DIY Project – Upcycling Our Kitchen Cabinet Doors – The Desk Cabinets – Cabinet Door Installation – Part 1

I assembled the door frames and panels.  That task went fairly well as the miter saw and nail gun cooperated.  I would save the installation of the drawer fronts at a later date.  I needed to install the hinges.

Remember that I routed the edges too deep on the two-door set.  So, it was necessary to inset the hinges1/8” into the door frame.  I sharpened my trusty Sears Craftman® chisel and cut into the door frame where the hinges would go.  I did a just okay chiseling job, and I wiped some stain on the now unfinished areas to hide the imperfections.  I screwed the hinges into place, and I was ready to install the doors.  (The doorknobs would come later.)

Upstairs I would go with the additional screws and my Milwaukee® impact driver in one hand and the doors tucked under my arm on the other side.  Using the metal ruler from my newly purchased combination square as a shim, I placed the single door up against the opening and on top of the ruler. Pushing the door hinges tight against the cabinet frame, I was ready to screw in my first hinge.  I did not have a screw or the impact driver in hand.  I fumbled around to keep the door in place as I tried to align the screw and screw it down.  I really needed a third hand. The screw bit was magnetic, but it would not hold the screw tightly.

I took the door down and started over.  I was now prepared as I got my first screw in place.  Making sure the door was straight, I put in the three other screws.  I opened and then closed the door.  The door hit on the frame.  What?  How did that happen.  The door fit fine, but why was it too wide?  The hinges looked tight against the frame.  Maybe when I screwed down the hinges the door moved.

I begrudgingly removed the screws from the hinges.  The door and hinges were tight against the frame.  I needed to remove about and 1/8” off the inside rabbet of the door so the door will close.  I decided to remove the door and hinges to take off a kerf’s width on the table saw.  Taking a couple practice cuts, I ran the door through the saw blade.  Success!  Once the door was installed, I would stain and poly the exposed saw cut.

I reinstalled the door.  Opened and closed it a few times and it worked fine.  On to the other doors.

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