets, and whether or not it matters. November 15, 2011

Installing Rollout Shelves
Keeping rollouts clear of the hinges. March 14, 2004

Melamine Wall Cabinet Design
Sturdy construction with an unfamiliar material. July 20, 2004

Making Fluted Pilasters
Detailed tips on efficient fluting, including images of a shop-made jig. October 5, 2004

Inset Door Cabinetmaking 101
Pros explain the basics about making inset door and face frame cabinets. October 8, 2005

Kick boxes
Building separate kicks for efficient installation. September 20, 2003

Plywood Vs. Solid Wood
What do you mean by "solid, dude"? In this thread, cabinetmakers communicate about wood, plywood, particleboard, veneers, core materials, core values, and symbolic forms of expression. It's all in good fun. October 8, 2005

Face frame assembly
Fastening face frame members that are assembled and sanded before being applied to a cabinet. April 17, 2002

Positioning Drawer Fronts in Frameless Cab Construction
Lining up and attaching drawer fronts can be a finicky production bottleneck. Here are half a dozen different ways cabinetmakers handle it. April 20, 2008

Low-Tech Frameless Cabinet Construction
How can a face-frame cabinetmaker switch to frameless, without investing in a lot of equipment? April 20, 2008

Joints and Connections for a Heavy Cabinet
Beginner gets advice on constructing an entertainment center cabinet. May 10, 2005

Melamine carcass construction
Methods for the small shop. October 30, 2002

Plywood Thickness for Cabinet Cases
Is 5/8-inch plywood okay? Half-inch, even? Cabinetmakers discuss the pros and cons. December 14, 2005

How Deep Should an Audio Cabinet Be?
Understanding what kind of space is appropriate for systems that can be cranked up to eleven. April 20, 2007

Fine Points of Face-Frame Cabinet Construction
Cabinetmakers discuss dadoing face frames, leaving a "scribe" overhang, and other details of face-frame technique. July 5, 2006

Plywood Face Frames
Here's some creative and innovative thinking about ways to build cabinet face frames out of plywood. February 26, 2007

More About Dadoing Face Frames
Additional back-and-forth on a well-trodden path — the whys and hows of dadoing cabinet face frames. March 5, 2007

Pocket Cutter Machines Versus Pocket-Hole Jigs
Pros discuss the advantages of pocket joinery, and talk about their equipment. July 6, 2005

Making Arched Raised-Panel Valances
Old pros advise a beginner on accomplishing an ambitious detail. June 5, 2006

Gluing Face Frames onto Cabinets
Many cabinetmakers glue and clamp face frames on, with no other fasteners. In this thread, pros discuss options and techniques. October 20, 2005

Finished Outside But Not Inside
How to handle things when specs call for finished face frames but unfinished interiors. February 8, 2005

Euro Upper Corner Cabinets
Here's an advanced discussion of design and construction details for frameless corner cabinets, focusing mostly on the operation and appearance of doors. June 16, 2014

Leg Levelers and Cabinet Construction
Cabinetmakers discuss the assembly details that allow leg leveler hardware to provide structural support for installed cabinets. February 6, 2007

Making a Full-Height Cabinet Fit
A full-ceiling-height refrigerator cabinet can be a bear to install, because you can't tip it up (the diagonal is too long). Here's a useful thread on solving that problem. January 20, 2007

Face frame clamping options
Woodworkers discuss their clamping systems and share pictures of what works for them. July 24, 2001

Hybrid Euro/Traditional Wall Unit Details
A cabinetmaker gathers ideas for a European style wall unit - with a face frame. March 17, 2005

How to Make Haunched Face Frames
Various woodworking techniques described for making beaded face frames for cabinets. February 6, 2007

Gluing Up Face-Frame to End-Panel Miters
Cabinetmakers discuss a fussy assembly technique: joining a face-frame to an end panel. October 2, 2007

Laminate Cabinet Tips
Advice (sometimes conflicting) about how to build high-quality laminate cabinets. July 5, 2006

Face-frame joinery techniques
Cabinetmakers discuss various techniques for joining cabinet face frames. October 31, 2000

Plywood Thicknesses and Dado Widths
A detailed discussion of the fine points of making a well-fit dado joint. Calipers, shims, decimals, fractions, and more. May 14, 2006

Efficient Drilling for Hinge Placement
Cabinetmakers discuss how to streamline door drilling for Euro-style hinges. March 1, 2006

Hybrid Face-Frame/Frameless Cabinet Design
Cabinetmakers discuss how to merge frameless techniques with face-frame construction. August 8, 2006

More boxes, less time
Making the process more efficient, including discussion on toekicks and finishing. May 2, 2001

Face Frame Assembly Table
Developing a bench for fast and accurate assembly. March 14, 2004

Notching Out the Top for a Frameless Lazy Susan
Cutting and banding the inside corners for a Lazy Susan can be time-consuming. Here's a spirited technical discussion of various methods. July 31, 2009

Getting Into Frameless
A cabinetmaking newbie gets advice on making his first attempt at a frameless kitchen. June 16, 2014

Keeping Faces Flush with Pocket-Hole Joinery
Clamping and drilling techniques that will keep pocket-hole-joined pieces from slipping out of alignment during assembly. December 6, 2006

Flat Faces on Shop-Built Doors
An exchange of views on lumber handling, door assembly, tolerances, and the meaning of "high end." June 18, 2005

Making a Curved Face Frame
When the top and bottom face frames on a cabinet need to follow the curve of a shelf, there are several simple options. December 27, 2008

Pros and Cons of Pocket-Holing Face Frames
Cabinetmakers praise pocket hole joinery for face frames, discuss the occasional glitches, and compare notes on equipment. October 26, 2005

Leg Leveler Tips And Tricks
First-timer gets advice on installing and adjusting leg levelers. April 10, 2005

Face Frame Construction Details with Prefinished Plywood
Using pre-finished plywood has helped streamline one cabinetmaker's process. Here, he gets ideas from others about touches that could make his product look better. November 20, 2005

Face Frame Dimensions and Fastening Issues
A tricky little puzzle about face frame screw assembly, based on a particular dadoed face frame detail. April 10, 2008

Framing Out a Shaker-Style End Panel
Thoughts on detailing the end panel of a cabinet to look like the Shaker doors on the front. July 31, 2009

Heat Issues in a Television Cabinet
Cabinetmakers discuss how to keep a 50-inch plasma TV set cool in a tight cabinet. June 28, 2007

Melamine Versus Plywood for Kitchen Cabinets
It's an apples-to-oranges comparison, but one that sets off a thoughtful exchange of views about workability and performance in this thread from the Cabinetmaking forum. June 28, 2005

Lazy Susan Door Fit Issues
Door tolerances and operation can create problems at the time of installation with lazy Susan corner cabinets. November 13, 2009

Reasons to Dado Face Frames
Stiff structure, ease of assembly, and clean joints are all good reasons to dado face frames to accept carcase edges. February 26, 2007

Keeping Cabinet Boxes Square
Plywood often has a bow in it. There are tricks for keeping cabs square, but you may also want to use non-plywood sheet goods. September 7, 2006

Installing Full Extension Slides
Tips for setting drawer slides in face-frame cabinets. June 5, 2006

Frameless Cabinets With Traditional Look
Achieving quality and style with framless construction. April 4, 2004

Lazy Susan Alternatives
Tips on the more practical ways to build a Lazy Susan cabinet. February 26, 2007

Melamine And Water
Is melamine safe for cabinet interiors under sinks? April 18, 2006

P-lam Cabinet Door Backs
Construction considerations when backing cabinet doors with plastic laminate to match cabinet interiors. March 20, 2006

Extreme Drawer-Slide Extension
With a wide desk overhang above some short drawers, a custom cabinetmaker needs drawer extensions that go above and beyond the call. Here, he presents and ingenious solution for giving a 20-inch drawer 36 inches of travel. November 11, 2005

Plastic Laminate Cabinet Tips
Advice for a first-timer who is tackling an all-plastic-laminate kitchen job. July 3, 2006

Pre-Drilled Shelf Hole Spacing for Bookcases
When customers don't know where they really want the shelves, it's time to fire up the line boring machine. March 25, 2007

Hanging Cabinets from the Ceiling
No walls to attach to, and no backs on the cabinet — here are a few suggestions for securely mounting these custom cabs. March 25, 2007

How many confirmats?
Determining how many fasteners to use per joint in frameless cabinetry. April 2, 2002

Flat Doors for an Appliance Armoire
What materials would you use for flat-panel doors on a cabinet that will hold a mini-fridge and coffeemaker? February 27, 2015

Keeping Cabinets on the Wall
Sturdy construction and strong attachments are key safety factors. May 4, 2005

Router Bits for Raised Panels
Horizontal versus vertical bits for cutting raised panels. January 28, 2004

Installing Separate Toekicks
Methods of attaching separate kicks. January 6, 2005

Face Frame Efficiency
Avoiding bottlenecks in face frame construction. September 20, 2004

Running Face Frames to the Floor
Ideas for a custom look with face-frame cabinetry. December 6, 2006

Hard or Soft Maple for Stained Cabinets?
Thoughts on choosing Maple for cabinet frames, and on staining versus applying dye and toner. April 9, 2008

Oversize Drawer Construction
Five out of five doctors agree: heavy slides, extra slides underneath, and no guarantees. August 29, 2005

Running Two Compressors Together
Further advice on tag-teaming compressors (it does get a little tricky). March 9, 2008

Fine Points of Boring
Advice on matching the bore-hole dimensions of various boring machines to the requirements of metric-based frameless cabinetmaking systems. September 7, 2006

Flat Panel Door Material
for the job? February 25, 2005

Machining Mullions for Glass Doors
Advice and a step-by-step how-to for making those pesky mullions. May 14, 2006

Removing and Reassembling Pocket-Holed Parts
Can you pocket-screw a face frame to a cabinet, remove it, and re-attach it successfully? April 21, 2007

Long-Spanning Shelves
A deep hardwood edge on plywood shelves creates a stiffer beam effect. August 14, 2007

Hiding Holes for Pocket Screws
Ways to mask pocket screw holes, or at least make them inconspicuous. January 11, 2008

False Back for a Large Media Center
Ways to construct and attach a false back for a TV and stereo cabinet, for wiring convenience. February 17, 2006

Gluing On Cabinet Trim
Tips on fastener-free techniques to attach mouldings to cabinets. January 22, 2006

Inset-door cabinets
A cabinetmaker goes from frameless to face frame and seeks advice. September 19, 2001

Radius Cabinet Fronts
Advice on making (or outsourcing) radius-front cabinets. July 30, 2009

Edgebander Options
Cabinetmakers discuss the advantages of different edgebanding materials and equipment. September 21, 2005

MDF Versus Plywood for Cabinets
Cabinetmakers discuss the characteristics of MDF, and describe assembly methods. September 22, 2005

End Panels Inset into a Face Frame
Cabinetmakers discuss construction methods for a nice end-panel detail: panels set into a face frame, with a slight reveal. March 25, 2007

Frameless Shelf Spans
Cabinetmakers discuss the span limits of 3/4-inch shelf material, and share tips on mid-span supports and a stiffening valance. December 28, 2005

Frameless Cabinet Fastening
Attaching lower cabinet sides to deck. August 7, 2004

Garage Cabinet Details
Pros discuss ways to fit cabinet bottoms and kicks to the sloping concrete floor of a garage. June 12, 2005

Half-Round Cabinet Joinery
Thoughts about how to construct and join the shelves and face frame for a curved-face open-shelf cabinet. September 6, 2012

Raised-Panel Ends on Upper Cabs
Fast and classy construction. March 14, 2004

Hinge Types and Door Overlay
A cabinetmaker wants closely spaced doors on face-frame cabinets, and gets advice on specialty hinges that can help him achieve that result. December 30, 2005

Face frame alignment
Getting good alignment with mortise and tenon joinery in face frames. December 6, 2000

Kitchen Corner Cabinet Ideas
Pros share ideas, designs, and photos of Lazy Susan corner solutions. June 28, 2005

Frameless Corner Cabinet Design and Hinge Options
Companies make hinges for frameless corner cabinets, but the cabinets need to be put together just right for the hinges to work properly. August 29, 2006

Finishing Backs of Face Frames
Is it worth the trouble to finish the back of a cabinet face frame? Cabinetmakers swap opinions and methods. October 13, 2005

Fastening Stone Countertops
Ways to hold marble tops in place. May 10, 2005

Material for Doors with False Drawer Fronts
Furnituremakers discuss whether to use solid wood or MDF and veneer for a set of vanity doors with fake drawer fronts. April 27, 2011

Fat Cabinet Sides and Shelves
Details for built-in shelf units with extra-thick built-up sides. May 14, 2006

Finished end panels
How to install pre-finished end panels. April 3, 2002

How to Support "Floating" Base Cabinets
These cabinets are supposed to have a deeply recessed toe kick so they appear to be floating above the floor. What about the structure? November 19, 2006

Fillers on frameless cabinets
Filling the space around cabinets set in uneven alcoves or against bowed walls. January 3, 2001

Melamine Drawers
Melamine makes an economical drawer box, but what's the joinery? Pros share methods in this thread from the Cabinetmaking Forum. July 9, 2005

Layout for Appliances in a Tight Kitchen
Advice on fitting a cooktop, oven and microwave into a wall bank of custom cabinets. February 26, 2007

Jigs for shelf pin holes
Speeding up the drilling process. March 23, 2002

Painting wood cabinets
Suggested paint-grade materials for cabinets. October 15, 2001

Pinned Mortise and Tenon
Orienting the grain in pins on shaker-style doors, according to tradition. December 26, 2004

Making Raised Panel Arch Valances
Advice on fabricating arches raised panel valances. June 4, 2012

Glass Drawer Fronts
How do you attach glass drawer fronts to a drawer box? February 12, 2009

Pre-Finishing Edge Banding
Cabinetmakers share ideas for applying finish to plain wood edgebanding before use. September 22, 2005

Frameless Sink Base for a Farmhouse Sink
Tips on constructing the base cabinet for a farmhouse sink. January 13, 2009

File Drawer Hardware
Cabinetmakers discuss how to build custom file drawers, without that clunky off-the-shelf hardware. August 29, 2005

Pullout Slide Clearance and Hinge Types
Cabinet pullouts may crash into door backs if you don't select the right hardware and install properly. January 10, 2006

Mortised Hinge Alternatives
Tips and ideas for using non-adjustable hinges with exposed pins for beaded-frame inset-door cabinets. March 1, 2006

Oversize Frameless Cabinet Design
A newcomer to frameless construction gets advice on designing and building a large, four-bay, floor-to-ceiling closet cabinet. December 28, 2005

False Mullions for Glass Cabinet Doors
Mullions laid over full-size glass doors are a tricky detail. Here are some tips on shaping, joining and attaching the pieces. December 30, 2005

Lock Miter Joints for Face Frame Cabinets
It's a little more work, but it makes a nice-looking corner. June 17, 2009

Fitting Sheet Goods in Dadoes
Irregularities in panel materials can cause trouble with dado fits. Here, cabinetmakers discuss solutions. September 22, 2005

Fixes for a Mis-Drilled Knob Hole
Moving a screw hole over less than the diameter of the hole is a pesky task. Here are a handful of tips. October 8, 2005

Pocket-screwed face frames
A time-saving method for frame assembly compared to dowels. 1998.

Making Fluted Accent Columns Useful
Fluted accent columns add a custom look. Here are some ideas for making them earn their keep as doors or pull-out fronts, too. September 8, 2007

Lock Mitering Cabinet Corners
Practical advice on the process of lock-miter joinery for cabinet corners. October 28, 2014

Hand Hewn Look for New Cabinetry
Achieving an old-fashioned look with antique and contemporary tools. May 10, 2005

Hiding Pocket Screw Holes
Fill the holes, or apply a panel? May 4, 2005

Lining Drawers with Felt
Tips and warnings on a tricky custom touch. June 5, 2006

Mounting Slide Hardware on CD Storage Shelves
Advice on how to deal with non-standard drawer-slide installation for tall pull-out CD shelves on an entertainment center. July 21, 2006

Frameless Cabinet Dimensions and Countertops
A newcomer to frameless asks how much room to leave at cabinet tops for cabinet overhangs. Opinions vary. October 1, 2005

Fans and Grilles to Cool a TV Cabinet
A cabinetmaker gets help figuring out how to get enough air moving to cool a big, hot television unit. July 11, 2007

Long-Span Shelves
Ideas and resources for dealing with long shelf spans. December 30, 2005

Melamine Quality Issues
Cut-price melamine from the big-box DIY stores doesn't match up to professional-grade material, say the pros. December 28, 2005

Mirrored Medicine Cabinet Doors
Cabinetmakers discuss the details of mirrored bath cabinet doors. November 12, 2005

Fixes for Misplaced Shelf Holes
Shelf pin holes need to move half an inch. What to do? February 28, 2006

Edge-Banding for Prefinished Plywood
Cabinetmakers discuss the advantages of various edge treatments for prefinished plywood. July 9, 2005

Pocket Hole Joinery for Face Frames
Tips on using pocket hole screws to assemble and attach face frames. October 22, 2005

Refrigerator Cabinet Depth
High-end fridges may need cabinet depths that stick out past the rest of the cabinet faces. Here's advice on making things blend. January 26, 2009

Facing frameless melamine cabinets
Facing and finishing melamine carcasses to attain a high-end, traditional look without face frames. April 2, 2002

Line-boring for adjustable shelves
The full range of options for getting shelf holes in place is reviewed. 1998.

Plywood Shelf Deflection
Thoughts on plywood shelf thickness, ways of reinforcing shelves, and othe ideas. February 26, 2007

Hard maple versus soft Maple
Aesthetic and functional differences between hard and soft maple

Removable Upper Cabinet Bottoms
Cabinetmakers consider how to make upper cabinet bottoms detachable for access to undercabinet lighting wiring. August 24, 2008

Finished Ends With Separate Kickers
Preferred methods of construction. August 7, 2004

Fabric for Tambour Doors
You can use canvas, silk, or — old T-shirts? October 19, 2005

Fabricating Two-Inch-Thick Hollow Shelves for a Built-In
Ideas on making thick hollow shelves to contain wiring and puck lighting. January 28, 2009

Microwave "Trim Kits" and Accurate Specs
Cabinetmakers discuss the problem of making a built-in microwave fit seamlessly into the cabinet you build for it. February 26, 2007

Restaurant Bar Dimensions
Advice on the proper height and depth for a commercial bar. May 4, 2005

Registers in the Base of a Built-In Bookcase
Ideas for building vents into the bases of built-in cabinets. August 14, 2007

Lips on Lazy Susan Trays
Cabinetmakers share ideas for making the edge lip for a lazy Susan tray. October 8, 2005

Leg Leveler Hole Size
Smaller-diameter leg leveler pins are convenient, but may not be as strong. August 29, 2006

Oil Finishes for Food Prep Counters
Natural oils or waxes make a good finish for stable wood counter-tops in kitchens. April 30, 2006

Keyboard Pullout Drawer Front Hardware
Pros discuss drawer slides and drawer front mounting for pull-out keyboard trays. August 29, 2006

Heavy Backs for Upper Cabinets
Cabinetmakers briefly describe construction and wall attachment methods for cabinets using 1/2-inch. 5/8-inch, or even 3/4-inch prefinished plywood backs. November 12, 2005

Removing Drum Sander Scratches
Tips for detecting and sanding out the scratches left behind by a drum sander. October 13, 2005

Pull-Out Drying Racks
Ideas for drying racks for laundry-room cabinets. December 30, 2005

Peg-Hole and Dowel Drawer Bottoms
Ideas for how to detail this popular new feature: holes for movable vertical pegs in drawers, used to organize plates and such. February 20, 2008

Mitered Face Frame Joints
Tips for joining face frames of adjacent cabinets together at a 45-degree angle. May 22, 2006

Rating drawer slides
What does a drawer slide weight rating mean, exactly? February 12, 2001

Leg levelers vs. notches and plinths
Leg levelers are the way to go, if you're going Euro. 1998.

Laminate Over Plywood for Cabinet Boxes
Cabinetmakers report their results using laminate on plywood for cabinet carcases. August 8, 2008

Pull-Out Bread-Board Ideas
Tricks for adding breadboard pullouts to face-frame cabinets, without losing drawer space. October 15, 2009

Gluing Dado Joints in Pre-Finished Cabinets
Lacquer in the dado may inhibit the adhesion of the glue. May 14, 2006

Recessed Sink Base Details
A recessed sink base cabinet has doors set into a small face frame set back from the main cabinet front. September 23, 2006

MDF vs. veneer-core plywood
Comparing MDF and particleboard to veneer-core plywood for cabinet manufacturing. 1998.

Edge-Banding Without an Edge-Bander
For an occasional job, regular glue and clamps can work for applying edge-banding. December 14, 2005

Mixed-Wood Countertop Details
A discussion of glue-up, sanding, and fastening issues for a countertop made with alternating strips of maple and mahogany. March 1, 2006

Mitered-Corner Cabinet Case Joinery
Advice on making mitered corner joints for cabinet carcases. January 20, 2010

Metal Liners for Wood Range Hoods
Wood range hoods must have non-combustible liners. May 22, 2006

Edgebanding Dadoed Parts
A cabinetmaker who uses blind dadoed construction gets advice on modifying his edgebander to handle the dadoed material. August 29, 2006

Matching Toekicks
Toekicks should usually match the cabinets, not the floor. January 10, 2006

Glass Shelves with Wood Frames
Tips on how to secure glass into wood frames for glass shelving. May 22, 2007

MDF End Panels
Thoughts on the various ways to use MDF for cabinet end panels. February 26, 2007

Jig for beaded faceframes
Photographs of a shop-built jig. June 4, 2003

Are Solid Wood Cabinets Practical to Build?
A long, highly informative discussion of the practical and other issues involved in building and selling cabinetry made from solid wood rather than plywood or composites. February 26, 2007

Confirmat screw assembly
Troubleshooting problems with Confirmat screws. June 24, 2002

Case construction methods
Discussion of the strongest, most efficient methods of joinery. July 29, 2003

Appliance Cutouts
Standards, and a lack of, for kitchen appliace cutouts. August 7, 2004

Cabinetmaking Productivity
Shop owners and woodworkers discuss how fast the people ought to be able to pump out product, and consider strategies for making better time. April 13, 2010

Confirmat screws -- getting started
A discussion on drilling holes for confirmat screws dives deeper into screw and dowel construction. July 3, 2001

Chip-free dovetailing in plywood
Building dovetailed plywood drawers without chipping; European and American approaches. April 24, 2002

Custom Built-In Seating for a Boat
The furniture forum discusses plumb, level, port, starboard, pitch, yaw, and relating nautical seating terminology. June 10, 2006

Cabinet Backs: Dadoed Versus Plant-On
Cabinetmakers discuss the options in cabinet back construction and joinery. July 31, 2009

Cabinet construction joinery
Different joinery and construction methods. November 24, 2002

Achieving Consistent Copes
Why is it so difficult to cut copes the same every time? October 5, 2004

Advantages of Pocket Screw Construction
Fans of pocket screws explain why they like to use them for assembling face frame cabinets. April 26, 2006

Beaded Inset Face Frame Joinery
What's best - mortise and tenon, dowels, pocket screws...? April 10, 2005

Drawing Units and Precision
Deciding on the level of precision needed for cabinet and millwork design. October 20, 2004

Building Separate Kicks
Different methods of building and installing toekicks. August 7, 2004

Drawer runner holes in 32mm system
Placement, mounting and more. (From WOODWEB's Cabinetmaking Forum) February 12, 2003

Building a Custom Island out of Stock Cabinet Parts
Is it worth constructing a Frankencabinet out of repurposed stock cabinet carcasses and faces? Interesting idea ... but with drawbacks.June 17, 2013

Drawers and the Utilization of Space
Why slide-integrated drawer systems are less costly to produce and provide greater space efficiency than traditional drawer construction. 1998.

Drawer Slide Options
A discussion of the latest in drawer slide technology. October 25, 2006

Custom Cabinets for an Out-of-Whack Room
Pros discuss ways to make cabinets fit "right" in a room that's wrong. April 20, 2007

Blum hinge drilling locations
Determining the edge setback for drilling in the use of Blum hinges. March 20, 2001

Building Beaded Face Frames
Making beadmould application more efficient. January 14, 2004

Beaded Face Frame Joinery
Detailed explanations with photos and drawings of how to achieve nice jack-miter joints on beaded face frames. April 16, 2009

Do Base Cabinets Need Back Shims?
Shim the front and hang the back, say some. May 4, 2005

Corner-Cabinet Face Frame Joints
Corner cabinets pose a tricky face-frame construction problem. Here, cabinetmakers discuss ways to detail the corner joint. August 29, 2005

Attaching Face Frames Revisited
Cabinetmakers kick around various ways to attach face frames to cabinets. August 15, 2006

Attaching Bookcases to Countertops
Efficient methods from professional cabinetmakers. February 10, 2004

Designing for Large Pocket Doors
Choosing quality hardware for TV entertainment center. March 14, 2004

Dado Techniques
Router and jig, or table-saw with dado blade set? Cabinetmakers discuss choices and methods. May 22, 2006

Dowel, screw, staple, confirmat construction
Efficiency and assembly with different fastening methods. March 5, 2003

Clean Cuts with Vertical Panel Saws
Cabinetmakers discuss scoring blades, blade types, and cutting techniques for getting clean, razor-sharp cuts with panel saws. December 28, 2005

Are "High-End" Drawer Joints Worth the Trouble?
Cabinetmakers discuss the processes involved in dovetail joints, box joints, and simpler drawer construction joints. Will customers see value in a "better" drawer joint? February 26, 2007

A Shaker Look with Frameless Construction?
A detailed thread on ways to combine Shaker style and simplicity with modern frameless construction methods. August 29, 2006

Beaded Face-Frame Techniques
Equipment and methods for creating high-quality beaded face frames. May 22, 2006

Cost Factors in Adding Face Frames to Frameless Cabinets
Another take on how a frameless shop can add face frames to their repertory without adding too much cost. April 20, 2008

Drawer Construction
Choosing an efficient method over farming out the work. June 4, 2004

Concealing Cleats in Cabinets
Constructing cases to hide cleats. November 3, 2004

Driver Choices for Confirmat Screws
Experiences using battery-powered and air-powered impact drivers to drive Confirmat screws, and some thoughts on screw selection. April 18, 2006

Case Construction Basics
Advice for a new shop owner on whether to dado the parts for face frame cabinets. February 26, 2007

Cabinet Side-to-Bottom Joint Design
A discussion of whether to let cabinet sides run past the bottom and top shelves, or sit above and below them. October 14, 2009

CNC Choices and Blind Dado Versus Dowel Cabinet Construction
This wide-ranging discussion centers on CNC machinery capabilities in relation to different methods of building cabinets. November 25, 2005

Diamond-Shaped Wine Rack Construction
Cabinetmakers discuss workable structural details for a large diamond-shaped wine rack job. October 22, 2005

Attaching Partitions to Face Frames
Thoughts on how to attach face frames to center walls of cabinets. November 10, 2006

Creating a Bead Profile on Curved Stock
Cabinetmakers suggest tools and setups for beading curved pieces, and offer an alternative applied-bead technique. Check out the photos! September 22, 2005

Beaded Face Frame Fabrication
There's more than one way to bead a frame, as this discussion proves. January 24, 2005

Corner Cabinet Dimensions and Crown Moulding Transitions
Advice on figuring out how to size a corner cabinet so crown moulding on the straight runs dies gracefully into the side of the corner cab. April 10, 2008

Attaching Five-Piece Drawer Fronts to Dovetailed Drawers
Advice on a tricky assembly problem. January 21, 2007

Continuous Cabinets Versus Multi-Piece Construction
What's better, one big cabinet or two or three small ones? Custom cabinetmakers discuss the pros and cons. March 20, 2006

Case Construction Methods
Thoughts on the benefits of dadoes and screws for cabinet carcase assembly. December 10, 2007

Building A Raised Laminate Countertop
Building a raised 'breakfast bar' on existing cabinets. January 15, 2004

Designing a Corner Sink Cabinet
Cabinetmakers put their heads together on a cabinet-building problem. October 26, 2005

Construction Joinery and Slide Choice for a Large Drawer
Advice on beefing up the joinery and slides for an oversize drawer that might be called on to store files. March 28, 2015

A Wide-Board Mahogany Countertop
Advice on managing the wood's tendency to move. October 14, 2006

Alignment of Face Frames
The decision on making face frames flush versus leaving a reveal. February 10, 2004

Accurately Squaring Cabinet Boxes
Methods foraccurately squaring frameless cabinet carcasses. October 16, 2003

Dadoes for Cabinet Case Construction
Cabinetmakers explain why they like dadoes. October 27, 2008

Building Cabinets with Prefinished Plywood
Advice on assembly methods and other tips and tricks for building cabs with prefinished plywood. April 17, 2013

Attaching Face Frames to Corner Cabinets
Approaches to angle transitions and tips on face frame assembly for corner cabinets. December 28, 2005

Correcting dowel hole runout
Finding and correcting the cause of dowel hole runout in CNC-machined parts. November 7, 2000

Cracks in beaded face frames
How can the crack between the bead and the frame itself be avoided? July 24, 2002

Beyond the Lazy Susan: Corner Cabinet Options
Not everyone loves the Lazy Susan cabinet. Here's a discussion of alternative ways to provide easy-reach storage in corner cabinets. December 28, 2005

Dadoing Face Frames and Cabinet Assembly
Cabinetmakers discuss techniques and fine points of cabinet construction using dadoed face frames. September 23, 2006

Blind Dado Cabinet Construction
A discussion of dado joints for connecting cabinet sides and backs. February 6, 2007

Cutting dadoes and spraying
Finding the best order to assemble, finish and dado. (Cabinetmaking Forum) May 1, 2003

Counter-Boring for Cabinet Assembly
Is there any way to speed up the process of drilling pilot holes for screw assembly of cabinets? July 28, 2007

Drawer Slides for Inset Through Dovetail Drawers
Cabinetmakers consider how to rig drawer slides for inset cabinet drawers with through dovetail joints on the drawer fronts. September 27, 2008

Attaching Face Frames to Cabs
Preferred methods of joinery. January 28, 2004

Cabinet Construction with Half-Inch Plywood
Using half-inch plywood for all cabinet components (sides, back, shelves, and deck) lends itself to quick and simple cabinet assembly. March 5, 2007

Cabinet Bottom Details for Recessed Under-Cabinet Lights
Ideas for building cabinet bottoms that will conveniently accept "puck lights." March 1, 2006

Corner Cabinet Miter Joint Options
Cabinetmakers discuss various ways of making a nice 45-degree joint when constructing face-frame corner cabinets. March 9, 2008

Drawers Vs. Shelves for Kitchen Base Cabinets
Drawers can be more useful, and also a better money-maker for the cabinet builder. August 8, 2005

Case construction practices
A look at various methods of case joinery for kitchen cabinets. September 6, 2000

Drawer Slide Choices and Tips
Pros discuss drawer slide preferences and installation details. March 17, 2005

Custom Cabinet Heights and the 32mm System
A cabinetmaker puzzles over how to design odd-height cabinets within a 32mm Euro cabinet system. September 10, 2008

Arched "Furniture Toe" Cabinet Kicks
Cabinetmakers discuss arched-front cabinet kicks. June 26, 2009

Boring Clean Shelf Holes
Here's a nice selection of practical advice for getting sharp-edged shelf holes bored in questionable panel material. April 9, 2008

Crown on face-frame cabinets
An alternative to notching stiles when applying crown moulding. May 15, 2002

Coping beaded face frames
Efficient methods, plus hinge suggestions for face-frame cabinetry. January 3, 2003

Attaching Face Frames Without Nails
A cabinetmaker wants to avoid nail holes in the faces of his high-end product. February 11, 2010

Cabinet Back Construction
Cabinetmakers share views on the appropriate thickness for cabinet backs and nailer strips. October 22, 2005

Cabinet Details for an Apron Front Sink
"Farmer's" sinks have an apron front that overhangs the cabinet face. Here, cabinetmakers discuss the difficulties that can arise, and how to address them. February 28, 2006

Drawer-Slide Installation Tips
Cabinetmakers suggest lower-fuss ways to install drawer slides. April 27, 2006

Corner Cabinet Solutions
Thoughts on ways to provide access to buried inside cabinet corners. October 28, 2014

Dadoing techniques
Using a router to make dados. June 24, 2002

Drawer Guide Socket Breakage
What's making those plastic hardware pieces crack? Cabinetmakers talk it over. August 29, 2005

Cabinet Backs and Slide Installation
What other shops are using for back material and it works with back-mounted drawer slides. February 8, 2005

Cabinet Back Options
Half-inch plywood, or quarter-inch plywood and cleats? March 17, 2005

Door Hinges for a Frameless Upper Corner Cabinet
Cabinetmakers explain how to hang the door in a frameless corner cabinet. August 15, 2006

Architectural Woodworking Forum -- Span Limits and Materials for Library Shelving
Furniture and cabinet makers discuss the theory and practice of bookshelf sag control. February 16, 2006

Cutting Board Details
Advice on installing a pull-out cutting board drawer in a kitchen cabinet. December 9, 2008

Corner Sink Base Ideas
Advice with drawings for building a corner sink base cabinet. October 11, 2007

Attaching Face Frames to Cabinets
There's more than one way to do it, as this discussion proves. August 8, 2005

Building Plantation Shutters
Solutions for building custom shutters, including hardware choices. February 12, 2009

Attaching 3/4-Inch Plywood Cabinet Backs
Cabinetmakers describe alternative ways of fastening cabinet backs to carcases. April 9, 2008

Cabinet Hanger Cleats
Ways to install back-panel cleats for attaching cabinets to walls. June 18, 2005

Assembling Frameless Casework
Dowel, dado, or confirmat screw? August 9, 2005

Drawer Box Doweling
Pros share tips for dowel construction of drawer boxes. May 10, 2005

Avoiding router tear-out
Eliminating tear-out when routing the edges of stiles. February 13, 2001

Cabinet Bottom and Sides Material
Cabinetmakers discuss the materials they use for parts of a cabinet that don't show. October 22, 2005

Design Ideas for Roll-Out Shelves
Cabinetmakers offer tips and methods for constructing pull-out shelving so that stored items don't fall off the edge. March 1, 2006

Built-in Appliances and Frameless Cabinets
Methods for constructing frameless cabinets to hold ovens. May 22, 2007

Building Arched Toekicks
Descriptions and images of tested techniques. September 9, 2004

Corner Cabinet Basics
Tips for a beginner on building corner cabinets. February 11, 2010

Confirmat Screws and Drill Guides
Detailed info on assembling cabinets with confirmat screws. March 6, 2006

Biscuits Versus Dowels
Which is stronger — and does it matter? Cabinetmakers exchange views and information. July 9, 2005

Cabinets for a Pool Area
Selecting durable wood, hardware and finish coatings for cabinets intended for an indoor swimming pool area. March 20, 2006

Child-Safety Drawer Catches
Advice on those child-proofing drawer and door accessories. July 5, 2006

Dadoed-In Back Panel Case Construction Methods
A back panel glued into a dado on cabinet sides contributes to a rugged case, and one that can be quick to build. Here are some thoughts on the details. December 27, 2007

Applying PVC Edgebanding Without an Edgebander
PVC edgebanding can be applied by hand, but it's tricky and difficult. Here is a handful of tips and advice. November 20, 2005

Bi-Fold Pocket Doors
A discussion of hinge choices to make bi-fold pocket doors for a TV cabinet. June 23, 2006

Building Cabinets with Pre-Finished Plywood
Detail tips when making face-frame cabinets using pre-finished plywood. January 20, 2007

A Jig for Producing Shelf Pin Holes
The search for equipment to make drilling holes simple and systematic. May 10, 2005

Cabinet Knob Drilling Guides
Cabinetmakers discuss store-bought and shop-rigged drill guide jigs. January 24, 2006

Drawer Slide Jigs
Pros suggest several options for quick and accurate drawer-slide installation. June 17, 2005

Door Stops for Cabinets
Ways to hold inset cabinet doors flush to the face, when closed. March 20, 2006

Beating a Cabinet to Pieces
You learn a lot about the strength of various joinery and installation methods when you have to tear out a cabinet and break it into pieces for disposal. July 11, 2013

Building a Honeycomb-Core Desk Top
Advice on materials and construction techniques for high-quality honeycomb-core panels. July 6, 2006

Dadoed Carcase Joinery
Cabinetmakers discuss using dado joinery for cabinet assembly. October 11, 2007

Best Panel Materials for a 32mm Frameless System
A question about plywood versus particleboard sets off a discussion about frameless layout preferences. October 22, 2005

Dadoes and Plywood Thickness Variation
Dimensional variation in plywood can cause trouble with dadoes. Cabinetmakers in this thread offer ways to handle the problem. September 22, 2005

Antique Barn-Board Cabinets
A high-end home with cabinets made from weathered old barn siding? Craftsmen suggest ways to marry rustic and fine. June 12, 2005

Butt-Screwing Hinges to MDF
Thoughts on how to securely fasten hinges to the edge of MDF panels. July 21, 2006

Beaded Face Frame and Scribing Stick Trick
Here's a trick for detailing beaded face frame stiles, that makes scribing ends easier. February 6, 2007

Cabinet Scribing Hows and Whys
Basic tips on fitting cabinets to floors and walls. November 11, 2005

Building Paneled Sides on Kitchen Cabinets
Design and construction ideas for face-frame cabinet end panels. June 4, 2012

Cabinet Assembly: Clamping for Screwing Butt Joints
Quick and simple ways to hold pieces where they belong while assembling a cabinet carcase. March 9, 2008

Doors for a Wide Entertainment Center
Designing doors to hide an extra-wide TV. May 10, 2005

Applying Nosing to Prefinished Plywood
The search for a satisfactory way to treat the seam where nosing meets plywood. May 10, 2005

Attaching a Backing Panel for Wide-Screen TV in an Entertainment Center
Simple tips on assembling entertainment centers for wide-screen TVs. March 25, 2007

Crown Molding With Staggered Cabinets
Making a smooth transition from cabinet to cabinet. July 20, 2004

Drawer Socket Breakage
Cabinetmakers discuss how and why drawer-slide socket hardware may break. October 13, 2005

Continuous Cabinet Bottoms for Upper Cabs
Thoughts on the structural integrity of alternative cabinet construction configurations. July 29, 2012

Cutting Out Toe-Kick Notches
Suggested jigs and methods for notching out cabinet sides for toe kicks. July 12, 2008

Cabinets in a Wide-Angle Corner
Thoughts on building adjoining frameless cabinets to fit into a 135-degree inside corner. November 10, 2006

Adjustable Height Pull-Out Shelving
Adjustable pull-out solutions using off-the-shelf hardware and shop-built alternatives. October 27, 2008

Attaching End Panels
Methods used by the pros. January 28, 2004

Attaching Finished Panels to a Bar Cabinet Back
Advice on hiding the fasteners when you attach panels to a cabinet. July 29, 2012

Dovetailing for a hand-cut look
Advice on getting a hand-cut look when dovetailing by machine, and reasons not to do it. June 13, 2001

Dowel case assembly
Shop owners sing the praises of dowel case construction. September 6, 2000

Can I Pocket-Screw Melamine?
Seems to work fine — here are a few tips. February 20, 2008

Adjustable Cabinet Casters
Thoughts on a tricky detail: casters for an island cabinet that would allow the cabinet to be lowered all the way to the floor. August 29, 2006

Constructing Bookshelves Above a Baseboard Heater
Thoughts on providing airflow for hydronic baseboard heat while supporting a shelf unit above the heat source. February 26, 2007

Door/drawer gaps in Euro-style cabinets
Americans need to apply the looser European standards to door and drawer gaps to avoid frustration when ordering these parts from other manufacturers. October 18, 2000

Assembling Face-Frame Cabinets
Basic tips for assembling face-frame cabinets off-site. April 26, 2006

Attaching Removable False Fronts
Suggestions include clips, magnets, ball catches, and more. May 14, 2006

Bearing Capacity of Glass Shelves
... is not much. Here are a few details. May 22, 2006

Blind Corner Cabinet Face Frame Detail
Advice on how to detail the corner where a blind corner cabinet runs behind its opposite number. October 11, 2012

Capabilities of a Pocket Hole Machine
When drilling a screw hole in a stile, how close to the edge can you get? May 10, 2005

A Pull-Out Medicine Cabinet
Example (with picture) of a pull-out front with side-access shelves in a bathroom medicine cabinet. September 23, 2006

Cooling Fans for Computer Cabinets
Computers generate a lot of heat and need cooling. Here are some basic ideas for cooling computer cabinet built-ins. May 22, 2006

Building Arched Cabinets
A first-timer asks for advice on making a veneer arch. Cabinetmakers suggest products and methods, and show project examples. July 9, 2005

Dovetailing plywood
Successfully dovetailing baltic birch plywood. March 20, 2001

Corner Cabinet Construction Tips
Workable corner cabinet face frame details. February 26, 2007

Base Cabinet Heights for a Tiled Countertop
Cabinetmakers discuss proper cabinet dimensions to support a tiled countertop. August 29, 2006

Blum's Process 32™ Manual (PDF)
October 15, 2003

Attaching Drawer Slides to Solid Wood Cabinet Sides
How to install drawer slides so that wood movement won't cause trouble. April 18, 2006

Dowel case joinery guidelines
Basics on doweling for case construciton. April 25, 2001

Cherry Cabinets with Birch Interiors
Ideas on how to finish off the ends of cabinets built with different species of plywood for interiors and exteriors. February 26, 2007

Blind Corner Frameless Cabinet Construction
Cabinetmakers offer ideas for frameless cabs in blind corners. December 14, 2005

Alternatives to dado cabinet construction
John Elvrum offers a practical approach to identifying viable, mechanical alternatives to traditional dado joinery of cabinet boxes. 1998.

Applying Door Panels to a Refrigerator
Tips for facing refrigerator doors. October 26, 2005

Dowel drilling and use guidelines
A quick guide to dowel clearances and practices, including drilling depth, diameter-to-edge ratios, and dowel selection. 1998.

Countertop Choices for a Farmer's Sink
The way farmer's sinks are installed, there's usually an exposed edge where the countertop meets the sink. For that reason, durable countertop materials are preferred. March 1, 2006

Confirmat screw spacing
Spacing guidelines for Confirmat screws in the assembly of particleboard cases. January 16, 2001

Corner Cabinet Conundrum
Another take on fitting a corner sink cabinet into a tight space (this time in frameless). February 26, 2007

Cabinetry Materials for a Van Conversion
Tips on lightweight materials and construction for a mini-motorhome buildout. December 28, 2005

Accuride Eclipse Drawer Box Preparation
Layout dimension details for installing the new Accuride undermount slides. December 9, 2005

Quality and Price for a Basic Bedroom Built-In
Here's a long business and technical discussion on how to build a modestly-priced armoire and entertainment center. July 28, 2007

Wine Cabinet Construction and Technology
More wine-storage concepts, information, and wine-cellar construction tips and techniques. November 11, 2005

Scribe Rails -- Why Not?
Why are custom shops not including scribe material on backs? August 26, 2004

Sloppy-Fitting Biscuits
A primer on what's too loose, too tight, and just right. February 25, 2005

- Spreadsheet Calculation Program -- for Curves, Angles, Compound Miters and Springback
Free downloadable program(s) in both Excel and MS Works, including illustrations that support the formulas.. August 6, 2002

Using Double-Face Tape
Pros discuss a wealth of applications for specialty double-sided tapes. July 9, 2005

Radius Cabinet Job - Project Review
October 27, 2003

Pricing Example: Bath Vanity
An emotional, but informative, discussion of cabinet pricing based on one bath vanity example. September 23, 2006

Gluing face frame joints
Is the added glue necessary? August 13, 2002

Eliminating Wood Problems -- An Industry Review: 10 Ways of Eliminating Wood Problems
Gene Wengert explains why eliminating wood problems begins and ends with monitoring and controlling the moisture content (MC) in wood -March 18, 2000

One Man, One Kitchen, How Many Days?
Solo cabinetmakers compare notes on the time it takes them to complete a basic kitchen job. April 26, 2006

Pricing a Built-In Bookshelf
Another tour through familiar territory: How much is this bookcase worth? And should neighbors catch a break? November 26, 2007

Hidden-Pivot Bookcase Door
Here are detailed drawings for a nifty swinging-bookcase hidden door. October 12, 2006

Making Time in a Small Shop
A 2-man shop needs to pick up speed. Should they buy tools or revamp their process? March 17, 2005

Pricing Cabinets
Basic ideas on estimating cabinet construction costs. January 9, 2006

Fastening Pilaster Moulding Over a Face-Frame Seam
Cabinetmakers trade attachment tips and tricks for an afterthought moulding placement. March 20, 2006

Ingenious Hidden Pantry Idea
This technique for disguising the doors to a walk-in pantry as a large cabinet is as slick as a whistle. March 6, 2006

Glue for Dado Joints in Prefinished Ply
Yellow glue is effective for dado construction using prefinished panels. August 29, 2006

ITEMIZER - From R & R Drummond, Inc.
Use your computer to generate efficient layouts for cutting sheet material into desired sizes (a link to a demo download is provided)1998

Defining "Custom Cabinets"
What is a "custom" cabinet, and what do terms like "semi-custom" and "stock cabinet" mean? Pros discuss the dividing line between craftsmanship and mass production. December 28, 2005

Are bone-dry biscuits necessary?
Questions about the dryness and size of biscuits. April 24, 2002

Drilling Long Holes in MDF
An MDF shelf made of two panels glued together poses a special edge-drilling challenge. October 2, 2007

Competing with the Factories
Custom quality at a mass-produced price? Pros debate the issue. February 25, 2005

Components--Not Cabinets
A longtime adherent of the system process of cabinet manufacturing makes his case for componentizing. 1998.

Door Panel Tolerances
Sloppy fit : Is the supplier at fault? August 7, 2004

Biscuits Or Butt Joints
High-quality, high-speed cabinet joinery techniques. October 20, 2004

Custom-Built Curved Range Hood Ideas
Brainstorming about ways to design and build a custom range hood with concave curves. February 16, 2014

Clamping Methods for Laminations
Cabinetmakers discuss jigs and techniques for clamping large curved laminated assemblies. July 21, 2005

Compound Angles for Wood Range Hood
Joinery for a wood range hood gets into some tricky geometry. February 12, 2009

Biscuits for face frames
A discussion of using biscuits for assembling cabinet face frames. Pros and cons of biscuits on face frames, and equipment used. November 21, 2000

Cost of Shop Drawings
Pros consider perspectives on drafting's share of the cost of a kitchen job. November 26, 2007

Alternating growth rings in panels
The debate between alternating growth rings and matching grain. September 25, 2002

Clamping and Gluing 45-Degree Corners
Tape, biscuits, pocket screws? Pros share techniques for gluing faces to bases. March 17, 2005

Cabinet Doors: Outsource Or Build?
It's hard to beat the cost of outsourcing. April 10, 2005

Adhesive for Applying Finished Skins to Cabinet Ends
A cabinetmaker seeks advice for attaching finished ends to new cabinets. May 21, 2007

Dowels: Best for frameless construction?
The case is made (no pun intended) for doweling in frameless cabinet construction. 1998.

Drawing and Cutting Ellipses
Drawing ellipses without strings or formulas, making a jig to cut an ellipse, and cutting an ellipse with a router and jig. January 28, 2007

Today's Sponsors
  • TradeJobPlacement.com
    Individualized Placement Services, Specializing in Millwork Design Engineers
  • Country Saw & Knife
    Complete Sharpening Services for Wood and Metal Saw Blades, Jointer Knives, and Bandsaw Blades
  • WalzCraft
    Custom Doors and Wood Products
  • TradeSoft
    Seamless Management Software to Improve Estimating, Job Costing, Scheduling, Purchasing, Shipping, and Shop Floor Data Collection
  • Weinig Group-USA
    Wood Moulders and Knife Grinding Equipment
  • GreCon
    Spark Detection and Extinguishment Systems and Quality Assurance Measuring Equipment
  • Vexor Custom Woodworking Tools, Inc.
    Custom and Standard Router Bits, Shaper Cutters, Profile Knives, Multi Profile Insert Tooling and More
  • Shop Gear Inc.
    Distributor of Co-matic Power Feeders, Le-matic Portable Edgebanders, and Supplier of Woodworking Machinery, Tooling and Accessories in North America
  • Cabinetshop Maestro
    Web-Based Project Management Software for Custom Cabinet Shops - Manage Jobs from Prospect to Punchlist Through Scheduling, Task Management, Time Tracking and Communication
  • Vacuum Pressing Systems, Inc.
    Vacuum Pressing Equipment - Including Bag and Frame Systems
  • American National Knife
    Manufacturer of HSS and Carbide Tipped Woodworking Knife Sets for Planers, Jointers, Molders, Shapers
  • Safety Speed Manufacturing
    Economical Vertical Panel Saws, Panel Routers, Edgebanders and Widebelt Sanders
  • OMEC/Macoser Inc
    Exclusive Importer of European Woodworking Machinery Since 1988

Become a Sponsor today!