Woodcraft Cabinets Look Great And Are Fun To Make

Woodcraft for years has been a popular way for people to relax, show their artistic flair, or just simply create something useful. And woodcraft cabinets seem to be one of the favorite projects for woodcrafters.

People decide to make their own cabinets for many reasons. One of the most common reasons is because of the high price of pre-made cabinets. Most people love the look of wood cabinets in their homes but do not want to pay thousands of dollars for them, so they take up the challenge of making their own out of whatever wood they choose. This can be pine, cherry, oak, willow, walnut or birch. All look great.

Cabinets made of wood are by far the best type of cabinet. Not only are these cabinets durable but they are also extremely beautiful. Most cabinets that come standard in houses are made of plywood and pressboard. These cabinets usually start to break and fall apart after a few years. Real wood cabinets seem to last a very long time and are well worth the money spent on buying or making them.

Wood cabinets are not really all that difficult to build. But there are definitely some things you need to know and have before you get started on your projects. You will first need to have a basic plan, also called a blue print. The blue print will out line the shape, measurements and style of cabinet you are making. If you can't make you own plans, hire someone to do it for you or look through a book about making things from wood.

After you have your plan, you should next think about the type of finish you want to have on your cabinets. The finish should match the general decor of the rest your home. In other words, if the other things in your home that are made from wood are light colored, then you will want to use a light colored wood for your cabinets and the finish. If you would rather paint your cabinets, the color of the paint should also match the rest of the decor.

All in all, making your own woodcraft cabinets is an excellent idea. It is a really good way to show off your artistic ability and to personalize your space. Also, you can brag to your friends when they tell you how great the cabinets look. Once your project is finished, you will have something you are proud of accomplishing and something that will last you probably the rest of your life.

Philip Reinisch Co. ColorTime Panorama Corner Display Cabinet in Fern Green 48956

Philip Reinisch Co. ColorTime Panorama Corner Display Cabinet in Fern Green 48956 Review

Philip Reinisch Co. ColorTime Panorama Corner Display Cabinet in Fern Green 48956 Overview

Philip Reinisch Co. This charming corner curio cabinet has tons of character. Beaming with handcrafted pride, this curio cabinet from Philip Reinisch features a light with five glass shelves and one glass door to proudly display and protect your most prized items. This versatile corner curio cabinet will solve all of your spatial needs by utilizing that unused space in the corner while putting your cherished items on display! Finished in a distressed fern green, this corner curio cabinet is constructed out of solid northern hardwoods and will last for lifetimes to come. Curio Cabinet Features: -Corner curio cabinet. -Fern green finish. -Distressed finish. -Constructed from solid northern hardwood. -5 Glass shelves. -1 Glass door. -Halogen light is U.L. and C.S.A. approved . -Overall dimensions: 76" H x 37" W x 24" D. 48956

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Jasper Cabinet Brighton Corner Curio Cabinet

Jasper Cabinet Brighton Corner Curio Cabinet Review

Jasper Cabinet Brighton Corner Curio Cabinet Overview

Now with FREE Inside Delivery! We Won\'t Leave It Sitting Your Steps Like the Other Guy, We\'ll Make Sure It\'s Safely Inside Your Home! Brighton Corner Curio Cabinet Jasper Cabinet Company is recognized as one of the world\'s leading producer of top quality secretaries, curio cabinets, desks, entertainment furniture, gun cabinets, chests, and other accent furniture. Jasper Cabinet is a custom manufacturer, offering a wide variety of finishes, hand-decorating, wood species, decorative veneers and other options. For many companies accent is a sideline and not very important. For Jasper Cabinet Company, accent is everything. Increase the beauty of any room with the Hamilton Curved Corner Curio. Finished in a rich walnut color, it is the perfect display for your collectibles. The two-tiered style of this cabinet provides ample space for your all your mementoes. The curved shape is enhanced by a mirrored back and halogen lights, which nicely frame your keepsakes behind brilliantly beveled glass. One fixed and four adjustable shelves allow you to emphasize your heirlooms as you desire, and easily opened doors on both the upper and lower levels provide effortless alteration of your collection. Features and Included FREE!! Adjustable Shelves - Ample Storage! Four adjustable glass shelves (one fixed with plate grooves) provide the flexibility you need to display your personal collectibles of various shapes and sizes. The Beveled glass doors and sides draw your eyes to all of your wonderful collectibles. Tons of Finish Options - Amazing Design! This Cabinet has the finest of craftsmanship with a unique, beautiful design and stabilty to last a

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*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Mar 28, 2010 15:10:19

Dexter 23"w Corner Four door Tall Storage Cabinet With Glass Doors, GLASS 23.5"W, WHITE

Dexter 23"w Corner Four door Tall Storage Cabinet With Glass Doors, GLASS 23.5"W, WHITE Review

Dexter 23"w Corner Four door Tall Storage Cabinet With Glass Doors, GLASS 23.5"W, WHITE Feature

• One drawer.
• 52.5"H x 23.5"W x 11.75"D.
• Assembly required.

Dexter 23"w Corner Four door Tall Storage Cabinet With Glass Doors, GLASS 23.5"W, WHITE Overview

If space is a problem in your home, the Dexter Corner Four-Door Tall Cabinet is sure to help out. Providing ample storage space to keep you organized, our storage solutions will make tidying up your items a breeze.Each piece is extremely strong and crafted of extra-dense, no-warp wood composite for years of durability. Once you see the small details like adjustable shelves and chrome-finished hardware, you'll be hooked. The lightly frosted glass doors add a touch of class to any room. Choose this quality-crafted storage cabinet now to start organizing! Actual size is GLASS 23.5"W

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*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Mar 26, 2010 13:07:08

Kitchen Cabinet Installation - Step-By-Step Instructions on How to Install Kitchen Cabinets Yourself

Now that you have your new kitchen cabinets, you are ready to move on to the next big step.....Installing your kitchen cabinets. While the actual installation of the Kitchen Cabinets isn'tall that hard, the critical first step is measuring and marking out where the cabinets will go. By placing layout markings on the walls and floors, it will not only help you with kitchen cabinet placement and stud locations, but it will also help you locate where adjustments and shims will be required. Before we get started there are a couple of items that you will need for the project:

Pencil

Level or Laser Level

Drill

Tape Measure

Stud Finder

Clamps

1" x 3" Piece of lumber (6'-8' in length) or an Inverted U-shaped frame (see notes below)

Shims

Screws (long enough to go 1 1/2 into the studs)

Utility knife or chisel

Marking Compass

An extra set of hands (you may have to bribe one of your friends)

As I mentioned above, you have the option of using a piece of 1' x 3' lumber for the installation or building a frame to support the cabinets (I have included a picture of a sample frame below). This can be made out of 2' x 4's and should be tall enough to support the bottom of your wall cabinets. If you plan on installing more than one kitchen, then I would suggest the frame, but a piece of lumber will do just fine if this is a one time event. In either case, you will need another set of hands to help with the installation.

In this case we bought (RTA) Ready-To-Assemble Kitchen Cabinets from RTA Kitchen & Bathroom Cabinet Store. Now the kitchen cabinets are assembled, we are ready to start marking out our layout lines. Some people start with the base cabinets, but we are going to start with the wall cabinets first. There is no right or wrong way to start, I just prefer to start with the upper cabinets first.

1. Use a level and a pencil to draw a parallel line across the wall about 3 inches up from the floor. Measure down from this line, to the floor, and find the floors high point (if it has one), and mark a line at that point. From that high point, Measure up 34 1/2 inches and draw a level line across the wall to designate the top of the base cabinets.

2. Now that you have the top of the base cabinets marked, measure up another 19 1/2 inches and a level line across the wall to indicate the bottom of the wall cabinets. Lightly mark each cabinets' dimensions and placement on the wall to make sure that your original layout is correct.

3. Use a stud finder to locate the wall studs. Use a pencil to mark the stud locations at least 6 inches above and below the line for the bottom of the wall cabinets. Draw straight vertical lines between the top and bottom marks to indicate the center of the studs.

4. If you decided to go with the piece of 1' x 3' lumber, now is where you will use (if you decided to go with the U-shaped frame, it will come into play after all your lines are laid out). Screw a temporary 1' x 3' support rail to the wall, aligning the top edge of the rail with the line for the bottom edge of the wall cabinets. Attach it by driving 3 or 4 two inch screws through the rail into the wall studs.

5. Now that we have all the lines marked, it is time to start installing your kitchen cabinets. We are going to start with the corner cabinet (here is where your helper's extra set of hands will be needed). Place the corner cabinet onto the temporary support rail and have your helper hold the corner cabinet in place. Drill pilot holes through the sturdy cabinet back or its support rail and into the wall studs. Screw the cabinet into the wall using two screws that are long enough to penetrate the studs by at least 1 1/2 inches. Check the top of the cabinet for level and the front of the cabinet for plumb. If you have to correct the position, just back the screws out a little bit and top shims behind the cabinet at the stud locations. If it is plumb and level, drive the screws all the way in and add several more into each stud to ensure that the cabinet is secured tightly to the wall.

6. Now we are going to move onto the cabinets on either side of the corner cabinet. As you install each one, use the clamps to secure each cabinet to the neighboring cabinet and then check it for plumb with your level. On faceframe cabinets, it is a good idea to drill two 1/8 inch pilot holes through the sides of the faceframe and use screws. In this case, with frameless, ready-to-assemble kitchen cabinets we are going to screw thru the plywood sides and use shims in between the cabinets to ensure a tight fit and make sure that the cabinet faces are plumb.

7. After all the wall cabinets are in place, install the corner or end base case cabinet. Use shims where needed to level the cabinet and raise it up to the line which indicates the high point of the floor. Be sure it is level from front to back and from side to side, then screw it to the wall studs. If you don't have a diagonal corner cabinet or blind base cabinet in the corner, push the adjoining cabinet into place and clamp the two units together. Add a filler strip if needed to allow the doors and drawers enough clearance to open and close properly. If necessary, tap shims under the cabinet and behind it to adjust for plumb and level.

8. Drive screws through the cabinet back (and shims) into the wall studs. Trim any excess material from the shims with a sharp chisel or knife. Continue to add adjoining cabinets in this manner, joining them the same way you connected the wall cabinets in step 6.

9. If your cabinets end up butting against another wall, you may need a filler strip to make up the last few inches. If you have custom cabinets, they should have been built to fill this gap, but if you are using stock or RTA Kitchen Cabinets the filler strip may be needed. If you do need to use a filler strip, leave the last cabinet detached from the other cabinets. Clamp a straightedge to the face of the nearest installed unit, extending far enough for you to put alignment marks on the end wall. Allow a 3/4" offset behind those marks (for the thickness of the filler piece) and fasten a cleat to the wall. Then install and fasten the last cabinet and measure the gap between its face frame and the wall.

If the wall is flat, simply rip the filler board to the required width and fasten it in place. If the wall is irregular, you'll have to scribe-fit the filler board. Start by setting a marking compass to the width of the gap, then place a strip of 1"-wide masking tape along the filler board in the area where it needs to be trimmed. Clamp the board to the end cabinet's face frame, then trace the wall contour with the compass. Remove the board and cut along the scribe line with a jig saw, then reinstall it to check the fit. When it's right, drive screws through the adjacent face frame into the edge of the filler board. Screw or nail the other side to the cleat.

At this point, your kitchen cabinet installation is complete. If you purchased matching crown molding or any other details, these should be easily installed now. Depending on whether you had to use shims under the base cabinets, you may have to install some trim pieces by the toe kicks to cover up the shims or any gaps at the bottom of the kitchen cabinets.

I hope this helps make your kitchen cabinet installation as smooth as possible. If you need any help with cabinet selection, kitchen layout tips, or ideas for cabinet styles, check out RTA Kitchen & Bathroom Cabinet Store

Elite Home Fashions 7657 Madison Avenue Corner Wall Cabinet Dark Espresso

Elite Home Fashions 7657 Madison Avenue Corner Wall Cabinet Dark Espresso Review

Elite Home Fashions 7657 Madison Avenue Corner Wall Cabinet Dark Espresso Feature

• Made from MDF
• Matching floor cabinet, corner floor cabinet, corner wall cabinet, double floor cabinet, medicine cabinet, and wall cabinet also available
• Easily coordinate with any decor

Elite Home Fashions 7657 Madison Avenue Corner Wall Cabinet Dark Espresso Overview

The Madison Avenue bath furnishings are an attractive addition to any bath decor. Add style and storage to your bath with these refreshing furnishings. Each piece is made from MDF and has an espresso finish with glass windows.

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*** Product Information and Prices Stored: Mar 24, 2010 03:38:19

Rustic Decor and Sushi

It is more than just a matter of taste!

There may not be two words as distantly removed from each other as 'rustic' and 'sushi', but my reaction was the same to my first encounters with each. My appreciation and understanding of 'rustic decor' and 'sushi' gradually evolved from aversion to amazement. Permit me to explain...

Many years ago I was employed by the American division of a large Japanese company. As a senior member of management, I was required to make numerous trips to Japan, and entertain Japanese visitors when they visited our facility. Regardless of the country in which we found ourselves, sushi was the preferred carte du jour. Price was never an object, but regardless of the cost of the meal, my early experiences with the taste and texture only served to make me drink more Sapporo. I simply did not have a love-at-first-bite appreciation for raw fish.

Sometime after those first unimpressive gastronomic introductions, something changed and I cannot tell you why or what was the cause, but I began to find sushi palatable. Before long I found it irresistible. To this day, sushi is a preferred dish of mine and I will often go out of my way to discover a good sushi restaurant. Undoubtedly you must be wondering what the fine-tuning of my taste buds has to do with rustic décor.

My early encounters with rustic furniture were similar to my sushi experiences. The first few times I was exposed to rustic furniture (stick chairs, twig tables, et al) I was not overwhelmed. My education in furniture design was what you might call "classical", in that I had a serious appreciation for the graceful lines of a Queen Anne chair with carved scallop shells on the knees of its cabriole legs. Thomas Chippendale's "Gentleman and Cabinet Maker's Director" was a mainstay in my shop and I referred to it often for inspiration when building a fine piece of mahogany furniture.

Rustic furniture on the other hand was not refined or sophisticated and did not fill me with appreciation for the craftsman's talent. Much like my experiences with sushi, over time I began to develop a taste for rustic furniture's functionality, its fascinating history and what the pieces began to say to me. The process of bending delicate willow branches into a decorative chair that would support an adult's weight and was cool, comfortable and resembled a woodlander's throne is an awe-inspiring example of pure genius. My initial lack of understanding evolved into meaningful appreciation.

In the same vein, using rough-hewn logs to create beds, tables, chairs and other functional pieces may not require the same fastidiousness employed by a master cabinetmaker, but the adaptation and utilization of nature is what makes one take notice. It is not the amount of detail or the intricacy of design that makes a piece of rustic furniture exceptional. It is what the piece says about itself, its function and how it relates with the surroundings that creates its delightful aura.

The intrinsic majesty of a tree is one of the reasons log homes and log furniture have such a loyal following. A traditional furniture maker may choose to saw planks from the trunk and carve elaborate designs, while a rustic craftsman will fashion a piece that appears to have grown up from the floor itself. With rustic and log furniture, form and function are complimented by nature's distinctive characteristics. People want to surround themselves with such natural grandeur and rustic décor speaks to that desire in a way that old Thomas Chippendale probably could not understand.

Twenty years ago, I thought of raw fish as bait, and gnarled branches on the forest floor were little more than kindling. Over the years I have learned that if something is different than I think it should be, I might need to take another bite or one more look before I decide to spit it out or savor the taste.