Joining Cabinets Through the Face Frame
This video shows how cabinets are clamped and screwed together through the face frame
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This video shows how cabinets are clamped and screwed together through the face frame
Could you provide a brand name for the screws you use to join cabinet face frames. Can’t seem to locate these at either lowes or home depot
The screws we used in that install are no longer sold by Lowes. We suggest the GRK brand of screws at Lowes as we now have great success with them. But, the screw you chooses is really up to you. Lots of other screws are out there and every cabinet installer has their ‘favorite’. An associate at Lowes can guide you on the best screw for your purpose or you can buy them online through our tools and supplies page https://www.cabinetjoint.com/shop-tools-hardware-test/ or elsewhere.
Do I install spacers between my cabinets in the back in the top and in the bottom
Hey Spencer, thanks for your question. We suggest you speak with your cabinet manufacturer about this as the answer may vary depending upon the cabinet brand/manufacturer. If you purchased your job through us, please contact your sales rep and they can help you with any installation questions you may have. Have a great day!!
I once installed kitchen cabinets and was sure to secure the face frames for uppers and lowers. I installed crown moulding on the uppers and of course countertops on the lowers. I am now installing upper cabinets in my laundry room with no plans to install crown. Do I still need to secure the face frames to to adjacent cabinets? Does this offer any benefits other than aesthetics? Thanks!
Yes, if you do not screw through the face frame to join cabinets together, the space between them can “grow” as wood movement occurs (humidity, etc). Plus, by joining the face frames, you are essentially spreading the strength of the install screws going into the wall across a run of cabinets vs just one. By joining the frames, you make for a much stronger run of cabinets. We would never suggest leaving out this important step.
Thank you for the speedy reply. I will be securing the face frames!
Should I secure the cabinets to the wall before I join the face frames together? Thanks!
Place the cabinet on the wall (use a ledger board or have a helper handy) and line up/clamp the face frames. Secure with screws. THEN install the screws to the wall, using shims as necessary.
What do you think about a pocket screw from inside the box to hide the fastener?
The prevailing method is to screw through the frame as you are pulling them together whereas a pocket screw (at an angle) would pull the cabinets out of alignment as the pocket screw will try to pull the adjacent cabinet “backward” as it also tightens. I have never seen any other method than face frame to face frame connection (some people counter sink the screws and putty the holes with matching fill or they hide the screws behind the hinge bracket).
Can you install a run of three upper cabinets as a single unit if joined together before hand.
You sure can, make sure they are well connected at the face frame and at the cabinet sides (top/bottom). If you don’t have the cabinets connected well, they can split apart at the face frame due to the stress of the weight (true of any framed cabinets, not just ours). Be sure to have many hands holding the cabinets as you install as they can be unwieldy to handle
If full MDF (Conestoga) doors are on the cabinets (face frame), can they be unscrewed from the face frame for installation and screwed back on after? Will the MDF hold the rescrewing?
Hey Jonathan, thanks for your question. Full MDF doors can be handled very similarly to solid wood doors. There’s no additional risk of screws stripping from this material – if necessary, you would fill/repair the screw hole the same as you would on solid wood doors. Have a great day!
Do you still join face frame to face frame on inset drawers and doors? And will the hole be visible when opening the drawes?
Hey Chris, thanks for your question. Yes, you still join the face frames to each other at installation. And technically yes, they hole may be visible, however there is such a small gap on the sides of drawer boxes that it wouldn’t be visible. As well, for door openings, you may be able to put the joining screws on the hinge side making them much less visible. If you have any additional questions, feel free to reach out to your Cabinet Coach for a more timely response – thanks!