Connecting face frames

[Jeff Monson]

I have some lower cabinets I installed in a very uneven kitchen, I have the cabinets scribed and installed as best I can. I have a couple face frames with a slight gap in them. Is there any hardware out there that works better than some long screws to tighten the gap?

[Dan Bowman]

If you can pull them together with a Pony cabinet claw clamp, a couple screws should hold them. If the "claw" won't pull them tight, I'm not sure any hardware can.

[frank shic]

+1 pony clamps. guess it's too late to remove the face frames and plane them together?

[Jim Andrew]

If there's a gap too big to pull together, you can put in a filler.

[Matt Meiser]

I can tell you what doesn't work is attaching a trip piece to the front to cover the gap with brads. The builder did that in our kitchen and it's always falling off.

[Jeff Monson]

+1 pony clamps. guess it's too late to remove the face frames and plane them together?

Yes the frames are glued to the carcass so no.

I have used the bulged connector screws in the past, but I have had issues with breaking screws. Once you break a screw you are not going to reduce the gap.

[Larry Edgerton]

Jeff, I have switched to GRK brand screws, less breakage.

If you clamp first, predrill, then screw I am sure you will be allright.

Larry

Bonus! GRK screws are not made in China!

[Lee Schierer]

Put long screws through one face frame into the one next to it. Be sure to drill a clearance hole for the screw in the first face frame so the screw can pull that face frame tight to the second one. If you clamp the face frames to close the gap before installing the screw it will work better.

[Jeff Monson]

Jeff, I have switched to GRK brand screws, less breakage.

If you clamp first, predrill, then screw I am sure you will be allright.

Larry

Bonus! GRK screws are not made in China!

Thanks Larry, (glad you are still around ;), see the help you provide!) That is just the
info that I needed.

[Zach Callum]

I use the GRK trim screws to screw faces together. You will want to clamp them together and drill your pilot holes first. If you are screwing into Maple it is a good idea to lube up the screw with wax or soap first.

[scott vroom]

As others have said, clamp, drill pilot holr, drive screw.

[Jason Roehl]

One other thing I've noticed is that mass-produced cabinets are often easier to install than custom-made cabinets. Why? Well, the custom cabinet makers I've seen in this area often make their cabinets with flush corners. That is, the edge of the face frame is flush with the side of the cabinet and the side of the cabinet is flush with the back of the cabinet. That's all well and good, except that walls are not perfectly flat, nor perpendicular with one another. If the face frame overhangs the side of the cabinet a bit, and the back is inset a bit, this allows for minor variations in the surface of the wall and walls on the end of a run of cabinets that are not perfectly perpendicular.

[Bob Lloyd]

How big is the gap? If it is in the middle of a run and of a fair size you will be stressing the face frames and effectively trying to pull together all the face frames either side of the gap. If it is not too big, it probably will not matter. Just a thought.

[Randy Henry]

On stubborn face frames like you have, I use connecting sleeves similar to these: http://www.mcfeelys.com/product/PCF-M435/
I just drill a 1/4" hole through both inside panels, slide the threaded sleeve into the hole, put the bolts in each through each panel and start tightening. If you use them in conjuction with a face frame clamp, it should close the gap and stay. There is no pressure on the frames and no chance of a face frame splitting.

[frank shic]

never thought of using them that way, randy. those are usually used to connect frameless cases together.

[Randy Henry]

I use them commonly. On uneven floors,etc,, it seems when I go through the face frames, sometimes it racks the cabinet slightly and then doors don't line up, drawers don't slide like they did in the shop.....