BACKYARD RETREAT

Low-Cost, High-Impact

Kitchen Facelift

Save time and money by refacing not replacing your kitchen cabinets.

ometimes less is more. For

example, this kitchen
remodel was considerably
less expensive, less time
consuming, and required less demolition than many similar projects Ive
seen. Even so, if you compare the
beforephoto at left with the after
photo above, I think youll agree that
this relatively small-scale project made
a big improvement in the appearance of this kitchen.

BEFORE
{ Although this kitchen was quite usable,
the knotty pine cabinets, worn countertop,
and old appliances all needed updating.

18

New Life for Old Cabinets

One of the biggest improvements
was to the kitchen cabinets.The original cabinets were quite functional,

and the overall layout worked well.

Even so, the homeowners wanted to
update them. So rather than tear out
the old cabinets, we gave them a
facelift instead.
SHOP-MADE CLADDING. For
starters, we refaced the existing
cabinets by applying shop-made
cladding. The ends of the cabinets
are covered with 1/4"-thick cherry
plywood. And we glued 1/4"-thick
strips of solid cherry to the rails and
stiles on the face frames.
SOLID-WOOD DOORS.As for
the cabinet doors, they needed
attention, too. So we built new
frame-and-panel, solid-wood doors.

WO R K B E N C H F E B RU A RY 2 0 0 3

{ A built-in oven and stovetop

is a major improvement over
the old slide-in stove (see
Before photo on page 18).
We also installed a slide-out
vent hood and built a message
board to conceal the duct.

< A granite tile countertop,

color-matched epoxy grout,
and an under-counter stainless
steel sink complete this elegant
kitchen remodel.
Making solid-wood panels for the doors
takes more time than using plywood
panels. But once the finish is applied, it
results in a much more uniform color than
using plywood. Solid wood also means that
the panels look good both inside and out.
DISPLAY DOORS. Speaking of looks,
the homeowners had a special collection of
colorful dishes they wanted to display.The
solution was to convert two of the cabinets
into display units by adding glass doors.
Low-voltage lighting installed in the display
cabinets highlights the dishes.
The construction of the display doors is
similar to the solid-wood doors. Here
though, we fit a shop-made divider and a
glass panel into the door frame.
WO R K B E N C H F E B RU A RY 2 0 0 3

DRAWERS.Another part of this cabinet facelift focused on the drawers. As it

turned out, the existing drawers were sturdy
and well-made, so it didnt make sense to
build new ones. Instead, we cut each of
the old drawer fronts free on the table saw.
Then, after adding a new front for the
drawer box itself, we installed a false front
made of solid cherry. (For more information about this technique, see page 26.)
FINISH. But theres more to this kitchen
remodel than the cabinet facelift.The water,
steam, and spills that are part of a kitchens
everyday life demand a tough finish. To

accomplish that, I used a finishing process

that included a stain covered with three
coats of polyurethane.
The rich, warm color you see is produced by a mixture of three parts Zar Cherry
Stain and one part Wood-Kote Cherry Jeld
Stain.The gel stain minimizes blotching that
can sometimes occur with cherry.
MORE IMPROVEMENTS. In addition
to the cabinets, we also made several other
improvements to make this kitchen as functional as it is attractive (see Photos above).
For information about these products, refer
to the Buyers Guide on page 28.

19

cladding the cabinets

Getting Started
As with any project, there are a few
preliminary things to take care of
before you get started. First of all,
youll need to remove all the cabinet doors, drawers, and trim.
Once thats accomplished, check
the outer stile (vertical frame piece)
on the face frame of your cabinets.
Sometimes in order to create a more
finished appearance, the stile extends
past the end of the cabinet, forming
a small lip (Figs. 1 and 1a). If so, youll
have to remove it. Otherwise, the
plywood and the solid-wood
cladding wont fit tightly together.
ROUT THE LIP.An easy way to
remove this lip is to use a router and
a flush trim bit (Fig. 1).As you rout,

One of the appealing things about a

kitchen facelift is theres no need to
tear out the existing cabinets. By
covering the old cabinets with cladding,
you can make them look brand new.
MATERIALS. I used two types of
material for the cladding. The
exposed end panels of the cabinets
are covered with 1/4" cherry plywood (Construction View below). And
I applied 1/4"-thick solid cherry to
the face frames and toekick.
So why not cover the face frames
with veneer instead of solid stock?
Two reasons. First, solid wood lays
flat, so its easier to glue and clamp.
Second, the joints can be sanded
flush without worrying about sanding through the thin veneer.
{ TTThe face frames of the cabinets are
clad with strips of solid wood that are
glued and clamped in place. I used
tape to "clamp" hard-to-reach areas.
Cladding Detail

CONSTRUCTION VIEW

Existing Face Frame

Existing Cabinet

Rail
Cladding

Existing
Cabinet

End
Panel

Stile cladding
covers edge
of plywood

2d Finish Nail

1
End Panel
(!/4" cherry plywood)
NOTE:
When cladding the
cabinet, follow the
sequence indicated by
the circled numbers

Toekick Detail

Rail
Cladding
2

Stile
Cladding
4

End
Panel

Stile
Cladding
Cut notch to
match toekick

Rail
Cladding

Toekick
Cladding

20

Rail
Cladding
Stile
Cladding

NOTE:
All rail, stile, and toekick cladding
is !/4"-thick solid cherry
Toekick Cladding

WO R K B E N C H

F E B RU A RY 2 0 0 3

the bearing on the bit should ride

against the end of the cabinet (Fig.
1a). This way the cutting edges of
the bit will trim the overhanging lip
flush with the end panel.
Just a note about routing the lip
on the upper cabinets. The base of
the router wont allow you to rout
the lip near the ceiling.To get around
that, just pare off the lip near the
ceiling with a chisel.
CLEAN & SAND.After the lip is
removed, clean all the surfaces that
will be clad with a household
degreaser. Then, to ensure a good
glue bond, sand each surface with a
random-orbit sander, using either
80- or 100-grit sandpaper.
Time for the Cladding
Now that the cabinets are prepared,
you can concentrate on the cladding.
END PANELS. As I mentioned,
the ends of the cabinets are covered
with 1/4" plywood panels. Each panel
is cut to size to fit flush with the
front of the existing face frame.Youll
also need to cut a notch for the toekick,as shown in the Construction View.
By the way, dont worry about the
exposed front edge of the plywood.
It will be concealed by the cladding
on the face frame (Cladding Detail).
The end panel is glued on with
panel adhesive.Apply the adhesive to
the cabinet and press the panel into
place (Fig.2).Tack
brads at the corners of the panel
Flush
to keep it from
trim bit Cabinet
shifting as the
End
adhesive cures.

a.

FACE FRAMES.The next step is

to add the thin, solid-wood cladding
to the face frames. So where do you
get thin wood? A quick and easy way
is to make your own by resawing a
thick board into two (or more) thin
pieces (see Sidebar at right).
When resawing, youll want to
work with extra-long pieces that are
ripped to final width. I ripped all
the pieces to match the width of the
rails and stiles on the face frames
with one exception. To cover the
edge of the 1/4" plywood end panels,
I made the side stile near the exposed
end of each cabinet 1/4" wider.
Keeping those things in mind,
go ahead and prepare the pieces for
resawing. Plan on making a few
extras to allow for mistakes. Then
resaw the stock and plane the
cladding to its final thickness (1/4").
At this point, its time to attach
the cladding to the face frame. I used
simple butt joints where the end of
one strip meets the adjoining piece.
So to produce tight-fitting joints,
its important that each piece of
cladding is accurately cut to length.
To accomplish that, follow the
sequence in the Construction View,
cutting each piece of cladding to fit.
As you glue on each piece (I used
yellow glue), make sure the clamping pressure is evenly distributed
across the cladding (Fig. 3). To get
more reach, remove the clamp pad
from the inner jaw (Fig. 3a).
SAND FLUSH. After gluing on
the cladding, sand the faces flush
with each other. A random-orbit
sander makes quick work of this.

RESAWING ON THE TABLE SAW

END VIEW
Rip fence

Raise blade just

above center

Resawing is cut#/8"
#/4"-thick
ting thin pieces of
Stock
wood from a thick
piece of stock. (In
CL
1!/2"
effect, ripping on
&/8"
edge.) A quick
way to do this is
on the table saw.
Before you get
started though, there are two
safety precautions that are a
NLINE
must. First, to reduce the
Zero-Clearance
chance of kickback, use a zeroTable Saw Inserts
clearance insert with a splitter WorkbenchMagazine.com
(see Photo above). Second, be
sure to use a push block when making a cut.
When resawing, set the rip fence so you end up
with slightly thicker workpieces than needed. That
way you can sand or plane pieces to final thickness.
To avoid bogging down the saw, I use a two-pass
method. Start with the blade raised just over half the
width of the piece (End View). Then make two passes
at this setting, fipping the piece over between passes.
Note: Always keep the same face against the fence.

Face
Frame
Remove lip

Face Frame

2d Finish nail

3
End
Panel

Trim
overhanging
lip flush

FIRST:

Cabinet
End

Sand face
frame and
end of
cabinet

SECOND:
Attach
end panel

WO R K B E N C H F E B RU A RY 2 0 0 3

Panel
adhesive

Stile
Cladding

a.
Remove rubber pad
from clamp for
better reach

Use masking
tape to "clamp"
outer edge
of cladding

21

building solid-wood doors

The cabinet doors for this kitchen
facelift feature frame-and-panel,
solid-wood construction. For ease
of installation, I decided to make
overlay doors, which means they lay
on top of the face frames. The
amount of overlay is 1/2" on all sides,
so the doors are 1" wider and taller
than the openings in the face frame.

{ ThTo glue up
a perfectly flat
door, clamp a
straight scrap
of wood
across each
end. Use wax
paper to
avoid gluing
the scrap to
the door.

Rail & Stile Detail

!/4"
!/2"

Build the Frames

The first step in building the doors
is to make the frames that surround
the solid-wood panels.
As you can see in the Door
Assembly illustration below, each
frame consists of three vertical stiles
(two sides and a center stile) and two
horizontal rails. Note: For narrow
doors (less than 12" wide), I left out
the center stile.

JOINERY. To simplify construction, the frames are assembled with

stub tenon and groove joints. Both
ends of each rail have a short tenon
that fits into a groove in the stile (Rail
& Stile Detail). And a tenon on each
end of the center stile fits into grooves
in the rails (Center Stile Detail).
CONSTRUCTION. After taking
the joinery into account, cut the rails
and stiles to size from 3/4"-thick hardwood. Be sure to label each piece to
avoid getting them mixed up. Also,
mark the outside face to use as a reference when machining the parts.
CUT GROOVES. Now youre
ready to cut grooves in the rails and
stiles. I mounted a 1/4" dado blade in
the table saw to do this (Fig. 4). For
consistent results, run the outside face
of each piece against the fence.

Side Stile
2"

Top Rail
Cut !/4"-wide groove,
!/2" deep centered
on inside edge

DOOR ASSEMBLY

Top Rail
(#/4" x 2")

Stiles ands rails are

assembled with stub
tenon and groove joints

Pull

Center Stile Detail

1!/2"
!/2"

Height and width

of finished doors
is 1" larger than
door opening

!/2"
!/4"

Center
Stile

Cut !/4"-wide
grooves,
!/2" deep
in both
d

Door Stile
(#/4" x 2")

2"

Door Panel Detail

Door
Frame

Front of
Door

NOTE:
Make door panels
by edge gluing
!/2"-thick hardwood

Door
Panel
Door
Panel
(!/2" x custom
width and
length)

NOTE:
All rails and
stiles are
custom
lengths

35mm Hole,
!/2" deep

Door Stile
(#/4" x 2")
Rabbet forms a tongue
that fits into groove

Tongue
#/4"
#/4" -wide
Rabbet,
!/4" deep

22

Door
Panel
!/2"

110-!/2" Overlay
self-closing hinge

Center Stile
(#/4" x 2")
Bottom Rail
(#/4" x 2")
WO R K B E N C H F E B RU A RY 2 0 0 3

TIME FOR TENONS. The next

step is to cut stub (short) tenons to
fit the grooves.The tenons are 1/2"
long. So here again, I used a dado
blade, setting it up to cut roughly
5/ " wide. To ensure consistent8
length tenons, use an auxiliary fence
as a stop and bury part of the blade
in the fence (Figs. 5 and 5a).
A handy way to establish the
thickness of the tenons is to use one
of the grooved pieces as a gauge for
setting the blade height (Fig. 5b).
Check the setup by making test cuts.
Then cut tenons in the actual workpieces, using the miter gauge to
guide each piece through the blade.
Making two passes, one on each side,
should result in a tenon that fits snug.

Solid-Wood Panels
With the door frames complete, its
time to start on the solid-wood
panels. Instead of going with a traditional raised-panel look, I wanted
the door panels to be flat on the
outside for a clean, simple look
(Door Panel Detail).
GLUE UP PANELS. The door
panels are made by edge-gluing 1/2"thick cherry. Its best to start with
panels that are about 2" larger than
you need in length and width, then
trim them to size after the glue-up.
To determine the final size of the
panels, dry assemble the frames,
measure the openings, and then add
7/ ". Thats 1/ " less than the com8
8

a.

#/4"
Fence

5
Auxiliary
rip fence

Door Rails
and Stiles

%/8" Dado
blade

!/4" Dado
blade

Miter gauge
fence

Door Rails and

Center Stile

Cut a !/4"-wide groove

!/2" deep,
centered on edge

a.

Auxiliary
fence

bined depth of the grooves. When

the door is assembled, this will allow
the panel to expand and contract
with changes in humidity.
TONGUES. If you look at the
Door Assembly illustration again, you
can see theres a tongue on all four
edges of the door panel that fits into
the grooves in the frame pieces.The
tongue is formed by cutting a rabbet in the back of the door panel.
To cut the rabbet, I used a twostep process on the table saw. First,
with the panel lying flat,cut four shallow, crisscross kerfs (Figs. 6 and 6a).
Second, stand the panel on edge and
run it against a tall auxiliary fence to
remove the remaining waste material,
leaving a 1/4"-thick tongue (Fig. 7).
After sanding the tongues
smooth, dry-clamp the doors to
check for final fit before glue-up. If
you plan to stain the doors, now is
a good time to do it.This way, if the
panel shrinks a bit, it wont expose
unstained wood.

Set height of dado

blade to match groove

!/2"

FINAL ASSEMBLY.When assembling the doors, keep in mind that

only the rails and stiles are glued
together the panels should float
in the frames to allow for wood
movement. Also, be sure the door is
square and flat while the glue dries
(see Photo on page 22).
MOUNT DOORS. After removing the clamps and sanding the doors
smooth, the next step is to drill two
large holes in the back of each door
to hold the hinges (Fig. 8). This
requires a 35mm drill bit thats
designed for just this purpose.
Finally, after staining and finishing the doors, I installed the hinges
and mounted the doors to the cabinets, using the alignment tip shown
in the margin.

!/4"

!/2"

#/4"

Drill a
35mm
hole,
!/2" deep
for hinge

#/4"

Door Panel
#/4"

{ ThTo ensure
that all the
doors align,
set each one
on an L-shaped
block thats
clamped to
the face frame.
Then screw
the hinges to
the cabinet.

Tall auxiliary
fence

Table saw

b.

Door
Panel

Fence
!#/16"

FIRST:
Cut saw kerfs in
panel (Fig. a)

SECOND:
Trim waste (Fig. 7)

WO R K B E N C H F E B RU A RY 2 0 0 3

3!/2"

Featherboard
Raise saw blade
#/4" above table

Stop block
Door (facedown)

23

display doors & dividers

As an option, you may want to
make glass display doors for your
kitchen cabinets. By installing a
wood divider and a piece of glass in
the door frame, its easy to convert
a kitchen cabinet into an elegant
display case (Photo at left).

{ This easy-to-build, elegant display door is

made using simple techniques that can be
applied to any kitchen remodeling project.

Frame First
The frame for the display doors is
similar to the other doors. Its an
overlay door thats 1" larger than the
cabinet opening. Here again, its
assembled with stub tenon and
groove joints (Display Door Assembly).
Of course, the thing thats different about this frame is its assembled
without a solid-wood panel.Whats
not so obvious is how the wood
divider and the glass fit into the
grooves in the frame.The answer is,
they dont. Let me explain.

DISPLAY DOOR ASSEMBLY

Door Frame Detail

NOTE:
Arrange muntins to form
four square openings

a.
Door
Frame

Door
Frame

Rabbet
to fit recess
in back of
door frame

Silicone
sealant

Divider

2"

Divider

Top Rail
(#/4" x 2")

Glass
Rabbet all
four edges of
divider

Divider

In order to insert the divider and

the glass in the frame, the back lip of
the groove must be removed. This
forms a large rabbet in the back of
the door frame that holds the divider
and glass (Door Frame Detail).
RABBET THE BACK. An easy
way to trim off the back lip is to lay
the frame face down on a bench and
use a hand-held router with a rabbet
bit (Rabbet Detail). Just a word of caution here.The lip is fairly thin, which
could cause it to split as youre routing.To avoid that, make a couple of
light passes, routing from left to right.
Then, with the bearing riding against
the lower lip, make a full-depth cut.
The bit will leave rounded corners, which are easily squared up
with a chisel.This is also a good time
to drill holes for the hinge cups, using
the same method shown on page 23.

2"

Stiles and rails are

assembled with stub
tenon and groove joints
(see page 22)
Door Stile
(#/4" x 2")

Rabbet Detail

STEP 1:
Assemble door frame
without center panel

STEP 2:

Rout a !/2"-wide
rabbet, !/2" deep

Assembled
Door Frame

a.
24

Remove back
lip of groove to
form a rabbet

Double-strength glass
(cut to fit inside rabbet
in door frame)
110-!/2" Overlay
self-closing hinge

Rout a rabbet around

back side of door
(see Rabbet Detail)

Bottom Rail
(#/4" x 2")

35mm Hole, !/2" deep

WO R K B E N C H F E B RU A RY 2 0 0 3

Simple Division
Once the frame is complete, the next
step is to build the wood divider
that creates what appears to be the
individual panes of glass.The divider
is made up of narrow strips of hardwood that are assembled with halflap joints (Divider Assembly).
SUB-FRAME & MUNTINS. As
you can see, the divider consists of a
rectangular sub-frame and several
individual muntins (a fancy word
for window dividers). All of the
pieces for the sub-frame and muntins
are made from 3/8"-thick hardwood.
Although their thickness is identical, the width of these pieces is different.The rails and stiles of the subframe are 1" wide while the muntins
are only 1/2" wide.
To understand the reason for the
different widths, take a look at the
Door Frame Detail on page 24. Notice
that the divider is rabbeted to fit into
the rabbet in the back of the door
frame.This accomplishes two things.
First, it positions the divider closer to
the front face of the door frame.
Second, since the wider pieces of the
sub-frame are partially concealed
behind the door frame, they will ultimately appear to be the same width
as the muntins (1/2").
CONSTRUCTION. Once you
understand how the divider goes
together, construction should go
fairly quickly. Start by planing the
stock for the rails, stiles, and muntins
to thickness. Then simply rip the
pieces to width on the table saw.
To determine the length of these
pieces, measure the shoulder-toshoulder distance of the rabbets in
the back of the door frame. Then
cut the rails and stiles of the subframe and the long vertical and horizontal muntins to match.As for the
short muntins, I wanted them to
form four square openings at the top
of the divider, so I cut them to length
accordingly (Display Door Assembly).
HALF-LAPS. Once the pieces are
cut to length, you can lay out and cut
the half-laps.To get consistent results,
I used a simple jig that attaches to the
miter gauge on the table saw. (For
more on this, see page 60.)

ASSEMBLY. Now its just a matter of gluing and clamping the

divider together, as shown in Steps 1
and 2 in the Divider Assembly below.
CUT RABBET.After sanding the
divider smooth, its time to cut the
rabbet in the front face of the divider
that I mentioned earlier. Here again,
a handheld router with a rabbet bit
makes quick work of this task (Figs.
9 and 9a).
FINAL DETAILS. At this point,
youre almost ready to install the
divider in the door frame. But first,
youll need to have a piece of glass
cut to fit into the rabbeted opening
in the back of the frame. (I bought
double-strength glass.) To allow for
wood movement, it should be 1/8"
smaller in length and width than the
opening in the door frame.
To install the glass, lay the door
frame face down on a padded surface. Then fit the divider and glass
into the rabbet. To hold them in

place, apply a small bead of clear silicone sealant around all four edges
(Door Frame Detail). Be sure that the
sealant is forced down into the small
gap between the edge of the glass
and the door frame. Let the door
and glass sit until the sealant cures
fully, usually at least 24 hours.

9
Rout a rabbet in
front face of
divider

Divider

a.

!/2" Rabbet
bit

!/8"

DIVIDER ASSEMBLY

Divider

STEP 1

STEP 2

Assemble sub-frame

Glue muntins to sub-frame

!/2" -wide Half-laps,

#/16" deep

WO R K B E N C H F E B RU A RY 2 0 0 3

!/2"

Muntins
(#/8" x !/2")

1"
Sub-Frame
Top Rail
(#/8" x 1")
!/2"

1"
!/2" -wide
Half-lap,
#/16" deep

NOTE:
Layout half-laps
to form equal size
openings in divider

Sub-Frame Stiles
(#/8" x 1")

Half-laps
Sub-Frame
Bottom Rail
(#/8" x 1")

1"-wide
Half-laps,
#/16" deep

!/2" -wide
Half-laps,
#/16" deep

Sub-Frame

!/2"

Muntin
(#/8" x !/2")
NOTE:
For information on cutting
half-laps, see page 60

25

adding new drawer fronts

Building all new drawers for an entire
kitchen can be expensive and time
consuming. Fortunately, I didnt
have to build new drawers I just
reused the old drawers and installed
new false fronts, as shown at left.
The type of drawers you have
determines how to replace the drawer
fronts. Some drawers already have a
separate false front mounted to the
drawer box. In that case, just replace
the old false fronts with new ones.
But if the drawer front is an integral part of the box like mine, its a bit
{ TTTo align the
false fronts,
temporarily
screw them to
the drawers.
Then simply
open the
drawer and
install permanent screws.

more involved.The old drawer front

has to be trimmed off and then
replaced with a new one (Construction
View below).Then a new false front
is added to the drawer box.
REMOVE FRONTS. To remove
the old drawer fronts, start by taking
off the slides and pulls.Then use the
table saw to trim off the front, following the three-step process shown
in the illustrations below.
ADD NEW FRONT. The next
step is to add the new drawer front.
This is a piece of 1/2"-thick hard-

CONSTRUCTION VIEW

Existing Drawer

#8 x 1" Rh Woodscrew
!/2" Clearance holes
for machine screws
%/32"
Mounting
hole

Drawer pull
machine screws

!/2"
Drill !/4" holes,
1&/16" deep
(see Photo on page 27)
!/4" Dowels,
1!/2" long

Remove existing
drawer front
(see Illustrations below)

NOTE:
Make false drawer fronts 1"
larger than face frame opening

!/8" Hole

New False
Drawer Front
(#/4"-thick x custom
width and length)

Drawer Pull

New Drawer Front

(!/2"-thick, cut to fit)

TRIMMING OFF DRAWER FRONTS

STEP 1:
Trim drawer
front flush with
drawer sides

STEP 2:

STEP 3:

Trim drawer front flush with

ends of the drawer sides

Trim drawer bottom

flush with ends of
drawer sides
Rip fence

Drawer
Front

Drawer Side

Existing
Drawer Front
Drawer
Side

26

Drawer
Front

Miter gauge
fence

Miter gauge
fence

Drawer
Front

Drawer
Side

Drawer
Side

Drawer
Bottom

WO R K B E N C H F E B RU A RY 2 0 0 3

wood cut to fit between the drawer

sides. To make it easy to attach the
false front later, drill a couple of
mounting holes now.Then glue and
clamp the front flush with the ends
of the drawer sides.
DOWELS.To strengthen the connection, I used 1/4" dowels to pin
the joints.This requires drilling holes
through the drawer sides into the
front. To drill these holes quickly
and accurately, I used the drill-press
setup shown in the Photo at right.
Notice that a fence and stop block
are used to position the drawer. I
also used four spacer blocks to index
the location of the dowel holes. To
accomplish this, set the drawer
against the spacer blocks and drill
the first hole.Then remove a spacer
and drill the second hole. Continue
like this until the box is against the
fence and then drill the last hole.
After drilling the holes, glue in
the dowels. Theyll stand a bit
proud at this point, so after the
glue dries, just sand the ends smooth.

Drawer
Side

FINISH & INSTALLATION.

Use tape as
depth stop

Youll want to apply a finish on the

ends of the dowels, as well as the
drawer front. Then reattach the
drawer slides and install the drawers.
Adding the False Fronts
All thats left to complete this kitchen
facelift is to add the false fronts.
Like the doors, the false fronts
are made from 3/4"-thick hardwood.
Here again, theyre 1" larger than
the opening in the face frame.
Design Note: If a drawer is directly
above a door, its more important to
match their widths since even a small
difference is quite noticeable.
ATTACH FALSE FRONTS.After
cutting the false fronts to size, the
final step is to attach them to the
drawers.To ensure proper alignment,
I used an old trick here.
Start by drilling mounting holes
for the drawer pulls in the false front.
Then hold the false front in position and temporarily install screws
through the mounting holes to

New
Drawer
Front
Fence
!/2"-thick Spacer
Blocks
Stop Block

attach it to the drawer (Photo on page

26). Next, open the drawer and
screw it to the false front from the
back. Now remove the temporary
screws and drill the mounting holes
for the pulls all the way through the
drawer with an 1/8" bit. Finally, using
the points where the tip of the bit
breaks through as centerpoints, drill
1/ " clearance holes for the machine
2
screws used to mount the pulls.

{ TA set of
1/ "-thick
2
spacer blocks
makes it easy
to index the
holes for the
1/ " dowels.
4

custom dishwasher panels

Side View Detail
Mounting Panel
Spacer
Pull

Dishwasher
Door

NOTE:
Glue drawer fronts
and spacers together,
and install drawer pulls
before attaching
to dishwasher

Mounting Screws
(supplied)

Dishwasher Door

Drawer
Face

Drawer
Faces
(#/4" x 6")

Upper Spacer
(#/8" x 1")
Metal
Mounting
Panel (supplied)

We chose a dishwasher for this project

thats designed to accept a shop-made,
front panel (a fully-integrated dishwasher).
Most diswashers like this use a large
plywood door panel. But to tie the
kitchen together, I made a panel that
appears to be a bank of four drawers.
This panel starts out as four drawer
faces made from 3/4"-thick hardwood
(Illustration at right). To create a gap
between the drawers, the faces are rabWO R K B E N C H F E B RU A RY 2 0 0 3

beted on the top and bottom

edges to hold 3/8"-thick hardwood spacers. Note: To make
the drawer spacing work out, I
also added a spacer strip at the top
to reach the top of the dishwasher
door (Side View Detail).
After gluing the spacers to the
drawer faces to form the panel, its
screwed to a metal mounting panel
thats supplied with the dishwasher.

Drawer
Spacers
(#/8" x 1!/2")

Drawer
Pull
!/8" Mounting hole
(drill !/2" counterbore,
!/4" deep on back)

Cut !/2"-wide
rabbets, #/8" deep
Lower Drawer Face
(#/4"-thick,
height custom fit)

27

BACKYARD RETREAT

buyer's guide
Appliances

Handles & Pulls

Hinges

KitchenAid
Dishwasher (KUDS01FKPA)
Cooktop (KECC508GBT)
Vent (KWVU205YBA)
Oven (KEBC107KSS)
Refrigerator (KTRC22EKSS)
www.KitchenAid.com

Amerock
Inspiration Series
Drawer pulls (1592-WID)
Door pulls (1583-WID)
www.Amerock.com

Blum
Compact Series 33
1100 - 1/2" Overlay
Self-Closing Hinges
www.Blum.com

Coming Next Issue . . .

A. Accent Lighting
> In the April 2003
issue of Workbench, well
show you how to install
low-voltage halogen
lighting a simple way
to create dramatic
accents in your kitchen.

B. Stainless
Steel Sink
> Also, be sure
to check out our
special technique
for installing a
stainless steel
sink underneath
a countertop.
C. Granite
Countertops
>: At last a
tile countertop
that wont stain.
Learn the secret
as we install
granite tile
countertops.
D. Built-In
Appliances
> A built-in
oven, cooktop,
and a vent
hood that
disappears
is a combo
thats sure to
improve your
kitchen.

28

BACKYARD RETREAT

KITCHEN MAKEOVER

Yes, you can create your own custom kitchen just use the ideas in this
second part of our kitchen makeover to cook up a plan of your own.

hortly after we completed this kitchen

remodeling project, I
asked the homeowners what they liked best about it.
CABINET FACELIFT.At the top
of their list were the kitchen cabinets. Instead of buying new cabinets, we refaced the existing cabinets
by applying thin strips of cherry and
then building new doors and drawer
fronts. (To learn more about refacing cabinets, refer to the first part of
this kitchen makeover in the
February 2003 issue of Workbench.)

28

GRANITE COUNTERS. The

new counters were high on their
list, too. For these, we considered the
usual materials plastic laminate,
ceramic tile, and wood. But the
homeowners wanted a more durable
material. So we decided on an
extremely hard material thats virtually impossible to scratch granite.
Now, Im not talking about huge
slabs of rock. Instead, to simplify the
installation, the counters are made
up of 12" x 12" granite tiles. As you
can see in the Photo above, we used
polished black granite tiles to contrast

with the cherry cabinets.A dark-colored grout makes the joint lines virtually disappear. Its a non-porous
epoxy grout that wont stain or harbor
bacteria just the ticket when
youre baking or preparing meals.
SLATE BACKSPLASH. In addition to the granite counter, we
installed a backsplash made of slate.
Here again, using tiles makes this an
easy job. Notice the subtle contrast
between these gray slate tiles and the
granite counter.Also, a narrow band
of black granite tiles creates a decorative accent in the backsplash.
WO R K B E N C H A P R I L 2 0 0 3

*Projects that appear in

February 2003 Issue
of Workbench

COST. All of this sounds great,

but isnt it expensive? For the granite counter, slate backsplash, and all
the grout supplies, we paid about
$32.50 a linear foot. Its a bit pricey,
but the results are definitely worth it.
APPLIANCE UPGRADES. The
homeowners also gave a thumbsup for all the new appliance
upgrades. More to the point, it was
how they improved both the function and style of the kitchen.
Our part in this process was to
incorporate these new upgrades into
the overall design of the kitchen.
WO R K B E N C H A P R I L 2 0 0 3

Take the sink for instance. Its a

stainless steel sink thats designed to
be surface-mounted (with the rim
on top of the counter). But to create
a more streamlined appearance, we
came up with a unique under-counter
method of installing the sink.
In addition, we replaced the old
slide-out range with a built-in oven
and an in-counter cooktop. Be sure
to check out how the vent for the
cooktop is disguised with an oldfashioned chalkboard.And theres a
low-voltage lighting system thats
literally a snap to install.

{ The first part of our kitchen makeover features

plans on how to reface your existing cabinets. (See
Feb. 2003 Workbench or Online Extras above.)

29

great-looking

GRANITE COUNTERS
Besides the fact this granite counter
provides a hard, durable worksurface,
it looks great, too.And since its made
with tiles, its a very do-able project.
We used polished black granite tiles
for the counter and gray slate tiles
for the backsplash. (This type of tile
is available at most tile supply stores.)

{ No need to hire a professional to install this

upscale granite counter and slate backsplash.
Using stone tiles makes it a do-it-yourself project.

A Solid Substrate
A long-lasting counter depends on
a solid substrate.To accomplish that,
I used two layers of material for the
substrate: 3/4" exterior plywood and
1/ " cementboard ( Construction View).
4
PLYWOOD.The kitchen cabinets
are 24" deep, so I ripped full sheets of
plywood in half and positioned them
to create a 1/4" overhang (Counter
Assembly).This leaves 1/4" gap at the
wall,but its covered by cementboard.
Also, to provide extra rigidity,
locate any end joints in an area

where theres room for a wood cleat

underneath. After attaching the cleats
with glue and screws, check that the
plywood is level, shimming if necessary. Then fasten it from underneath with screws installed through
corner blocks in the cabinets.
With the plywood in place, now
is the time to cut the openings for the
sink and cooktop.
CEMENTBOARD. To provide a
stable base for the tiles, the next step
is to add the cementboard. Notice
that its flush with the front edge of
the plywood.To add rigidity to the
substrate, size the pieces so the joints
are offset from the plywood joints.
Here again, youll need to create
openings for the sink and cooktop. To
do this, set the cementboard in place
and then mark the openings from
underneath. If you plan to use our
method for an undermount sink,off-

CONSTRUCTION VIEW

Counter Corner Detail

Note: Set corner of first tile
at intersection of layout lines

Counter

TOP VIEW

30

Lay out lines that

align with front edges
of the counter

WO R K B E N C H A P R I L 2 0 0 3

set the cementboard from the opening (see Sink Installation on page 32).
To install the cementboard, apply
thinset adhesive to the plywood.Then
fasten it with cementboard screws,
making sure the screw heads are
slightly below the surface. Since we
installed tile for the backsplash, I covered the wall with cementboard, too.
Note: If you plan to install an
undermount sink, do that now, before
laying the granite tiles (see page 32).
Tips for Tile
Now its time to install the tiles.The
key to success here is a careful layout and a dry-installation of all the
tiles before spreading any adhesive.
LAYOUT. To establish the location of the first tile,I marked two lines
that extended along the front edge of
each leg of the counter (Corner
Detail). Set the first tile in place without any adhesive at the intersection
of these lines.Then dry-fit the rest of
the tiles, working your way out.
The tiles around the openings for
the sink and cooktop will need to be

cut to fit.A rented wet saw makes

this an easy job.To produce a symmetrical appearance, I cut the tiles on
each side of the opening to the same
width (see page 32). I also sanded a
bevel on the cut edge to create a
finished appearance (page 80).
INSTALL TILES. Once youre satisfied with how the tiles are fitting,
the actual installation should go
smoothly. Theyre glued on with a
thinset adhesive for natural stone (I
used a polyurethane blend).Working
a few square feet at a time, apply the
adhesive with a notched trowel, and
then wiggle the tiles into place.
BACKSPLASH.After the adhesive
sets,you can turn your attention to the
slate backsplash. It has a narrow band
of granite accent tiles that are sandwiched between rows of slate tiles.
For appearance, the tiles in the lower
row are cut into quarters, and we
installed full-size tiles above.
Since the accent tiles attract a lot
of attention, I wanted to be sure they
were perfectly straight. So I screwed
a temporary wood support to the

COUNTER ASSEMBLY

wall and used it to align the tiles

(Backsplash Assembly).Also, to emphasize the accent tiles, I wanted them
to sit proudof the surrounding slate
tiles. To accomplish that, I screwed a
1/ " plywood filler strip to the wall
4
and then glued the tiles to it.

{ Use a metal
straightedge
for alignment
as you dry
assemble the
tiles for the
backsplash.

Solid-Wood Edging
After completing the tile installation,
and before grouting, I added wood
edging to the front of the counter.
The edging is 11/2"-thick hardwood (cherry) thats ripped to a
width of 11/2".To create a decorative
profile, I routed the top and bottom
edges (Profile Detail).Then I attached
the edging with glue, screws, and
wood plugs (Edging Detail).
Finally, to provide a durable finish that resists wear and moisture, I
brushed on three coats of polyurethane, sanding between each coat.

BACKSPLASH
ASSEMBLY

Profile Detail

WO R K B E N C H A P R I L 2 0 0 3

Edge Detail

31

secrets to installing an

UNDERMOUNT SINK

{ An undermount stainless steel

sink provides an attractive, yet
extremely practical, installation.

{ This waterproof sealant and

adhesive is available at many
boat stores. Or, order it from
West Marine: 800-262-8464

Its easy to overlook the thing thats special about

this sink a unique method of installation
that ensures a permanent, watertight seal.
But before I get to that, take a look at the
photo at left.As you can see, the stainless steel
sink is mounted underneath the counter, so the
rim of the sink isnt visible. This produces a
cleaner appearance than a surface-mounted sink
(where the rim sits on top of the counter). Plus,
it lets water run off the counter into the sink.
Okay, but how do you prevent water from
seeping under the granite tiles and damaging
the counter? Thats where our special installation method comes in (Sink Rim Detail).
Notice that the rim of the sink rests on a set
of stainless steel leveling screws installed in the
lip of the counter. (As you recall, this lip was
formed earlier by setting the cementboard in
from the sink opening.) A special sealant and
adhesive (shown at left) totally encases the metal
rim of the sink. The result is a permanent,
absolutely waterproof installation.
ADD LEVELING SCREWS. The first step
is to install 10 leveling screws two near each

corner of the sink opening and a single screw

near the front and back edge (Sink Installation).
The idea is to adjust the height of the screws
so there will be a gap above and below the
sink rim. By filling these gaps with the sealant,
it will ensure a waterproof bond.
To prevent the sink from rocking, its important that the leveling screws are the same height.
An easy way to do that is to use a combination
square as a gauge and then tweak the screws
to the correct height (Detail a).
INSTALL SINK.Now youre ready to install
the sink. Since the sealant is kind of messy, start
by taping all around the opening, leaving only
the lip of the counter exposed.
Next,apply a thick bead of sealant all around
the lip and leveling screws.Then lower the sink
into the opening so it rests on the screws.Add
weight to hold it in place and then clean up any
sealant that squeezes out.
After letting the sealant cure at least 24
hours, go ahead and lay tiles around the sink,
as shown below.Then caulk the gap between
the tile and sink,using the same sealant as before.

Faucet Detail

SINK INSTALLATION

Sink Rim Detail

a.

32

WO R K B E N C H A P R I L 2 0 0 3

the abcs of

EPOXY GROUT
We used a special epoxy grout on the
granite tile counters in this kitchen.
Unlike cement-based grouts, this
type of grout wont stain, its easy to
clean, and it doesnt harbor bacteria.
The grout comes in a kit with
three packages labeled A, B, and C
(Epoxy Grout Supplies). The packages
are mixed together to make a syrupy
liquid about the consistency of honey.
Because of this, the grout is a bit
messy to work with. So be sure to
mask the edging on the counter.
Cover the sink with cardboard and
tape the edges down. I also used tape
to make a damacross the open-ended
joints to keep grout from running
out, (see Construction View on page 30).
Before you get started, clean the
tiles and joint lines. Also, be sure to
allow enough time to complete the
job (about six hours in my case).

MIXING. Now youre ready to

mix the grout. Start by pouring the
resin (Package A) and hardener (B)
into a plastic bowl. To ensure that
the ingredients are thoroughly mixed,
use a flat stick to scrape the sides of
the bowl. Then add the coloring
agent (C), as shown in Figure 1
below. I used dark gray so the grout
lines would be as inconspicuous as
possible against the black granite.
As soon as the grout is mixed,pour
the entire batch out onto the tile.This
will slow down the curing process,
providing you more working time.
APPLY GROUT. Next, spread the
soupy mix around with a rubber
grout float. Hold the float at a shallow angle (Fig. 2), pressing the grout
down into the joints. Scrape off the
excess grout into a plywood tray, as
shown above. You can reuse the

grout. Also, set some aside in case

some of the joints need a little extra.
WATER CLEAN-UP. After
allowing the grout to set up for
about 30 minutes, clean the surface
of the tiles with water and a nylon
pad (Fig. 3).Then remove the excess
water (Fig. 4), let the grout set up
for at least three hours, and clean
the tile lightly with soapy water.

{ Working
diagonally
across the
joints, hold the
float at a 90
angle and
scrape off the
excess grout.

epoxy grout

supplies

{ After mixing parts A & B for

two to three minutes, slowly stir
in the coloring agent (part C).

Epoxy grout
comes in a kit that
includes the resin
(Part A), hardener
(Part B), and a
coloring agent
(Part C). The kit
also has rubber
gloves and a
white nylon
cleaning pad.

{ Next, pour the grout onto the

tile, then use a firm rubber grout
float to work it into the joints.

4
Clean-up Tip

{ Now flood the tile with water

and scrub the grout off the surface with a nylon pad (Inset).
WO R K B E N C H A P R I L 2 0 0 3

{ Remove excess water by

dragging a towel lightly across
the tile. Rinse towel often.

If the counter has

a hazy film the
next day, use a
citrus-based hand
cleaner and a
plastic dish pad
to polish the tiles
to a mirror finish.
Follow up with
soap and water.

33

custom kitchenworks

BUILT-IN APPLIANCES
The homeowners did all the footwork when it came to researching
and buying new appliances. Our job
was to give them a custom touch (see
Photos at left and on page 35).

{ Replacing the range (left)

with a built-in oven and a
counter cooktop adds function
and style to this kitchen.

Support Detail

A Disappearing Vent
We installed the vent first.This particular unit lets you pull out the vent
hood to exhaust steam or cooking
odors, then slide it back in when
youre done. This disappearing act
makes for a clean looking installation.As a side benefit, a light switches
on to illuminate the cooktop when
you pull out the vent hood.
The blower for the vent fits into
an opening cut in the bottom of the
upper cabinet. There was just one

problem. Our cabinet was only 18"

tall too far above the cooktop for
the blower to be effective.
SUPPORT. The solution was to
build a simple support for the blower
that mounts below the upper cabinet.
As you can see in the Vent Installation
Drawing below, the support consists of
a pair of L-shaped brackets and a front
piece that spans the opening between
the two flanking cabinets. Notice that
the front also doubles as a mounting
surface for a chalkboard.
Each bracket consists of two
pieces: a plywood end (A) that
attaches to the cabinet and a hardwood cleat (B) that forms a lip used
to secure the blower (Mounting
Detail).After gluing and screwing the

VENT INSTALLATION

SIDE
VIEW
Mounting Detail

FRONT
VIEW

34

WO R K B E N C H A P R I L 2 0 0 3

brackets together, fasten them to the

cabinets with screws. Then cut the
front piece (C) to fit the opening
and screw it to the brackets.
Note: The blower is installed as
shown in the Mounting Detail on page
34. But in order to provide access
when working on the message center, I did this after it was completed.
Message Center
Before installing the blower, I added
the message center. Its made up of
two pieces: a chalkboard for jotting
notes and a hardwood tray (D) to
hold the chalk. I bought an inexpensive chalkboard at a stationery
store and cut it to size with a table saw.
As you can see in the Support
Detail on page 34, the chalkboard
fits into a rabbet thats cut in the
back edge of the tray.To hold chalk,
I also routed a long groove in the
tray with a core box bit.The tray is
glued and screwed to the front of

the support. As for the chalkboard,

construction adhesive will hold it
securely in place.
Built-In Oven & Cooktop
Installing the built-in oven and
cooktop was next on the list. But
first, a bit of information about the
planning that went on beforehand.
PLANNING. First of all, we didnt
want to replace or rebuild the base
cabinets, so we chose an oven that fit
into the existing 30"-wide space.
Also, make sure the cooktop you
purchase will fit above the oven.
Finally, a word about electrical
power. Our oven required its own
circuit breaker, separate from the
cooktop. So here again, we had an
electrician install a junction box for
each appliance.
INSTALL COOKTOP.To install
the cooktop, all thats needed is to
make the electrical connections,
apply silicone sealant under the rim,

and tighten the clamps

supplied with the unit
(see Cooktop Mounting
Detail below).
OVEN. The builtin oven is mounted to
a hardwood frame
thats attached to the
base cabinets (see
Illustration below). The
frame consists of a top
and bottom (E) piece
that fit between the two sides (F).
Notice that the bottom end of
each side is notched to form a toekick. Then the frame is glued and
screwed together.A rail (G) screwed
to the bottom of the frame encloses
the opening in the toekick.
Once the frame is done, set it
flush with the front of the cabinets
and screw it in place (Oven Mounting
Detail). The oven is screwed to the
mounting frame, and a trim strip
(supplied) covers the fasteners.

{ In the Feb.
2003 issue of
Workbench,
we show you
how to make a
custom wood
panel for the
dishwasher.

BUILT-IN OVEN & COOKTOP

NOTE: All parts of

mounting frame are made
from #/4"-thick hardwood

Cooktop Mounting Detail

Oven Mounting Detail

TOP
VIEW
WO R K B E N C H A P R I L 2 0 0 3

35

low-voltage

ACCENT LIGHTING

{ Low-voltage lights cast a warm glow across

the slate backsplash. A simple snap-in design lets
you locate the lights wherever you want.

At this point of our project, the

kitchen looked terrific. It looked
even better though a short time later
right after wed installed low-voltage lights under the upper cabinets
(Photo at left), and also in the display
cabinets (see Photo on page 37).
There are a number of low-voltage lighting systems available.The
one we installed has nifty snap-in
lampholders that make it easy to
install a light wherever you want
(see Lighting Components on page 37).
Not only that, you can quickly
relocate a light if a spot is too dimly
or brightly lit.

Before you install this low-voltage lighting system, take a minute

to study the Illustration below to
understand how it works.
Notice that theres a transformer
that reduces the power from 110
volts to 12 volts. Running from this
transformer is a low-voltage wire
thats routed through access holes
drilled in the cabinets.The wire fits
into plastic tracks mounted to the
cabinets.To illuminate an area, you
simply snap a lampholder into the
track and clip in a light.
PLANNING. Once youre familiar with the low-voltage system,

UNDER-CABINET LIGHTING
(shown from back of cabinet)

Display Cabinet Detail

Under Cabinet Detail

36

WO R K B E N C H A P R I L 2 0 0 3

planning the details is quick and easy

(see Planning Guide below).
Start by measuring the total
length of the runs for the plastic
track and the low-voltage cable.
Next, youll need to decide on
the total number of lights and their
wattage. I used 10-watt lights spaced
6" apart under the upper cabinets.As
for the display cabinets, 5-watt lights,
spaced the same distance apart, provided plenty of light.
Once youve determined the
total number of lights, add up their
combined wattages (actual wattage
consumed).This establishes the number and wattage of the transformer(s)
you need. Select a transformer with
a wattage thats greater than the total
wattage consumed. For example, I
used a 300-watt transformer for the
21 under-cabinet, 10-watt lights and
a 60-watt transformer for the eight
display cabinet lights (5 watts each).
One last note about transformers.There are two types. One plugs
into a wall outlet; the other is hardwired into an electrical circuit.To
simplify the installation I used the
plug-in type for both transformers.

ON/OFF SWITCHES. Of course,

having to plug in a transformer every
time you want to turn on the lights
would be a nuisance. So we had an
electrician install a switched outlet.
This involved installing an electrical
outlet inside the cabinet just above an
existing wall outlet. Then the wall
outlet itself was replaced with a
combination switch/outlet thats
used to turn the lights on and off.
INSTALL COMPONENTS.With
the electrical requirements taken care
of, its time to install the rest of the
components.To illuminate the backsplash, we mounted the track, cable,
lampholders, and lights on the back
of the face frames for the upper cabinets (Under-Cabinet Lighting). Note:
Line the access holes with the clear
plastic sleeves (supplied) to avoid
abrasion to the low-voltage wire.
DISPLAY LIGHTING. To highlight the dinnerware in the glass
display cabinets, I mounted two
tracks vertically behind the face
frames (Display Cabinet Detail).The
three lights in each track illuminate
the cabinet nicely, even with the
solid wood shelves.

{ To draw attention to the homeowners collection

of festive-colored dinnerware, we also installed
low-voltage lights inside the display cabinet.

lighting components
Snap-in
Lampholder
Plastic Track

110-volt/12-volt
Transformer

110-volt
Wire Leads

low-voltage planning guide

Light Spacing and Wattage
Application
Lampholder Spacing
Under Cabinet
6"
Inside Cabinet
6"

Light Wattage
10W
5W

Xenon Light

12-volt
Wire Leads
Low-Voltage Wire

Light Performance
Rated Light
Wattage
5
10

Actual Wattage
Consumed
4.0
8.4

Rated
Light Life
16,000
12,000

Approx. Lumens
per Light
33
83

{ The components of the low-voltage lighting system

we used are available from the source listed below.
Use the Guide (at left) to plan your installation.

buyer's guide

BACKYARD RETREAT

Appliances

Low-Voltage Lighting

Sink

KitchenAid
Dishwasher (KUDS01FKPA)
Cooktop (KECC508GBT)
Vent (KWVU205YBA)
Oven (KEBC107KSS)
Refrigerator (KTRC22EKSS)

Ambiance Linear
800-347-5483
info@seagulllighting.com

Kohler
K-3352 Stainless Sink
800-456-4537
www.us.kohler.com

Epoxy Grout

Faucet

Laticrete
651-264-5150
www.laticrete.com

Delta 470-SS Single Handle

Pull-out Signature Series
www.deltafaucet.com

800-422-1230
www.kitchenaid.com

WO R K B E N C H A P R I L 2 0 0 3

37