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CHAPTER 1 Introduction to Cabinetmaking Objectives on chairs and sleep on beds supported by wooden frames. We select goods from store fixtures, work After studying this chapter, you should beableto: at desks, prepare food on counters, and pull books • Identify the needs and desires for cabinets in from shelves. All of these storage areas, work sur- everyday living. faces, and decorative products might be made from • Discuss the importance of function and form wood, Figure 1-1. for furniture and cabinetry. Every product you see is the result of a need that • Explain the decision-making process for an individual set out to meet. Ideas first put on paper cabinetry production. later became a design that had to be developed. Decisions were made. Problems, such as acquiring • Describe the production process and use of materials and operating tools or machines, were technology as a tool to manage production. solved. Processes for cutting, shaping, assembling, and finishing were chosen to bring the design idea Technical Terms to reality. Cabinetmaking is both an art and a science. You architectural woodwork function can seethe artistic and creative talents of the cabinet- Architectural material decisions maker in subtle curves, precise joints, suitable color- Woodwork Institute organizing ing, and flawless finish of a product. This text covers (AWI) planning the decision-making practices for producing fine Architectural cabinetry, furniture, and architectural woodwork, post-processing Woodwork including doors, trim, and wall, floor, and ceiling Manufacturers preprocessing treatments. The topics focus on the methods, mate- Association of processing rials, and machines used to create these products. Canada (AWMAC) production decisions This chapter presents an overview of cabinetmak- ing and identifies the relationships between various combining quality steps, including design, materials, production, and computer numerically ready-to-assemble (RTA) management. controlled (CNC) separating controlling quality tooling design decisions 1.1 Design Decisions veneer form Woodwork Institute Consider yourself a designer. Your responsibil- forming (WI) ity is to help people choose furniture and cabinets that meet their needs and desires, Figure 1-2. The designs you create might be original or influenced Throughout history, wood has been used to cre- by an existing style. ate many products. Even with the advent of plas- Design decisions are conclusions made about tics, wood continues to play an important role in the product design before work begins. Making our everyday lives. We store food, utensils, and decisions about a product’s size, shape, and over- personal belongings in or on wood cabinets. We sit all design while work is in process is very costly. Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. 3 / 4 Section 1 Industry Overview KraftMaid Cabinetry, Inc. Figure 1-1. Left—Wooden cabinetry in the home can be practical, functional, and beautiful. Right—Wood is used in cabinetry, on floors, and for other amenities, such as the range hood spice shelf, to personalize a kitchen. Without a documented plan of procedure, time and Needs and desires materials will likely be wasted. All design decisions are based on two factors: function and form. Consider these factors as you Design generate ideas for a product. decisions 1.1.1 Function and Form Function Form Function describes the purpose for having a cabinet or piece of furniture. Refer to the cabinets Ideas designed and manufactured for use in a dentist’s office in Figure 1-3 and Figure 1-4. A dentist must have many tools within reach of the patient. These Variables Standards cabinets provide storage for supplies and support for lighting, equipment, and trays. The sink cabinet pro- vides for cleanup and solid waste disposal, through Sketching the hole in the countertop. This represents efficient planning and production. Material Another example of function is a home library, considerations Figure 1-5. Adjustable shelving makes this shelv- Working ing unit flexible enough to display taller items. As a drawings designer, you must ensure that every product meets Goodheart-Willcox Publisher the needs and wants of the user. Figure 1-2. A series of decisions and considerations are Form is the appearance of the cabinet. What made during the design stage. will the piece look like? Is there a particular style Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. / Chapter 1 Introduction to Cabinetmaking 5 A B C Adec Figure 1-3. Cabinets for a dentist’s office. A—When closed, this base cabinet has an attractive appearance, yet provides access to frequently used latex gloves. B—Upper cabinet provides access to paper cups and towels through opening in the bottom and latex gloves through the door. C—A variation that provides glove access through the side. Adec Chuck Davis Cabinets Figure 1-4. Careful arrangement of cabinets and furniture Figure 1-5. Home library shelving displays the owner’s provides an attractive and efficient work facility for both collection of memorabilia. Low voltage lighting with the dentist and the assistant. dimmer switches adds to their enjoyment. Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. / 6 Section 1 Industry Overview you want to copy, such as French Provincial, Early American, or Scandinavian? The appearance of the product must fit with the surrounding furniture. Designers often say, “form follows function,” meaning the cabinetry must first serve a purpose. If the product is not functional, even careful styling will not make it useful. 1.1.2 Design Ideas Once the form and function of a product are considered, sketch your ideas. Use your sketches to document your thoughts and to compare alternate designs. Production cabinet shops often create their designs with a computer-aided design (CAD) sys- tem, Figure 1-6. 1.1.3 Design Variables Patrick A. Molzahn Figure 1-6. Computer-aided design systems help cabinet Products vary in size depending on their intended designers determine the size and layout of cabinetry. use. A trophy casewith 12″ (305mm) between shelves obviously will not hold a 14″ (356 mm) trophy. You must take into account the size of objects 3′ (1 m). Most metric units have been rounded off to be stored. Furthermore, there are human factors to whole units, such as meters or millimeters. Only to consider. For example, a child’s chair will have where more precise measuring is necessary, is a different dimensions than an adult’s chair. A table decimal point used. For example, 1″ is equivalent to or counter designed for a person in a wheelchair exactly 25.4 mm. must be a different height than standard cabinets Another measurement standard, the 32mm and furniture. System, applies to case construction and hardware installation. Holes are drilled 32 mm on center and 37 mm from the edge of the cabinet front. European 1.1.4 Design Standards hardware is designed to fit this system, making the Many types of cabinetry are designed and pro- hinge mounting plate, drawer slide, or fastener eas- duced based on standards. Kitchen cabinets are ier to install. one example. There are standards for countertop heights, distances between base and wall units, and unit sizes. Widths for mass produced cabinets Green Note are standardized in modules of 3″ (76 mm). Refer The practice of forestry has irreversibly dam- to Chapter 46 for a more detailed discussion of aged some of our forests. Several organizations measurement standards for kitchens. When mak- now exist to monitor and regulate every step of ing a custom cabinet, dimensions may be adjusted forestry in order to sustain forests. The Forest to meet the customer’s needs. Stewardship Council (FSC) is an organization Most of the world uses the International (SI) Met- that has created standards meant to lessen the ric System of measurement. Familiar units include environmental impact of practicing forestry. The millimeters, centimeters, grams, and liters. In the FSC certifies specific forests to be used to create United States, the standard system of measurement wood products and paper. is known as the US customary system. The US cus- tomary system developed from English units used in the British Empire before American indepen- dence. For cabinetmaking, feet and inches are used 1.1.5 Ready-to-Assemble (RTA) for measurement, ounces and pounds for weight, and fluid ounces and gallons for volume. Design In this text, the metric units are in parenthe- Another design concept is ready-to-assemble (RTA) sis. For example, you may encounter 1″ (25 mm) or cabinets and furniture. Ready-to-assemble (RTA) Copyright Goodheart-Willcox Co., Inc. / Chapter 1 Introduction to Cabinetmaking 7 products are purchased unassembled in a neatly meet the demand for furniture. They began replac- packaged carton and then assembled by the con- ing solid wood with newly introduced panel prod- sumer, using special RTA fasteners. The pack- ucts and plastic laminates. This decreased the cost aged cartons allow even large furniture items to per item, making their products affordable for the be moved through small doors and narrow stair- average consumer. However, because plywood, par- ways. The assembled product often looks no dif- ticleboard, and other panel products held nails and ferent than preassembled-and-finished furniture, screws poorly, manufacturers needed to design new Figure 1-7. assembly methods. This led to the introduction of Ready-to-assemble cabinets and furniture were frameless construction methods and RTA fasteners. developed after World War II, when Europe was RTA fasteners do not create a permanent joint. They faced with a severe shortage of home furnishings. are designed to connect and disconnect with ease. Large furniture companies rapidly appeared to These fasteners make assembly much easier and they hold with great strength in both solid wood and composite materials. RTA fasteners are discussed in greater detail in Chapter 20. With the introduction of RTA cabinets, European 5′-10″ manufacturers learned two important lessons about 3′-1″ consumers: • Becausemoving large furniture was so difficult, consumers appreciated being able to disassemble furniture and reassemble it in a new location.