Extreme Makeover - New Cabinet Faces (long)

[Kent Cori]

Well, after five weekends, the bathroom cabinet makeover is complete. Now that we’ve lived in our home for ten years, SWMBO decided that the old light gray Formica drawer fronts and doors weren’t cutting it. So, she added a little replacement task to my to do list and made it Priority No. 1!

One new Freud ogee panel raising bit set (matched rail and stile bits plus a 2-2 panel raiser) , 25 bf of soft Maple and some new knobs formed most of the materials list. The whole project went like this:

Weekend 1: Buy Maple at the not-so-local hardwood shop, take it home and prep it (planing and jointing). Also, order new Freud toys.

Weekend 2: Cut all the pieces, glue up the panel blanks and tall drawer fronts, raise the panels and them sand them. Finishing of the panels was begun on Sunday and continued through the week since I was in town for once. The finish used on all was my favorite gloss poly/BLO/mineral sprits blend.

Weekend 3: Rout the rails and styles and assemble the doors. Don’t forget the Spaceballs! Rout the decorative edge on the drawer fronts. Sand everything not already done. Start finishing the assembled doors, toe board and drawer fronts. Out of town for the week so no further work done.

Weekend 4: Realize belatedly that the old white cabinet carcass edges will show through the cracks. Determine that this will not do at all and make some thin Maple veneer strips to cover them. Finish them along with completing finishing of everything else. Let cure for the week due to more travel commitments.

Weekend 5: Remove all existing doors and drawer fronts. Trim and glue on veneer strips using Liquid Nails. Put new drawer fronts and knobs on existing drawers and install and adjust same. Remove floor molding, install new toe board and replace molding. Enjoy a movie with LOML Saturday night. Today was the installation and adjustment of the doors (re-used the original European style hinges), adjust as needed, add the knobs and celebrate!

Overall results – Much nicer looking bathroom cabinets, a slightly richer wood shop, new Freud toys for the next project, a satisfied wood worker and one very happy wife. Priceless!

Thanks for bearing with me and looking.

[Tyler Howell]

Nice Kent, Do you have a before??

[Steve Roxberg]

Nice Kent, Do you have a before??

Very nice, do I see molding or edges around the drawer fronts?

[Todd Burch]

Good for you Kent! Nice job.

[Kent Cori]

Steve,

That is actually a shallow reveal (3/16") using a 45-degree backcutter bit from Katana and a 1/4" roundover bit to ease the edge. The backcutter did double duty as it was used on the back side of the panels too.

[Jim Becker]

Kent, nice job on those cabinets...no wonder "the boss" is happy!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Ditto the others .....nice job!