# Built-in cabinets?



## papasombre (Sep 22, 2011)

Hi, guys.
As I wrote in my profile, reading is one of my three hobbies. I took Sabrina to her thursday appointment at Goshen Public Library to improve her reading and writing capabilities. She is only five.
I had the chnce to walk around and I found an aisle dedicated to woodworking books. I selected Bill Hylton´s "Ilustrated cabinet making"
A lot of useful information in that book. The last chapter is related to "Built-in cabinets" but I did not undertand that name since Mr. Hylton wrote "primarily kitchen cabinets". My question is what makes the difference? Is there something wrong with the name kitchen cabinets?


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

Alexis,

I think the name implies cabinets that are affixed to the house structure, and not free standing. Most kitchen cabinets are bult-ins.

I made a built in console of cabinets in my wife's sunroom using ready made Kitchen wall cabinets. I built a base foundation for them, made a counter across the top and trimmed them in with moulding.  In the end I think it was cheaper and easier than building a freestanding cabinet that large.


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## David Bradford (Sep 12, 2019)

As a cabinet maker, we call cabinets screwed to a wall as a built-in and ones not attached as free-standing or furniture.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

I made a media center for my living room some time ago. It is 10 ft across, and I decided not to make the base cabinet. Instead I cut down the height of five, 24 inch kitchen cabinets with a door on the bottom and drawer on top. The front is all oak with panels in the doors. They are affixed to the wall. For the top, I found two 11 ft long pieces of glued up pine and joined them with biscuits and glue. You can see the white trim on the front of the top. The top itself is covered with a dark laminant flooring material. The contrast is very nice and the surface stays nice looking. On top are two, 33 inch wide bookshelves. 

I used an old Norm Abrams trick, putting T nuts into the bottom braces on the cabinets and put a bolt in with a slot cut in the end so I could screw them up or down to get everyting level and tightly connected. The electrical and other wiring comes through the back of the cabinets. The cubby on top was cut to be a perfect fit between the two bookshelves. There are strip lights under the top that I forgot to light up in the picture.

At some point, I will probably finish the bottom, and install some full extension inside drawers to put some of the DVD collection out of sight. Everything is connected to the wall. There are some LED ceiling lights that illuminate the shelves. Had to cut some of the cabinet away on the bottom, back right to make way for the hearth. 

The walls are slightly bowed, so I hand fitted some trim to the wall so the connection looks very nice. Have never finished the oak cabinets. Thinking of painting them because I really don't care much for the look of finished oak, but my wife does, which helps explain why they're still unfinished.

I have built cabinets but decided to speed this up with cabinets that were on sale. Like most flat surfaces in my home, it quickly became a catch all, although some of the cabinets are empty. I have to reconnect cables so they're out of sight, but had a hook-up problem when we got a larger TV recently.


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## gdonham1 (Oct 31, 2011)

Builtin cabinets usually refer to book shelves and things like that that are permanently attached to the walls and would most likely be sold with the house. Kitchen cabinets are builtin cabinets but because they are in the kitchen are not usually classified as builtin. Many cabinet and shelving units next to fireplaces that are not free standing but attached to the walls would be an example of builtin. It is just a word game as both the fireplace cabinets/shelves and the kitchen cabinets are both builtin. If you built free standing cabinets at the bottom and shelves at the top and they are not attached are not considered builtins and would most likely be taken by the previous owner of a house to their new house. In the US we tend to leave appliances and such with a home we sell where other places take everything that is not nailed down. It is just custom of the locals that determine what we leave and take.


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

Alexis, if you run across any woodworking book that you want to own a copy of, do not go to a new bookstore to buy. Instead, find a good used bookstore. The new books are usually pricey, but used books, even the same books, always seem to be $10, or less. Some of the books were apparently looked at, then sold to a used bookstore, they looked brand new. Or, if you want a larger choice, then shop for used books on-line. I used to make trips in to Raleigh, to visit the used bookstore of choice, and usually buy. I found out I can buy on-line, and even with shipping, I was paying less than going to Raleigh, because I didn't need gas. I've got woodworking books dating back to around 1900 or so, and I don't think I paid about $15 for any of them, shipping included, but most were less than that. I have bought new books, but not on woodworking, those I could always find used. 

Side note, bought a number of books on wooden boat building, long ago, all used. At least one book I paid $3 (three) for is now priced at over $300 (three hundred). Others are now priced at $100 and up.


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## HeatherWomac (Nov 6, 2019)

It is actually very important to have a kitchen with a proper cabinet. One can have cabinet of oak as it is more durable as compared to other wood. Kitchen remodeling is the best way by which one can install a new cabinet in the kitchen. If you do not have sufficient space in the kitchen then go for a custom cabinet. The technicians properly analyze your premises and suggest the best place to install a new kitchen cabinet. One can see this page if looking to install a new kitchen cabinet.


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## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

Alexis, I have that book. Some good reading.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Filled my woodworking bookshelves with used buys searched out on Amazon. Most were sold there and shipped from a used bookstor somewhere. Many less than $5.


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## Knothead47 (Feb 10, 2010)

Interesting thread and posts. My house was a mass-produced home in the early 70s. Cabinets were built on-site and are not standard widths. Thought of replacing them when I worked for a lighting and cabinet gallery. When I took measurements, I deleted the idea as it would take a lot of fitting for new cabinets.
Edit- My complements on taking the little lady to the library. Reading is loads of fun and much more educational than a video game of shooting aliens. Even with the electronic books, I like to turn pages! Books don't need batteries. I recall finding a book about two kids that lived on the Gulf Coast of Louisiana. Read it at least three times.


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## DaninVan (Jan 1, 2012)

Alexis; In N. America in particular, up until plywood became readily available kitchen cabinets were generally built from dimension lumber and basically framed in place by carpenters. As opposed to the modern concept of modular cabinets built from sheet material either in a cabinet shop or by skilled 'cabinet makers' (or guys like us!) on-site.
I blush to think of all the site-built lumber cabinets i 'disassembled' with a sledge hammer and a crowbar.
From old movies and photos i came to the realization that early kitchens had furniture for cabinets and work areas.


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