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Bruce Johnson shows how to transform standard, flat-panel cabinets to ornate, expensive-looking ones simply by adding wood molding and some stain.
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Q: Can I add moldings to stock cabinets to dress them up? Can you show me how?A: (from DIY woodworking and refinishing expert Bruce Johnson) One of the secrets of the cabinet industry is that what appears to be a fancy cabinet is nothing more than a plain cabinet with molding attached. You can achieve the same effect yourself, creating your own custom cabinets at a fraction of the dealer's cost. Here's how. Materials: Stock cabinets
Molding
Table saw
Miter-gauge or miter-jig
Air-nailer or hammer
Brad nails
Wood stain
Tape measure
- In your home center, probably just a couple of aisles over from the selection of kitchen cabinets, you'll find pre-made wood molding and trim in a variety of patterns. Moldings that you may want to attach to the top of your cabinet doors include those with a colonial look (figure A) or one described as the "Greek key" look (figure B). There's also the option of using the more familiar crown-molding to create a 45-degree-angle between the top of your cabinets and the ceiling.
For the front of the door, you can also look for pre-made trim pieces to dress up the appearance. These also come in a variety of designs such as Greek-key or leaf effects (figures C and D).
To install trim to the front of the door, first decide how far in you want the strips to be from the edges of the door. Measure and mark the distance (figure E). We opted for placing the strips 2 inches in from the edge.Once you've determined that parameter, measure and determine the lengths of pieces you'll need.You'll need to make accurate 45-degree cuts on the ends of the pieces to create perfect miters. The best way to do this is with a table saw and miter-jig or miter-sled (figure F).
Lay out the four pieces according to your design, make sure the miter-joints are tight, and secure the strips using brad nails. You could use a hammer and nails, but a pneumatic air-nailer will make the job go faster (figure G). It only takes a few nails to hold the pieces on.Once you've attached the trim or molding, you can apply a stain of your choice. We opted for a cherry stain on our birch cabinet (figure H). We protected the cabinets with a polyurethane finish.
Note: If you want to achieve a two-tone effect with two separate stains, you could use one stain on the molding before you install it, and a different, contrasting stain on the cabinets themselves.
RESOURCES :
The Wood Finisher: How to Finish Everything, From Decks to Floors to Doors
Author: Bruce Johnson
ISBN: 0345372972
Ballantine Books
The Weekend Refinisher:
How to Make the Most of Your Furniture-A Step-by-Step Guide
Author: Bruce E. Johnson
Publisher: Ballantine Books
ISBN: 034535866X
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