- Sink cabinets consist of two end panels, each of which are 23 inches by 35 1/4 inches, and are made from 3/4-inch plywood. Lay the end panels on a worktable so that the long edges are touching. Measure from the 23-inch edge and make a mark at 4 inches. Do the same from the long edge as well. Put a framing square on the marks and draw a line across the 23-inch width. This will create a square in one corner. Cut the square out with a jigsaw. This is where a cleat will be secured to support the bottom shelf.
Apply glue behind the cutout and under the line and secure a 4-by-19-inch piece of plywood to the end panel with 1 1/4-inch drywall screws. These are called cleats. The shelves of the cabinet are the same depth (23 inches) and are 1 1/2 inches narrower than the overall width. For example, a 36-inch sink cabinet's shelf is 28 1/2 inches long.
The shelf is placed on top of the cleats and secured to the end panels through the end panels with 4d finish nails. There is also a nailing strip, which measures 4-by-28 1/2 inches (the same as the shelf) and is secured between the end panels at the top and back of the end panels. It should also be secured with 4d finish nails.
The back of the sink cabinet is made of 1/4-inch plywood. To save material, the height of the back is cut at 30 inches. Although there are actually 31 1/4 inches from the bottom of the bottom shelf to the top of the end panels, the 4-inch nailing strip allows a 30-inch back to fit on the sink cabinet. Secure this with 1/2-inch tacks, keeping it even with the bottom of the bottom shelf at the outside edges of the end panels. This keeps the cabinet square.
The last piece to install before the face frame is the toe board. This secures to the 4-inch cutout area of the end panels. The toe board is 4 inches tall and the width of the cabinet. For our 36-inch sink base, the toe board is 36 inches long. It also is secured with 4d finish nails. - The face frame of the sink cabinet is constructed from 2-inch wide plywood or solid lumber. The face frame for the sink cabinet consists of two side pieces and three rails (horizontal pieces). The side pieces and the rails on a 36-inch sink cabinet are 32 inches in length.
The length of the rails is determined by subtracting 4 inches from the width of the cabinet because the side pieces of the face frame are 2 inches wide each.
The rails fit between the side pieces; one at the top, one at the bottom and one at 6½ inches from the top. This is to create a 4 ½-inch space for drawers. However, in the case of sink cabinets, a drawer will not work, but a drawer front will be secured to the area to make it uniform with the cabinets on either side of it. Some builders call it a dummy drawer and others call it a false front.
The face frame is built using corrugated fasteners. Hold the face frame pieces perpendicular to each other and drive two corrugated fasteners to each end of the rails where they meet the side pieces. Once this is done, secure the face frame to the sink cabinet with 4d finish nails. - Doors and drawers are exactly 1 inch larger than the hole. In this case, the dummy drawer front will be 33-by-5 1/2 inches. It is secured to the face frame by two pieces of 3x7x1/2-inch plywood that is secured to the back of the face frame over the opening for the dummy. The 1/2-inch plywood is secured with 1-inch drywall screws, and the dummy front is secured to the opening with 1 1/2-inch drywall screws.
The doors for a 36-inch sink cabinet are also 1 inch larger than the opening. However, the single piece is cut in half. In this case, the piece for the door is 33 by 22 1/2 inches, and is cut in the center. This results in two doors that are each 16 1/2 by 22 1/2 inches in size. Hinges differ in installation methods, so follow the manufacturer's instructions to install the hinges.
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