Last week we wrapped up our pine cabinets and the final coat of pain on them, and final rub down of the interior shellac finish. That weekend I was able to get the cabinets installed with the butcher block counter tops over the lower base and over the washer and dryer.

Here a couple links of the cabinet build from an earlier time.

Pine Cabinets Shaker Style Part 1

Pine Cabinets Shaker Style Part 2

How to Make an Adjustable Sawtooth Shelf System

 

Photo below is the upper cabinet, doors yet to be installed. I like to back my cabinets, most folks do not. They'll leave the backs off leaving the wall behind exposed. I don't like seeing walls, I like seeing something really nice behind the dishes and glassware, in this case it is being used for storage in a wash room, but I'll still pay the same attention to detail,

Photo below, I just set one of the doors in place so we could see what is going in. I cut the doors the exact same dimensions as the openings, then I planed each one down to fit exactly in its assigned opening. The doors are inset flush so the reveal (gap) around the door had to be perfect, if not it stands out like a sore thumb. There are advantages and disadvantages to the inset door, as mentioned, the reveal has to be perfect, but the advantage is easy hinge application, in this case I used colonial style butterfly hinges surface mount.

Photo below, the two main cabinets installed, the lower and upper along with the butcher block counter top. These are shown with out any trim-out to hide the unsightly gaps at the ceilings and walls, where the drywall is undulating. I trimmed it out with 1/4" by 3/4" strips of wood. Very simple, no crown, the entire home is Early American, the customer is an antique collector and loves simplicity.

Photo below, butcher block counter over the appliances. I routed in some 3/4" dadoes at the bottom ends of the counter tops and secured cleats to the side walls, the counter tops are sitting on those cleats, I was able to get the counter top virtually on top of the washer and dryer by routing in those dadoes and resting the top on the cleats in that manner, also since the top is only resting on the cleats, it can be removed for appliance service if need be.

Since these photos were taken, I have installed all the trim, back-splash's at the sink cabinet and the appliance counter top, the doors are installed, and it looks very nice. I also built onsite the upper cabinet over the appliances above the window two weeks ago, and I'll need to go back and install the door for that cabinet, at that time I'll get some finish shots, it looks awesome right now. Thanks for hanging in there!

That's an awesome job, John. Your attention to detail makes it so much better than the run of the mill cabinet job.

 

I really like the pine interior contrasted with the painted front/sides. The paneled backs are beautiful, too. I'm a bit unworldly, I know, but I've never seen backless cabinets. Maybe a regional thing?

 

 

Not putting a back on a cabinet is like not.....well, I was going to reference an act involving toilet paper, but I won't. :-)

 

Looking Great, John!

 

I think building the cabinet is the "easy" part. Getting them to hang square and plumb in the home can be a real challenge!!

 

Thanks Gene, maybe it is regional, out here in the west in the tract homes there are no backers to the cabinets, all you see is wall. The photo's don't show the true color of the white paint, it's more of an off white creme color, a really nice antique look with the shellac'd interiors.

 

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Gene Howe said:

That's an awesome job, John. Your attention to detail makes it so much better than the run of the mill cabinet job.

I really like the pine interior contrasted with the painted front/sides. The paneled backs are beautiful, too. I'm a bit unworldly, I know, but I've never seen backless cabinets. Maybe a regional thing?

Not putting a back on a cabinet is like not.....well, I was going to reference an act involving toilet paper, but I won't. :-)

 

 

It can be Lew, but actually, if the cabinet is built rigid, it stays square, and sometimes plumb doesn't cut it. If you have it plumb, the features around it may not be plumb then it actually will look out of plumb. You may hang a cabinet by a door way with trim around the door frame, the trim is not plumb, so you have to find a happy medium for plumb, and visual pleasantries. Since it's only cabinets, and the doors don't swing as freely as a heavy passage door, plumb is not all that important as much as visually equal to the other features in the room.
 

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Lewis Kauffman said:

Looking Great, John!

I think building the cabinet is the "easy" part. Getting them to hang square and plumb in the home can be a real challenge!!

 

 

Very Nice job John. Did you get any pictures finished with cabinet doors installed? Looks great.

No did not John, I need to return to do some touch up painting of the trim out, and install two more more doors. I'll take the final shots then, it really does look nice with the doors and butterfly hinges and all trimmed out, the photos above really do not do it justice. I think I'll back over there this weekend. Thanks for the kudos!
 

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John Moody said:

Very Nice job John. Did you get any pictures finished with cabinet doors installed? Looks great.

 

 

looking good. Looking very good.

Thank you Cliff!