Question for the cabinet pros: when does a wall cabinet require a center ff stile?

[scott vroom]

I'm in the habit of using a center faceframe stile on wall cabs >30" wide. I'm building a 33" wide cab that I'd like do without the center stile. Are there industry rules that specify when a center ff stile is required? (I've always assumed the center stile was to prevent the cab bottom from sagging).

Update: I just spoke with Kraftmaid tech support to find out their rules for center stiles. They told me that they used to require a center stile on wider cabs but that extensive testing proved that the center stile was not necessary even under that loads associated with wider cabs. They'll ship any of their stock cabs up to 42" without the center stile; they say the only useful purpose of a center stile is as a backdrop for the crack between double doors.

I found the Kraftmaid comments interesting. I tend to trust their study, knowing that they'd likely err on the conservative side to avoid cabinet returns.

[HANK METZ]

I avoid them at all costs, Kraftmaid has given you sound rationale, and itty bitty cost savings too.

- Beachside Hank

[Sam Murdoch]

The primary advantage of a center stile on a cabinet wider than 32" is to provide structure and front support for bottoms and/or adjustable shelves wider than that. Here is a span chart that provides some critical info: http://www.woodworkingtips.com/etips/etip01.html
Ignore the info here at your own risk. You can certainly build cabinetry that wide or wider without the stile but you need to consider adding thickness or solid edges to all your weight bearing solid horizontals. I've seen plenty of factory made cabinetry with sagging shelves and/or cabinets falling off the wall from structural failures - NOT JUST being badly secured to the wall. Know the rules then build accordingly.

[scott vroom]

Good link, Sam...thanks. It validates that 30" x 11.5" x 13/16 solid maple shelving doesn't require the support of a center stile.

Here's another useful tool I found on the internet...The Sagulator http://www.woodbin.com/calcs/sagulator.htm

It also validates 13/16 solid maple shelving doesn't require center stile support or an edging strip.

Thanks for taking the time to respond to my post.

[Dave Zellers]

I'll bet it would sag loaded up with plates (or canned goods) but certainly not glassware.

If the edge profile of the shelf was symmetrical, you could always flip it if it did sag. (And maybe lighten the load.)