Carpentry & Building Construction

Chapter 27: Cabinets & Countertops

Chapter Summaries

Section 27.1 Planning for Cabinets
The basic arrangement of cabinets for a room is shown on the building plans. Kitchen layouts include U shape, L shape, parallel wall, side wall, and island. Work centers include those for food preparation, cooking, and cleanup. Bathroom layouts are much less flexible because of plumbing requirements.

Section 27.2 Choosing & Installing Cabinets
Manufactured cabinets may be stock cabinets, semi-custom cabinets, or custom cabinets. The carcase is the cabinet's basic framework. The face frame provides a surface for mounting hinges and other hardware. Doors may be of the inset or overlay type. Cabinet hardware includes drawer guides, door hinges, knobs, and pulls. Cabinets must be plumb, level, and securely attached to wall studs. Several cabinets that run together must be attached to one another.

Section 27.3 Countertops
Many countertops are made of plastic laminate glued to a substrate. The most common type of laminate countertop is a postformed countertop. However, conventional laminates can be purchased separately and installed on site