face frame width between drawers

[Todd Laubach]

Hi,
I have built partial overlay cabinets and frameless cabinets. I am now going to build a face frame cabinet with a full overlay. I intend the face frame material to be 1-1/2" wide. When designing the drawer bank cabinets, I have question on using the same face frame width (1-1/2) between drawers, narrower face frame (3/4 or 1") or no face frame between drawers because space between drawer fronts will be 1/8"?
It seems using 1-1/2" would waste a lot of potential drawer height, but I am not sure no face is the way to go, so leaning toward a narrower piece.
Has anyone built cabinets like this or what would be your recommendation?

Thanks,
Todd

[Jared Sankovich]

Hi,
I have built partial overlay cabinets and frameless cabinets. I am now going to build a face frame cabinet with a full overlay. I intend the face frame material to be 1-1/2" wide. When designing the drawer bank cabinets, I have question on using the same face frame width (1-1/2) between drawers, narrower face frame (3/4 or 1") or no face frame between drawers because space between drawer fronts will be 1/8"?
It seems using 1-1/2" would waste a lot of potential drawer height, but I am not sure no face is the way to go, so leaning toward a narrower piece.
Has anyone built cabinets like this or what would be your recommendation?

Thanks,
Todd

Depends on the look you want. I personally prefer rails between drawers, but it does reduce the available depth.

[jack duren]

It’s whatever you want…

[Thomas McCurnin]

With overlay, you'll have about a half inch overlap, so between two drawers, you'll need at least 1" face frame or the drawer faces will not close. 1 1/2" is typical. That width also gives you enough space to sink a couple of dowels or a tenon.

[jack duren]

Whatever the distance is between the door and drawer is what it needs to be on a stack

[Kevin Jenness]

For inset or overlay drawers with a 1/8" reveal I would omit rails between drawers unless the cabinet were tall enough to need a cross tie to hold the partitions parallel.

[jack duren]

Lot less measuring if the drawer rails are there..

[Brian Runau]

Depends on design style and overlay vs insert drawers. I prefer 1-1/2" rails for overlay drawers. 1/2" overlay with 1/2" gap. For mission style I prefer inset drawers with 1" high stringer. I wouldn't sacrifice the final look for maximum capacity. Brian

[jack duren]

1.25 rails between drawers. I’d do the same with a 1 1/8…

[Kevin Jenness]

The op said "space between drawer fronts will be 1/8". Is there any advantage to rails between drawers in that case? The look is the same either way and omitting rails in a 4 drawer case adds several vertical inches to the drawer capacity.

[jack duren]

Gives him a safety guide line. I couldn’t tell you how many times starting out in commercial with drawers overlapping each other before I GOT IT…So yea I put them in and I don’t have to think about it..

[Kevin Jenness]

Seems straightforward enough to locate the drawers and slides without rails, same as in a frameless cabinet. Draw it out full size on a story pole, cut spacers that sit on the deck and support the slides while screwing them to the sidewalls. Hang the drawer boxes with screws or dowel centers poking through the front, stack up the finish fronts in the opening with 1/8" shims between, press them onto the marking points, drill pilot holes in the finish fronts and screw them onto the boxes. Fine adjustments can be done with the slides and oversize holes in the drawer boxes. Undermount slides like Blum can have 3d adjustments built into the slide and mounting clips. 4 piece drawers with integral fronts require a bit more care but hey, it's cabinetmaking. Even if you use rails you still have to get the slides and boxes in the right place.

[jack duren]

Straight forward for someone who knows already.

Cabinetmaking? I was there my entire work career. And when I trained future cabinet makers, they don’t always get it. So on a face frame cabinet I put the rails in. It’s just a few simple pieces of wood. I don’t have to watch them fiddle with the drawer, drawer guides for 10-60 minutes.


This is like a frame , no frame discussion. Not worth the effort.. It’s a face frame cabinet

OP can do what they want with what’s been provided…

[jack duren]

Kevin Jenness….Dont take me wrong, I’m just getting old and set in my ways..

[George Yetka]

Ive done a lot of research on this in the past couple years. And like others have said it is whatever you want. Me personally I kept all rails and styles at 1-1/2" for all cabinets with 1/2" overlay. You could reduce the rails by a 1-4 or 1/2 and reduce the upper and lower overlay of the drawers to keep the gaps the same. as long as left and right overlay matches hinges wont matter for doors.