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1,497 and counting - DogwoodTales - 07-21-2025
That is the minimum number of parts going into my kitchen remodel project.
That includes-
all plywood parts for the cabinet boxes
all hardwood parts for the face frames, doors, and drawers
all drawer slides
all concealed hinges
the two 5x12 sections of laminate for the countertops
and the sink and faucet
does not include the shelf pins, screws, dowels, or loose tenons.
On the surface that minimum count feels a bit overwhelming, but it's mostly just a bunch of rinse and repeat until it's all done and installed.
As the old adage goes - how do you eat an elephant?
RE: 1,497 and counting - jteneyck - 07-21-2025
It's a daunting task to build a kitchen. One complete and a couple of overhauls were enough to scratch that itch for me. Just the thought of moving all those sheet goods and parts cut from them, multiple times, makes my back hurt. Good luck.
John
RE: 1,497 and counting - fredhargis - 07-21-2025
I'm so slow I figured my wife wouldn't want to wait for me to build the cabinets, so we hired it out. It's not only a lot of work, but without gobs of space it can get to be a logistics headache. That said, I'm looking forward to pics of what you've done.
RE: 1,497 and counting - DogwoodTales - 07-21-2025
I did a kitchen remodel at my previous house and overall the project was half the size of what I’m doing now.
After that time I said ‘never again’ … but then we decided to move to Dearborn County IN and the old kitchen here was probably older than me. I don’t have the funds to contract this out or even buy custom cabinets precisely the way I want them so here I am doing this again.
Previously I had to build the kitchen in multiple phases due to serious space constraints of a basement level one car garage. Fortunately this time this property came with a 40x56 pole barn with a concrete floor so I will be able to make and finish all of the cabinets in one go and install them all at once. The only second phase will be the countertops. We decided on a quality Formica countertop instead of expensive granite or quartz. So I will install the new cabinets and then measure for and build the countertops to fit. My plans are detailed enough that I could build them along with the cabinets, but it would be a frustrating experience if there’s a surprise I didn’t think of for the countertops so it’s worth doing them in a second phase. Fortunately, unlike the previous house, the corners are almost perfectly square so hopefully the countertop build will go without a hitch ?
A nice plus is that most/all of the hickory for the faces, doors, and drawers will come from a hickory tree that I cut down on this property and had kiln dried at Wilhelm Lumber in St Leon IN. I’ll post something separate regarding that part later.
RE: 1,497 and counting - fredhargis - 07-21-2025
We did the current kitchen about 6 years ago and I tried my best to sway the countertop decision to HPL. They really do some nice stuff with that, much nicer than, say, 30 years ago. I lost, someone in the house seemed to believe that only quartz or granite (or solid surface) is worth having. Meanwhile all the other other countertops in the house (utility room, baths, etc. ) are HPL
RE: 1,497 and counting - Arlin Eastman - 07-21-2025
(07-21-2025, 09:37 AM)jteneyck Wrote: It's a daunting task to build a kitchen. One complete and a couple of overhauls were enough to scratch that itch for me. Just the thought of moving all those sheet goods and parts cut from them, multiple times, makes my back hurt. Good luck.
John
^^^^^^
What John said Good luck. Now all that has to happen in the end is to pass inspection of your wife.
RE: 1,497 and counting - Cabinet Monkey - 07-28-2025
Did you consider ordering the carcasses and just making the fronts yourself ?
Did you also consider frameless instead of framed cabinetry to make things easier , less costly and more efficient ?
Ordering drawer boxes is also a good way to make things easier.
RE: 1,497 and counting - jteneyck - 07-28-2025
(07-28-2025, 11:41 AM)Cabinet Monkey Wrote: Did you consider ordering the carcasses and just making the fronts yourself ?
Did you also consider frameless instead of framed cabinetry to make things easier , less costly and more efficient ?
Ordering drawer boxes is also a good way to make things easier.
Yes, yes, and yes! I convinced my friend to buy KD Euro cabinets and build the doors and drawer fronts. The cabinets went in fast and easy, but it still took him nearly two years to finish. The cabinets had all the drawers, slides, door hinges, etc, everything needed.
John
RE: 1,497 and counting - Cabinet Monkey - 07-28-2025
(07-28-2025, 01:03 PM)jteneyck Wrote: Yes, yes, and yes! I convinced my friend to buy KD Euro cabinets and build the doors and drawer fronts. The cabinets went in fast and easy, but it still took him nearly two years to finish. The cabinets had all the drawers, slides, door hinges, etc, everything needed.
John
Wonder if Dogwood consider the same ?
RE: 1,497 and counting - DogwoodTales - 07-30-2025
(07-28-2025, 11:33 PM)Cabinet Monkey Wrote: Wonder if Dogwood consider the same ?
The thought did cross my mind, but I wouldn't consider it because I like to make my own cabinets in a way that maximizes the available space to how we're going to use it and I'm sure that having cabinets of my design made by another shop is only going to cost me more money. Money that I can use for other things and I'm good with taking the time to do this. I was just amazed at how the parts count adds up.
Too many times I've had or seen cabinets that were just not quite right for how the space was being used, or could have been used. Too much dead space, not made with that extra inch or two of space that would have made a big difference in utility, etc.
Plus it's not just about making functional cabinets. I like to be directly involved in selecting grain patterns etc. and where that's going to go in the project. That's not something easily achieved by contracting out the work.
Plus about 80% or more of the face frames, doors, and drawer faces are being made from the hickory tree that I felled on this same property this past spring. I had it milled by a sawyer with a portable mill and I then immediately hauled it to Wilhelm Lumber who dried it for me.
My previous kitchen remodel I'm sure was quite a lot of parts, even at half the number of cabinets. But I didn't count the parts or the time. I had a 1-car garage shop with a 7' ceiling, so I had to make and install the cabinets in stages. What a pita, but I got through it.
My daughter happened to be given a personal tour by the new owners of my previous house and they spoke very highly of the kitchen as being "very beautiful" and "very well thought out".
That's amongst the best compliments I have ever received for my woodworking.
Another one was when I restored someone's chair/stool. It was in really bad shape. After restoring it my wife took it back to the owner and she literally cried upon seeing it for the first time restored. (It must have had some strong sentimental value to her.) After confirming with my wife that the crying was a good thing (lol) I will take that as the best compliment of my woodworking ever.