How to build an Armoire Cabinet.
By
Eriki Filipe
Armoire cabinets of antique or reproduction styles are synonymous with my wife's taste for country furniture. When we moved into our home, she always maintained that the TV and Stereo unit would look charming in a real wood cabinet rather than the black press board unit with the Plexiglas doors. Since we were in the renovation process, she thought a country cabinet in the living room would accentuate and blend with the décor.
After contemplating styles and specification requirements, we settled for an armoire style cabinet with solid pine doors. The overall measurements were 43-3/4" wide x 23-1/4" deep x 76-1/2" high, however these measurements can be adjusted to suit individual needs. I built this cabinet starting with the two side panels. Using straight and dry 2" x 6" pine, I rip 2" wide strips to make the framework. The stiles and rails are cut to size and rabbets are grooved into them. The stiles and rails are dowel joint fittings, but biscuit or other joint styles can be used.
I rip a raised panel design into the pine panel inserts, (5-10 degrees) and then sand the rough edges with 80, 120, and 220 grit sandpaper till a smooth surface is achieved. The framework is dry fitted for accuracy before any final gluing is applied. I use 3/4" pipe clamps to hold the unit in place while the glue dries. To keep the framework square, I measure diagonally across the frame and adjust with a diagonal clamp to keep the measurements even. The excess glue is wiped clean with a damp cloth.
Once the glue dries, I run a dado along the inside of the top rail of the two side panels to accommodate the top shelf. The middle and bottom shelves rest on the edge of the inside rails. The outside ends of the middle and bottom shelves are notched to fit between the side panels. On the inside back edge of the side panels, I incorporate a rabbet to receive the back panel. For the inside front of the panels, I router and chisel mortise joints for the front face top, middle, and bottom rails. The front rails are cut to size and installed in conjunction with the side panel and shelves. Before installing the side panels and the shelves together, I pre drill pilot holes into the shelves for easy assembly. I use 1-1/2"x #8 wood screws to fasten them.
Latest Articles