*
The Oct/Nov issue of FH had an article about this guy, Joseph Lanza, and a technique he used for building onsite cabinets. I have a customer insisting I build their cabs and am not a cabinet builder per-se. Mr Lanza’a methods seem simple enough – but on closer scrutiny – I wonder about a few details. For instance – the finished face frame “in the field” is roughly 1.5 inches wide, but on the ends of a cabinet run and at the bottom, the face frame looks to be only 3/4″ less the door overlay – pretty scimpy not to mention not balanced with the rest of the face frame. Anyone know how he or how you would handle this?
Discussion Forum
Discussion Forum
Up Next
Video Shorts
Featured Story
Listeners write in about haunted pipes and building-science tomes, and they ask questions about roof venting and roof leaks.
Highlights
"I have learned so much thanks to the searchable articles on the FHB website. I can confidently say that I expect to be a life-long subscriber." - M.K.
Replies
*
Buz,
I think the dimensions of face frame rails and stiles is a matter of style (pun intended) and taste. I recently finished a set of architect designed, high end, paint grade cabinets with 1 1/2-in-wide stiles and 3/4-in-wide (high) rails top and bottom, surrounding inset doors. If they were overlay doors, I'd increase the widths of carcase stiles and rails to achieve the design reveal widths between doors and drawer fronts. Whether inset or overlay, construction techniques would accomodate the design, whether built in-shop or on-site.
*Buz,There is a month old thread on this article under Knots. I thought the idea for the subframe that doubles as a drawer and door stop were great. I just completed a bank of site-built cabinets using this technique and found it fast and easy. I used his faceframe field dimensions of 3/4 rails and 1-1/2 stiles and like you, noticed there was no explanation or details for end cabinets. I used 2-1/4 for the end stiles which covered a sandwich of 2 x 3/4 plywood with interior 3/4 stock spacers. Even though this used up a bit of extra sheet material, I found that it allowed the actual end panel to project out past the subframe to meet flush with the face frame. Overall, I'd say that the subframe + faceframe assembly worked out great and that glue and nails will hold the assembly together for the lifetime of the cabinet. I'd use this method again for flush inset doors and drawers. Good luck.
*I believe that the 3/4" end stile is due to the type door hinges that were used without adding extra material in construction of the cabinet ends.
*It is a matter of style (no pun). If you look at the doors as individual pieces the each have a 3/4" stile around them. When put together that leaves an 1 1/2" stile. So the ends will have half of this. I have also seen it done that since there is an 1 1/2 stile betweem you keep an 1 1/2 stile everywhere.Rick Tuk