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Kitchen cabinet make over (new doors / drawers)

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19K views 32 replies 26 participants last post by  Semipro  
#1 ·
When my friends learned I got into woodworking as a serious hobby over the winter they said, hey, you can make new kitchen cabinet doors for us! In my novice voice I said.. Ssssssure??? I was a little nervous about taking on the project but I also wanted to see if I could pull it off. And with the multiple rail /stile / panel projects I did to that point I figured I was up for the task. Plus they told me, anything you make is going to be better than what we have.

So the plan was to make simple rail / stile / panel doors to replace the “slab” MDF doors they currently had. Then I had the idea to redo their drawer cabinet also. It originally had three odd sized drawers, one of which being a retro metal bread box. Also all three drawers had tired slides that barely worked. So the plan was to redo the drawer face frame and replace the 3 odd sized drawers with 4 equal sized drawers with new slides. We redid the face frame of this case to accept 4 equal drawers. We chose self closing Accuride full extension slides from Rockler. The optional face frame mounting brackets made the install kinda painless.

For the door design we stuck with a simple shaker style (or are they mission?). This allowed me to use 1x2 poplar from Lowes for the rail /stiles and some nice 1/4” birch ply from my local lumber yard.

Here are the before pics:

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#2 ·
And the after:

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Some design notes: They elected to repaint EVERYTHING white which I think worked well with the wrought iron hardware we chose. The hinges are 1/2” overhang with self closing springs. As my friend Stacey said, the look is very “Pottery Barn”. Needless to say they more than happy with the results.

Some production notes: All the router work on the rail / stiles was done with a Whiteside 7/32” winged slot cutter. I know there are rail / stile sets out there, but we wanted to keep the project cost as low as possible. And I already had the bit on hand. A 45deg chamfer bit was used on the perimeter of the doors after glue-up. The ply panels were primed prior to glue up and “space balls” in the rails / stiles allowed the panels to float yet still not rattle. I knew they would be painting everything so I wanted some insurance against paint cracks in the joints . So I decided to peg all the tenons from behind with 1/8” dowels. This look is very cool. Too bad you’ll never see it under the paint. Also Todd got a funky under the sink hinge and tray. So that door got a filler to make the back flat to accept the tray. Finally a piano hinge was used on the corner door.

The drawer boxes were made with 1/2” poplar (again from Lowes) with the same 1/4” birch ply used for the bottoms. I used my Incra Ultra to make half blind dovetails and the bottoms were fitted using a stopped dado. They were finished with water based poly. Oh, the drawer divider was a kit from Rockler. But it matched nicely with my stuff!

The home owners (Todd and Stacey) did a great job of cleaning up the cabinet cases and painting everything including the new doors.

Looking back the project was fun even though it was not as challenging as I thought it was going to be. It was done over the course of a few months with casual building at night and on the weekends.
 
T
#5 ·
Nickbee ...Your talent in woodworking and photography is quite good Im very impressed at all your work so far well done. And yes Im quite new here and have not looked around a lot so far but I did look for the right jobs im into and your self and this site is just unreal thank you for sharing.

from Noel
 
#6 ·
Nick, this is the first time that I've seen this thread, it was posted whilst I was too sick with Shingles to be on the forum. Your skills have reached a high level, well done. The only thing that I must comment on is the drawer bottoms, I was taught to trim the rear panel level with the top of the groove, this way the bottom can be slid in and held with a few panel pins and more importantly, replaced in the future.
 
#11 ·
From the execution I see in the picumentury, I'm sure you'll be able to pull it off in spectacular fashion. I didn't use any special joinery techniques for mine. All are flush cut, glue, and screws. Now I wished I would have picumented it while doing it.

I'll do a better job with the next project, and get the camera tuned up.
 
#15 ·
Well done Nick, what a difference you made, "nice", as a friend of mine would say.
 
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J
#17 · (Edited)
Hi,
For example if you are using 3/4" material install the tongue bit (two cutters with bearing on in the middle). The top of the bottom cutter should be about 1/4" up from the table top. That should put the bearing in the middle of your stock with the cutters on top & bottom. Make a setup block to help setup the next bit. Install the groove bit with the tongue of the first cut lining up with bearing.

If the set you have is a matched set in height (set bits next to each other with the shanks on the bottom & the single cutter should fit between the two cutters on the other bit if they are a matched height). If a matched height you can instal a 1/2" grommet into the collet & set the first bit. When you change to the next bit do not change the height & just bottom it out on the grommet & it should be at same height to machine mating piece. There is a setup jig for the freud bits & it includes the tongue & groove set.

Run all your material with the outside face down against the table top. This will make the outside flush & any difference will be on the inside that is hidden from view. There is a setup jig for the freud bits & it includes the tongue & groove set.
http://www.ptreeusa.com/freud_easy_set.htm
Ezset For Freud Bits-Sommerfeld's Tools For Wood
 
R
#18 ·
thanks for the link I will go check it out, the mating was my problem and it was the shims that I was messing up and placement, I cant change bits without taking the router out from under the table so thats not a possibility for me,but i like it and very soon will be able too ! once I got a fresh start today I just stayed with it untill I got it, patients and precision was the lost key !
 
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