Rebuilding cupboards
In my TT, there are 2 cupboard I plan on rebuilding. The first one, due to water damage, has some panels missing. water damage is fixed. The second one had a microwave that I got rid of. I do...
Forum Discussion
myredracer wrote:
How good do you want it to look and what tools do you have? If you have a table saw, you can build some nice stuff. A chop/mitre saw would help too but you can cut angles on a table saw.
I would make the face frames with 3/4" or 5/8" (actual). You can make grooves in this thickness to hold/attach 1/8" plywood pieces. Or you can screw 1"x1" (3/4" actual) cleats into the rear of the face frames to which you can attach 1/8" panels. RV manufacturers typically have double-walled side/end and bottoms on cabinets and you can use good-one-side finish plywood. Using cleats, you can screw them to walls and ceilings for structural support and then install the finish 1/8" plywood to hide it.
Cabinet doors (and drawer fronts) can be made yourself with 3/4" material and then use a 1/8" inset panel by cutting a groove/dado (on table saw) and making the inset panel free-floating.
Joinery can be done using cleats, brads, dowels, pocket screws, "biscuits" and/or glue. Methods will depend on available tools and skill level. It's not easy to explain how to do it in a few words here. Note that miter corners may not be a good idea if there is a large seasonal humidity change. Hollow bottoms and end walls can be a good idea for running wiring, lights & switches. If you have a specialty plywood supplier nearby, you might get lucky and find some pre-finished plywood to match existing finishes. Or get some unfinished oak, maple or whatever and stain and use some varathane on it.
This is a photo off the internet that shows how an RV cabinet is typically made. If you do some googling, there's tons of how-to info. on RV cabinetry.
Thank you for that.
So, how nice do I want to make it? Well, the trailer is 20 years old. So, as long as it looks respectable, that is the main thing. I don't want a hack job.
I have access to a compound sliding mitre saw as well as a table saw.
The hole where the microwave was will be a simple door. I will get some 1/4 round to finish off the edges. I will either stain or veneer then stain the front.
The part of the other shelf where there is a hole, I will simply put a board up and likely stain it.
The shelf will be left unfinished.
