32mm Frameless Cabinets - End Panel & Top/Bottom Crown Reveals

[Terry Thillemann]

I’m designing cabinets for most of the rooms in my house including the kitchen, dining, bathroom, laundry rooms, and need some help with regards to some of the design details.

I’ll be building full overlay frameless cabinets out of 3/4 Maple plywood with Shaker style doors, drawers, and applied ends. For upper wall cabinets, I want to add top crown moulding and some moulding, etc., on the bottom to hide under lighting. Lastly, I may build an entire wall of cabinets in the dining room and thus have been primarily focused on finding a full overlay stackable box design to stick with.

Based on “Cntr Index 16 Shift x 2” design from www.davelers.com, I’d have 3mm gaps between doors/drawers, 1.5mm reveals on left/right edges, and 3/0 top/bottom reveals. Dave says you need at least a 3mm top reveal for drawer countertop clearance or if you’re adding top crown but with 3/0 t/b reveals, how do I finish the bottom for under lighting without it looking funny? Perhaps I need to build the uppers with a different design? Also, how do I apply end panels and keep them looking “normal” if end panel gaps are 1.5mm and doors/drawers are 3mm? I thought about running the styles down the table saw fence to shave 1.5mm about 19mm deep but am not sure if that would look funny, if there’s a better way, or just apply the end and not worry about the difference in the gap.

Hopefully somebody here has used the 32mm system in the 3/0 style and can help clarify these points.

[Robert Engel]

I use 32mm almost exclusively for cabs but my gaps are bigger (I'm more like 4mm/8mm). I leave about 1/2" gap from bottom of countertop to drawer tops.

There are a several ways to handle undercounter lighting. One is to add a curtain or valence strip to the bottom. I recess them back about 2". Another is to lengthen the sides & add a rail/doors extend below bottom shelf of cab.

Rather than apply the end panel, you can replace it for that side so it becomes part of the cabinet. Fasten with pocket screws. Cover inside with think sheet of material to match inside of cabs or paint. Or, like you said, don't worry about it.