How to Attach Face Frames to Fireplace Builtins

[EddieO]

I'm making 3 large built ins for a fireplace. The customer wants the face frames to be tight against the sides of the wall and have minimal gaps. They have to be square of course on the cabinet but she doesn't want any other moulding on the face frames.
My thought was to slide the cabinets in the spaces, place face frames on with a couple of brads then remove the cabinets and drill pocket hole screws from the non visible outside to permanently attach the face frames. I wanted to leave the cabinets in and drill the pocket holes from the inside but she doesn't like the plugs from the screw holes showing.
Is there another method of doing this? These cabinets fit tight in the spaces and if I attach the face frames with brads and the frames move a bit as I'm sliding the box out, I'm screwed once I try to slide them back in.
I thought about biscuits and a plate joiner but there isn't a way to clamp the face frames since the cabinets are inside the wall spaces.
Does this make sense?

Eddie

[R. Young in S.W. La]

Lot of questions first. Are builtins designed as one unit to fill space or individual units in one space? Painted or stained? Are you scribing to fit or just getting as close as you can? Exposed shelves or doors? Lots of possibilities depending on how you plan and construct the units.

[EddieO]

R. Young in S.W. La said:

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Lot of questions first. Are builtins designed as one unit to fill space or individual units in one space? Painted or stained? Are you scribing to fit or just getting as close as you can? Exposed shelves or doors? Lots of possibilities
depending on how you plan and construct the units.

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I built individual units and once I get them in the space, I'll screw them together. She is going to stain them. No scribe. Getting close as I can.

[theeviltwinn]

Why can't you attach the face frame first like normal and then slide the cabinet in?

Twinn

[EddieO]

theeviltwinn said:

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Why can't you attach the face frame first like normal and then slide the cabinet in?

Twinn

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If I attach the Ff to the cabinet first, there might be a gap that she wants covered up by the Ff. Then I'll have to recut the Ff to make it the right length.

[Trusty Rusty]

Put the cabinets in nice and square then build the face frames in place.
Rusty

[EddieO]

Trusty Rusty said:

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Put the cabinets in nice and square then build the face frames in place.
Rusty

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That's my plan Rusty but I didn't know if there was another plan of attack. I'm cutting the ff pieces over length so I can cut them at her house.

[Mr_Mike]

EddieO said:

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[blockquote]Trusty Rusty said:

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Put the cabinets in nice and square then build the face frames in place.
Rusty

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That's my plan Rusty but I didn't know if there was another plan of attack. I'm cutting the ff pieces over length so I can cut them at her house.

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[/blockquote]

This is also what I would do. Obviously, anything that touches the wall should be oversized on width and scribbed to the wall. Cabinets should not be designed to go all the way to the wall, or you can't scribe.

[Gary G™]

Face frames will hold with glue (Titebond II) and blue painters tape pulled tight provided the faces are plumb and true.

[Bob10]

Anything special about the walls? Have them refloated after you install a possibility?