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1921 Craftsman-Style Bungalow: Butler's Pantry Restoration A built-in pantry cabinet gets a makeover with new doors and drawers. From "Restoration Realities" episode DRTR-202

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Following are the basic steps followed to create replacement doors for the pantry.The original cabinet doors were flush-style and were made from solid wood (i.e., with wood panels mounted in the frame). For this restoration, the three middle doors are reconstructed with glass panes.

The project house: Early 1920s Craftsman style.

Chris assists Joel in recreating period-correct glass-pane door panels.

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	Figure A
	Figure B

Making New Cabinet Doors

• Measure each door opening (figure A).

• Check to see if the cabinet openings are square or not. If they are out of square, the cabinet may be able to be tweaked back into square.
  If not, make the door parts 1/8" oversize so that the doors can be cut to fit the out-of-square openings.

• Measure the existing doors (figure B) including the rail dimensions (top and bottom boards of the door frame) and the stile dimensions (the side boards of the door frame).
  

  	Figure C
  	Figure D
  	Figure E

• To cut the selected wood to the sizes needed for the door frame, begin by ripping down wood stock to the appropriate widths for rails and for the stiles of the cabinet doors. For the glass doors, rip down an additional width of wood stock to approximately 7/8" wide. This will be used to make muntin bars to be placed in the center of the glass doors (i.e., the three middle doors).

• To shape the inside edge of the rails and stiles, first prepare a router table with a rail-and-stile set (male and female) router bits. Using the male bit of the router set, make the first cutting pass on one edge of each ripped board (figures C and D). This will create the identical details for all the parts (rails and stiles) on the doors.

• Alternately, this same shape could be created with two passes of a beading bit and--with the board on edge--a veining bit to cut the slot for the door panel (figure E).

• To cut the door parts to proper dimensions for each door, first cut all the door stiles (side pieces) to the length required for height of the door. Then cut all the door rails to the length required for the width of the door. Subtract the surface width between the outside edge of the stile and the start of the bead-shaped detail. Then subtract that from the overall door width to get the length of the rail boards.
  

• Set up the reverse profile bit in router table (figure F) -- i.e., the female bit of the rail and stile bit set -- to cut the joint shape onto the ends of each rail board. Using router table's miter gauge, push a rail board through the profile bit at a 90-degree angle to cut the shape on the end of the rail. Repeat on both ends for each rail to create the joint (figure G). Repeat the same process on the muntin bars as well.

  Figure F

  Figure G

  
  

  Figure H

• To create the door panels, begin by temporarily assembling each of the cabinet doors on a flat surface. Measure the distance between the inset of the beaded shape on both the top and the bottom of the doors. This will determine the panel width and height. Cut the 1/4" plywood panel to fit into the center of each of panel-style door.

• To create the muntin bars for the glass doors, take the ripped 7/8" board stock and make two passes with a beading bit on one edge as above (figure H). Then use a rabbeting bit to cut a notch along the length of each muntin for the placement of glass panes. Use the rabbeting bit or a table saw to remove the beaded shape off the back side of each rail and stile board dedicated to the glass doors. Sand the cut as needed.
  

  	Figure I
  	Figure J

• Begin by applying glue to each of the joints, where the rails meet the stiles (figure I).

• Avoid glue in the panel groove, so the panel can "float" within the door frame.

• Assemble one rail (top or bottom) to the door stile boards.

• Insert the door panel into the groove (figure J).

• Insert the other rail between the stiles and onto the door panel (figure K).

• Clamp the stiles to the rails using bar clamps – two on top and two on the bottom to prevent the stiles from bending.
  

  Figure K

• Select the rails and stiles from which the back, beaded shape has been removed.

• Glue and assemble the rails and stiles as above, but without door panels.

• Cut the longest muntin bar (typically the vertical, center piece) to fit the assembled glass door frame (figure L).

• Use a little glue and a micro-nailer to secure in place.

  Note: A micro-nailer works essentially like a pneumatic brad-nailer, but uses tiny nails, barely larger than a straight pin, to secure delicate pieces.
  

• Cut the shorter two remaining muntin bars (the horizontal ones) to fit between the longer muntin bar and the assemble frame.

• Use a little glue and a micro-nailer to secure the two shorter muntins in place (figure M).

  Figure L

  Figure M

  
  

• To finish off the assembled doors, first sand each of the assembled door frames in preparation for a coat of primer. Prime each door and lightly sand with a fine grit paper in preparation for the finish coat. Apply an enamel finish coat of paint to the door frames (figure N).

• To install the glass in the glass doors, determine the size of the glass panes required for the glass doors. Cut the glass to size (or have it cut) to size. After the finish coat of paint is dry, place the glass panes into each door panel (figure O).

  Figure N

  Figure O

  
  

• Use a thin wooden glass bead molding and cut it at 45 degree angles to fit the door/muntin openings (figure P). Use a micro nail gun to glass bead molding into place. Sand each of the door stiles, and prepare them for a coat of primer. Prime and sand for finish coat.

• To hang each cabinet door, first determine the existing hinge locations, and transfer those to the doors. Chisel a mortise into the doors for the hinges Install the hinges to the door. Attach the hinges with doors to the cabinet (figure Q).

  Figure P

  Figure Q

  
  
  
  

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  RELATED PROJECTS: DIY Basics: Pantry Redo Charlotte, NC: Craftsman Bungalow -- Repointing Mortar Charlotte, NC: Craftsman Bungalow -- Door Repair and Period Hardware Installation 1913 Craftsman-Style Cottage: Old-Windows Restoration

  
  

  ALSO IN THIS EPISODE:
  	1921 Craftsman-Style Bungalow: Butler's Pantry Restoration
  	WEB EXTRA: More Information on Craftsman Style Homes
  	WEB EXTRA: More on Cutting Dados