MILLWORK

LEARNING OBJECTIVE: Upon completing this section, you should be able to recognize the various types of millwork products and procedures.

As a general term, millwork usually embraces most wood products and components that require manufacturing. It not only includes the interior trim and doors, but also kitchen cabinets and similar units. Most of these units are produced in a millwork manufacturing plant and are ready to install. Figure 3-67 is an example of the dimensions you might be working with.

BUILDING CABINETS IN PLACE

One of the most common ways of building cabinets, such as those shown in figure 3-68, is to cut

Figure 3-68.-Typical kitchen cabinets: wall (view A) and base (view B).

Figure 3-69.-Typical frame construction of a cabinet.

the pieces (figure 3-69) and assemble them in place. Think of building in-place cabinets in four steps.

1. Construct the base first. Use straight 2-by-4 lumber for the base. Nail the lumber to the floor and to a strip attached to the wall. If the floor is not level, place shims under the various members of the base. Later, you can face any exposed 2-by-4 surfaces with a finished material, or the front edge can be made of a finished piece, such as base molding.

2. Next, cut and install the end panels. Attach a strip along the wall between the end panels and level with the top edge. Be sure the strip is level throughout its length. Nail it securely to the wall studs.

3. Cut the bottom panels and nail them in place on the base. Follow this with the installation of the partitions, which are notched at the back corner of the top edge so they will fit over the wall strip.

4. Finally, plumb the front edge of the partitions and end panels. Secure them with temporary strips nailed along the top.

Wall units are made using the same basic steps as the base units. You should make your layout lines directly on the ceiling and wall. Nail the mounting strips through the wall into the studs. At the inside corners, end panels can be attached directly to the wall.

Remember to make your measurements for both base and wall units carefully, especially for openings for built-in appliances. Refer frequently to your drawings and specifications to ensure accuracy.

Shelves

Shelves are an integral part of cabinetmaking, especially for wall units. Cutting dadoes into cabinet walls to fit in shelves may actually strengthen the cabinet (figure 3-70.) When adding shelves, try to make them adjustable so the storage space can be altered as needed. Figure 3-71 shows two methods of installing adjustable shelves.

Whatever method of shelf support you use, make sure that your measurements are accurate and the shelves are level. Most of the time, you will find it easier to do your cutting and drilling before you start assembling the cabinets. If the shelf standards are the type that are set in a groove, you must cut the groove

Figure 3-70.-End panels of a wall cabinet in place (view A) and completed framing with facing partially applied (view B).

before assembly. Some adjustable shelf supports can be mounted on the surface.

Shelving supports for 3/4-inch shelves should be placed no more than 42-inches apart. Shelves designed to hold heavy loads should have closer supports. To improve the appearance of plywood shelving, cover the laminated edge with a strip of wood that matches the stock used for the cabinet.

Cabinet Facing

After completing the frame construction and shelving, apply finished facing strips to the front of the cabinet frame. These strips are sometimes assembled into a framework (called a faceplate or face frame) by commercial sources before they are

Figure 3-71.-Two methods of supporting shelves.

attached to the basic cabinet structure. The vertical members of the facing are called stiles, and the horizontal members are known as rails.

As previously mentioned for built-in-place cabinets, you cut each piece and install it separately. The size of each piece is laid out by positioning the facing stock on the cabinet and marking it. Then, the finished cuts are made, A cut piece can be used to lay out duplicate pieces.

Cabinet stiles are generally attached first, then the rails (figure 3-72). Sometimes a Builder will attach a

Figure 3-72.-Facing being placed on a cabinet.

plumb end stile first, and then attach rails to determine the position of the next stile.

Use finishing nails and glue to install facing, When nailing hardwoods, drill nail holes where you think splitting might occur.

Drawers

Seabees use many methods of building drawers. The three most common are the multiple dovetail, lock-shouldered, and square-shouldered methods (figure 3-73).

There are several types of drawer guides available. The three most commonly used are the side guide, the corner guide, and the center guide (shown in figure 3-74, view A).

Figure 3-73.-Three common types of joints used in drawer construction.

The two general types of drawer faces are the lip and flush faces (shown in figure 3-74, view B), A flush drawer must be carefully fitted. A lip drawer must have a rabbet along the top and sides of the front. The lip style overlaps the opening and is much easier to construct.

Cabinet Doors

The four types of doors commonly used on cabinets are the flush, lipped, overlay, and sliding doors. A flush door, like the flush drawer, is the most difficult to construct. For a finished look, each type of door must be fitted in the cabinet opening within 1/16-inch clearance around all four edges. A lipped door is simpler to install than a flush door since the lip, or overlap, feature allows you a certain amount of adjustment and greater tolerances. The lip is formed by cutting a rabbet along the edge.

Overlay doors are designed to cover the edges of the face frame. There are several types of sliding doors used on cabinets. One type of sliding door is rabbeted to fit into grooves at the top and bottom of the cabinet. The top groove is always made to allow the door to be removed by lifting it up and pulling the bottom out.

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