Custom kitchen cabinet designs give your kitchen cabinets distinction and a look that is unique from other kitchens. There a various factors that go into the process of determining a custom kitchen cabinet system and should be taken into consideration. The style, design and complexity of the system’s install are pricing factors and certainly your budget will dictate the type of custom kitchen you can afford.
Design Choices
Custom designs range from standard kitchens with white or natural color schemes to more contemporary designs that involve earth tones, black and white “avant-garde” designs, marble, chrome and other elements. You may also want to consider nontraditional kitchen color palettes like bold blues and red. The choices available are plenty and it is more a matter of personal preference that determines your design scheme.
Where to Look
Shopping at a kitchen and bath specialty shop or even your local home improvement center can provide you with an ideal of the types of kitchen cabinet designs to choose. You can also search online and look at magazines for inspiration and inquiry about design choices.
Be creative in your approach and have some ideals in your head as to color, style and the overall look that you are trying to achieve with your custom kitchen cabinets.
Saturday, January 2, 2010
Drilling Tips For Wood Cabinet Hardware
Installing wood cabinet hardware is a job that must be done carefully. The do-it-yourselfer will want to take the time to make sure that locations for screw holes have been measured carefully and that holes are pre-drilled with precision so cabinets will be both sturdy and attractive.
When drilling holes for wood cabinet hardware, follow these tips:
■Measure and mark carefully the positions where you will be pre-drilling, then re-measure the markings to verify you have the right location. Remember, you can't un-drill a hole.
■If you are off slightly on your drill location you can move the drill around gently to widen the hole. This will allow you to adjust the positioning of the wood cabinet hardware slightly to account for your mistake.
■If you are dealing with real wood and you are off by more than 1/16th of an inch with your hole, you can likely drill a second hole without too much trouble. With compressed particleboard, however, this may not be possible without causing splintering.
■If you do have to pre-drill again, fill the first hole in with caulk or cover the hole with the cabinet’s hardware, if possible. That should prevent the extra hole from being visible or unsightly.
Remember: measure twice, drill once.
When drilling holes for wood cabinet hardware, follow these tips:
■Measure and mark carefully the positions where you will be pre-drilling, then re-measure the markings to verify you have the right location. Remember, you can't un-drill a hole.
■If you are off slightly on your drill location you can move the drill around gently to widen the hole. This will allow you to adjust the positioning of the wood cabinet hardware slightly to account for your mistake.
■If you are dealing with real wood and you are off by more than 1/16th of an inch with your hole, you can likely drill a second hole without too much trouble. With compressed particleboard, however, this may not be possible without causing splintering.
■If you do have to pre-drill again, fill the first hole in with caulk or cover the hole with the cabinet’s hardware, if possible. That should prevent the extra hole from being visible or unsightly.
Remember: measure twice, drill once.
Dress Up Kitchen Cabinet Doors with Wood Moulding
If your flat-fronted kitchen cabinet doors are looking drab and out-of-date, adding wood moulding to their fronts will make your whole kitchen look like it has been renovated. Follow these steps to create interest on your cabinet doors with any of dozens of wood moulding styles.
Tools and Materials:
■Wood moulding pieces
■Miter saw
■Wood glue
■Narrow paint brush to apply glue
■Paint, stain or varnish to refinish doors before applying moulding
■Replacement hardware, including handles and hinges
Step 1: Decide on the Moulding Style You Prefer
Look through magazines, visit interior design and building supply centers and gather ideas for the kind of kitchen cabinet doors you would like. Work out which kind of moulding was used to create the particular effect you want, and then decide on a style that will be elegant, easy for you to do, and affordable within your budget. Choose replacement hardware and buy it when you get the moulding.
Step 2: Measure Your Door Fronts Carefully for Moulding Installation
Buy a sample of the moulding you are going to use. Measure the outside length and width of the door face if you are going to install moulding that is flush with the door edges. Measure precisely all the way around the door face for moulding that you will attach at a certain distance from the door edges. Make allowance for the width and height of the door moulding above the door face so that the new doors will not bump into appliances or range hoods.
Step 3: Buy the Moulding and Supplies
Try to purchase all your moulding and supplies in one trip. If you need to go back to buy additional moulding, it may be temporarily out of stock, or the style may be discontinued.
Step 4: Practice Cutting Angled Corners with the Miter Saw
Rent a miter saw for the weekend and use your sample moulding piece to practice cutting mitred corners if you have never done this before. Precisely matched corners add quality to your moulding accents.
Step 5: Cut and Lay Out the Moulding
Cut the moulding for each door and set it aside in a matched group. Mark the sides, tops and bottoms on the back with a permanent marker to ensure correct placement later. Apply paint or stain to the moulding to match the existing door surface after the doors are cleaned and refinished.
Step 6: Remove, Degrease and Wash Down the Door Fronts
Use a degreasing cleaner such as Pine-Sol to degrease and wash off the cabinet door fronts, to remove stains, grease marks, dirt and oil from your hands. Detach the doors from the cabinets, and remove all the hardware if you are replacing both handles and hinges. Leave the hinges attached if you are going to reuse them. Refinish the door faces with paint or wood stain as needed before attaching the moulding.
Step 7: Attach the Moulding
Lay the doors front side up on your work surface, and attach the moulding with the wood adhesive. Allow the glue to dry completely before rehanging the doors.
Tools and Materials:
■Wood moulding pieces
■Miter saw
■Wood glue
■Narrow paint brush to apply glue
■Paint, stain or varnish to refinish doors before applying moulding
■Replacement hardware, including handles and hinges
Step 1: Decide on the Moulding Style You Prefer
Look through magazines, visit interior design and building supply centers and gather ideas for the kind of kitchen cabinet doors you would like. Work out which kind of moulding was used to create the particular effect you want, and then decide on a style that will be elegant, easy for you to do, and affordable within your budget. Choose replacement hardware and buy it when you get the moulding.
Step 2: Measure Your Door Fronts Carefully for Moulding Installation
Buy a sample of the moulding you are going to use. Measure the outside length and width of the door face if you are going to install moulding that is flush with the door edges. Measure precisely all the way around the door face for moulding that you will attach at a certain distance from the door edges. Make allowance for the width and height of the door moulding above the door face so that the new doors will not bump into appliances or range hoods.
Step 3: Buy the Moulding and Supplies
Try to purchase all your moulding and supplies in one trip. If you need to go back to buy additional moulding, it may be temporarily out of stock, or the style may be discontinued.
Step 4: Practice Cutting Angled Corners with the Miter Saw
Rent a miter saw for the weekend and use your sample moulding piece to practice cutting mitred corners if you have never done this before. Precisely matched corners add quality to your moulding accents.
Step 5: Cut and Lay Out the Moulding
Cut the moulding for each door and set it aside in a matched group. Mark the sides, tops and bottoms on the back with a permanent marker to ensure correct placement later. Apply paint or stain to the moulding to match the existing door surface after the doors are cleaned and refinished.
Step 6: Remove, Degrease and Wash Down the Door Fronts
Use a degreasing cleaner such as Pine-Sol to degrease and wash off the cabinet door fronts, to remove stains, grease marks, dirt and oil from your hands. Detach the doors from the cabinets, and remove all the hardware if you are replacing both handles and hinges. Leave the hinges attached if you are going to reuse them. Refinish the door faces with paint or wood stain as needed before attaching the moulding.
Step 7: Attach the Moulding
Lay the doors front side up on your work surface, and attach the moulding with the wood adhesive. Allow the glue to dry completely before rehanging the doors.
DIY Shoji Screen Sliding Cabinet Door
A great way to add a different look to your cabinets is with the use of a Shoji screen sliding cabinet door. A Shoji screen is Japanese in nature, and used in many homes that are looking for this type of decor. Mostly used as a supporting wall or a free standing screen, it's very functional.
The basic Shoji screen is made of lumber and rice paper. This basic design has been used for centuries to give homes a pleasant and comfortable atmosphere. Here are the steps for a basic Shoji screen sliding cabinet door.
What You Will Need:
■Rice Paper
■Scissors
■Staple Gun
■1- by 2-inch Lumber
■Cabinet Door Slider
■Chop Saw
■Tape Measure
■Wood Glue
■Finish Nails
■Drill
■Small Hammer
■Clamps
Step 1 - Create the Frame
Begin building your Shoji cabinet door by making the basic frame. Cut the 1 by 2 lumber with the chop saw to your dimensions. This will vary due to the openings of your cabinets. If you are going to need two doors, remember to leave a 1/16 inch gap between them in your measurements.
Step 2 - Create Miters for Door Frame
After the wooden frame pieces are cut out, you will need to cut in the angles that will help you create the finished look to the Shoji screen. You could leave the ends square if you wanted to. Set the tip in the chop saw and rotate the blade to a 45-degree angle. Make the cut.
Step 3 - Assemble Frame
Set the pieces together on a flat work surface and begin assembling the frame. You will be using both wood glue and finish nails to assemble the frame. Pre-drill holes for the finish nails so that they don't crack the wood. Wipe off the excess glue and wrap in a frame clamp.
Step 4 - Attach Screen
After the frame has dried, you can remove the clamp. Lay the frame down on a flat surface again with the back side facing up. Cut out the rice paper with scissors to the dimensions of the cabinet door frames. Staple the screen to the backside of the frame.
Step 5 - Attach Sliding Mechanism
You can buy very inexpensive cabinet door sliders at most home centers. Simply attach the slider wheels to the front and rear of the bottom edge.
Step 6 - Place Slider on Cabinet Opening
The sliding cabinet door will be attached to a metal slider that will connect to the cabinet face. Install with screws and make flush with the cabinet opening.
Step 7 - Attach Shoji Sliding Cabinet Door
The wheels of the sliding mechanism will slip into the slider and should travel back and forth freely. Adjust the stopper so that the door doesn't fly off.
The basic Shoji screen is made of lumber and rice paper. This basic design has been used for centuries to give homes a pleasant and comfortable atmosphere. Here are the steps for a basic Shoji screen sliding cabinet door.
What You Will Need:
■Rice Paper
■Scissors
■Staple Gun
■1- by 2-inch Lumber
■Cabinet Door Slider
■Chop Saw
■Tape Measure
■Wood Glue
■Finish Nails
■Drill
■Small Hammer
■Clamps
Step 1 - Create the Frame
Begin building your Shoji cabinet door by making the basic frame. Cut the 1 by 2 lumber with the chop saw to your dimensions. This will vary due to the openings of your cabinets. If you are going to need two doors, remember to leave a 1/16 inch gap between them in your measurements.
Step 2 - Create Miters for Door Frame
After the wooden frame pieces are cut out, you will need to cut in the angles that will help you create the finished look to the Shoji screen. You could leave the ends square if you wanted to. Set the tip in the chop saw and rotate the blade to a 45-degree angle. Make the cut.
Step 3 - Assemble Frame
Set the pieces together on a flat work surface and begin assembling the frame. You will be using both wood glue and finish nails to assemble the frame. Pre-drill holes for the finish nails so that they don't crack the wood. Wipe off the excess glue and wrap in a frame clamp.
Step 4 - Attach Screen
After the frame has dried, you can remove the clamp. Lay the frame down on a flat surface again with the back side facing up. Cut out the rice paper with scissors to the dimensions of the cabinet door frames. Staple the screen to the backside of the frame.
Step 5 - Attach Sliding Mechanism
You can buy very inexpensive cabinet door sliders at most home centers. Simply attach the slider wheels to the front and rear of the bottom edge.
Step 6 - Place Slider on Cabinet Opening
The sliding cabinet door will be attached to a metal slider that will connect to the cabinet face. Install with screws and make flush with the cabinet opening.
Step 7 - Attach Shoji Sliding Cabinet Door
The wheels of the sliding mechanism will slip into the slider and should travel back and forth freely. Adjust the stopper so that the door doesn't fly off.
DIY Basic Sliding Cabinet Door
A great feature to have on a cabinet is a sliding cabinet door. For larger cabinets that are in the garage, act as a display case, or have some other function, a sliding cabinet door will help make them more convenient to open. Buying a new sliding cabinet door can be very expensive. However, creating a basic sliding cabinet door requires the use of a few materials and tools. This project is well within the skill sets of a basic do it yourselfer and should take only a few hours to complete.
What You Will Need
■Plywood, 3/4 inch
■Table saw
■Circular saw
■Cabinet door slide mechanism
■Sander
■Drill
■Screwdriver
■Tape measure
■Paint
■Paint brush
Step 1: Take Measurements For Door
Before you start building your sliding cabinet door you need to know the measurements for building the door. The door is a very basic sheet of plywood with a simple handle and sliding mechanism. However, it should fit correctly and be the right size.
Step 2: Cut Out Door
Take the measurements that you have and mark them on a sheet of 3/4-inch plywood. Use a straight edge to make the lines. Place the plywood on a table saw, or use a circular saw, and cut out the door. It is a good idea to cut the door a little short of the line. This way you can sand it and not worry about taking off too much wood.
Step 3: Sand Door
With a sander, with 80-grit sandpaper, go over the entire door. Pay attention to the edges that you cut. If you cut short of the line, then finish the dimensions with the sander. Change the paper to 160-grit and smooth the door to a fine finish.
Step 4: Paint Door
Paint makes a great protective sealant for sliding cabinet doors that are located in the garage. However, you might want to paint the cabinet door to also go along with the decoration in the room. You may also substitute paint for stain if you like. Apply as many coats as you need to get the desired look.
Step 5: Install Sliding Mechanism
Line up the sliding mechanism of the new door and secure it with screws. You will need to make sure that it stays level with the door edge. It should be at least 1/2-inch from the lip of the top of the door along the entire length.
Step 6: Install Door
Once you have the sliding mechanism attached to the door, you can slide it onto the corresponding part on the cabinet. They will simply be able to slide in and stop on a catching device, or they will lift into the railing. Move the door back and forth a few times to make sure that it will move easily and without catching. If you need to make adjustments, now is the time to do it. Remove the door and adjust the sliding mechanism to where you need it.
What You Will Need
■Plywood, 3/4 inch
■Table saw
■Circular saw
■Cabinet door slide mechanism
■Sander
■Drill
■Screwdriver
■Tape measure
■Paint
■Paint brush
Step 1: Take Measurements For Door
Before you start building your sliding cabinet door you need to know the measurements for building the door. The door is a very basic sheet of plywood with a simple handle and sliding mechanism. However, it should fit correctly and be the right size.
Step 2: Cut Out Door
Take the measurements that you have and mark them on a sheet of 3/4-inch plywood. Use a straight edge to make the lines. Place the plywood on a table saw, or use a circular saw, and cut out the door. It is a good idea to cut the door a little short of the line. This way you can sand it and not worry about taking off too much wood.
Step 3: Sand Door
With a sander, with 80-grit sandpaper, go over the entire door. Pay attention to the edges that you cut. If you cut short of the line, then finish the dimensions with the sander. Change the paper to 160-grit and smooth the door to a fine finish.
Step 4: Paint Door
Paint makes a great protective sealant for sliding cabinet doors that are located in the garage. However, you might want to paint the cabinet door to also go along with the decoration in the room. You may also substitute paint for stain if you like. Apply as many coats as you need to get the desired look.
Step 5: Install Sliding Mechanism
Line up the sliding mechanism of the new door and secure it with screws. You will need to make sure that it stays level with the door edge. It should be at least 1/2-inch from the lip of the top of the door along the entire length.
Step 6: Install Door
Once you have the sliding mechanism attached to the door, you can slide it onto the corresponding part on the cabinet. They will simply be able to slide in and stop on a catching device, or they will lift into the railing. Move the door back and forth a few times to make sure that it will move easily and without catching. If you need to make adjustments, now is the time to do it. Remove the door and adjust the sliding mechanism to where you need it.
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