A beginners guide to cabinet making

Have you decided to renovate your kitchen and you want to keep your budget to a minimum? One simple way of doing this is by making the furniture yourself. While used cabinets are widely available, cabinet making is not difficult and you can customise them to suit the surrounding decor. Here follows a brief guide on how to go about it.

The materials

When drawing up your cabinet plans, the choice of materials you are going to use for the job will be the first consideration. Professional cabinet makers use a wide variety of materials in their designs, however for a beginner, it is probably best to stick to wood. Wood-working classes If you really want to do a professional job here, it may be a good idea to enroll yourself into one of the wood-working courses that are generally available in most areas. You will probably find a good beginner' course at your local college or community centre. They will teach you the basics, from what tools to use to how to make some basic joints.

The design and dimensions

Next, it will be time to decide on both the style and size you are going to make each cabinet. Obviously, this is going to depend on the size and shape of your particular kitchen though there are a few general points that will apply to most every kitchen space. Firstly, you should note that cabinets tend to be constructed in sections which ultimately makes them easier to install. Corner units Another idea that you may not have thought of is how you can design corner units. These can be a great way to make the best use of the space you have and will generally be constructed in a kind of triangular shape. Dimensions Again, the size of your cabinets is going to vary a little. However, in general, cabinets should be around three feet high with a depth of around two feet. If you are installing wall-mounted cabinets, then, ideally these should be approximately five feet from ground level and again around two feet in depth.

Constructing the cabinets

The general rule here is to start with the frame using wood of approximately one inch squared. Once you have constructed the frame to the desired dimensions, you should then proceed by adding the bottom and the sides. You can then add the desired number of shelves at the heights you want before adding the top of the cabinet. The doors Finally, you can add the doors. Here, you can use one door for the whole cabinet or divide it into two. You can then stain the cabinet for a quality-finish before adding the hardware.