Face Frame VS Frameless
For as long as kitchen cabinets have been shop-made, going back to the beginning of the last century at least,there was really only one method of construction, the face-frame method. Having descended from cabinets that were largely site-built by carpenters, cabinets all had one component in common, a frame constructed of solid lumber attached to a carcass of either plywood or solid dimensioned lumber. The face frame components, stiles (vertical) and rails (horizontal) are joined at right angles by means of classic mortise and tenon construction, or with hardwood dowels. Joints needed to be glued,clamped, cleaned up to be made completely flush on the face and back. The carcass horizontal members, tops,bottoms, shelves, etc. are generally joined by being let into dadoes (grooves)in the cabinet sides, then glued and nailed together. This structure, due to the fact that all cabinet members at this point are, at the most, only ¾” inch thick, does not have much structural integrity. Enter the face-frame, which is solid lumber, assembled at the corners with glue and joinery, clamped and cured into a rigid member much like a ladder. This frame is attached to the carcass,sometime blindly with a spline or other mechanical fastener, sometime just face-nailed and glued. Regardless of the method, the frame gives the cabinet two things, rigidity and a place to mount the doors and drawers. In this method,the cabinet size is limited only be the length of the components and the ability to clamp it all together as it dries. We have used 8 feet as the maximum cabinet size when employing the face-frame method. Because of the rigidity added by the face frame, sides and bottoms can be made out of lightweight½” thick plywood, and backs, staples into a rabbet at the back of the sides,can be ¼” thick plywood. Cabinets constructed in this method are light, strong, and more easily installed due to built-in scribe on unfinished ends. As detailed above, though, the construction of them can be time consuming and complicated due to the different materials, thicknesses and processes employed.
Different construction methods emerged during the 1960’s that resulted in a sea-change in the way cabinets are now constructed. Due to the devastation in Europe resulting from World War II, the need for rebuilding, and the shortage or raw materials and labor, new methods of cabinet-making were being explored. Instead of the face-frame method of construction outlined above, a new method called frameless was developed. Instead of the face frame,the cabinets were constructed entirely of ¾” thick panels, generally particleboard or MDF (medium density particle board) core material with a melamine finish. These panels were developed in Europe as an answer to the raw material shortages and the complete destruction of the existing panel industry during the war. Along with the newly developed panels, new machinery had to be engineered to facilitate the dowel construction of these panels. New types of hinges, drawer slides, shelf supports and other hardware was developed to work in conjunction with this new construction method. Not surprisingly this system became to be known here in the states as “the European system”
Enter Stofanak Custom Cabinetry. Around the early 1980’s we were still pretty much making cabinets the way we had been since Phil Sr. began in 1951. We cut plywood on table saws,with two people. We cut all of our horizontal pieces on a radial-arm saw, cut ¼” prefinished plywood backs on a vertical panel saw. Face frames were lumber-core plywood, joined with corrugated fasteners, glue, and clamps. All of these components were assembled unfinished with pneumatic nail guns, holes filled, then sanded, stained, and given a couple of coats of nitrocellulose lacquer inside and out. Doors were hung on the face frames, as were the drawer slides which also attached to the back hanging rail. As one can imagine, there was ample room for improvement in this process. After a particularly difficult time, Phil Sr. decided that we needed to figure out a better, faster, more efficient way to make cabinets. A new saw known as a panel saw was purchased. Able to cut 4 sheets of plywood at a time with one operator, controlled by an early version of CNC, it was a godsend! Being able to process panels this quickly just led to glaring inefficiencies in other areas, and soon we were embarked on a revolution to revamp our entire product line. Once we had the machinery, we jumped head-first into the new “European style” of cabinetry for our burgeoning commercial market. In commercial cabinetry, fast turn-around and ease of cleaning take precedence over style in the decision making process. In addition to the previously outlined concerns, 95% of commercial work is obtained by competitive bid, making price a very big part of the equation. Another term for “European style” is the 32 mm system of construction, so named for the minimum center to center distance between construction holes. Simply put, a cabinet side is drilled for 8 mm dowels to hold the top, bottom, and back in position. A series of 5 mm “system holes” are drilled in vertical rows on all cabinet sides. Into these holes are attached special hinge base plates, all the drawer slides, and the adjustable shelf supports. Because of the limited amount of material needed for frameless cabinets and the dedicated hardware, plus the fact that nothing needs to be sanded or finished, the construction of these cabinets is much less labor intensive than a face-frame cabinet. The limitations to this method are cabinet size (generally limited to 48” wide)weight, and ease of installation. The lack of a face frame makes the cabinet relatively flexible until it is installed, which makes the installation of these cabinets critical.
Despite musings within the cabinet industry that, because of the 32 mm system, face frame cabinets were destined for the dust heap of history. In reality, face frame cabinetry still exists and still has an important role in the cabinet industry, though it has borrowed heavily from the 32 mm system. If one desires an accurate appearing historical cabinet, there is no substitute for a face frame cabinet with beaded frames, inset doors and drawer fronts (fit flush with the frame).Here at Stofanak Custom Cabinetry, we utilize a hybrid method of construction employing traditional and modern methods. Face-frame cabinet components are wood veneer plywood with a clear UV-Cured finish on the interior married to a traditional face frame with traditional and modern joinery. Face frames are joined with pocket-screws and glue in a method developed for the mobile home industry to withstand the rigors of over the road delivery. This method is fast, accurate, and strong. Exposed cabinet sides are always¾” veneer-core plywood joined to the face frame by means of a lock-mitre,clamped and glued for a blind joint. Unexposed sides and bottoms, are ½” plywood, and joined blindly to the face frame with pocket screws and glue. All hanging rails are ¾” plywood with edges banded in a clear-finished veneer edge-banding, and assembled to the cabinet sides with pocket screws and glue. Cabinet backs, not a structural component of the cabinet, are clear-finished ¼” plywood and are let into a groove in the backs of the cabinets and stapled in place. The result is a completely clear-finished interior of either maple or birch veneer, with the cabinet exterior all matching in either stained and finished veneer and solid, or a painted finish. Cabinets constructed in this manner are light, strong, and more easily installed than a corresponding frameless cabinet. Modern CNC machinery aids us in maintaining close tolerances across the varied materials and thicknesses we employ to continue making a traditional cabinet in the 21st century.
