How to Make Cabinet Doors
Making cabinet doors is an intimidating venture for many woodworkers.
By following simple instructions and producing the cabinet doors systematically, making cabinet doors becomes a relatively simple task. The cost of purchasing new cabinets is expensive. Making new cabinet doors for existing cabinets will bring down the cost dramatically.
Three types of cabinet doors may be constructed. A slab door is a flat panel that is normally made from a type of hardwood surfaced plywood or particle board. There are two types of panel doors that have solid frames with an insert. The vertical pieces are called stiles and the horizontal pieces are called rails. These two pieces may also be called a cope and stick.
When constructing cabinet doors, I recommend DeWalt power tools, Porter Cable power tools, Porter Cable router bits, DeWalt precision trim blades and Oldham saw blades.
Materials needed to construct a simple flat panel cabinet door include:
3/4" and 1/4 hardwood or surfaced plywood
Framing square
DeWalt Miter Saw
Porter Cable Router (preferably on a router table but a hand router will work)
Coping Bit and Coping Sled
Sticking Profile Bit
DeWalt Table saw with DeWalt Precision saw blades or Oldham saw blades
DeWalt Electric drill with Phillips bit or Phillips Screwdriver
Wood Clamps
Corner Fasteners
Wood Glue
Porter Cable Sander or Sandpaper
Stain
Polyurethane
More details: over here
Step 1: Measure Cabinet Doors
Make a sketch of the cabinets and measure the openings. Make sure to add 1/2" on each side of the opening for a door overlap. Write the measurements on the sketch to ensure all cabinet doors will be the appropriate size. The old cabinet doors may be measured and the dimensions used for the construction of the new doors. Either way is appropriate.
Step 2: Wood Selection
Solid hardwood is preferable when constructing cabinet doors. When using a hardwood surfaced plywood or particle board buy S4S which is wood surfaced on all four sides. A planer and jointer will surface cut the edges but is not necessary to make flat panel cabinet doors.
Step 3: Ripping
Rip the 3/4" lumber using a DeWalt table saw, whether using solid hardwood or hardwood surfaced plywood or particle board, to the dimension desired for the tiles and rails. A minimum of 2" width should be used for the stiles and rails. A 2" width provides an aesthetically pleasing appearance to cabinet doors. Other dimensions may be used according to personal preference.
Step 4: Cutting
First cut all the stiles then all the rails using either the DeWalt table saw or DeWalt miter saw. Cut the stiles and rails to the proper length after the wood has been ripped to the desired widths. To calculate the rail length, subtract the width of both stiles plus the panel groove depths from the entire door width. This may be done by using a 90 degree cut with a miter saw or on a table saw.
Step 5: Router Cuts
A coping bit and coping sled will be used on the ends of both rails. Make a coping cut on the ends of both rails making sure to flip the rails so the coping cut will at the same level. The height setting used for the coping bit and coping sled will need to be set the same as the height for the sticking profile bit that will be used on the stiles. Make sure the cutting surface is level to ensure the proper fit.
Set the sticking profile bit height for cutting the stiles and the rail inside cuts on a straight-line profile. Using a Porter Cable or Dewalt router, cut the inside of the stiles and rails. This works best on a Porter Cable router table but may be done by hand. When using the Porter Cable router table, make sure to use the fence to ensure a straight and level cut.
A design may be put on the inside edges of the stiles and rails at this time. If a router design is desired on the insert panel, it should be done at this time also.
Step 6: Cutting the Panel
Determine the width of the panel to be cut. Use the rail length from tip to tip, subtract an expansion allowance and 1/16" which will allow for the assembly clearance. The expansion allowance needs to be used in locations where the wood is cold and dry. When the wood expands during humid and warm weather, there needs to be enough expansion space so the panel does not buckle. The expansion allowance is figured by adding 1/8" for every 12" of panel. Cut the panel to the desired size using a DeWalt table saw.
Step 7: Assembly
Put glue on one end of each rail. Insert the glued ends into the stiles and level using a framing square. Clamp the pieces together until the glue dries. Insert the cabinet door panel into the opening, do not glue. Put the glue on the other end of the rails and attach the remaining stile. Clamp together and let dry.
Attach the corner fasteners on the back side of the cabinet door. Use a DeWalt power drill with a Phillips bit to screw the fasteners in the appropriate location.
Step 8: Finishing
After the glue has dried on the assembled cabinet door, sand the entire piece. Use either an Porter Cable electric palm sander or hand sand the wood surface. Make sure to follow the wood grain to avoid leaving scratches.
Apply the stain using the appropriate application method. Let dry prior to applying the polyurethane. Use steel wool in-between finished layers if the surface shows any sign of rough areas. Apply a minimum of three coats of polyurethane finish.
Bio: My passion includes education, the arts, home remodeling, woodworking and travel. Due to my eclectic plethora of interests, writing and photography have become two extraordinary outlets of expression. I have found extreme pleasure in both.
I have been involved in remodeling five homes over the past 32 years. Woodworking became a natural part of the remodeling process. Being the child of a carpenter and plumber, I grew up helping do whatever my father was doing. He built our home when I was in my teens and that is when I began enjoying working with wood. My husband is a contractor that owns and operates a remodeling and construction business. I help whenever I am not busy with my full-time job as a Vocational Principal.
My knowledge is vast and enjoyment is great concerning remodeling and wordworking projects. As a Vocational Principal, I work with the instructors and students of seven different vocational areas. When I get home, I still enjoy working with my hands with art, construction and remodeling.
Refinishing Cabinets: Pickling Your Cabinets for a Unique Look, with or without a mini drill press
you see it on living room and dining room furniture, on kitchen cabinets that have been refinished and on woodwork. It's that light, bleached out, semi-distressed look that a lot of people called a "pickled finish." Although it's nice to have a drill press while you're doing this work some would argue that it isn't completely necessary.
It has a relaxed, informal look, and that makes the pickled look a lot easier to achieve than most other finishes. If you'd like to try it at home, here are the bare-bones basics in three easy steps:
--Apply a thin glaze of a light color (usually white), and let it penetrate.
--Wipe most of the glaze off, leaving what remains to dry.
--Go over the remaining dried glaze with a coat or two of a clear finish.
That's about it. You'll see this finish most often on pine, but it also looks good on oak because the glaze settles into oak's open pores and emphasizes the grain.
You can put a pickled finish on new cabinets, unfinished work, or you can use it on cabinets you are refinishing. It's very well suited to refinishing for a couple of reasons:
If the finish you are removing is a color you'd like for your glaze, you can simply do a semi-thorough job of stripping, and let what remains on the piece serve as the glaze.
You can often use a glaze to cover up old finish that's difficult to remove completely during the stripping process. Materials. You can buy special glazes for this purpose at paint stores, but it's easy enough to make your own by diluting paint with thinner. Just buy some paint thinner or turpentine, plus a small can of paint in the color of your choice. For your top coat, you'll want something as clear and colorless as possible. The new water-based latex or urethane "varnishes" work well for this purpose. Procedure. For starters, dilute your paint with about two parts thinner. Brush this on any old way and let set for about 15 minutes. Then wipe. If too much color remains behind, wipe again, maybe with a little thinner on your rag. If the color is still too strong, mix up a thinner batch of glaze and try again.
If the color is too weak, mix up some glaze with less thinner, or let the glaze penetrate longer before you wipe, or both.
Once you are happy with your testing, it's time to work on the real thing. Before you glaze, sand the whole piece. If you are after a rough, rustic look, use 120-grit paper. For a more refined look, follow the 120 paper with 220. The rougher you leave the wood, the more color it will absorb.
It has a relaxed, informal look, and that makes the pickled look a lot easier to achieve than most other finishes. If you'd like to try it at home, here are the bare-bones basics in three easy steps:
--Apply a thin glaze of a light color (usually white), and let it penetrate.
--Wipe most of the glaze off, leaving what remains to dry.
--Go over the remaining dried glaze with a coat or two of a clear finish.
That's about it. You'll see this finish most often on pine, but it also looks good on oak because the glaze settles into oak's open pores and emphasizes the grain.
You can put a pickled finish on new cabinets, unfinished work, or you can use it on cabinets you are refinishing. It's very well suited to refinishing for a couple of reasons:
If the finish you are removing is a color you'd like for your glaze, you can simply do a semi-thorough job of stripping, and let what remains on the piece serve as the glaze.
You can often use a glaze to cover up old finish that's difficult to remove completely during the stripping process. Materials. You can buy special glazes for this purpose at paint stores, but it's easy enough to make your own by diluting paint with thinner. Just buy some paint thinner or turpentine, plus a small can of paint in the color of your choice. For your top coat, you'll want something as clear and colorless as possible. The new water-based latex or urethane "varnishes" work well for this purpose. Procedure. For starters, dilute your paint with about two parts thinner. Brush this on any old way and let set for about 15 minutes. Then wipe. If too much color remains behind, wipe again, maybe with a little thinner on your rag. If the color is still too strong, mix up a thinner batch of glaze and try again.
If the color is too weak, mix up some glaze with less thinner, or let the glaze penetrate longer before you wipe, or both.
Once you are happy with your testing, it's time to work on the real thing. Before you glaze, sand the whole piece. If you are after a rough, rustic look, use 120-grit paper. For a more refined look, follow the 120 paper with 220. The rougher you leave the wood, the more color it will absorb.