Real Estate Consultant · Cleveland, OH · Member since 2016 · 511 posts · 345 votes
I had to fire my GC on my flip. With him went his "custom cabinet maker". So I am left with finishing the cabinets that are half way installed. I have never done custom cabinets before. So I have a few questions:
1) There are several ends that need "finished" my thought was to purchase 1/4" ply wood cut to finished then glue to the end cap and paint. Is there a better way to do this? I have a attached a picture of an unfinished panel
2) What do I use for toe kicks? Do I just buy 1x moldings and attach, also attached picture of unfinished toe kick
A cabinet person can answer more completely if you can do it the way you propose but we have bought a prefinished veneer for end panels like you show. Veneer is glue on. Some cabinets you just finished the side of the cabinet but yours dont look finish ready. For toe kicks you can also buy although I have never done white cabinets so not sure about white.
A cabinet person can answer more completely if you can do it the way you propose but we have bought a prefinished veneer for end panels like you show. Veneer is glue on. Some cabinets you just finished the side of the cabinet but yours dont look finish ready. For toe kicks you can also buy although I have never done white cabinets so not sure about white.
Sorry to hear things went bad with your GC. Finding the right people for the job seems to be the hardest part of rehab. Wish you luck with the cabinets. I am no help to you there.
I agree with @Colleen F. about the veneer. It comes in thin sheets, sometimes rolled up, at the big-box store. The ten-second version is that you unroll it, cut it to size (utility knife or really good scissors), put contact cement on both the cabinets and the veneer, and then carefully stick the veneer down. You have to start at one end and slowly work towards the other - sort of like putting self-adhesive shelf paper (Contact paper) down, if you have ever done that.
The veneers I have seen are just plain wood, so you have to paint or stain them to match what you have. You can get them in different types of wood, so you can probably get something close to the grain of the cabinet fronts.
As a curveball idea... if one of the ends is in a good spot for it, maybe buy some whiteboard material, or a whole whiteboard, and cut it down to size. Glue it to the end of the cabinet, and maybe put a board sticking out horizontally at the bottom for a marker and eraser shelf. (On the other hand, you may not want the dried marker dust against the wall or the rest of the white cabinets...)
I've never had to install toe kicks brand new myself, but from fooling around with things like dishwasher openings and kitchen flooring, I've seen a couple of possibilities. 1) For "real wood" cabinets, they are made out of the same wood that the rest of the cabinets are. They are nailed to the front edge of the cabinet with finish nails. 2) For particleboard cabinets, a piece of relatively thick particleboard (1/2"+) goes on first, and then a veneer of real wood (1/8" or less) gets glued on top of that, for a better appearance.
With either kind of cabinet, depending on what the flooring is, there is sometimes a quarter-round molding in the corner between the toe kick and the floor, installed with finish nails.
If you have time to stop by a Habitat ReStore, they sometimes have complete sets of older cabinets that were pulled out of remodels. The cabinets won't fit your kitchen, but usually they're just sitting loose on the floor, so you can look at the details a little and see how a real official cabinetmaker or finish carpenter did it 40 years ago. :)
Regarding toe boards. Typically a thin mdf with one finished side cut to fit. Then, baseboard to match.
Not to make you feel worse but as an amateur woodworker, I don't think much of the "custom" casework. I can't see all of the details of construction. The oblong holes are pocket screws and are weak. I presume these are only holding the face frame on. The use of screws as wood joinery is "ok" but also not as strong. Please make sure there are box braces. They should be triangular and in the corners of the box. Also, a sign of thoughtful construction would be a beam brace. This would run in a dado (groove) along the length of the box. Since I'm not seeing quality construction in the picture, please check for those.
IDK why anyone would build cabinets on-site these days. Readily available from any number of sources and then all you do is install them
Toe kicks are usually in two parts. Particle board or plywood built into the cabinet. Then, a long, thin strip that spans the full length of a section of cabinets.
@Christopher Blanco From the looks of it you will have to use veneer. You dont have 1/4" to "play with" on the end on that cabinet. You would be sticking out proud of the stiles. Pocket hole screws are the industry standard for custom cabinets. They hold better than nails and you have the option to redo before the glue dries. That is assuming there is glue in there. If no glue then he was not much of a cabinet builder.
Now lets look at the toe kick. If you will measure that little piece standing proud of the case that is the size you will need to add there. Looks like only 1/4". That wont be thick enough. You will have to install a board between the case work flush with the plywood. Use pocket hole screws AND glue. That will give you a solid base for your insubstantial 1/4" face on the toe kick. Something else you could do if you are feeling handy. You can cut a dado leaving 1/4" that will fit between the casework and flush with the toe kick. This would be the most secure option.
RTA companies sell finished end panels and tie kicks. In your case where it appears the structure to apply the toe kick is missing, adding 1x4 or 2x4 to the cabinet structure would be advisable.
I agree with @Colleen F. about the veneer. It comes in thin sheets, sometimes rolled up, at the big-box store. The ten-second version is that you unroll it, cut it to size (utility knife or really good scissors), put contact cement on both the cabinets and the veneer, and then carefully stick the veneer down. You have to start at one end and slowly work towards the other - sort of like putting self-adhesive shelf paper (Contact paper) down, if you have ever done that.
This is partly right. Wait for the contact cement to completely dry...yes completely dry, then it's ready. Lay it flat and put a bunch of dowels between them then when it's lined up, start pulling out the dowels to make contact, and roll it down with a heavy roller (or a can of something) to keep it smooth and keep pulling out the dowels as you go. Then carefully trim anything that sticks out over the side.
When it's dry, contact cement won't stick to the wooden dowels, but will stick to itself. When it's wet it's harder to line up b/c you can't use dowels, and the cement isn't as strong.
Like I said, I gave the 10 second version. :) The veneer should come with a sheet of directions (or you can download one) that explains what to do in more detail. Everybody reads the directions first, right?