| Home | > | Books | > | Books for sale | > | Building Frameless Kitchen Cabinets | > | Excerpts |
Menu
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Excerpts of Building Frameless Kitchen Cabinets
Introduction
"Teaching and writing about cabinetmaking, with a strong leaning towards kitchen cabinetmaking, has been my passion for many years. In the last few years I've taught part of the Furniture Technician course at Algonquin College in Ottawa, Ontario. Specifically, I taught courses on kitchen cabinetmaking, commercial cabinetry, and small business applications. I quickly realized during my first term of teaching that reference material about the 32mm kitchen cabinetmaking system was almost non-existent. There were a few books on the market but they mixed European and North American traditional cabinet styles.
I felt that a 32mm kitchen and bath cabinetmaking system book that addresses all the issues of design, concept, application, and building techniques was not available. The book needed to flow logically, be well illustrated, describe all the building concepts, and show step-by-step pictorials of all the important building and design details. I will be applying the lessons I've learned, and continue to learn, during my teaching, the writing of ten woodworking books, hundreds of magazine articles, and the building of more cabinets than I can remember.
Frameless cabinetmaking is also known as European style cabinetmaking or 32mm system cabinetry. The construction system is based on columns of 5mm diameter holes drilled 32mm apart in the cabinet sides (gables), which can be 16mm (5/8") or 19mm (3/4") veneer or melamine particleboard or veneer plywood. The 5mm system holes can be used to quickly and accurately mount European hardware such as hinges and drawer glides as well as support pins for adjustable shelves. The complete system will be detailed in this book.
According to some sources, the frameless cabinetmaking system concept was conceived by an architect following the Second World War. There was a severe shortage of wood and a huge demand for cabinetry because of the destruction caused during the previous war years. Further research also suggests that Paul Hettich of Western Germany, in partnership with sheet material and tool manufacturers, developed what was called a System 32 cabinetmaking design. According to literature supplied by a major hardware manufacturer, Salice registered the first patent covering a concealed, cylindrical, and self-closing hinge for furniture. Those names, Hettich and Salice, are two of the major suppliers of European style cabinet hardware.
Regardless of the origins, the fact remains that the "system" is an intelligent and cost effective kitchen and bath cabinetmaking design. There is a great deal of logic applied, and brilliant design concepts, which makes a lot of sense to those of us who have built cabinets using these methods."
Danny Proulx