BACKYARD RETREAT

Low-Cost, High-Impact

Kitchen Facelift
ometimes less is more. For example, this kitchen remodel was considerably less expensive, less time consuming, and required less demolition than many similar projects Ive seen. Even so, if you compare the beforephoto at left with the after photo above, I think youll agree that this relatively small-scale project made a big improvement in the appearance of this kitchen.

Save time and money by refacing not replacing your kitchen cabinets.

BEFORE
{ Although this kitchen was quite usable, the knotty pine cabinets, worn countertop, and old appliances all needed updating.

New Life for Old Cabinets One of the biggest improvements was to the kitchen cabinets.The original cabinets were quite functional,

and the overall layout worked well. Even so, the homeowners wanted to update them. So rather than tear out the old cabinets, we gave them a facelift instead. SHOP-MADE CLADDING. For starters, we refaced the existing cabinets by applying shop-made cladding. The ends of the cabinets are covered with 1/4"-thick cherry plywood. And we glued 1/4"-thick strips of solid cherry to the rails and stiles on the face frames. SOLID-WOOD DOORS.As for the cabinet doors, they needed attention, too. So we built new frame-and-panel, solid-wood doors.

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WO R K B E N C H F E B RU A RY 2 0 0 3

{ A built-in oven and stovetop is a major improvement over the old slide-in stove (see Before photo on page 18). We also installed a slide-out vent hood and built a message board to conceal the duct.

< A granite tile countertop, color-matched epoxy grout, and an under-counter stainless steel sink complete this elegant kitchen remodel. Making solid-wood panels for the doors takes more time than using plywood panels. But once the finish is applied, it results in a much more uniform color than using plywood. Solid wood also means that the panels look good both inside and out. DISPLAY DOORS. Speaking of looks, the homeowners had a special collection of colorful dishes they wanted to display.The solution was to convert two of the cabinets into display units by adding glass doors. Low-voltage lighting installed in the display cabinets highlights the dishes. The construction of the display doors is similar to the solid-wood doors. Here though, we fit a shop-made divider and a glass panel into the door frame.
WO R K B E N C H F E B RU A RY 2 0 0 3

DRAWERS.Another part of this cabinet facelift focused on the drawers. As it turned out, the existing drawers were sturdy and well-made, so it didnt make sense to build new ones. Instead, we cut each of the old drawer fronts free on the table saw. Then, after adding a new front for the drawer box itself, we installed a false front made of solid cherry. (For more information about this technique, see page 26.) FINISH. But theres more to this kitchen remodel than the cabinet facelift.The water, steam, and spills that are part of a kitchens everyday life demand a tough finish. To

accomplish that, I used a finishing process that included a stain covered with three coats of polyurethane. The rich, warm color you see is produced by a mixture of three parts Zar Cherry Stain and one part Wood-Kote Cherry Jeld Stain.The gel stain minimizes blotching that can sometimes occur with cherry. MORE IMPROVEMENTS. In addition to the cabinets, we also made several other improvements to make this kitchen as functional as it is attractive (see Photos above). For information about these products, refer to the Buyers Guide on page 28.

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cladding the cabinets

One of the appealing things about a kitchen facelift is theres no need to tear out the existing cabinets. By covering the old cabinets with cladding, you can make them look brand new. MATERIALS. I used two types of material for the cladding. The exposed end panels of the cabinets are covered with 1/4" cherry plywood (Construction View below). And I applied 1/4"-thick solid cherry to the face frames and toekick. So why not cover the face frames with veneer instead of solid stock? Two reasons. First, solid wood lays flat, so its easier to glue and clamp. Second, the joints can be sanded flush without worrying about sanding through the thin veneer. { TTThe face frames of the cabinets are clad with strips of solid wood that are glued and clamped in place. I used tape to "clamp" hard-to-reach areas. Cladding Detail Getting Started As with any project, there are a few preliminary things to take care of before you get started. First of all, youll need to remove all the cabinet doors, drawers, and trim. Once thats accomplished, check the outer stile (vertical frame piece) on the face frame of your cabinets. Sometimes in order to create a more finished appearance, the stile extends past the end of the cabinet, forming a small lip (Figs. 1 and 1a). If so, youll have to remove it. Otherwise, the plywood and the solid-wood cladding wont fit tightly together. ROUT THE LIP.An easy way to remove this lip is to use a router and a flush trim bit (Fig. 1).As you rout,

CONSTRUCTION VIEW

Existing Face Frame Existing Cabinet Rail Cladding

Existing Cabinet Stile cladding covers edge of plywood

End Panel

2d Finish Nail

3 5

1 End Panel (!/4" cherry plywood) NOTE: When cladding the cabinet, follow the sequence indicated by the circled numbers

Rail Cladding 2

Toekick Detail

Stile Cladding 4

End Panel
Cut notch to match toekick 2

Stile Cladding

Rail Cladding

3 6

Toekick Cladding

Rail Cladding Stile Cladding

NOTE: All rail, stile, and toekick cladding is !/4"-thick solid cherry Toekick Cladding

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WO R K B E N C H

F E B RU A RY 2 0 0 3

the bearing on the bit should ride against the end of the cabinet (Fig. 1a). This way the cutting edges of the bit will trim the overhanging lip flush with the end panel. Just a note about routing the lip on the upper cabinets. The base of the router wont allow you to rout the lip near the ceiling.To get around that, just pare off the lip near the ceiling with a chisel. CLEAN & SAND.After the lip is removed, clean all the surfaces that will be clad with a household degreaser. Then, to ensure a good glue bond, sand each surface with a random-orbit sander, using either 80- or 100-grit sandpaper. Time for the Cladding Now that the cabinets are prepared, you can concentrate on the cladding. END PANELS. As I mentioned, the ends of the cabinets are covered with 1/4" plywood panels. Each panel is cut to size to fit flush with the front of the existing face frame.Youll also need to cut a notch for the toekick,as shown in the Construction View. By the way, dont worry about the exposed front edge of the plywood. It will be concealed by the cladding on the face frame (Cladding Detail). The end panel is glued on with panel adhesive.Apply the adhesive to the cabinet and press the panel into place (Fig.2).Tack brads at the corners of the panel Flush to keep it from trim bit Cabinet shifting as the End adhesive cures.
Face Frame Remove lip
Face Frame

a.

FACE FRAMES.The next step is to add the thin, solid-wood cladding to the face frames. So where do you get thin wood? A quick and easy way is to make your own by resawing a thick board into two (or more) thin pieces (see Sidebar at right). When resawing, youll want to work with extra-long pieces that are ripped to final width. I ripped all the pieces to match the width of the rails and stiles on the face frames with one exception. To cover the edge of the 1/4" plywood end panels, I made the side stile near the exposed end of each cabinet 1/4" wider. Keeping those things in mind, go ahead and prepare the pieces for resawing. Plan on making a few extras to allow for mistakes. Then resaw the stock and plane the cladding to its final thickness (1/4"). At this point, its time to attach the cladding to the face frame. I used simple butt joints where the end of one strip meets the adjoining piece. So to produce tight-fitting joints, its important that each piece of cladding is accurately cut to length. To accomplish that, follow the sequence in the Construction View, cutting each piece of cladding to fit. As you glue on each piece (I used yellow glue), make sure the clamping pressure is evenly distributed across the cladding (Fig. 3). To get more reach, remove the clamp pad from the inner jaw (Fig. 3a). SAND FLUSH. After gluing on the cladding, sand the faces flush with each other. A random-orbit sander makes quick work of this.

RESAWING ON THE TABLE SAW

END VIEW
Rip fence Raise blade just above center

Resawing is cut#/8" #/4"-thick ting thin pieces of Stock wood from a thick piece of stock. (In C 1!/2" L effect, ripping on &/8" edge.) A quick way to do this is on the table saw. Before you get started though, there are two safety precautions that are a NLINE must. First, to reduce the Zero-Clearance chance of kickback, use a zeroTable Saw Inserts clearance insert with a splitter WorkbenchMagazine.com (see Photo above). Second, be sure to use a push block when making a cut. When resawing, set the rip fence so you end up with slightly thicker workpieces than needed. That way you can sand or plane pieces to final thickness. To avoid bogging down the saw, I use a two-pass method. Start with the blade raised just over half the width of the piece (End View). Then make two passes at this setting, fipping the piece over between passes. Note: Always keep the same face against the fence.

2d Finish nail

2
End Panel

3 a.
Remove rubber pad from clamp for better reach

Trim overhanging lip flush

FIRST:
Sand face frame and end of cabinet

Panel adhesive

Stile Cladding

Cabinet End

SECOND:
Attach end panel

Use masking tape to "clamp" outer edge of cladding

WO R K B E N C H F E B RU A RY 2 0 0 3

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building solid-wood doors

The cabinet doors for this kitchen facelift feature frame-and-panel, solid-wood construction. For ease of installation, I decided to make overlay doors, which means they lay on top of the face frames. The amount of overlay is 1/2" on all sides, so the doors are 1" wider and taller than the openings in the face frame. Build the Frames The first step in building the doors is to make the frames that surround the solid-wood panels. As you can see in the Door Assembly illustration below, each frame consists of three vertical stiles (two sides and a center stile) and two horizontal rails. Note: For narrow doors (less than 12" wide), I left out the center stile.
JOINERY. To simplify construction, the frames are assembled with stub tenon and groove joints. Both ends of each rail have a short tenon that fits into a groove in the stile (Rail & Stile Detail). And a tenon on each end of the center stile fits into grooves in the rails (Center Stile Detail). CONSTRUCTION. After taking the joinery into account, cut the rails and stiles to size from 3/4"-thick hardwood. Be sure to label each piece to avoid getting them mixed up. Also, mark the outside face to use as a reference when machining the parts. CUT GROOVES. Now youre ready to cut grooves in the rails and stiles. I mounted a 1/4" dado blade in the table saw to do this (Fig. 4). For consistent results, run the outside face of each piece against the fence.

{ ThTo glue up a perfectly flat door, clamp a straight scrap of wood across each end. Use wax paper to avoid gluing the scrap to the door.

Rail & Stile Detail

!/4" !/2" Side Stile 2"

DOOR ASSEMBLY
Stiles ands rails are assembled with stub tenon and groove joints

Top Rail (#/4" x 2")

Top Rail Cut !/4"-wide groove, !/2" deep centered on inside edge

Center Stile Detail

1!/2" !/2" !/2" !/4" Cut !/4"-wide grooves, !/2" deep in both d 2" Center Stile

Pull

Door Stile (#/4" x 2") NOTE: Make door panels by edge gluing !/2"-thick hardwood 35mm Hole, !/2" deep

Door Panel Door Panel (!/2" x custom width and length)

Height and width of finished doors is 1" larger than door opening

Door Panel Detail

Door Frame

NOTE: All rails and stiles are custom lengths

Front of Door Tongue

Door Stile (#/4" x 2") Rabbet forms a tongue that fits into groove

#/4" #/4" -wide Rabbet, !/4" deep Door Panel !/2"

110-!/2" Overlay self-closing hinge Bottom Rail (#/4" x 2")

Center Stile (#/4" x 2")

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WO R K B E N C H F E B RU A RY 2 0 0 3

TIME FOR TENONS. The next step is to cut stub (short) tenons to fit the grooves.The tenons are 1/2" long. So here again, I used a dado blade, setting it up to cut roughly 5/ " wide. To ensure consistent8 length tenons, use an auxiliary fence as a stop and bury part of the blade in the fence (Figs. 5 and 5a). A handy way to establish the thickness of the tenons is to use one of the grooved pieces as a gauge for setting the blade height (Fig. 5b). Check the setup by making test cuts. Then cut tenons in the actual workpieces, using the miter gauge to guide each piece through the blade. Making two passes, one on each side, should result in a tenon that fits snug.

4
Door Rails and Stiles !/4" Dado blade

5
Auxiliary rip fence %/8" Dado blade Miter gauge fence

Cut a !/4"-wide groove !/2" deep, centered on edge

Door Rails and Center Stile

Auxiliary fence

a.
Set height of dado blade to match groove

b.

Solid-Wood Panels With the door frames complete, its time to start on the solid-wood panels. Instead of going with a traditional raised-panel look, I wanted the door panels to be flat on the outside for a clean, simple look (Door Panel Detail). GLUE UP PANELS. The door panels are made by edge-gluing 1/2"thick cherry. Its best to start with panels that are about 2" larger than you need in length and width, then trim them to size after the glue-up. To determine the final size of the panels, dry assemble the frames, measure the openings, and then add 7/ ". Thats 1/ " less than the com8 8
#/4" Fence !/4" !/2"

a. 6

bined depth of the grooves. When the door is assembled, this will allow the panel to expand and contract with changes in humidity. TONGUES. If you look at the Door Assembly illustration again, you can see theres a tongue on all four edges of the door panel that fits into the grooves in the frame pieces.The tongue is formed by cutting a rabbet in the back of the door panel. To cut the rabbet, I used a twostep process on the table saw. First, with the panel lying flat,cut four shallow, crisscross kerfs (Figs. 6 and 6a). Second, stand the panel on edge and run it against a tall auxiliary fence to remove the remaining waste material, leaving a 1/4"-thick tongue (Fig. 7). After sanding the tongues smooth, dry-clamp the doors to check for final fit before glue-up. If you plan to stain the doors, now is a good time to do it.This way, if the panel shrinks a bit, it wont expose unstained wood.

!/2"

FINAL ASSEMBLY.When assembling the doors, keep in mind that only the rails and stiles are glued together the panels should float in the frames to allow for wood movement. Also, be sure the door is square and flat while the glue dries (see Photo on page 22). MOUNT DOORS. After removing the clamps and sanding the doors smooth, the next step is to drill two large holes in the back of each door to hold the hinges (Fig. 8). This requires a 35mm drill bit thats designed for just this purpose. Finally, after staining and finishing the doors, I installed the hinges and mounted the doors to the cabinets, using the alignment tip shown in the margin.

{ ThTo ensure that all the doors align, set each one on an L-shaped block thats clamped to the face frame. Then screw the hinges to the cabinet.

7
Tall auxiliary fence
Drill a 35mm hole, !/2" deep for hinge Fence !#/16"

Table saw #/4"

#/4"
Door Panel

Door Panel #/4"

FIRST:
Cut saw kerfs in panel (Fig. a)
3!/2"

Featherboard Raise saw blade #/4" above table

Stop block Door (facedown)

SECOND:
Trim waste (Fig. 7)

WO R K B E N C H F E B RU A RY 2 0 0 3

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display doors & dividers

As an option, you may want to make glass display doors for your kitchen cabinets. By installing a wood divider and a piece of glass in the door frame, its easy to convert a kitchen cabinet into an elegant display case (Photo at left). Frame First The frame for the display doors is similar to the other doors. Its an overlay door thats 1" larger than the cabinet opening. Here again, its assembled with stub tenon and groove joints (Display Door Assembly). Of course, the thing thats different about this frame is its assembled without a solid-wood panel.Whats not so obvious is how the wood divider and the glass fit into the grooves in the frame.The answer is, they dont. Let me explain. In order to insert the divider and the glass in the frame, the back lip of the groove must be removed. This forms a large rabbet in the back of the door frame that holds the divider and glass (Door Frame Detail). RABBET THE BACK. An easy way to trim off the back lip is to lay the frame face down on a bench and use a hand-held router with a rabbet bit (Rabbet Detail). Just a word of caution here.The lip is fairly thin, which could cause it to split as youre routing.To avoid that, make a couple of light passes, routing from left to right. Then, with the bearing riding against the lower lip, make a full-depth cut. The bit will leave rounded corners, which are easily squared up with a chisel.This is also a good time to drill holes for the hinge cups, using the same method shown on page 23.

{ This easy-to-build, elegant display door is made using simple techniques that can be applied to any kitchen remodeling project.

Door Frame Detail

DISPLAY DOOR ASSEMBLY

NOTE: Arrange muntins to form four square openings

a.
Door Frame Silicone sealant
Door Frame Rabbet to fit recess in back of door frame

Divider
Divider

2" Top Rail (#/4" x 2") Stiles and rails are assembled with stub tenon and groove joints (see page 22) Door Stile (#/4" x 2") 2"

Glass Divider Rabbet all four edges of divider

Rabbet Detail

STEP 1:
Assemble door frame without center panel

Rout a !/2"-wide rabbet, !/2" deep Double-strength glass (cut to fit inside rabbet in door frame) 110-!/2" Overlay self-closing hinge 35mm Hole, !/2" deep

STEP 2:
Rout a rabbet around back side of door (see Rabbet Detail)

Assembled Door Frame Remove back lip of groove to form a rabbet

a.
24

Bottom Rail (#/4" x 2")

WO R K B E N C H F E B RU A RY 2 0 0 3

Simple Division Once the frame is complete, the next step is to build the wood divider that creates what appears to be the individual panes of glass.The divider is made up of narrow strips of hardwood that are assembled with halflap joints (Divider Assembly). SUB-FRAME & MUNTINS. As you can see, the divider consists of a rectangular sub-frame and several individual muntins (a fancy word for window dividers). All of the pieces for the sub-frame and muntins are made from 3/8"-thick hardwood. Although their thickness is identical, the width of these pieces is different.The rails and stiles of the subframe are 1" wide while the muntins are only 1/2" wide. To understand the reason for the different widths, take a look at the Door Frame Detail on page 24. Notice that the divider is rabbeted to fit into the rabbet in the back of the door frame.This accomplishes two things. First, it positions the divider closer to the front face of the door frame. Second, since the wider pieces of the sub-frame are partially concealed behind the door frame, they will ultimately appear to be the same width as the muntins (1/2"). CONSTRUCTION. Once you understand how the divider goes together, construction should go fairly quickly. Start by planing the stock for the rails, stiles, and muntins to thickness. Then simply rip the pieces to width on the table saw. To determine the length of these pieces, measure the shoulder-toshoulder distance of the rabbets in the back of the door frame. Then cut the rails and stiles of the subframe and the long vertical and horizontal muntins to match.As for the short muntins, I wanted them to form four square openings at the top of the divider, so I cut them to length accordingly (Display Door Assembly). HALF-LAPS. Once the pieces are cut to length, you can lay out and cut the half-laps.To get consistent results, I used a simple jig that attaches to the miter gauge on the table saw. (For more on this, see page 60.)

ASSEMBLY. Now its just a matter of gluing and clamping the divider together, as shown in Steps 1 and 2 in the Divider Assembly below. CUT RABBET.After sanding the divider smooth, its time to cut the rabbet in the front face of the divider that I mentioned earlier. Here again, a handheld router with a rabbet bit makes quick work of this task (Figs. 9 and 9a). FINAL DETAILS. At this point, youre almost ready to install the divider in the door frame. But first, youll need to have a piece of glass cut to fit into the rabbeted opening in the back of the frame. (I bought double-strength glass.) To allow for wood movement, it should be 1/8" smaller in length and width than the opening in the door frame. To install the glass, lay the door frame face down on a padded surface. Then fit the divider and glass into the rabbet. To hold them in

place, apply a small bead of clear silicone sealant around all four edges (Door Frame Detail). Be sure that the sealant is forced down into the small gap between the edge of the glass and the door frame. Let the door and glass sit until the sealant cures fully, usually at least 24 hours.

9
Rout a rabbet in front face of divider

Divider

a.
!/8"

!/2" Rabbet bit

DIVIDER ASSEMBLY STEP 1

Assemble sub-frame
!/2" -wide Half-laps, #/16" deep 1" Sub-Frame Top Rail (#/8" x 1") 1" !/2" -wide Half-lap, #/16" deep

Divider

!/2"

STEP 2
Glue muntins to sub-frame
Muntins (#/8" x !/2")

!/2"

NOTE: Layout half-laps to form equal size openings in divider

1"-wide Half-laps, #/16" deep

!/2" -wide Half-laps, #/16" deep

Sub-Frame

Sub-Frame Stiles (#/8" x 1")

!/2"

Half-laps Sub-Frame Bottom Rail (#/8" x 1")

Muntin (#/8" x !/2") NOTE: For information on cutting half-laps, see page 60

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adding new drawer fronts

Building all new drawers for an entire kitchen can be expensive and time consuming. Fortunately, I didnt have to build new drawers I just reused the old drawers and installed new false fronts, as shown at left. The type of drawers you have determines how to replace the drawer fronts. Some drawers already have a separate false front mounted to the drawer box. In that case, just replace the old false fronts with new ones. But if the drawer front is an integral part of the box like mine, its a bit { TTTo align the false fronts, temporarily screw them to the drawers. Then simply open the drawer and install permanent screws.
Existing Drawer

more involved.The old drawer front has to be trimmed off and then replaced with a new one (Construction View below).Then a new false front is added to the drawer box. REMOVE FRONTS. To remove the old drawer fronts, start by taking off the slides and pulls.Then use the table saw to trim off the front, following the three-step process shown in the illustrations below. ADD NEW FRONT. The next step is to add the new drawer front. This is a piece of 1/2"-thick hard-

CONSTRUCTION VIEW
#8 x 1" Rh Woodscrew !/2" Clearance holes for machine screws %/32" Mounting hole

!/2" Drill !/4" holes, 1&/16" deep (see Photo on page 27) !/4" Dowels, 1!/2" long

Drawer pull machine screws

Remove existing drawer front (see Illustrations below) New Drawer Front (!/2"-thick, cut to fit)

!/8" Hole Drawer Pull

NOTE: Make false drawer fronts 1" larger than face frame opening

New False Drawer Front (#/4"-thick x custom width and length)

TRIMMING OFF DRAWER FRONTS STEP 1:

Trim drawer front flush with drawer sides

STEP 2:
Trim drawer front flush with ends of the drawer sides
Drawer Front

STEP 3:
Trim drawer bottom flush with ends of drawer sides
Rip fence

Drawer Side

Existing Drawer Front

Drawer Side Drawer Front

Miter gauge fence

Miter gauge fence

Drawer Front

Drawer Side

Drawer Side

Drawer Bottom

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WO R K B E N C H F E B RU A RY 2 0 0 3

wood cut to fit between the drawer sides. To make it easy to attach the false front later, drill a couple of mounting holes now.Then glue and clamp the front flush with the ends of the drawer sides. DOWELS.To strengthen the connection, I used 1/4" dowels to pin the joints.This requires drilling holes through the drawer sides into the front. To drill these holes quickly and accurately, I used the drill-press setup shown in the Photo at right. Notice that a fence and stop block are used to position the drawer. I also used four spacer blocks to index the location of the dowel holes. To accomplish this, set the drawer against the spacer blocks and drill the first hole.Then remove a spacer and drill the second hole. Continue like this until the box is against the fence and then drill the last hole. After drilling the holes, glue in the dowels. Theyll stand a bit proud at this point, so after the glue dries, just sand the ends smooth.

FINISH & INSTALLATION.

Drawer Side

Youll want to apply a finish on the ends of the dowels, as well as the drawer front. Then reattach the drawer slides and install the drawers. Adding the False Fronts All thats left to complete this kitchen facelift is to add the false fronts. Like the doors, the false fronts are made from 3/4"-thick hardwood. Here again, theyre 1" larger than the opening in the face frame. Design Note: If a drawer is directly above a door, its more important to match their widths since even a small difference is quite noticeable. ATTACH FALSE FRONTS.After cutting the false fronts to size, the final step is to attach them to the drawers.To ensure proper alignment, I used an old trick here. Start by drilling mounting holes for the drawer pulls in the false front. Then hold the false front in position and temporarily install screws through the mounting holes to

Use tape as depth stop

New Drawer Front Fence !/2"-thick Spacer Blocks Stop Block

attach it to the drawer (Photo on page 26). Next, open the drawer and screw it to the false front from the back. Now remove the temporary screws and drill the mounting holes for the pulls all the way through the drawer with an 1/8" bit. Finally, using the points where the tip of the bit breaks through as centerpoints, drill 1/ " clearance holes for the machine 2 screws used to mount the pulls.

{ TA set of 1/ "-thick 2 spacer blocks makes it easy to index the holes for the 1/ " dowels. 4

custom dishwasher panels

Side View Detail
Mounting Panel Spacer Pull Dishwasher Door NOTE: Glue drawer fronts and spacers together, and install drawer pulls before attaching to dishwasher Dishwasher Door Mounting Screws (supplied)

Drawer Face

Drawer Faces (#/4" x 6")

Upper Spacer (#/8" x 1") Metal Mounting Panel (supplied)

We chose a dishwasher for this project thats designed to accept a shop-made, front panel (a fully-integrated dishwasher). Most diswashers like this use a large plywood door panel. But to tie the kitchen together, I made a panel that appears to be a bank of four drawers. This panel starts out as four drawer faces made from 3/4"-thick hardwood (Illustration at right). To create a gap between the drawers, the faces are rabWO R K B E N C H F E B RU A RY 2 0 0 3

beted on the top and bottom edges to hold 3/8"-thick hardwood spacers. Note: To make the drawer spacing work out, I also added a spacer strip at the top to reach the top of the dishwasher door (Side View Detail). After gluing the spacers to the drawer faces to form the panel, its screwed to a metal mounting panel thats supplied with the dishwasher.

Drawer Spacers (#/8" x 1!/2")

Drawer Pull !/8" Mounting hole (drill !/2" counterbore, !/4" deep on back)

Cut !/2"-wide rabbets, #/8" deep Lower Drawer Face (#/4"-thick, height custom fit)

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BACKYARD RETREAT

buyer's guide
Appliances
KitchenAid Dishwasher (KUDS01FKPA) Cooktop (KECC508GBT) Vent (KWVU205YBA) Oven (KEBC107KSS) Refrigerator (KTRC22EKSS) www.KitchenAid.com

Handles & Pulls

Amerock Inspiration Series Drawer pulls (1592-WID) Door pulls (1583-WID) www.Amerock.com

Hinges
Blum Compact Series 33 1100 - 1/2" Overlay Self-Closing Hinges www.Blum.com

Coming Next Issue . . .

A. Accent Lighting > In the April 2003 issue of Workbench, well show you how to install low-voltage halogen lighting a simple way to create dramatic accents in your kitchen. B. Stainless Steel Sink > Also, be sure to check out our special technique for installing a stainless steel sink underneath a countertop. C. Granite Countertops >: At last a tile countertop that wont stain. Learn the secret as we install granite tile countertops. D. Built-In Appliances > A built-in oven, cooktop, and a vent hood that disappears is a combo thats sure to improve your kitchen.

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BACKYARD RETREAT

KITCHEN MAKEOVER
hortly after we completed this kitchen remodeling project, I asked the homeowners what they liked best about it. CABINET FACELIFT.At the top of their list were the kitchen cabinets. Instead of buying new cabinets, we refaced the existing cabinets by applying thin strips of cherry and then building new doors and drawer fronts. (To learn more about refacing cabinets, refer to the first part of this kitchen makeover in the February 2003 issue of Workbench.)

Yes, you can create your own custom kitchen just use the ideas in this second part of our kitchen makeover to cook up a plan of your own.

GRANITE COUNTERS. The new counters were high on their list, too. For these, we considered the usual materials plastic laminate, ceramic tile, and wood. But the homeowners wanted a more durable material. So we decided on an extremely hard material thats virtually impossible to scratch granite. Now, Im not talking about huge slabs of rock. Instead, to simplify the installation, the counters are made up of 12" x 12" granite tiles. As you can see in the Photo above, we used polished black granite tiles to contrast

with the cherry cabinets.A dark-colored grout makes the joint lines virtually disappear. Its a non-porous epoxy grout that wont stain or harbor bacteria just the ticket when youre baking or preparing meals. SLATE BACKSPLASH. In addition to the granite counter, we installed a backsplash made of slate. Here again, using tiles makes this an easy job. Notice the subtle contrast between these gray slate tiles and the granite counter.Also, a narrow band of black granite tiles creates a decorative accent in the backsplash.
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*Projects that appear in February 2003 Issue of Workbench

COST. All of this sounds great, but isnt it expensive? For the granite counter, slate backsplash, and all the grout supplies, we paid about $32.50 a linear foot. Its a bit pricey, but the results are definitely worth it. APPLIANCE UPGRADES. The homeowners also gave a thumbsup for all the new appliance upgrades. More to the point, it was how they improved both the function and style of the kitchen. Our part in this process was to incorporate these new upgrades into the overall design of the kitchen.
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Take the sink for instance. Its a stainless steel sink thats designed to be surface-mounted (with the rim on top of the counter). But to create a more streamlined appearance, we came up with a unique under-counter method of installing the sink. In addition, we replaced the old slide-out range with a built-in oven and an in-counter cooktop. Be sure to check out how the vent for the cooktop is disguised with an oldfashioned chalkboard.And theres a low-voltage lighting system thats literally a snap to install.

{ The first part of our kitchen makeover features plans on how to reface your existing cabinets. (See Feb. 2003 Workbench or Online Extras above.)

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great-looking

GRANITE COUNTERS
Besides the fact this granite counter provides a hard, durable worksurface, it looks great, too.And since its made with tiles, its a very do-able project. We used polished black granite tiles for the counter and gray slate tiles for the backsplash. (This type of tile is available at most tile supply stores.) A Solid Substrate A long-lasting counter depends on a solid substrate.To accomplish that, I used two layers of material for the substrate: 3/4" exterior plywood and 1/ " cementboard ( Construction View). 4 PLYWOOD.The kitchen cabinets are 24" deep, so I ripped full sheets of plywood in half and positioned them to create a 1/4" overhang (Counter Assembly).This leaves 1/4" gap at the wall,but its covered by cementboard. Also, to provide extra rigidity, locate any end joints in an area where theres room for a wood cleat underneath. After attaching the cleats with glue and screws, check that the plywood is level, shimming if necessary. Then fasten it from underneath with screws installed through corner blocks in the cabinets. With the plywood in place, now is the time to cut the openings for the sink and cooktop. CEMENTBOARD. To provide a stable base for the tiles, the next step is to add the cementboard. Notice that its flush with the front edge of the plywood.To add rigidity to the substrate, size the pieces so the joints are offset from the plywood joints. Here again, youll need to create openings for the sink and cooktop. To do this, set the cementboard in place and then mark the openings from underneath. If you plan to use our method for an undermount sink,off-

{ No need to hire a professional to install this upscale granite counter and slate backsplash. Using stone tiles makes it a do-it-yourself project.

CONSTRUCTION VIEW

Counter Corner Detail

Note: Set corner of first tile at intersection of layout lines

Counter

TOP VIEW

Lay out lines that align with front edges of the counter

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set the cementboard from the opening (see Sink Installation on page 32). To install the cementboard, apply thinset adhesive to the plywood.Then fasten it with cementboard screws, making sure the screw heads are slightly below the surface. Since we installed tile for the backsplash, I covered the wall with cementboard, too. Note: If you plan to install an undermount sink, do that now, before laying the granite tiles (see page 32). Tips for Tile Now its time to install the tiles.The key to success here is a careful layout and a dry-installation of all the tiles before spreading any adhesive. LAYOUT. To establish the location of the first tile,I marked two lines that extended along the front edge of each leg of the counter (Corner Detail). Set the first tile in place without any adhesive at the intersection of these lines.Then dry-fit the rest of the tiles, working your way out. The tiles around the openings for the sink and cooktop will need to be

cut to fit.A rented wet saw makes this an easy job.To produce a symmetrical appearance, I cut the tiles on each side of the opening to the same width (see page 32). I also sanded a bevel on the cut edge to create a finished appearance (page 80). INSTALL TILES. Once youre satisfied with how the tiles are fitting, the actual installation should go smoothly. Theyre glued on with a thinset adhesive for natural stone (I used a polyurethane blend).Working a few square feet at a time, apply the adhesive with a notched trowel, and then wiggle the tiles into place. BACKSPLASH.After the adhesive sets,you can turn your attention to the slate backsplash. It has a narrow band of granite accent tiles that are sandwiched between rows of slate tiles. For appearance, the tiles in the lower row are cut into quarters, and we installed full-size tiles above. Since the accent tiles attract a lot of attention, I wanted to be sure they were perfectly straight. So I screwed a temporary wood support to the

wall and used it to align the tiles (Backsplash Assembly).Also, to emphasize the accent tiles, I wanted them to sit proudof the surrounding slate tiles. To accomplish that, I screwed a 1/ " plywood filler strip to the wall 4 and then glued the tiles to it. Solid-Wood Edging After completing the tile installation, and before grouting, I added wood edging to the front of the counter. The edging is 11/2"-thick hardwood (cherry) thats ripped to a width of 11/2".To create a decorative profile, I routed the top and bottom edges (Profile Detail).Then I attached the edging with glue, screws, and wood plugs (Edging Detail). Finally, to provide a durable finish that resists wear and moisture, I brushed on three coats of polyurethane, sanding between each coat.

{ Use a metal straightedge for alignment as you dry assemble the tiles for the backsplash.

COUNTER ASSEMBLY

BACKSPLASH ASSEMBLY

Profile Detail

Edge Detail

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secrets to installing an

UNDERMOUNT SINK
Its easy to overlook the thing thats special about this sink a unique method of installation that ensures a permanent, watertight seal. But before I get to that, take a look at the photo at left.As you can see, the stainless steel sink is mounted underneath the counter, so the rim of the sink isnt visible. This produces a cleaner appearance than a surface-mounted sink (where the rim sits on top of the counter). Plus, it lets water run off the counter into the sink. Okay, but how do you prevent water from seeping under the granite tiles and damaging the counter? Thats where our special installation method comes in (Sink Rim Detail). Notice that the rim of the sink rests on a set of stainless steel leveling screws installed in the lip of the counter. (As you recall, this lip was formed earlier by setting the cementboard in from the sink opening.) A special sealant and adhesive (shown at left) totally encases the metal rim of the sink. The result is a permanent, absolutely waterproof installation. ADD LEVELING SCREWS. The first step is to install 10 leveling screws two near each corner of the sink opening and a single screw near the front and back edge (Sink Installation). The idea is to adjust the height of the screws so there will be a gap above and below the sink rim. By filling these gaps with the sealant, it will ensure a waterproof bond. To prevent the sink from rocking, its important that the leveling screws are the same height. An easy way to do that is to use a combination square as a gauge and then tweak the screws to the correct height (Detail a). INSTALL SINK.Now youre ready to install the sink. Since the sealant is kind of messy, start by taping all around the opening, leaving only the lip of the counter exposed. Next,apply a thick bead of sealant all around the lip and leveling screws.Then lower the sink into the opening so it rests on the screws.Add weight to hold it in place and then clean up any sealant that squeezes out. After letting the sealant cure at least 24 hours, go ahead and lay tiles around the sink, as shown below.Then caulk the gap between the tile and sink,using the same sealant as before.

{ An undermount stainless steel sink provides an attractive, yet extremely practical, installation.

{ This waterproof sealant and adhesive is available at many boat stores. Or, order it from West Marine: 800-262-8464

Faucet Detail

SINK INSTALLATION

Sink Rim Detail

a.

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the abcs of

EPOXY GROUT
We used a special epoxy grout on the granite tile counters in this kitchen. Unlike cement-based grouts, this type of grout wont stain, its easy to clean, and it doesnt harbor bacteria. The grout comes in a kit with three packages labeled A, B, and C (Epoxy Grout Supplies). The packages are mixed together to make a syrupy liquid about the consistency of honey. Because of this, the grout is a bit messy to work with. So be sure to mask the edging on the counter. Cover the sink with cardboard and tape the edges down. I also used tape to make a damacross the open-ended joints to keep grout from running out, (see Construction View on page 30). Before you get started, clean the tiles and joint lines. Also, be sure to allow enough time to complete the job (about six hours in my case).
MIXING. Now youre ready to mix the grout. Start by pouring the resin (Package A) and hardener (B) into a plastic bowl. To ensure that the ingredients are thoroughly mixed, use a flat stick to scrape the sides of the bowl. Then add the coloring agent (C), as shown in Figure 1 below. I used dark gray so the grout lines would be as inconspicuous as possible against the black granite. As soon as the grout is mixed,pour the entire batch out onto the tile.This will slow down the curing process, providing you more working time. APPLY GROUT. Next, spread the soupy mix around with a rubber grout float. Hold the float at a shallow angle (Fig. 2), pressing the grout down into the joints. Scrape off the excess grout into a plywood tray, as shown above. You can reuse the

grout. Also, set some aside in case some of the joints need a little extra. WATER CLEAN-UP. After allowing the grout to set up for about 30 minutes, clean the surface of the tiles with water and a nylon pad (Fig. 3).Then remove the excess water (Fig. 4), let the grout set up for at least three hours, and clean the tile lightly with soapy water.

{ Working diagonally across the joints, hold the float at a 90 angle and scrape off the excess grout.

epoxy grout

supplies
Epoxy grout comes in a kit that includes the resin (Part A), hardener (Part B), and a coloring agent (Part C). The kit also has rubber gloves and a white nylon cleaning pad.

{ After mixing parts A & B for two to three minutes, slowly stir in the coloring agent (part C).

{ Next, pour the grout onto the tile, then use a firm rubber grout float to work it into the joints.

4
Clean-up Tip
If the counter has a hazy film the next day, use a citrus-based hand cleaner and a plastic dish pad to polish the tiles to a mirror finish. Follow up with soap and water.

{ Now flood the tile with water and scrub the grout off the surface with a nylon pad (Inset).
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{ Remove excess water by dragging a towel lightly across the tile. Rinse towel often.

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custom kitchenworks

BUILT-IN APPLIANCES
The homeowners did all the footwork when it came to researching and buying new appliances. Our job was to give them a custom touch (see Photos at left and on page 35). A Disappearing Vent We installed the vent first.This particular unit lets you pull out the vent hood to exhaust steam or cooking odors, then slide it back in when youre done. This disappearing act makes for a clean looking installation.As a side benefit, a light switches on to illuminate the cooktop when you pull out the vent hood. The blower for the vent fits into an opening cut in the bottom of the upper cabinet. There was just one problem. Our cabinet was only 18" tall too far above the cooktop for the blower to be effective. SUPPORT. The solution was to build a simple support for the blower that mounts below the upper cabinet. As you can see in the Vent Installation Drawing below, the support consists of a pair of L-shaped brackets and a front piece that spans the opening between the two flanking cabinets. Notice that the front also doubles as a mounting surface for a chalkboard. Each bracket consists of two pieces: a plywood end (A) that attaches to the cabinet and a hardwood cleat (B) that forms a lip used to secure the blower (Mounting Detail).After gluing and screwing the

{ Replacing the range (left) with a built-in oven and a counter cooktop adds function and style to this kitchen.

Support Detail

VENT INSTALLATION

SIDE VIEW Mounting Detail

FRONT VIEW

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brackets together, fasten them to the cabinets with screws. Then cut the front piece (C) to fit the opening and screw it to the brackets. Note: The blower is installed as shown in the Mounting Detail on page 34. But in order to provide access when working on the message center, I did this after it was completed. Message Center Before installing the blower, I added the message center. Its made up of two pieces: a chalkboard for jotting notes and a hardwood tray (D) to hold the chalk. I bought an inexpensive chalkboard at a stationery store and cut it to size with a table saw. As you can see in the Support Detail on page 34, the chalkboard fits into a rabbet thats cut in the back edge of the tray.To hold chalk, I also routed a long groove in the tray with a core box bit.The tray is glued and screwed to the front of

the support. As for the chalkboard, construction adhesive will hold it securely in place. Built-In Oven & Cooktop Installing the built-in oven and cooktop was next on the list. But first, a bit of information about the planning that went on beforehand. PLANNING. First of all, we didnt want to replace or rebuild the base cabinets, so we chose an oven that fit into the existing 30"-wide space. Also, make sure the cooktop you purchase will fit above the oven. Finally, a word about electrical power. Our oven required its own circuit breaker, separate from the cooktop. So here again, we had an electrician install a junction box for each appliance. INSTALL COOKTOP.To install the cooktop, all thats needed is to make the electrical connections, apply silicone sealant under the rim,

and tighten the clamps supplied with the unit (see Cooktop Mounting Detail below). OVEN. The builtin oven is mounted to a hardwood frame thats attached to the base cabinets (see Illustration below). The frame consists of a top and bottom (E) piece that fit between the two sides (F). Notice that the bottom end of each side is notched to form a toekick. Then the frame is glued and screwed together.A rail (G) screwed to the bottom of the frame encloses the opening in the toekick. Once the frame is done, set it flush with the front of the cabinets and screw it in place (Oven Mounting Detail). The oven is screwed to the mounting frame, and a trim strip (supplied) covers the fasteners.

{ In the Feb. 2003 issue of Workbench, we show you how to make a custom wood panel for the dishwasher.

BUILT-IN OVEN & COOKTOP

NOTE: All parts of mounting frame are made from #/4"-thick hardwood

Cooktop Mounting Detail

Oven Mounting Detail

TOP VIEW
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low-voltage

ACCENT LIGHTING
At this point of our project, the kitchen looked terrific. It looked even better though a short time later right after wed installed low-voltage lights under the upper cabinets (Photo at left), and also in the display cabinets (see Photo on page 37). There are a number of low-voltage lighting systems available.The one we installed has nifty snap-in lampholders that make it easy to install a light wherever you want (see Lighting Components on page 37). Not only that, you can quickly relocate a light if a spot is too dimly or brightly lit.

{ Low-voltage lights cast a warm glow across the slate backsplash. A simple snap-in design lets you locate the lights wherever you want.

Before you install this low-voltage lighting system, take a minute to study the Illustration below to understand how it works. Notice that theres a transformer that reduces the power from 110 volts to 12 volts. Running from this transformer is a low-voltage wire thats routed through access holes drilled in the cabinets.The wire fits into plastic tracks mounted to the cabinets.To illuminate an area, you simply snap a lampholder into the track and clip in a light. PLANNING. Once youre familiar with the low-voltage system,

UNDER-CABINET LIGHTING (shown from back of cabinet)

Display Cabinet Detail

Under Cabinet Detail

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planning the details is quick and easy (see Planning Guide below). Start by measuring the total length of the runs for the plastic track and the low-voltage cable. Next, youll need to decide on the total number of lights and their wattage. I used 10-watt lights spaced 6" apart under the upper cabinets.As for the display cabinets, 5-watt lights, spaced the same distance apart, provided plenty of light. Once youve determined the total number of lights, add up their combined wattages (actual wattage consumed).This establishes the number and wattage of the transformer(s) you need. Select a transformer with a wattage thats greater than the total wattage consumed. For example, I used a 300-watt transformer for the 21 under-cabinet, 10-watt lights and a 60-watt transformer for the eight display cabinet lights (5 watts each). One last note about transformers.There are two types. One plugs into a wall outlet; the other is hardwired into an electrical circuit.To simplify the installation I used the plug-in type for both transformers.

ON/OFF SWITCHES. Of course, having to plug in a transformer every time you want to turn on the lights would be a nuisance. So we had an electrician install a switched outlet. This involved installing an electrical outlet inside the cabinet just above an existing wall outlet. Then the wall outlet itself was replaced with a combination switch/outlet thats used to turn the lights on and off. INSTALL COMPONENTS.With the electrical requirements taken care of, its time to install the rest of the components.To illuminate the backsplash, we mounted the track, cable, lampholders, and lights on the back of the face frames for the upper cabinets (Under-Cabinet Lighting). Note: Line the access holes with the clear plastic sleeves (supplied) to avoid abrasion to the low-voltage wire. DISPLAY LIGHTING. To highlight the dinnerware in the glass display cabinets, I mounted two tracks vertically behind the face frames (Display Cabinet Detail).The three lights in each track illuminate the cabinet nicely, even with the solid wood shelves.

{ To draw attention to the homeowners collection of festive-colored dinnerware, we also installed low-voltage lights inside the display cabinet.

lighting components
Snap-in Lampholder Plastic Track 110-volt Wire Leads

110-volt/12-volt Transformer

low-voltage planning guide

Light Spacing and Wattage Application Lampholder Spacing Under Cabinet 6" Inside Cabinet 6" Light Performance Rated Light Wattage 5 10 Actual Wattage Consumed 4.0 8.4 Rated Light Life 16,000 12,000 Approx. Lumens per Light 33 83 Light Wattage 10W 5W
Xenon Light 12-volt Wire Leads Low-Voltage Wire

{ The components of the low-voltage lighting system we used are available from the source listed below. Use the Guide (at left) to plan your installation.

buyer's guide
Appliances
KitchenAid Dishwasher (KUDS01FKPA) Cooktop (KECC508GBT) Vent (KWVU205YBA) Oven (KEBC107KSS) Refrigerator (KTRC22EKSS) 800-422-1230 www.kitchenaid.com

BACKYARD RETREAT

Low-Voltage Lighting
Ambiance Linear 800-347-5483 info@seagulllighting.com

Sink
Kohler K-3352 Stainless Sink 800-456-4537 www.us.kohler.com

Epoxy Grout
Laticrete 651-264-5150 www.laticrete.com

Faucet
Delta 470-SS Single Handle Pull-out Signature Series www.deltafaucet.com

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