House Full O Cabinets

[Todd Burch]

I bought a fixer upper back in January. My wife and I have been working on it on the weekends and evenings after work. We're doing a lot of it ourselves. For example, we did all the framing changes and installed windows and insulation and hung the sheetrock, but I paid to have it taped, floated and textured. (Those guys were fast!)

Now, we're doing all the cabinets (a good percentage done) and trim (almost ready to start). I wrapped up the kitchen yesterday, and I have a knee space to complete in the bathroom today, which will wrap that up. Then, it's just 5 more boxes to make up the living room built-in.

Here's what the kitchen looked like when we bought it.

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All the cabinets were along the exterior wall, and they were flanked by the free standing range (left) and fridge (right). The kitchen could support it, so we added more cabinets to form an L, and also put 3 cabinets on the opposite wall (base, upper and over-the-fridge cabinets).

And here's (mostly) what it looks like as of yesterday:

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We moved the dishwasher to the right of the sink. We added a trash pullout to the left of the sink, and a small area we call the "cookie sheet" cabinet to the left of the trash pullout. The corner cabinet on the left is large, and, as corner cabinets are, they are hard to get back into. So, I opted for no center stile on that cabinet.

The sink cabinet, I as mentioned in another thread recently, was modeled after the original. I really like the rounded corners. A piece of 3/4" x 3/4" quarter-round makes the turn. Instead of a just a "toe kick", it has a "knee kick", which is a toe kick that extends all the way up to the false front.

The corner cabinet will get an 18" lazy susan.

Most shelves are fixed. I didn't want to mess with holes or pilasters and clips for the kitchen or bath. However, the living room built-in will get adjustable shelves.

It's not a great picture, but the upper next to the fridge has an 8-bottle vertical wine cubbie built into it. I'll take more pics today with the wide angle lens.
I made the uppers only 41" tall, instead of the standard 42", since the ceiling has quite a bit of variation in height to it. The simple cove moulding hides the gap.

I'll be ordering cabinet doors from a local company. Flat panel, inset. Kitchen cabinets will be painted white.

Bathroom and living room photos will be posted this evening. Got to get to work!!

[Jim Rimmer]

Great looking job so far.

[Todd Burch]

Thanks Jim.

These aren't the greatest pics. I didn't get a chance to take new ones today. Heck, I was only there 10 hours.

The bathroom. It used to have a 24" wide entry door, which led into a 27" wide "tunnel" that was 6' long, formed from the backs of the bedroom closets and one ugly cabinet. After the 6' tunnel, there was 5 more feet which consisted of the tub on the left and commode and sink on the right.

We relocated the two closets elsewhere which REALLY opened up the bathroom. Now, we have a 32" door and a 43" walkway into the bathroom. On the left and right, as soon as you go into the bathroom, are built-in shelves, 10.5" deep and 21-22" wide, 6' tall and up off the floor about 9". These shelves will get doors.

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Next, on the left, is a 45" wide "make up" space with a drawer box and a knee space with a shallow drawer under the counter. You can see the drawer box in the above pics. I made the framework for the drawer this morning - no picture yet. Following the knee space after the wall is the tub.

On the right, after the shelves, is another built-in, which I'm calling a linen cabinet. You can just see the tops of them in this picture.

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The linen cabinet is 7' tall, starting at the floor, and the same height as the built-in shelves. Dirty clothes hamper will be in the bottom and above that, towel and other linen storage. The hamper area will have a 10" high, bottom-hinged door at the top to drop your dirties into the hamper. The bottom and top of the cabinet will have single doors. Notice the rail with nothing behind it in the following pic. That rail is where the hamper door will mount.

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All these smaller built-ins are getting a 1" x 1" cove moulding at the top.

Here are a few other pictures of the linen cabinet and shelves, and also the medicine cabinet and 48" wide sink box with a drawer bank space on the left.

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The bathroom cabinetry has now moved into the "paint prep" phase, although I still have to make drawer boxes and order doors. Tomorrow, the tub refinisher will arrive and do his thing.

[Todd Burch]

Here are a few better shots of the medicine cabinet. My model was most cooperative!

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Most of the cabinetry is 3/4" paint grade birch, 1/4" birch ply for the backs and S3S poplar, sanded one side to 3/4". For the wood shelves, I'm glueing and nailing a 1/2" thick piece of poplar on the font edge, sanding to smooth both sides, and beveling the front corners on the tablesaw. This medicine cabinet, however, got 1/2" baltic birch ply. The built-ins in the bed room will have the same birch ply boxes, but the face frames, door and drawer fronts will be red oak (to match the floors).

Next post - the living room built-in. 113.5" wide. I made the two lower outer drawer boxes and face frames yesterday afternoon and got them installed. I need to get some adjustable shelf pilasters today before I can assemble the (already cut out) lower middle piece. So, I might start on the two uppers today (which will also need the shelf pilasters… :( ).

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[Von Bickley]

Looking GOOD..... :) :) :)

[Todd Burch]

Not too much progress on the living room built-in today. Parts got cut out, but I'm waiting on adjustable shelf pilasters before I can assemble.

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I was able to get some better pictures of the kitchen today.

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I had to use my fish eye to get the bathroom cabinets, so things are a bit distorted.

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And, here's the workshop! A one car garage.

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That shelf unit in the corner, holding various things, was the first shelf unit for the bathroom. Alas, 1.5" too wide.

[Art Mulder]

Hey Todd, are you moving in, or flipping? I'm a bit curious since It recal that you have that other thread talking about a timberframe building.

Those are some awesome cabinet installs, by the way! Looks like a ton of good work.

[Todd Burch]

Thanks Von and Art.

Art, I'm moving in. Hopefully near the end of Sept. Lots to do yet. Timber Frame is property B. This is property A. ;) This will be temporary.

Got the three niches completed today. They are set in place, waiting final sanding prior to nailing in place. Two in the short hallway and one in the guest bedroom. I think I'll put a mirror in the top of the guest bedroom box.

Hallway niches

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Guest bedroom niche

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Also started working out the details for the trim today. I got the 3 walkways between rooms boxed out. You can make out the boxing for one walkway in the pictures of the hallway niches.

Next I'll start door and window casings. 10 interior doors, 3 exterior doors, and 1 set of French doors. 15 windows.

Making your own casings is a PITA. ;) Here's a drawing for what the door and window trim will look like. I'm using the same cove that is in the kitchen.

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[Todd Burch]

Maybe I'm getting tired, but it seems I'm just not getting as much done these last couple days.

I started out final sanding and nailing in the 3 niches. They look nice and turned out well.

The kitchen sink box is complete. The false front was rough-cut out a while ago (a block of wood the correct thickness, width and length), but it didn't get machined until today (3/8" round over, 3/8" rabbet and 3 kerfs) as I had to drag the router table out of storage.

My wife finally came around today and said she likes it. PHEW! Here it is, tacked on with 3/4" brads and caulked all around.

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In another thread, I was contemplating a tilt-out front, but I decided to nix that idea. Too much other stuff on my plate.

Progress on the living room built-in. 1/2 of my order for shelf pilasters came in, luckily it was the lower half (30"ers). I got them cut, dadoed and stapled in, and the center lower box assembled, installed, and face frame made and installed. I received the red oak ply for the built-in counter top too, so got that installed. I had to butt-joint an additional 17" on the end. I used the tablesaw to rip the ply to width, and then my handy dandy festool saw, with a homemade zero-board to do the cut outs on either side, since the center section is about 2" proud of the outer drawer boxes.

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Part of the day was spent monitoring the re-grade of the back and side yards for better (proper) drainage. Now I gotta buy some grass. Maybe 5-6 pallets.

I probably won't get the other pilasters until Friday, so can't work on the upper cabinets for the living room built-in. The red oak I ordered to make the bull nose for the built-in won't be ready until next week.

I did get in some 8/4 white oak and a long board of hard maple, and between the two, I'll make an under-counter pullout cutting board. Maple for the board, and white oak for the runners. I'll incorporate it into the upper inch of the trash pullout to the left of the sink box.

I calculated today I'll need 36 doors, 28 pairs of drawer slides and 30 drawer boxes and drawer fronts. I still have not decided on butt hinges or concealed. I'll probably go with non-mortise butt hinges. $14+/pop for the good ones.

Only a 13.5 hour day today. I feel like a slacker. ;)

Tomorrow: red oak face frames for the two bedroom built-ins, then I'll move into door trim mode.

[Eduard Nemirovsky]

very nice project and you did a lot!! How did you do 3 kerfs on front of sink box? Router? Cut saw?

Ed.

[Todd Burch]

Thanks Ed.

I did the 3 kerfs on the tablesaw. I started by marking limit lines on the top of the false front. I then set the fence for the outside kerf, lowered the blade beneath the table, set the wood over the blade, turned the saw on, and raised the blade all the way up through the wood - to the max height. I then did a climb cut (I pulled the wood towards me) to the rear limit line, and then pushed the wood to the front limit line. I then lowered the blade, flipped the wood around, and did the other outer kerf the same way. After that cut, I stopped the saw, reset the fence for the middle kerf, and went through the process a third time.

Good progress today.

Completed 4 shelves for the lower built-in and 10 shelves for the upper cases. Lots of sanding.

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Got the red oak face frames made for both bedroom built-ins and installed. Done.

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Only two more face frames to make - for the upper living room built-in cases. I got them assembled today, but didn't put the backs on them yet or make the face frames. I'm, right now, staring at my tardy box of adjustable shelf pilasters that arrived today, so the cases will get completed in the morning.

The second to last thing I did today was to create 156 linear feet of a 1" x 3/8" flat, with a 3/8" bullnose on one side. This is what I am calling the "flat" that will be used on the window and door dressings. It's the bottom part of the header. In this one-car garage, I don't have any dust collection set up. After using a good dust collecter for so long, and now not using one for this project, I'm gagging on this stuff. It's hot, and I'm sweaty, so the dust and chips just stick to me. This pic was taken right after the 156' of moldings were done. I would route the bullnose then rip off 1", and repeat, 13 times on 12' boards.

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The last thing I did was to rip up some hard maple for a cutting board. I'll have to dig out some proper clamps from storage to glue this bad boy up.

Todd

[Todd Burch]

Another day at the coal mine.

Got the cutting board glued up with Titebond III. First time I've used it. Slimy stuff.

Got the upper cabinets for the living room built-in assembled, face frames made, installed to the cases, the cabinets installed, and the moldings applied. This phase complete (except for bullnose edging on the countertop - still waiting for that lumber).

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Started on the kitchen window casing/trim and worked out the details for the rest of the windows.

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Doesn't seem like much, posting here in pictures… but I guess when you start with S3S lumber, and take it to (almost, just gotta caulk) paint ready installed cabinetry, it is a lot. Wore me out today.

Todd

[Todd Burch]

First coat of enamel went on yesterday. I have a few touch ups to do, then the second coat later this week or Saturday. Lots of nasty work spraying that stuff, but the results are worth it.

Top of room divider wall between dining and kitchen
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In dining room, looking towards front door
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Upper case of living room built-in
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Living room window casing and front door
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In bathroom, looking thru hallway toward living room
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Master bedroom closets and window
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Todd

[Jim Rimmer]

That is some great looking work. You've put a lot into it but it will be worth it in the long run and you can absorb the praises and compliments for years to come.

[Marty Gulseth]

REALLY nice!

Regards, Marty

[Todd Burch]

Thanks guys. We're sanding out any rough spots and a few (way more than I should have) runs. Second (and last) coat gets applied Saturday or Sunday. Then, walls will get rolled, cabinet doors (33) and drawer fronts (30) will get fit and painted, drawer boxes (28) are getting ordered tomorrow, granite counters will go in, tile and vinyl floors will go down, wet areas walls will get tiled, electric will get hooked up, attic will get insulated and appliances will go in and original red oak floors will get refinished. It's been a long road. Still lots to do. 2 months. (yeah right).

[Gus Dundon]

Wow. That's a quite a progress. Looking great.

[Todd Burch]

Well, this project is coming to a close. I'm supposed to be done with it by end of day 8/18. This weekend, I sprayed the first coat of white oil based paint onto 19 pieces of 16' base board, 23 drawer fronts and ~30 cabinet doors. Had to make a couple drying racks since there were so many pieces.

The floors are in the middle of getting refinished. Lots of little detail items to complete yet. I'll have a slew of pictures in the next week.

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[Jim Becker]

Oooh...very nice work!

[glenn bradley]

Just great Todd. Truly inspiring.

[Todd Burch]

Thanks guys. Baseboards and drawer fronts now have two coats and are done. Cabinet doors still need one more coat.

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Refinishing of floors was completed yesterday. Thursday they will be dry enough to walk on. Appliance install happens Friday. Trim guys show up Friday to install baseboards. Painter will complete exterior touch ups on Thursday/Friday. I'll be installing drawer fronts and cabinet doors on Thursday/Friday.

Still have to make a trash pullout, and complete the pull out cutting board. Varnished oak still needs waxing, and I have to make some trim to transition the living room built-in countertop to the wall behind it. And, I still have to get some quarter round to go under the kitchen toe kicks to apply where the VCT meets the kick panels.

And probably 50 other piddly things. I'll be glad when this is done.

[Cody Colston]

Todd, your work has always been outstanding and it's no less so when you do it for yourself. You will have some real sweat and skill equity in that house when you are done.

[Steve Jenkins]

Looking good Todd. I can really relate. I wish we could have done most everything before we moved in.

[Todd Burch]

Well, the house is "almost" done. It really needs a couple more long days of detail work to complete a handful if lingering items. Trim guy forgot cut and nail a piece of the baseboard I made and painted between the master bedroom closet doors, shower rod needs hanging, and I still have 3 cabinet doors to hang (butt hinges), and the paint was still too wet to handle them yesterday. I'll get most of the items nailed down tonight between 8:30PM and whenever I finish. Thanks for looking.

Living Room built-in. (still needs a piece of trim between counter and wall)

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Other end of living room and front door.

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Kitchen (need to hang cookie-sheet cabinet door)

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Kitchen, showing original pantry door (that still needs its handset)

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Bathroom sink cabinet

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Bathroom vanity knee space (still needs trim between cabinet back and wall)

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Master Bedroom (needs baseboard between closet doors)

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Guest bedroom. (Actually, this room is pretty much done! However, when I took this picture, and the master bedroom picture, I had not yet waxed the oak built-ins.)

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[Todd Burch]

Here are the built-ins with wax. Big difference. Only took 3 hours to wax both of them. ;)

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I'll get a few more pictures tonight. (Outside of house, cutting board, trash pullout more bathroom cabinets…)

Thanks, Todd

[Todd Burch]

For some perspective, here are some pictures, similar angles as best I could, of what the house looked like when I bought it.

Living Room. Space was taken from a garage cabinet and the too-deep pantry to make the space for the built-in.

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We opened the wall between the dining and the kitchen

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Original kitchen cabinetry. Site built in 1960.

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Original bathroom. It was a 2' wide tunnel inside the bathroom to get to the sink, toilet and tub. The tunnel was created by both the guest bedroom (right side) and master bedroom (left) closets. I relocated the closets and created a ton of storage, a make-up knee space, and a much wider sink base.

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A shot of the guest bedroom wall. You can see the original closet opening, taking up bathroom space.

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Another guest bedroom view. It used to have an exterior door going to the front porch (on the left). I took 3' deep x 9' wide and made a 6' wide closet (used to have a 4' wide closet) and made a 3' wide entry closet where there was none before.

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The pantry door in the kitchen. The original pantry was very narrow and deep. I made it about 2' deep, and created more cabinets along the left wall.

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[Jim Becker]

That really looks wonderful, Todd! I love the door and trim designs.

[Todd Burch]

Thanks Jim!

[Mike Ontko]

Awesome work, Todd! Especially the built-ins. That out to add considerably to the value of your place. Was this a flipper project, or are you living in it? If it's going on the market, then hopefully you'll be able to enjoy it awhile before saying goodbye. If it's the latter, then all that's needed is to get the furniture back in place and rehang the "Home Sweet Home" sign :)

[Todd Burch]

Mike, we bought it, as a foreclosure, with the intention of remodeling and moving into it. About 8 months into it, our plans changed and we bought another house. So, we are selling this house (supposed to close next Monday) to my dad. We're getting a pretty good price (satisfactory for us), but I feel if we had listed it, we could have gotten multiple offers and more than we listed it for. It's really first class. Nicest house on the street, for sure. And a good part of town.

[Gordon Eyre]

Very impressive.

[Wakahisa Shinta]

Awesome craftsmanship!

This post makes me want to remodel my parents' kitchen myself, but I don't think my skills are any where near adequate to tackle such a job. :( Thanks for sharing all the same!

[Mike Allen1010]

Todd, you totally killed this remodel- very well done!!! I build furniture and can't imagine work on the scale of what you pulled off here. Nice that the house is going to your Dad- you'll have the chance to appreciate your work and family at the same time.

My wife is officially banned from this thread because it's taken me 30 years to convince her work like yours is not possible for mere mortals like me.
Thanks for posting and congratulations!
Mike