Varieties of wooden facades for the kitchen, their manufacture and installation with your own hands

Important components depend on the facade of the furniture: appearance, functionality and cost of the entire product. The area of ​​the parts of the external front side of cabinet furniture, relative to the entire product, is small. But despite this, the production of furniture facades requires a lot of time and effort. This is the front side of the design, every flaw will be evident.

Replacing kitchen facades is a great way to update your kitchen set

The furniture facade is the face of the kitchen and the main component of its style. Decorating a headset with homemade parts should be done only when there is a great desire to do the work efficiently and accurately, because incorrect assembly can ruin even the best materials.

To independently manufacture facades from solid wood or shaped bent doors, you will need skills in working with wood, MDF or chipboard, as well as the availability of special tools.

In a simpler version, independent updating of a kitchen set with furniture facades is limited to taking measurements and installing updated doors and drawer panels in the intended places. Ready-made parts can be purchased and ordered in furniture stores. There is also a service for sawing and edging selected MDF or laminated chipboard panels. It is difficult to carefully cut laminated boards at home without a special tool.

But even buying or ordering panels in a store will cost less than purchasing ready-made cabinet furniture. Therefore, updating the kitchen by replacing facades is a common design technique.

Wallpaper and self-adhesive film as a budget home makeover

Kitchen facade

My friend and I created another masterpiece by restoring the kitchen façade with glass doors. All we had to do was update the frames and install new glass. Working creatively out of habit, we used wallpaper. They can be glued to panels and varnished. It turns out original when you stick trellises on the back walls of the cabinet. Through the glass you can see the dishes on the shelves. The wallpaper pattern creates an unusual background and makes a monochromatic interior brighter and more fun.

Related article: Water-based paint

On old wooden kitchen sets, it is enough to clean the frames, soak them with antiseptic and wax. Then replace the damaged glass. The high quality of the facades is surprising. The shiny surface of the glass reflects the rays, creating the illusion of space. Even a cramped kitchen seems spacious and bright. Therefore, we did not cover the doors with wallpaper and film. We found another way to update the interior.

Self-adhesive film is moisture resistant. It can be used on an apron and any facade material. Such decoration can update the facade of the kitchen, covering small defects. At the dacha we simply stuck film on the doors. The advantage of such decor is the ability to quickly change the finish to a new one. Over time, the aunts liked to change the design, and they re-glued the film at the dacha every season.

How is installation done?

For hanging doors, 4-hinged mortise hinges (frogs) are used. Different types of such fittings have different opening angles, so you need to focus on your own needs when purchasing them. To insert furniture hinges on the facades, recesses are made from the inside. When drilling, you need to use a special drill attachment: a cutter with a diameter of 3.5 cm.

Attach the overhead part of the hinge to the screws on the inside of the cabinet. Place the counter piece into the recess on the door and secure it. Hang the façade and adjust it using special bolts. After adjustment, tighten the bolts.

To install a lifting facade on a wall cabinet, you need to purchase gas elevators (lifts). This is a special fitting in the form of a rod with a reservoir. When the door is opened, the elevator locks it in the raised position. Installing an elevator involves attaching brackets to the frame and door.

Front panels on drawers are attached from the inside out. To do this, a through hole is made in the front wall of the box. A self-tapping screw is screwed into the MDF through it so that the fasteners do not go through.

Handles are a practical decoration for kitchen furniture

Handles are not only a functional piece of furniture. They complement and decorate the facades. In styles with strict lines (minimalism, hi-tech), handles sometimes serve as an emphasizing element: large, shiny, but simple in outline fittings are used. Such handles resemble roof rails and are located both vertically and horizontally.

It is better not to weigh down the lightness of fashionable sets with glossy facades or made in the Art Nouveau style with additional fittings. For such kitchens, methods have been invented to open without the help of handles, when you press the door. But sometimes such cabinets are equipped with special fittings, disguising the handle as an aluminum edge.

For rustic and luxurious styles, it is customary to choose antique handles, with a coating that imitates old bronze or made of non-ferrous metal. These are elaborate cast products that should be combined with the decor of the facade.

The handles must be installed after hanging the facades on the cabinets. To ensure that the entire line of handles is placed at the same height above the floor, you can stretch the cord along the entire front of the lower tier. Along this line you need to make marks for installing the handle on each door. The same applies when installing handles on drawers or wall cabinets.

How to correctly install handles on the facades in each individual case is written in the instructions for these products. The holes for their installation can be made in different ways: through in the plane, closed at the ends, or in some other way. When purchasing handles, it is better to purchase several pieces for repairs during use, since these products may be discontinued, and it will be difficult to find a replacement if necessary.

Types of wooden furniture facades

When making a facade for furniture with your own hands, you need to take into account several aspects:

• the door must be an integral part of the furniture, open and close normally;
• match the style of a closet, bedside table, or any object;
• high-quality products can be quite expensive (considering that they are handmade);
• the craft should be easy to maintain, cleaning should not be a difficult task.

You can make furniture facades with your own hands, using affordable tools.
Any carpenter has his own preference in the production of facades. There are several most popular varieties of products that have their own unique characteristics.

MDF facade

Boards made from wood (fibre) shavings are MDF. The composition also includes: lignin, paraffin, which are safe substances that do not affect human health. Plates are environmentally friendly raw materials.

Product advantage:

• moisture resistance;
• sufficient density for the facade;
• easy to use and work (can be cultivated with a milling cutter);
• plastic (you can give relief to an object).

MDF is a modified analogue of fibreboard (fibreboard).
MDF is the basic form, but different materials can be used for coating:

• PVC film). Sometimes people immediately choose slabs with film elements. This design resembles objects made of solid or treated wood. PVC engraving is very diverse: matte, glossy options, illustrations, large paintings, etc.
• Enameling or painting. A popular way to decorate the front part. The color range of shades is quite large. If you wish, you can make a creative image with paints. A general pattern of the sea coast on cabinets, bedside tables in the bedroom or kitchen, a collage of beautiful sakura and other plants.
• Plastic. May have a glossy or matte structure. Quite often can be seen in modern style solutions.
• Veneer (thin sheets). The designs are popular for decorating kitchens. The ideal, and most importantly popular, option is imitation of natural wood. Imagine a striking hazel or exotic wood in your kitchen. Visually, it’s bright and pleasing to the eye!

MDF is comparable in strength to solid wood, but much cheaper.
Note! MDF in facade elements can be used in any room: kitchens, bedrooms, personal offices, children's rooms, etc. Designers love to use the material in a modern style, futuristic genre.

From chipboard

Chipboard is chipboard. The structure of the material does not allow the use of milling. Such objects are always smooth and clear. The front part of these facades can be connected with plastic or aluminum cladding. Most often, laminated chipboards are used for such structures. The range of products is huge: original colors, stylization.

For facades, laminated chipboard is used, both sides of which are covered with durable decorative film.

For the kitchen, it is better to use chipboard with a moisture-absorbing structure. A similar option is suitable for the bathroom.

Additional Information. Chipboard is a budget but bright modification. Can be used for any style projects.

Made from solid wood

Making furniture from wood is an art. The most environmentally friendly material. Craftsmen most often focus on the following breeds:

• birch;
• oak;
• pine;
• beech;
• some craftsmen order “overseas” samples: mahogany, lemon wood, rosewood.

To work with this material, it must first be dried. Then the array is processed by various means. Special liquids protect wood from harmful bacteria and fungi. They also help make the raw material resistant to temperature changes or indoor humidity.

The most expensive option available among modern furniture.

The array is suitable for milling. Engravings and original images make these products the best for design developments.

When the sample is ready, it must be treated with varnish or paint, other special tinting agents, the creation of decorative coatings, and aging of objects.

There are several types of solid wood: inlaid type (from picturesque elements), veneered construction.

Important. Products are often used in Classical and Baroque styles. Country and Eco ensembles also cannot do without a magnificent array.

Required Tools

For the manufacture and installation of different types of furniture facades you may need:

• circular saw or jigsaw;
• manual router (for applying relief);
• drill with attachments;
• a screwdriver or various screwdrivers (the hinges have straight and cross-shaped bolts);
• to process the cuts you need a file and sandpaper;
• electric iron for gluing edge tape;
• measuring tape or tape measure.

If you want to make paneled kitchen facades with your own hands, you may need a jointer to select a quarter for insertion, and a chisel to make grooves in the trim parts.

Production of paneled facades

The main elements of paneled facades are frames and panels. A frame made of boards with longitudinal grooves is called a frame; The panel is an internal panel with figured cutters around the perimeter. When assembling, the panels are inserted into the grooves of the strapping and secured with glue and self-tapping screws. This design avoids surface deformation during temperature fluctuations.

Scheme for making a paneled door made of wood

To make paneled doors for a kitchen cabinet you will need:

• edged pine board 1.8 cm thick;
• a small sheet of plywood 5-6 mm thick;
• jigsaw;
• milling machine;
• grinding attachment;
• glue;
• sandpaper;
• screwdriver and screws;
• accessories.

  
  Production of paneled facades

Step 1. Calculation of workpiece parameters

Measure the cabinet opening vertically and horizontally and draw up a drawing. Subtract 3 mm from the height and width of the opening - these are the dimensions of the door frame. The width of the racks and horizontal crossbars depends on the width of the board. The parameters of the panel are calculated as follows: subtract the total width of the crossbars from the height of the frame and add 2 cm; The width of the panel corresponds to the length of the crossbars. For one door you should get 5 elements - 1 panel, 2 crossbars and 2 vertical posts.

Details

Step 2. Cutting out the parts

Using a jigsaw, the pine board is cut into posts and crossbars according to the drawing. On a milling machine, a groove 6 mm wide and 10 mm deep is cut into the side cut of each part. Then, 10x6 mm longitudinal spikes are formed at the ends of the crossbars. Make marks on a sheet of plywood with a pencil and cut out a panel. The edges of each element are treated with sandpaper, and the surface of the boards is sanded.

Step 3. Assembling the product

Assembly

The edges of the panel are inserted into the grooves of the vertical posts, the bottom crossbar is put on the plywood and the tenons of the crossbar are connected to the sidewalls. The top crossbar is attached next. If all the elements fit smoothly, without gaps or distortions, and quite tightly, then everything is done correctly. Now the door is disassembled, the grooves, tenons and edges of the panel are coated with glue, everything is put back together again and the joints are pressed tightly. Exposed glue is immediately wiped off with a damp, clean cloth. It is recommended to use clamps for fixation, then the product will not deform during the drying process.

Assembly

Step 4: Finishing

When the glue dries, the joints are carefully sanded, and then the door is treated with an antiseptic compound. The next layer is paint or varnish; you can also use stain, special oil impregnations, or self-adhesive film. Curly carving is often used as decoration for a frame, but not everyone can do it without the appropriate skills. Plywood can be completely replaced by a thin board, glass, shaped forged lattice, colored polycarbonate or plastic panel.

Finishing

Hinges and fittings are attached after finishing work is completed. First, determine the location of the loops on the walls of the box; Mark the fastening points on the facade frame and drill holes. Screw the hinges to the frame, insert the door into the frame and fix the hinges on the cabinet wall. Check the movement of the hinges by closing and opening the door. When closed, there should be no gaps or irregularities around the perimeter of the façade. Other elements of the kitchen façade are performed in a similar manner. If you don’t have a milling machine, you should choose options with the least number of shelves and panels, since cutting grooves by hand is quite difficult.

Also read the article - how to assemble a kitchen with your own hands.