New Cabinets

Please excuse the quick work in sketchup. I used the database of kraftmaid cabinets for general layout.
Also the layout we have is dictated by a rather large kitchen space that is cut in half by the main walkway between our main entry and our family room which the kitchen is open to. We are taking a wall down between formal dining and the kitchen and leaving the table where it is(this will give us about the same amount of cabinets but be much more open). The ceilings are 9'. The second picture is open above the sink and to the left of the high cabinets. The island will be 6' with Microwave pull out and 4 drawers

A couple questions.
Im debating ditching the large pantry in the first picture in favor of a top and bottom cabinet. My feeling is that it is a little overpowering but we do need the storage. Any thoughts?

The second image with the refrigerator looks a little too big to the right. To the right of this is a large picture window and our kitchen table. Any thoughts?

In the past I have always built cabinets by instinct as they were all shop furniture. I like face frames and top mount drawers and doors. How do people feel about the sommerfield way of building cabinets?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klv0jzWD26w
Or should I stick with more traditional methods https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AzRdAXo2xpM



Attachment 500275




Attachment 500276

With regard to the videos, either method will get you a cabinet, it depends on what tools you have to work with. Obviously, the tongue and groove method requires a table mounted router or a shaper with a tongue and groove bit set.

When building cabinets, dressers, etc. I always build the face frame first. Most times, I use lap joints for joining the stiles to the rails. drawer rails are also lap jointed into the stiles. This helps insure that the face frame is square when assembled, plus you get a strong joint. If I do a solid wood floor to the cabinet, I attach it to the face frame with glue and pocket screws from the bottom side. I've made solid wood sides for cabinets and frame and panel sides. I will also usually make a frame for the top of the cabinet that attaches about 1/8" below the top edge of the face frame and side panels. I attach this frame to the back of the face frame with glue and pocket hole screws. This frame allows me to attach the cabinet top to the cabinet and also helps to make the cabinet square.

Always check assemblies for square in ever direction possible before the glue sets up on the pieces you've assembled. This will save you a lot of grief.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lee Schierer

With regard to the videos, either method will get you a cabinet, it depends on what tools you have to work with. Obviously, the tongue and groove method requires a table mounted router or a shaper with a tongue and groove bit set.

When building cabinets, dressers, etc. I always build the face frame first. Most times, I use lap joints for joining the stiles to the rails. drawer rails are also lap jointed into the stiles. This helps insure that the face frame is square when assembled, plus you get a strong joint. If I do a solid wood floor to the cabinet, I attach it to the face frame with glue and pocket screws from the bottom side. I've made solid wood sides for cabinets and frame and panel sides. I will also usually make a frame for the top of the cabinet that attaches about 1/8" below the top edge of the face frame and side panels. I attach this frame to the back of the face frame with glue and pocket hole screws. This frame allows me to attach the cabinet top to the cabinet and also helps to make the cabinet square.

Always check assemblies for square in ever direction possible before the glue sets up on the pieces you've assembled. This will save you a lot of grief.

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Thank you Lee for your response. Tooling isnt an issue.I could build them either way. I had planned on pocketholing face frame and where they would be blind I would definately be pocketholing frame to the cabinets. My question was more just about using the tongue and groove over pocketholes alone. Also the Somerfield build the cabinet right off the face frame where the other method had me build a face frame to dictate cabinet size and then attache them once they are complete.

George, I prefer the build the circuses first method. Ideally, I install the carcases and then make a storypole for the entire run of cabinets and build the face frame as one large unit from the storypole. I feel that makes the kitchen appear more high end than individual face frames.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Lisa Starr

George, I prefer the build the circuses first method. Ideally, I install the carcases and then make a storypole for the entire run of cabinets and build the face frame as one large unit from the storypole. I feel that makes the kitchen appear more high end than individual face frames.

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That will probably be my approach.