Laundry Cabinets - "first project" and first post

[Pat Stewart]

Long time lurker, first time to post. Thanks to all the posts on SMC and to the people that I PM'd.

I started remodeling our laundry room two winters ago and I finally got around to making the upper cabinets this past winter. The room is about 6'-0" long and 5'-0" wide with a 3'-0" x 3'-0" nook where the washer/dryer is sitting. The room use to have a "regular" washer dryer in it (sorry, no before pics) on the wall where the upper cabinets are mounted. The old washer hook ups are perfect for a base cabinet and sink which I'll start on this fall.

Carcass: pre-finished Birch plywood

Face frame and raised panel: Cherry (except for the Walnut raised panel on the side)

Rail and stile: Walnut

Hettich euro hinges

cheap pulls from Lowes

Oak dowel for hanger rod

Deft sanding sealer and satin lacquer for finish.

I left the back and top open incase I need to get into the wall. I may put an outlet in the cabinet so I can run low voltage lighting under the cabinets.

This was a learning experience that will help out on the base cabinet and counter with sink that I'll do this fall and other projects I haven't even thought of yet.

About five years ago I bought the Sommerfelds cabinet making set (router, table, bits, pocket jig and videos) and I'm just getting around to using it.

Thanks,

Mike

[John Thompson]

Beautiful cabinets.. excellent work and hard to believe your first project and you certainly didn't spare any change for laundry room cabinets. I would love to have them in my kitchen where everyone that visits will see as I've been putting it off too long at this point.

Very nice...

Sarge..

[John Keeton]

Mike, excellent job on those. I love walnut - with nearly anything. Over time, the cherry and walnut will both take on a different look, as you know, and the overall warmth of the look will increase substantially. Very nice work!

And, welcome to the creek!!

[gary Zimmel]

Welcome to the Creek Pat!

Beautiful set of cabinets for your laundry room.

[Todd Burch]

I will call those doors "BOLD!" That's a statement and a half with those wider rails and stiles.

Now you are going to have to find a fridge that will go where the traditional washer and dryer go, since your W&D took up the fridge spot!

Looks great!


The old washer hook ups are perfect for a base cabinet and sink which I'll start on this fall.

Another 2 years? I hope not!

Todd

[Jeffrey Makiel]

Now that's a great first post!

-Jeff :)

[Jim Kountz]

Welcome to the Creek. Those cabinets look awesome, great job!!

[Jim Becker]

Very nice work! And welcome, too.

[Jim Rimmer]

nice post and great work. One question - why does the hangar rod extend through and into the adjoining cabinet? :confused:

[Sam Layton]

Hi Pat,

Welcome to the Creek. Those are good looking cabinets. Did you use the Summerfelds tung and grove bits. If so, what did you think? I am building a bathroom vanity using the tung and grove bits...

Good job, Sam

[Pat Stewart]

Mike, excellent job on those. I love walnut - with nearly anything. Over time, the cherry and walnut will both take on a different look, as you know, and the overall warmth of the look will increase substantially. Very nice work!

And, welcome to the creek!!

John,

I have read and heard from people about the different looks over time especially on cherry. After I machined the upper raised panels, they probably sat for two to three weeks before I finished them. During this time they darkened.

I like the way the walnut machines. I was surprised I actually chose walnut. My parents house was built in the 70's when they were on the "dark stain fad" for the wood and I really didn't care for it. Putting a clear finish on the walnut looks a 100 times better than the dark stained wood. I think I fall in the categories of using the wood species with the color you want instead of staining it to the color desired. I'm sure that will change on some project.....

[Pat Stewart]

I will call those doors "BOLD!" That's a statement and a half with those wider rails and stiles.

Now you are going to have to find a fridge that will go where the traditional washer and dryer go, since your W&D took up the fridge spot!

Looks great!



Another 2 years? I hope not!

Todd

Todd,

What drove the door width is kind of hard to see in the over-exposed pics. I have a twin 4 ft. fluorescent light fixture (yes, on the ceiling :D) that the upper doors would have hit if I made them wider.

The rail and stiles are 2 7/16" wide. The groove depth is 7/16". This makes it easy to figure panel and rail width.

What's some examples of changing rail and stile width? Inquiring people want to know.

I think I'll pass on the fridge. It's kind of a tight space and I would have another place to put beer which would make me drink more....

[Pat Stewart]

nice post and great work. One question - why does the hangar rod extend through and into the adjoining cabinet? :confused:

Jim,

When I did a test mount on the first cabinet, I realized I wasn't going to be able to mount the hanger rod if the first cabinet was mounted so I left the hanger rod long and put it in the mounting hole on the cabinet and installed the cabinet. Once the cabinet was mounted, I cut the hanger rod to length. The hanger rod is about 2 foot long. I looked at how much hanging laundry we have in a weeks time to figure up the length.

[Pat Stewart]

Hi Pat,

Welcome to the Creek. Those are good looking cabinets. Did you use the Summerfelds tung and grove bits. If so, what did you think? I am building a bathroom vanity using the tung and grove bits...

Good job, Sam

Sam,

I did use the Sommerfelds T&G set. I like them. I don't really have anything (router bits or construction methods) to compare them to since this is my first time using them on a project. In the past I used them with scrap wood. The matched height of the bits is nice so you can change bits without touching router height (same with the rail and stile set). I would say my biggest problem on the project is getting stock square and flat. I can see a little wider gaps here and there on T&G and rail/stile joints. I did use featherboards on the router table. Practice, practice, practice.

[Matt Armstrong]

Why did you have to post this? My first cabinet making attempt is going to turn out looking like garbage now, by comparison!

What beautiful work!

[sean m. titmas]

nice work Pat, i really like the color scheme with the tile, paint, and wood species. it has a very custom look.