BACKYARD RETREAT

Low-Cost, High-Impact

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

S
ometimes less is more. For and the overall layout worked well.
example, this kitchen Even so, the homeowners wanted to
remodel was considerably update them. So rather than tear out
less expensive, less time the old cabinets, we gave them a
consuming, and required less demo- “facelift” instead.
lition than many similar projects I’ve SHOP-MADE CLADDING. For
seen. Even so, if you compare the starters, we refaced the existing
“before”photo at left with the “after” cabinets by applying shop-made
photo above, I think you’ll agree that cladding. The ends of the cabinets
this relatively small-scale project made are covered with 1/4"-thick cherry
a big improvement in the appear- plywood. And we glued 1/4"-thick
ance of this kitchen. strips of solid cherry to the rails and
BEFORE stiles on the face frames.
New Life for Old Cabinets SOLID-WOOD DOORS.As for
{ Although this kitchen was quite usable, One of the biggest improvements the cabinet doors, they needed
the knotty pine cabinets, worn countertop, was to the kitchen cabinets.The orig- attention, too. So we built new
and old appliances all needed updating. inal cabinets were quite functional, frame-and-panel, solid-wood doors.

18 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 DRAWERS.Another part of this cab- accomplish that, I used a finishing process
using plywood. Solid wood also means that inet facelift focused on the drawers. As it that included a stain covered with three
the panels look good both inside and out. turned out, the existing drawers were sturdy coats of polyurethane.
DISPLAY DOORS. Speaking of looks, and well-made, so it didn’t make sense to The rich, warm color you see is pro-
the homeowners had a special collection of build new ones. Instead, we cut each of duced by a mixture of three parts Zar Cherry
colorful dishes they wanted to display.The the old drawer fronts free on the table saw. Stain and one part Wood-Kote Cherry Jel’d
solution was to convert two of the cabinets Then, after adding a new front for the Stain.The gel stain minimizes blotching that
into display units by adding glass doors. drawer box itself, we installed a false front can sometimes occur with cherry.
Low-voltage lighting installed in the display made of solid cherry. (For more informa- MORE IMPROVEMENTS. In addition
cabinets highlights the dishes. tion about this technique, see page 26.) to the cabinets, we also made several other
The construction of the display doors is FINISH. But there’s more to this kitchen improvements to make this kitchen as func-
similar to the solid-wood doors. Here remodel than the cabinet facelift.The water, tional as it is attractive (see Photos above).
though, we fit a shop-made divider and a steam, and spills that are part of a kitchen’s For information about these products, refer
glass panel into the door frame. everyday life demand a tough finish. To to the Buyer’s Guide on page 28.

WO R K B E N C H ■ F E B RU A RY 2 0 0 3 19
 cladding the cabinets
One of the appealing things about a Getting Started
kitchen facelift is there’s no need to As with any project, there are a few
tear out the existing cabinets. By preliminary things to take care of
covering the old cabinets with cladding, before you get started. First of all,
you can make them look brand new. you’ll need to remove all the cabi-
MATERIALS. I used two types of net doors, drawers, and trim.
material for the cladding. The Once that’s accomplished, check
exposed end panels of the cabinets the outer stile (vertical frame piece)
are covered with 1/4" cherry ply- on the face frame of your cabinets.
wood (Construction View below). And Sometimes in order to create a more
I applied 1/4"-thick solid cherry to finished appearance, the stile extends
the face frames and toekick. past the end of the cabinet, forming
So why not cover the face frames a small lip (Figs. 1 and 1a). If so, you’ll
with veneer instead of solid stock? have to remove it. Otherwise, the
Two reasons. First, solid wood lays plywood and the solid-wood
flat, so it’s easier to glue and clamp. cladding won’t fit tightly together.
Second, the joints can be sanded ROUT THE LIP.An easy way to
flush without worrying about sand- remove this lip is to use a router and
ing through the thin veneer. a flush trim bit (Fig. 1).As you rout,

{ TTThe face frames of the cabinets are

clad with strips of solid wood that are
glued and clamped in place. I used CONSTRUCTION VIEW
tape to "clamp" hard-to-reach areas.

Cladding Detail Existing Face Frame

Existing Cabinet Rail
Cladding
Existing
Cabinet
Stile cladding
covers edge
of plywood 2d Finish Nail 5
End 3
Panel

1 5
End Panel Rail
(!/4" cherry plywood) Cladding

NOTE: 2
Stile
Toekick Detail When cladding the Cladding
cabinet, follow the
sequence indicated by 4
the circled numbers
End Stile
Panel Cladding

Cut notch to
match toekick Rail 3
Cladding
2 6

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

20 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 FACE FRAMES.The next step is RESAWING ON THE TABLE SAW
against the end of the cabinet (Fig. to add the thin, solid-wood cladding
1a). This way the cutting edges of to the face frames. So where do you
the bit will trim the overhanging lip get thin wood? A quick and easy way
flush with the end panel. is to make your own by resawing a
Just a note about routing the lip thick board into two (or more) thin
on the upper cabinets. The base of pieces (see Sidebar at right).
the router won’t allow you to rout When resawing, you’ll want to
the lip near the ceiling.To get around work with extra-long pieces that are
that, just pare off the lip near the ripped to final width. I ripped all
ceiling with a chisel. the pieces to match the width of the
CLEAN & SAND.After the lip is rails and stiles on the face frames —
removed, clean all the surfaces that with one exception. To cover the
will be clad with a household edge of the 1/4" plywood end panels,
END VIEW
degreaser. Then, to ensure a good I made the side stile near the exposed
glue bond, sand each surface with a end of each cabinet 1/4" wider. Rip fence Raise blade just
random-orbit sander, using either Keeping those things in mind, above center
80- or 100-grit sandpaper. go ahead and prepare the pieces for Resawing is cut- #/8" #/4"-thick
resawing. Plan on making a few ting thin pieces of Stock
Time for the Cladding extras to allow for mistakes. Then wood from a thick
Now that the cabinets are prepared, resaw the stock and plane the piece of stock. (In
CL
you can concentrate on the cladding. cladding to its final thickness (1/4"). effect, ripping on 1!/2"
&/8"
END PANELS. As I mentioned, At this point, it’s time to attach edge.) A quick
the ends of the cabinets are covered the cladding to the face frame. I used way to do this is
with 1/4" plywood panels. Each panel simple butt joints where the end of on the table saw.
is cut to size to fit flush with the one strip meets the adjoining piece. Before you get
front of the existing face frame.You’ll So to produce tight-fitting joints, started though, there are two
also need to cut a notch for the toe- it’s important that each piece of safety precautions that are a NLINE
kick,as shown in the Construction View. cladding is accurately cut to length. “must.” First, to reduce the
By the way, don’t worry about the To accomplish that, follow the chance of kickback, use a “zero- Zero-Clearance
exposed front edge of the plywood. sequence in the Construction View, Table Saw Inserts
clearance” insert with a splitter WorkbenchMagazine.com
It will be concealed by the cladding cutting each piece of cladding to fit. (see Photo above). Second, be
on the face frame (Cladding Detail). As you glue on each piece (I used sure to use a push block when making a cut.
The end panel is glued on with yellow glue), make sure the clamp- When resawing, set the rip fence so you end up
panel adhesive.Apply the adhesive to ing pressure is evenly distributed with slightly thicker workpieces than needed. That
the cabinet and press the panel into across the cladding (Fig. 3). To get way you can sand or plane pieces to final thickness.
place (Fig.2).Tack more “reach,” remove the clamp pad To avoid bogging down the saw, I use a two-pass
brads at the cor- from the inner jaw (Fig. 3a). method. Start with the blade raised just over half the
a. Flush
ners of the panel SAND FLUSH. After gluing on width of the piece (End View). Then make two passes
to keep it from the cladding, sand the faces flush at this setting, fipping the piece over between passes.
trim bit Cabinet
shifting as the with each other. A random-orbit Note: Always keep the same face against the fence.
End
adhesive cures. sander makes quick work of this.
Face
Frame

Remove lip
Face Frame
1 2d Finish nail 2 3
End
Panel
Trim
overhanging Stile a.
lip flush FIRST: Panel Cladding Remove rubber pad
Sand face adhesive from clamp for
frame and better reach
Cabinet end of
End cabinet
Use masking
SECOND: tape to "clamp"
Attach outer edge
end panel of cladding

WO R K B E N C H ■ F E B RU A RY 2 0 0 3 21
 building solid-wood doors
The cabinet doors for this kitchen JOINERY. To simplify construc-
facelift feature frame-and-panel, tion, the frames are assembled with
solid-wood construction. For ease stub tenon and groove joints. Both
of installation, I decided to make ends of each rail have a short tenon
overlay doors, which means they lay that fits into a groove in the stile (Rail
on top of the face frames. The & Stile Detail). And a tenon on each
amount of overlay is 1/2" on all sides, end of the center stile fits into grooves
so the doors are 1" wider and taller in the rails (Center Stile Detail).
than the openings in the face frame. CONSTRUCTION. After taking
the joinery into account, cut the rails
Build the Frames and stiles to size from 3/4"-thick hard-
The first step in building the doors wood. Be sure to label each piece to
is to make the frames that surround avoid getting them mixed up. Also,
the solid-wood panels. mark the outside face to use as a ref-
As you can see in the Door erence when machining the parts.
Assembly illustration below, each CUT GROOVES. Now you’re
frame consists of three vertical stiles ready to cut grooves in the rails and
{ ThTo glue up Rail & Stile Detail (two sides and a center stile) and two stiles. I mounted a 1/4" dado blade in
a perfectly flat horizontal rails. Note: For narrow the table saw to do this (Fig. 4). For
!/4"
door, clamp a doors (less than 12" wide), I left out consistent results, run the outside face
straight scrap !/2" the center stile. of each piece against the fence.
of wood
Side Stile
across each
end. Use wax
2" DOOR ASSEMBLY Top Rail
paper to (#/4" x 2")
avoid gluing Top Rail Stiles ands rails are
the scrap to assembled with stub
the door. Cut !/4"-wide groove, tenon and groove joints
!/2" deep centered
on inside edge

Pull
Center Stile Detail
1!/2"
!/2" Height and width
of finished doors
!/2" is 1" larger than
Door door opening
!/4" Panel
Center Door Stile
Cut !/4"-wide Stile (#/4" x 2")
grooves, Door
2" Panel NOTE:
!/2" deep All rails and
in both NOTE: (!/2" x custom
width and stiles are
d Make door panels custom
by edge gluing length)
lengths
Door Panel Detail !/2"-thick hardwood

35mm Hole,
Door
Front of !/2" deep
Frame Door Stile
Door (#/4" x 2")

Tongue Rabbet forms a tongue

that fits into groove
#/4"
110º-!/2" Overlay Center Stile
Door
#/4" -wide Panel
self-closing hinge (#/4" x 2")
Rabbet, !/2"
!/4" deep Bottom Rail
(#/4" x 2")

22 WO R K B E N C H ■ F E B RU A RY 2 0 0 3
 TIME FOR TENONS. The next 4 5
step is to cut stub (short) tenons to
fit the grooves.The tenons are 1/2" Auxiliary
long. So here again, I used a dado Door Rails rip fence Miter gauge
blade, setting it up to cut roughly and Stiles
%/8" Dado fence
5/ " wide. To ensure consistent- !/4" Dado
8 blade
length tenons, use an auxiliary fence blade
as a stop and “bury” part of the blade
in the fence (Figs. 5 and 5a). Door Rails and
Cut a !/4"-wide groove
A handy way to establish the Center Stile
!/2" deep,
thickness of the tenons is to use one centered on edge
of the grooved pieces as a gauge for Auxiliary
fence
a.
setting the blade height (Fig. 5b).
Check the setup by making test cuts.
Set height of dado b.
!/2" blade to match groove
Then cut tenons in the actual work- bined depth of the grooves. When
pieces, using the miter gauge to the door is assembled, this will allow
guide each piece through the blade. the panel to expand and contract
Making two passes, one on each side, with changes in humidity.
should result in a tenon that fits snug. TONGUES. If you look at the
Door Assembly illustration again, you
Solid-Wood Panels can see there’s a tongue on all four FINAL ASSEMBLY.When assem-
With the door frames complete, it’s edges of the door panel that fits into bling the doors, keep in mind that
time to start on the solid-wood the grooves in the frame pieces.The only the rails and stiles are glued
panels. Instead of going with a tra- tongue is formed by cutting a rab- together — the panels should “float”
ditional raised-panel look, I wanted bet in the back of the door panel. in the frames to allow for wood
the door panels to be flat on the To cut the rabbet, I used a two- movement. Also, be sure the door is
outside for a clean, simple look step process on the table saw. First, square and flat while the glue dries
(Door Panel Detail). with the panel lying flat,cut four shal- (see Photo on page 22).
GLUE UP PANELS. The door low, crisscross kerfs (Figs. 6 and 6a). MOUNT DOORS. After remov-
panels are made by edge-gluing 1/2"- Second, stand the panel on edge and ing the clamps and sanding the doors
thick cherry. It’s best to start with run it against a tall auxiliary fence to smooth, the next step is to drill two { ThTo ensure
panels that are about 2" larger than remove the remaining waste material, large holes in the back of each door that all the
you need in length and width, then leaving a 1/4"-thick tongue (Fig. 7). to hold the hinges (Fig. 8). This doors align,
trim them to size after the glue-up. After sanding the tongues requires a 35mm drill bit that’s set each one
To determine the final size of the smooth, dry-clamp the doors to designed for just this purpose. on an L-shaped
panels, dry assemble the frames, check for final fit before glue-up. If Finally, after staining and finish- block that’s
measure the openings, and then add you plan to stain the doors, now is ing the doors, I installed the hinges clamped to
7/ ". That’s 1/ " less than the com-
8 8 a good time to do it.This way, if the and mounted the doors to the cab- the face frame.
panel shrinks a bit, it won’t expose inets, using the alignment tip shown Then screw
unstained wood. in the margin. the hinges to
#/4" a. the cabinet.
Fence
!/4"
!/2" 6 7 8
Tall auxiliary Drill a
fence 35mm
Table saw hole,
#/4" !/2" deep
for hinge
#/4" Door Panel
Door
Panel Fence
#/4"
!#/16"

FIRST:
Cut saw kerfs in 3!/2"
panel (Fig. a) Featherboard
Stop block
Raise saw blade
SECOND: #/4" above table Door (facedown)
Trim waste (Fig. 7)

WO R K B E N C H ■ F E B RU A RY 2 0 0 3 23
 display doors & dividers
As an option, you may want to In order to insert the divider and
make glass display doors for your the glass in the frame, the back lip of
kitchen cabinets. By installing a the groove must be removed. This
wood divider and a piece of glass in forms a large rabbet in the back of
the door frame, it’s easy to convert the door frame that holds the divider
a kitchen cabinet into an elegant and glass (Door Frame Detail).
display case (Photo at left). RABBET THE BACK. An easy
way to trim off the back lip is to lay
Frame First the frame face down on a bench and
The frame for the display doors is use a hand-held router with a rabbet
similar to the other doors. It’s an bit (Rabbet Detail). Just a word of cau-
overlay door that’s 1" larger than the tion here.The lip is fairly thin, which
cabinet opening. Here again, it’s could cause it to split as you’re rout-
assembled with stub tenon and ing.To avoid that, make a couple of
groove joints (Display Door Assembly). light passes, routing from left to right.
Of course, the thing that’s differ- Then, with the bearing riding against
ent about this frame is it’s assembled the lower lip, make a full-depth cut.
without a solid-wood panel.What’s The bit will leave rounded cor-
not so obvious is how the wood ners, which are easily squared up
{ This easy-to-build, elegant display door is divider and the glass fit into the with a chisel.This is also a good time
made using simple techniques that can be grooves in the frame.The answer is, to drill holes for the hinge cups, using
applied to any kitchen remodeling project. they don’t. Let me explain. the same method shown on page 23.

Door Frame Detail DISPLAY DOOR ASSEMBLY

NOTE:
a. Arrange muntins to form
Door four square openings
Frame
Door
Frame Rabbet
to fit recess Divider
Silicone in back of 2"
sealant door frame Divider Top Rail
(#/4" x 2")
2"

Glass
Stiles and rails are
assembled with stub
Rabbet all
Divider tenon and groove joints
four edges of
(see page 22)
divider
Door Stile
(#/4" x 2")
Rabbet Detail
STEP 1:
Assemble door frame
without center panel

Rout a !/2"-wide
STEP 2:
Rout a rabbet around
rabbet, !/2" deep
back side of door
Double-strength glass (see Rabbet Detail)
(cut to fit inside rabbet
Assembled in door frame)
Door Frame
Remove back 110º-!/2" Overlay Bottom Rail
lip of groove to self-closing hinge (#/4" x 2")
a. form a rabbet
35mm Hole, !/2" deep

24 WO R K B E N C H ■ F E B RU A RY 2 0 0 3
Simple Division ASSEMBLY. Now it’s just a mat- place, apply a small bead of clear sil-
Once the frame is complete, the next ter of gluing and clamping the icone sealant around all four edges
step is to build the wood divider divider together, as shown in Steps 1 (Door Frame Detail). Be sure that the
that creates what appears to be the and 2 in the Divider Assembly below. sealant is forced down into the small
individual panes of glass.The divider CUT RABBET.After sanding the gap between the edge of the glass
is made up of narrow strips of hard- divider smooth, it’s time to cut the and the door frame. Let the door
wood that are assembled with half- rabbet in the front face of the divider and glass sit until the sealant cures
lap joints (Divider Assembly). that I mentioned earlier. Here again, fully, usually at least 24 hours.
SUB-FRAME & MUNTINS. As a handheld router with a rabbet bit
you can see, the divider consists of a makes quick work of this task (Figs.
rectangular sub-frame and several 9 and 9a). 9
individual muntins (a fancy word FINAL DETAILS. At this point, Rout a rabbet in
for window dividers). All of the you’re almost ready to install the front face of
divider
pieces for the sub-frame and muntins divider in the door frame. But first,
are made from 3/8"-thick hardwood. you’ll need to have a piece of glass
Although their thickness is iden- cut to fit into the rabbeted opening Divider
tical, the width of these pieces is dif- in the back of the frame. (I bought
ferent.The rails and stiles of the sub- double-strength glass.) To allow for
frame are 1" wide while the muntins wood movement, it should be 1/8"
are only 1/2" wide. smaller in length and width than the
To understand the reason for the opening in the door frame.
different widths, take a look at the To install the glass, lay the door
Door Frame Detail on page 24. Notice frame face down on a padded sur- a. !/2" Rabbet
bit
that the divider is rabbeted to fit into face. Then fit the divider and glass
the rabbet in the back of the door into the rabbet. To hold them in
frame.This accomplishes two things. !/8"
First, it positions the divider closer to
the front face of the door frame. DIVIDER ASSEMBLY Divider !/2"
Second, since the wider pieces of the
sub-frame are partially concealed
behind the door frame, they will ulti- STEP 1
mately appear to be the same width Assemble sub-frame STEP 2
as the muntins (1/2"). Glue muntins to sub-frame
!/2" -wide Half-laps,
CONSTRUCTION. Once you #/16" deep
Muntins
understand how the divider goes 1" (#/8" x !/2")
together, construction should go
fairly quickly. Start by planing the Sub-Frame
stock for the rails, stiles, and muntins Top Rail
(#/8" x 1")
to thickness. Then simply rip the
1" !/2"
pieces to width on the table saw.
To determine the length of these !/2" -wide
pieces, measure the shoulder-to- Half-lap, NOTE: 1"-wide
shoulder distance of the rabbets in #/16" deep Layout half-laps Half-laps, !/2" -wide
to form equal size #/16" deep
the back of the door frame. Then openings in divider
Half-laps,
#/16" deep
cut the rails and stiles of the sub- Sub-Frame
frame and the long vertical and hor-
izontal muntins to match.As for the !/2"
Sub-Frame Stiles
short muntins, I wanted them to (#/8" x 1")
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 Half-laps
Muntin
Sub-Frame
cut to length, you can lay out and cut (#/8" x !/2")
Bottom Rail
the half-laps.To get consistent results, (#/8" x 1") NOTE:
I used a simple jig that attaches to the For information on cutting
miter gauge on the table saw. (For half-laps, see page 60
more on this, see page 60.)

WO R K B E N C H ■ F E B RU A RY 2 0 0 3 25
 adding new drawer fronts
Building all new drawers for an entire more involved.The old drawer front
kitchen can be expensive and time has to be trimmed off and then
consuming. Fortunately, I didn’t replaced with a new one (Construction
have to build new drawers — I just View below).Then a new false front
reused the old drawers and installed is added to the drawer box.
new false fronts, as shown at left. REMOVE FRONTS. To remove
The type of drawers you have the old drawer fronts, start by taking
determines how to replace the drawer off the slides and pulls.Then use the
fronts. Some drawers already have a table saw to trim off the front, fol-
separate false front mounted to the lowing the three-step process shown
drawer box. In that case, just replace in the illustrations below.
the old false fronts with new ones. ADD NEW FRONT. The next
But if the drawer front is an inte- step is to add the new drawer front.
gral part of the box like mine, it’s a bit This is a piece of 1/2"-thick hard-

{ TTTo align the CONSTRUCTION VIEW

Existing Drawer
false fronts,
#8 x 1" Rh Woodscrew
temporarily
screw them to !/2" Clearance holes
for machine screws
the drawers.
Then simply %/32"
Mounting
open the Drawer pull
hole
drawer and machine screws
!/2"
install perma-
nent screws. Drill !/4" holes,
1&/16" deep
(see Photo on page 27)

!/4" Dowels, !/8" Hole

1!/2" long Remove existing New False
drawer front Drawer Front
(see Illustrations below) Drawer Pull (#/4"-thick x custom
NOTE: width and length)
Make false drawer fronts 1" New Drawer Front
larger than face frame opening (!/2"-thick, cut to fit)

TRIMMING OFF DRAWER FRONTS

STEP 1: STEP 2: STEP 3:

Trim drawer front flush with Trim drawer bottom
Trim drawer
ends of the drawer sides flush with ends of
front flush with
drawer sides
drawer sides
Drawer Rip fence
Front

Drawer Side

Existing Miter gauge

Drawer Front Miter gauge fence
fence
Drawer Drawer Drawer
Side Front Drawer Drawer Side Drawer
Front Side
Bottom

26 WO R K B E N C H ■ F E B RU A RY 2 0 0 3
 Drawer
wood cut to fit between the drawer FINISH & INSTALLATION. Side Use tape as
depth stop
sides. To make it easy to attach the You’ll want to apply a finish on the
false front later, drill a couple of ends of the dowels, as well as the
mounting holes now.Then glue and drawer front. Then reattach the New
clamp the front flush with the ends drawer slides and install the drawers. Drawer
of the drawer sides. Front
DOWELS.To strengthen the con- Adding the False Fronts
nection, I used 1/4" dowels to “pin” All that’s left to complete this kitchen Fence
the joints.This requires drilling holes facelift is to add the false fronts.
through the drawer sides into the Like the doors, the false fronts !/2"-thick Spacer
front. To drill these holes quickly are made from 3/4"-thick hardwood. Blocks
and accurately, I used the drill-press Here again, they’re 1" larger than
setup shown in the Photo at right. the opening in the face frame. Stop Block
Notice that a fence and stop block Design Note: If a drawer is directly
are used to position the drawer. I above a door, it’s more important to
also used four spacer blocks to index match their widths since even a small
the location of the dowel holes. To difference is quite noticeable. attach it to the drawer (Photo on page { TA set of
accomplish this, set the drawer ATTACH FALSE FRONTS.After 26). Next, open the drawer and 1/ "-thick
2
against the spacer blocks and drill cutting the false fronts to size, the screw it to the false front from the spacer blocks
the first hole.Then remove a spacer final step is to attach them to the back. Now remove the temporary makes it easy
and drill the second hole. Continue drawers.To ensure proper alignment, screws and drill the mounting holes to index the
like this until the box is against the I used an old trick here. for the pulls all the way through the holes for the
fence and then drill the last hole. Start by drilling mounting holes drawer with an 1/8" bit. Finally, using 1/ " dowels.
4
After drilling the holes, glue in for the drawer pulls in the false front. the points where the tip of the bit
the dowels. They’ll stand a bit Then hold the false front in posi- breaks through as centerpoints, drill
“proud” at this point, so after the tion and temporarily install screws 1/ " clearance holes for the machine
2
glue dries, just sand the ends smooth. through the mounting holes to screws used to mount the pulls.

custom dishwasher panels

NOTE:
Side View Detail Glue drawer fronts
and spacers together,
Mounting Panel and install drawer pulls
Spacer Dishwasher before attaching
Mounting Screws
Door to dishwasher
(supplied)
Pull Dishwasher Door

Drawer
Face
Drawer Upper Spacer
Faces (#/8" x 1")
(#/4" x 6")
Metal
Mounting
Panel (supplied)
We chose a dishwasher for this project beted on the top and bottom
that’s designed to accept a shop-made, edges to hold 3/8"-thick hard- Drawer
front panel (a fully-integrated dishwasher). wood spacers. Note: To make Spacers
Most diswashers like this use a large the drawer spacing work out, I (#/8" x 1!/2")
plywood door panel. But to tie the also added a spacer strip at the top
kitchen together, I made a panel that to reach the top of the dishwasher
appears to be a bank of four drawers. door (Side View Detail). Cut !/2"-wide
Drawer
This panel starts out as four drawer After gluing the spacers to the Pull rabbets, #/8" deep
faces made from 3/4"-thick hardwood drawer faces to form the panel, it’s
(Illustration at right). To create a gap screwed to a metal mounting panel !/8" Mounting hole Lower Drawer Face
(drill !/2" counterbore, (#/4"-thick,
between the “drawers,” the faces are rab- that’s supplied with the dishwasher. !/4" deep on back) height custom fit)

WO R K B E N C H ■ F E B RU A RY 2 0 0 3 27
 BACKYARD RETREAT
buyer's guide
Appliances Handles & Pulls Hinges
KitchenAid Amerock Blum
• Dishwasher (KUDS01FKPA) Inspiration Series Compact Series 33
• Cooktop (KECC508GBT) • Drawer pulls (1592-WID) • 1100 - 1/2" Overlay
• Vent (KWVU205YBA) • Door pulls (1583-WID) Self-Closing Hinges
• Oven (KEBC107KSS) www.Amerock.com www.Blum.com
• Refrigerator (KTRC22EKSS)
www.KitchenAid.com

Coming Next Issue . . .

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

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 won’t stain.
Learn the secret
B
as we install
granite tile
countertops.

D. Built-In
Appliances
> A built-in
oven, cooktop,
and a vent
hood that
“disappears”
is a combo
that’s sure to
improve your C
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.

S
hortly after we com- GRANITE COUNTERS. The with the cherry cabinets.A dark-col-
pleted this kitchen new counters were high on their ored grout makes the joint lines vir-
remodeling project, I list, too. For these, we considered the tually disappear. It’s a non-porous
asked the homeown- usual materials — plastic laminate, epoxy grout that won’t stain or harbor
ers what they liked best about it. ceramic tile, and wood. But the bacteria — just the ticket when
CABINET FACELIFT.At the top homeowners wanted a more durable you’re baking or preparing meals.
of their list were the kitchen cabi- material. So we decided on an SLATE BACKSPLASH. In addi-
nets. Instead of buying new cabi- extremely hard material that’s virtu- tion to the granite counter, we
nets, we refaced the existing cabinets ally impossible to scratch — granite. installed a backsplash made of slate.
by applying thin strips of cherry and Now, I’m not talking about huge Here again, using tiles makes this an
then building new doors and drawer slabs of rock. Instead, to simplify the easy job. Notice the subtle contrast
fronts. (To learn more about refac- installation, the counters are made between these gray slate tiles and the
ing cabinets, refer to the first part of up of 12" x 12" granite tiles. As you granite counter.Also, a narrow band
this kitchen makeover in the can see in the Photo above, we used of black granite tiles creates a deco-
February 2003 issue of Workbench.) polished black granite tiles to contrast rative accent in the backsplash.

28 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, Take the sink for instance. It’s a
but isn’t it expensive? For the gran- stainless steel sink that’s designed to
ite counter, slate backsplash, and all be surface-mounted (with the rim
the grout supplies, we paid about on top of the counter). But to create
$32.50 a linear foot. It’s a bit pricey, a more streamlined appearance, we
but the results are definitely worth it. came up with a unique under-counter
APPLIANCE UPGRADES. The method of installing the sink.
homeowners also gave a thumbs- In addition, we replaced the old
up for all the new appliance slide-out range with a built-in oven
upgrades. More to the point, it was and an in-counter cooktop. Be sure
how they improved both the func- to check out how the vent for the
tion and style of the kitchen. cooktop is disguised with an old-
Our part in this process was to fashioned chalkboard.And there’s a { The first part of our kitchen makeover features
incorporate these new upgrades into low-voltage lighting system that’s plans on how to reface your existing cabinets. (See
the overall design of the kitchen. literally a “snap” to install. Feb. 2003 Workbench or Online Extras above.)

WO R K B E N C H ■ A P R I L 2 0 0 3 29
 great-looking
GRANITE COUNTERS
Besides the fact this granite counter where there’s room for a wood cleat
provides a hard, durable worksurface, underneath. After attaching the cleats
it looks great, too.And since it’s made with glue and screws, check that the
with tiles, it’s a very “do-able” project. plywood is level, shimming if nec-
We used polished black granite tiles essary. Then fasten it from under-
for the counter and gray slate tiles neath with screws installed through
for the backsplash. (This type of tile corner blocks in the cabinets.
is available at most tile supply stores.) With the plywood in place, now
is the time to cut the openings for the
A Solid Substrate sink and cooktop.
A long-lasting counter depends on CEMENTBOARD. To provide a
a solid substrate.To accomplish that, stable base for the tiles, the next step
I used two layers of material for the is to add the cementboard. Notice
substrate: 3/4" exterior plywood and that it’s flush with the front edge of
1/ " cementboard ( Construction View). the plywood.To add rigidity to the
4
PLYWOOD.The kitchen cabinets substrate, size the pieces so the joints
are 24" deep, so I ripped full sheets of are offset from the plywood joints.
plywood in half and positioned them Here again, you’ll need to create
{ No need to hire a professional to install this to create a 1/4" overhang (Counter openings for the sink and cooktop. To
upscale granite counter and slate backsplash. Assembly).This leaves 1/4" gap at the do this, set the cementboard in place
Using stone tiles makes it a do-it-yourself project. wall,but it’s covered by cementboard. and then mark the openings from
Also, to provide extra rigidity, underneath. If you plan to use our
locate any end joints in an area method for an undermount sink,off-

CONSTRUCTION VIEW

Counter Corner Detail

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

Counter

Lay out lines that

align with front edges
TOP VIEW of the counter

30 WO R K B E N C H ■ A P R I L 2 0 0 3
set the cementboard from the open- cut to fit.A rented “wet” saw makes
ing (see Sink Installation on page 32). this an easy job.To produce a sym-
To install the cementboard, apply metrical appearance, I cut the tiles on
thinset adhesive to the plywood.Then each side of the opening to the same
fasten it with cementboard screws, width (see page 32). I also sanded a
making sure the screw heads are bevel on the cut edge to create a
slightly below the surface. Since we finished appearance (page 80).
installed tile for the backsplash, I cov- INSTALL TILES. Once you’re sat-
ered the wall with cementboard, too. isfied with how the tiles are fitting,
Note: If you plan to install an the actual installation should go
undermount sink, do that now, before smoothly. They’re glued on with a
laying the granite tiles (see page 32). thinset adhesive for natural stone (I
used a polyurethane blend).Working wall and used it to align the tiles { Use a metal
Tips for Tile a few square feet at a time, apply the (Backsplash Assembly).Also, to empha- straightedge
Now it’s time to install the tiles.The adhesive with a notched trowel, and size the accent tiles, I wanted them for alignment
key to success here is a careful lay- then wiggle the tiles into place. to sit “proud”of the surrounding slate as you dry
out and a “dry-installation” of all the BACKSPLASH.After the adhesive tiles. To accomplish that, I screwed a assemble the
tiles before spreading any adhesive. sets,you can turn your attention to the 1/ " plywood filler strip to the wall
4 tiles for the
LAYOUT. To establish the loca- slate backsplash. It has a narrow band and then glued the tiles to it. backsplash.
tion of the first tile,I marked two lines of granite “accent” tiles that are sand-
that extended along the front edge of wiched between rows of slate tiles. Solid-Wood Edging
each “leg” of the counter (Corner For appearance, the tiles in the lower After completing the tile installation,
Detail). Set the first tile in place with- row are cut into quarters, and we and before grouting, I added wood
out any adhesive at the intersection installed full-size tiles above. edging to the front of the counter.
of these lines.Then dry-fit the rest of Since the accent tiles attract a lot The edging is 11/2"-thick hard-
the tiles, working your way out. of attention, I wanted to be sure they wood (cherry) that’s ripped to a
The tiles around the openings for were perfectly straight. So I screwed width of 11/2".To create a decorative
the sink and cooktop will need to be a temporary wood support to the profile, I routed the top and bottom
edges (Profile Detail).Then I attached
the edging with glue, screws, and
COUNTER ASSEMBLY
wood plugs (Edging Detail).
Finally, to provide a durable fin-
ish that resists wear and moisture, I
brushed on three coats of poly-
urethane, sanding between each coat.

BACKSPLASH
ASSEMBLY

Profile Detail Edge Detail

WO R K B E N C H ■ A P R I L 2 0 0 3 31
 secrets to installing an
UNDERMOUNT SINK
It’s easy to overlook the thing that’s special about corner of the sink opening and a single screw
this sink — a unique method of installation near the front and back edge (Sink Installation).
that ensures a permanent, watertight seal. The idea is to adjust the height of the screws
But before I get to that, take a look at the so there will be a gap above and below the
photo at left.As you can see, the stainless steel sink rim. By filling these gaps with the sealant,
sink is mounted underneath the counter, so the it will ensure a waterproof bond.
rim of the sink isn’t visible. This produces a To prevent the sink from rocking, it’s impor-
cleaner appearance than a surface-mounted sink tant that the leveling screws are the same height.
(where the rim sits on top of the counter). Plus, An easy way to do that is to use a combination
it lets water run off the counter into the sink. square as a gauge and then “tweak” the screws
{ An undermount stainless steel Okay, but how do you prevent water from to the correct height (Detail a).
sink provides an attractive, yet seeping under the granite tiles and damaging INSTALL SINK.Now you’re ready to install
extremely practical, installation. the counter? That’s where our special instal- the sink. Since the sealant is kind of messy, start
lation method comes in (Sink Rim Detail). by taping all around the opening, leaving only
Notice that the rim of the sink rests on a set the lip of the counter exposed.
of stainless steel leveling screws installed in the Next,apply a thick bead of sealant all around
lip of the counter. (As you recall, this lip was the lip and leveling screws.Then lower the sink
formed earlier by setting the cementboard in into the opening so it rests on the screws.Add
from the sink opening.) A special sealant and weight to hold it in place and then clean up any
adhesive (shown at left) totally encases the metal sealant that squeezes out.
rim of the sink. The result is a permanent, After letting the sealant cure at least 24
{ This waterproof sealant and absolutely waterproof installation. hours, go ahead and lay tiles around the sink,
adhesive is available at many ADD LEVELING SCREWS. The first step as shown below.Then caulk the gap between
boat stores. Or, order it from is to install 10 leveling screws —two near each the tile and sink,using the same sealant as before.
West Marine: 800-262-8464

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 abc’s of
EPOXY GROUT
We used a special epoxy grout on the MIXING. Now you’re ready to
granite tile counters in this kitchen. mix the grout. Start by pouring the
Unlike cement-based grouts, this resin (Package A) and hardener (B)
type of grout won’t stain, it’s easy to into a plastic bowl. To ensure that
clean, and it doesn’t harbor bacteria. the ingredients are thoroughly mixed,
The grout comes in a kit with use a flat stick to scrape the sides of
three packages labeled A, B, and C the bowl. Then add the coloring
(Epoxy Grout Supplies). The packages agent (C), as shown in Figure 1
are mixed together to make a syrupy below. I used dark gray so the grout
liquid about the consistency of honey. lines would be as inconspicuous as
Because of this, the grout is a bit possible against the black granite.
messy to work with. So be sure to As soon as the grout is mixed,pour
mask the edging on the counter. the entire batch out onto the tile.This grout. Also, set some aside in case { Working
Cover the sink with cardboard and will slow down the curing process, some of the joints need a little extra. diagonally
tape the edges down. I also used tape providing you more working time. WATER CLEAN-UP. After across the
to make a “dam”across the open-ended APPLY GROUT. Next, spread the allowing the grout to set up for joints, hold the
joints to keep grout from running soupy mix around with a rubber about 30 minutes, clean the surface float at a 90°
out, (see Construction View on page 30). grout float. Hold the float at a shal- of the tiles with water and a nylon angle and
Before you get started, clean the low angle (Fig. 2), pressing the grout pad (Fig. 3).Then remove the excess scrape off the
tiles and joint lines. Also, be sure to down into the joints. Scrape off the water (Fig. 4), let the grout set up excess grout.
allow enough time to complete the excess grout into a plywood tray, as for at least three hours, and clean
job (about six hours in my case). shown above. You can reuse the the tile lightly with soapy water.

1 2 epoxy grout
supplies
Epoxy grout
comes in a kit that
includes the resin
(Part A), hardener
(Part B), and a
coloring agent
{ After mixing parts A & B for { Next, pour the grout onto the (Part C). The kit
two to three minutes, slowly stir tile, then use a firm rubber grout also has rubber
in the coloring agent (part C). float to work it into the joints. gloves and a
white nylon
3 4 cleaning pad.

Clean-up Tip
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
{ Now flood the tile with water { Remove excess water by to a mirror finish.
and scrub the grout off the sur- dragging a towel lightly across Follow up with
face with a nylon pad (Inset). the tile. Rinse towel often. soap and water.

WO R K B E N C H ■ A P R I L 2 0 0 3 33
 custom kitchenworks
BUILT-IN APPLIANCES
The homeowners did all the foot- problem. Our cabinet was only 18"
work when it came to researching tall — too far above the cooktop for
and buying new appliances. Our job the blower to be effective.
was to give them a custom touch (see SUPPORT. The solution was to
Photos at left and on page 35). build a simple support for the blower
that mounts below the upper cabinet.
A “Disappearing” Vent As you can see in the Vent Installation
We installed the vent first.This par- Drawing below, the support consists of
ticular unit lets you pull out the vent a pair of L-shaped brackets and a front
hood to exhaust steam or cooking piece that spans the opening between
odors, then slide it back in when the two flanking cabinets. Notice that
you’re done. This disappearing act the front also doubles as a mounting
makes for a clean looking installa- surface for a chalkboard.
tion.As a side benefit, a light switches Each bracket consists of two
on to illuminate the cooktop when pieces: a plywood end (A) that
{ Replacing the range (left) you pull out the vent hood. attaches to the cabinet and a hard-
with a built-in oven and a The blower for the vent fits into wood cleat (B) that forms a lip used
counter cooktop adds function an opening cut in the bottom of the to secure the blower (Mounting
and style to this kitchen. upper cabinet. There was just one Detail).After gluing and screwing the

Support Detail 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 the support. As for the chalkboard, and tighten the clamps
cabinets with screws. Then cut the construction adhesive will hold it supplied with the unit
front piece (C) to fit the opening securely in place. (see Cooktop Mounting
and screw it to the brackets. Detail below).
Note: The blower is installed as Built-In Oven & Cooktop OVEN. The built-
shown in the Mounting Detail on page Installing the built-in oven and in oven is mounted to
34. But in order to provide access cooktop was next on the list. But a hardwood frame
when working on the message cen- first, a bit of information about the that’s attached to the
ter, I did this after it was completed. planning that went on beforehand. base cabinets (see
PLANNING. First of all, we didn’t Illustration below). The
Message Center want to replace or rebuild the base frame consists of a top
Before installing the blower, I added cabinets, so we chose an oven that fit and bottom (E) piece
the message center. It’s made up of into the existing 30"-wide space. that fit between the two sides (F). { In the Feb.
two pieces: a chalkboard for jotting Also, make sure the cooktop you Notice that the bottom end of 2003 issue of
notes and a hardwood tray (D) to purchase will fit above the oven. each side is notched to form a toe- Workbench,
hold the chalk. I bought an inex- Finally, a word about electrical kick. Then the frame is glued and we show you
pensive chalkboard at a stationery power. Our oven required its own screwed together.A rail (G) screwed how to make a
store and cut it to size with a table saw. circuit breaker, separate from the to the bottom of the frame encloses custom wood
As you can see in the Support cooktop. So here again, we had an the opening in the toekick. panel for the
Detail on page 34, the chalkboard electrician install a junction box for Once the frame is done, set it dishwasher.
fits into a rabbet that’s cut in the each appliance. flush with the front of the cabinets
back edge of the tray.To hold chalk, INSTALL COOKTOP.To install and screw it in place (Oven Mounting
I also routed a long groove in the the cooktop, all that’s needed is to Detail). The oven is screwed to the
tray with a core box bit.The tray is make the electrical connections, mounting frame, and a trim strip
glued and screwed to the front of apply silicone sealant under the rim, (supplied) covers the fasteners.

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
At this point of our project, the Before you install this low-volt-
kitchen looked terrific. It looked age lighting system, take a minute
even better though a short time later to study the Illustration below to
— right after we’d installed low-volt- understand how it works.
age lights under the upper cabinets Notice that there’s a transformer
(Photo at left), and also in the display that reduces the power from 110
cabinets (see Photo on page 37). volts to 12 volts. Running from this
There are a number of low-volt- transformer is a low-voltage wire
age lighting systems available.The that’s routed through access holes
one we installed has nifty snap-in drilled in the cabinets.The wire fits
lampholders that make it easy to into plastic tracks mounted to the
install a light wherever you want cabinets.To illuminate an area, you
(see Lighting Components on page 37). simply snap a lampholder into the
{ Low-voltage lights cast a warm glow across Not only that, you can quickly track and clip in a light.
the slate backsplash. A simple snap-in design lets relocate a light if a spot is too dimly PLANNING. Once you’re famil-
you locate the lights wherever you want. or brightly lit. iar 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 ON/OFF SWITCHES. Of course,
(see Planning Guide below). having to plug in a transformer every
Start by measuring the total time you want to turn on the lights
length of the “runs” for the plastic would be a nuisance. So we had an
track and the low-voltage cable. electrician install a switched outlet.
Next, you’ll need to decide on This involved installing an electrical
the total number of lights and their outlet inside the cabinet just above an
wattage. I used 10-watt lights spaced existing wall outlet. Then the wall
6" apart under the upper cabinets.As outlet itself was replaced with a
for the display cabinets, 5-watt lights, combination switch/outlet that’s
spaced the same distance apart, pro- used to turn the lights on and off.
vided plenty of light. INSTALL COMPONENTS.With
Once you’ve determined the the electrical requirements taken care
total number of lights, add up their of, it’s time to install the rest of the
combined wattages (actual wattage components.To illuminate the back-
consumed).This establishes the num- splash, we mounted the track, cable,
ber and wattage of the transformer(s) lampholders, and lights on the back
you need. Select a transformer with of the face frames for the upper cab-
a wattage that’s greater than the total inets (Under-Cabinet Lighting). Note:
wattage consumed. For example, I Line the access holes with the clear
used a 300-watt transformer for the plastic sleeves (supplied) to avoid
21 under-cabinet, 10-watt lights and abrasion to the low-voltage wire.
a 60-watt transformer for the eight DISPLAY LIGHTING. To high- { To draw attention to the homeowners’ collection
display cabinet lights (5 watts each). light the dinnerware in the glass of festive-colored dinnerware, we also installed
One last note about transform- display cabinets, I mounted two low-voltage lights inside the display cabinet.
ers.There are two types. One plugs tracks vertically behind the face
into a wall outlet; the other is “hard-
wired” into an electrical circuit.To
frames (Display Cabinet Detail).The
three lights in each track illuminate
lighting components 110-volt/12-volt
Snap-in Transformer
simplify the installation I used the the cabinet nicely, even with the 110-volt
Lampholder
plug-in type for both transformers. solid wood shelves. Wire Leads
Plastic Track

low-voltage planning guide

Light Spacing and Wattage
Application Lampholder Spacing Light Wattage 12-volt
Under Cabinet 6" 10W Xenon Light Wire Leads
Inside Cabinet 6" 5W Low-Voltage Wire
Light Performance
Rated Light Actual Wattage Rated Approx. Lumens { The components of the low-voltage lighting system
Wattage Consumed Light Life per Light
5 4.0 16,000 33
we used are available from the source listed below.
10 8.4 12,000 83 Use the Guide (at left) to plan your installation.

buyer's guide BACKYARD RETREAT

Appliances Low-Voltage Lighting Sink

KitchenAid Ambiance Linear Kohler
Dishwasher (KUDS01FKPA) 800-347-5483 K-3352 Stainless Sink
Cooktop (KECC508GBT) [email protected] 800-456-4537
Vent (KWVU205YBA) www.us.kohler.com
Oven (KEBC107KSS)
Refrigerator (KTRC22EKSS)
Epoxy Grout Faucet
Laticrete Delta 470-SS Single Handle
800-422-1230 651-264-5150 Pull-out Signature™ Series
www.kitchenaid.com www.laticrete.com www.deltafaucet.com

WO R K B E N C H ■ A P R I L 2 0 0 3 37