For the last four years I have been building a vacation cabin up in Alipne, Arizona. I am about ready to install the kitchen cabinet doors. I built the cabinets myself, using 3/4″ oak plywood for the tops & sides, 1/4″ plywood for the backs. 1/4″ oak edgebanding on the fronts. I am having the oak doors made from a doormaker in Chandler Arizona, about $14.00 s/f of door. I am hoping the doors will be ready this week. I will be using 110 degree & 105 degree Euro-style hinges ($1.95 / pair from Grizzly – I thought that was a deal compared to what they charge at HD & Lowes). Doors will be finished with Watco and 5 – 7 coats of a wipe-on poly.
I am looking for any special tips/techniques you all use to install the cabinet doors. I have a small bench-top drill press I plan on using for the 35mm boring bit. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks. Adam.
Here’s a pic of the CABIN: http://hometown.aol.com/azaharchuk/myhomepage/artgallery.html
Edited 3/9/2003 2:11:52 PM ET by AZAHARCHUK
Edited 3/9/2003 2:14:24 PM ET by AZAHARCHUK
Edited 3/9/2003 2:16:20 PM ET by AZAHARCHUK
Replies
Cograts on building your own cabinets.
You should place the hinges 1/5th of the door height. Second place the hinge 3-6mm from the edge. I have always found that these criteria work well.
When installing the actual door i clamp a piece of plywood under the cabinet so that the door can rest on this piece of plywood while screwing the hinge inside the cabinet
can the door maker bore the holes?
Jeff
Buck Construction Pittsburgh,PA
Fine Carpentery.....While U Waite
Door maker does not bore holes. I checked on that when I ordered them. Funny that you mention that....I just spent the last hour or so making a jig for my bench top drill press. Piece of 3/4" plywood about 8" x 30" with a 1 x 2 glued & screwed to the long edge. This will now bolt onto the adjustable table on the drill press. I figure I will use spring clamps to hold the door in position while I bore the holes.
Do a sample door from some plywood kicking around just to make sure your clearance is OK for mounting and swing. You won't have any problems. They're a snap to install.
Gary
Just leave the doors lay there and offer one of these guy that are up north and barried in snow a free week in the cabin if they finish up for you, you'll get more offers than you know what to do with.
Doug
The cabinet openings need to be nice and square and in line. Measure your openings from corner to corner both ways for squareness. Also the edge of your verticle cabinet sides should be parallel asfar as in and out goes. So the door will hit top and bottom at the same time when closed. Even though the hinges are adjustable, this makes the door hanging go much smoother.
Euro style hinges come in different overlays, like full overlay where the door covers the almost all of the 34" ply or almost half of the plywood edge where two doors meet. Also, some are setup for face framed cabs with different overlays avalible.
I cut a block to space top hinge down and screw the arm to the cabinet. Then install top cup to door and bottom cup and arm to door. Hold door with one hand, screw or clip top hinge together then screw bottom arm to cabinet. Watch hinge placement on cabinets with slideout shelves or wide rails that can interfere with hinge.
I just use a simple jig from rocklers for euro hinges. especially since this will be a one time thing for ya. The jig incl. bit will run you about 30-40 bucks. I usually drill my hinge mortises at 3 inches from the top and bottom. So with a 1/2 overlay from the top down I set my hinge plates at 2 1/2 down from the top of the cab. It works good for me. I hope this helps.
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