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Is there a trick...Finished mudroom update, P2. - Printable Version

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Is there a trick...Finished mudroom update, P2. - FS7 - 05-20-2022

I assume not, but I thought I would ask. My current project is a cabinet storage bench for our mudroom. Our builder offered an "arrival center" which was completely and utterly pathetic, built on site by a trim carpenter who didn't care. The room has doorways on both sides - one to the house (door long since removed) and one to the garage. The room is 63 inches wide and about 24 inches deep on that side, so I wanted to do a 63" bench seat on top of a 63"x20"x18" cabinet. Obviously, the bigger the piece, the bigger the problem. My current plan is to remove the door casing, quarter round, and baseboard trim on both sides, which should give me 63 inches of clearance and let it slide in. I might need to remove one door hinge (that 3/8" protrusion might be a problem). This isn't a problem since the casing and trim are pretty beat up anyway.

I don't see any way around this, but I thought I would ask in case I'm somehow missing something. With the door casing the opening is only about 62", so I'm assuming removal is required.


RE: Is there a trick to installing something that's the exact width of the room? - jteneyck - 05-20-2022

The usual way of dealing with this on the cabinet is to make it smaller and add filler pieces on the sides.  Alternatively, you still make the cabinet smaller but make the faceframe to exactly fit the width and add it after the cabinet is in place.  With the top you cut that to fit exactly but either have to slide it in, which means the moldings, etc. must be removed, or you tilt it down, in which case the fit has to be a little sloppy or you have to relieve and then repair the drywall after it's in place.  

John


RE: Is there a trick to installing something that's the exact width of the room? - FS7 - 05-20-2022

(05-20-2022, 09:25 AM)jteneyck Wrote: The usual way of dealing with this on the cabinet is to make it smaller and add filler pieces on the sides.  Alternatively, you still make the cabinet smaller but make the faceframe to exactly fit the width and add it after the cabinet is in place.  With the top you cut that to fit exactly but either have to slide it in, which means the moldings, etc. must be removed, or you tilt it down, in which case the fit has to be a little sloppy or you have to relieve and then repair the drywall after it's in place.  

John

Yeah, I test-fit the face frame, and I could probably tilt it around without damaging the drywall. The downside would be that since it's wood, I'd have no good way to attach the face frame without sacrificing appearance via brads or (at best) dowel plugs. Then as you said there's also the problem of the bench top, which would probably wreck the drywall. And I *hate* drywall with a passion. It seems like removing the casing is probably the easiest way, all things considered.

I did this in our bathroom as we have a water closet in a small contained room. I just put cabinets in there from Home Depot for extra storage, and it wasn't a big deal to make a 1x2 face frame that was just going to be painted white anyway. But getting that in there was a pain, even a 30" cabinet in what was a 32" or so wide room.


RE: Is there a trick to installing something that's the exact width of the room? - BpB123 - 05-20-2022

(05-20-2022, 09:40 AM)FS7 Wrote: Yeah, I test-fit the face frame, and I could probably tilt it around without damaging the drywall. The downside would be that since it's wood, I'd have no good way to attach the face frame without sacrificing appearance via brads or (at best) dowel plugs. Then as you said there's also the problem of the bench top, which would probably wreck the drywall. And I *hate* drywall with a passion. It seems like removing the casing is probably the easiest way, all things considered.

I did this in our bathroom as we have a water closet in a small contained room. I just put cabinets in there from Home Depot for extra storage, and it wasn't a big deal to make a 1x2 face frame that was just going to be painted white anyway. But getting that in there was a pain, even a 30" cabinet in what was a 32" or so wide room.
Would pocket hole screws from the inside of the cabinet solve thaw face frame attachment issue?
If necessary, plug holes on the inside if appearance is important


RE: Is there a trick to installing something that's the exact width of the room? - Roly - 05-20-2022

(05-20-2022, 09:25 AM)jteneyck Wrote: The usual way of dealing with this on the cabinet is to make it smaller and add filler pieces on the sides.  Alternatively, you still make the cabinet smaller but make the faceframe to exactly fit the width and add it after the cabinet is in place.  With the top you cut that to fit exactly but either have to slide it in, which means the moldings, etc. must be removed, or you tilt it down, in which case the fit has to be a little sloppy or you have to relieve and then repair the drywall after it's in place.  

John

And remember the sides will not be square or flat for the top  because of taping the drywall corners will build up the compound near the corners.  Probably have to scribe or add the filler pieces or a molding.  Roly


RE: Is there a trick to installing something that's the exact width of the room? - FS7 - 05-20-2022

(05-20-2022, 11:21 AM)BpB123 Wrote: Would pocket hole screws from the inside of the cabinet solve thaw face frame attachment issue?
If necessary, plug holes on the inside if appearance is important

It might, but it would be very difficult to install as they are on the ground level and it would somewhat hard to maneuver a drill inside. At present (full width design) I had already drilled the plywood sides for pocket holes on the hidden (outer) sides. 

I wouldn't think appearance is all that important - this is mostly for shoes, laundry trash, kid stuff, dog leash, nothing all that important. Though given the way plywood tends to drill with that large bit, especially cross grain, I would have to use the bigger plastic plugs.


RE: Is there a trick to installing something that's the exact width of the room? - brianwelch - 05-20-2022

I agree with the advice provided, and might add fabricating to a template of the top and faceframe should speed up the final installation. Unless you are figuring clear finish on the wood, countersunk and puttied screws will "easify" things as well...


RE: Is there a trick to installing something that's the exact width of the room? - jteneyck - 05-20-2022

Fit the faceframe to the cabinet with biscuits to the cabinet, like Norm used to show, but don't glue it on, before you install everything.  Then set the cabinet in place and level it but don't screw it in place.  Now fit the faceframe to the cabintet with the biscuits but no glue.  When everything looks good, screw the cabinet in place and then glue on the faceframe.  Extra work, but no nails, screws, etc. 

There's really no option other than the two mentioned above for the top, plus the need to scribe it as Roly discussed, unless you get creative with the design and use two halves or some other such arrangement that allows you to fit the pieces to each wall separately.  

John


RE: Is there a trick to installing something that's the exact width of the room? - iclark - 05-20-2022

(05-20-2022, 02:32 PM)jteneyck Wrote: Fit the faceframe to the cabinet with biscuits to the cabinet, like Norm used to show, but don't glue it on, before you install everything.  Then set the cabinet in place and level it but don't screw it in place.  Now fit the faceframe to the cabintet with the biscuits but no glue.  When everything looks good, screw the cabinet in place and then glue on the faceframe.  Extra work, but no nails, screws, etc. 

There's really no option other than the two mentioned above for the top, plus the need to scribe it as Roly discussed, unless you get creative with the design and use two halves or some other such arrangement that allows you to fit the pieces to each wall separately.  

John

^^^ this

Doing it in 2 halves let you fit each half to the actual shape of the walls.

Then, when it is time to install you put both outer ends down on the cabinet with the center of the counter elevated. When you push the center down into place, you might dent the dry wall a little bit but almost certainly not enough for you to care about it (since it is just where the board pushes against it).


RE: Is there a trick to installing something that's the exact width of the room? - WoodworkerTom - 05-20-2022

It's already been mentioned I left one stile of the face frame unattached, fit the piece wall to wall and scribed the stile and attached. Looks so much nicer than going the filler strip route.