Starting Cabinet building and mounting, need some advice on construction methods

[neoneddy]

I'm not a master wood worker, but I built my newly remodeled home kitchen cabinets form  3/4 oak ply, dato cut slots in the vertical pieces for base and top, I know how to make face frames, etc.  Just giving some background.

From what I can tell there are two schools of thought on making cabinets for Bus / RVs

• Traditionally like a home - build boxes, hang them.
• Build in place - make the face frame, hang it, frame it out with sticks, then add sides and bottom, finish with doors, etc

I'm tackling the front cabinets right now, to house Audio / Video gear to support the TV, etc.

But then I'm moving onto the sides and in both scenarios how do I handle the under side of the cabinets?  Just face over them with 3/8 ply?  On my home kitchen cabinets  no one ever sees the underside.

Or am I missing something completely?

[daddysgirl]

Personally, I have always found that anchoring a 1x2 or 2x2" solid Birch strips to the frame allows for very strong cabinets that can hold more than you think. AND you can make the different cabinets...different...follow the roofline angle. go bigger, smaller, use drawers at floor level, etc.
But however you decide to build them, make sure they have a strong latch for traveling.

[Zephod]

I built my cabinets from 2x4 anchored to the floor, ceiling and sides with L brackets and self drilling hex head screws. Every beam was anchored. My countertops and interior partitions are 3/4 OSB. The cabinet fronts are all drawers and doors. No wasted space. The ends are part of the next partition.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Zephod]

And that's some of my construction. Strong enough that I can pull on it and swing my weight enough to get the bus rocking and it stays put.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[TheHollands!]

I think construction method, either or will work. I started building in place but then found I could build them easier and sleeker like household cabinets and install them as I went. As for undersides on uppers, I made my face to hang an extra 1" or so below the bottom and when standing or sitting you don't really see the underside, it also allows space to add under cabinet lighting. I guess you'd see the bottom if you had cabinets over seating areas which I was originally planning but abandoned as I felt it was going to give the bus too much of a 'cave' feeling. Craig

[Dave5Cs]

We got cabinets that people were putting out while they remodeled their kitchens and I cut them to fit and sanded them and re-stained and lacquered them. A few in the Bedroom I made the boxes and face frames and then used doors off some others that fit. Pretty much free being they gave them away in good shape and I was retired contractor and had most of the other things we needed.

[sledhead]

I like using a template made out of 1/4 " paneling or plywood to get the angles right . then make the cabinets out of 5 / 8 " or 3 / 4 " ply with venner on one side and prebuild them outside of the coach then bring them in and install . soft close hinges , dwr slides with locks on all  







first 2 banks of dwrs are replacements  still working on the others

dave

[neoneddy]

My Biggest concern is the upper cabinets.    I'm leaning towards building a face frame and maybe cutting a rabbit notch in the bottom rail to attach the plywood base to.

However I also think having a small cavity might be nice to run some switched led lights as well.   

This mostly a question up front, because those cabinets are up against the odd shaped front roof and windshield area.   Otherwise I think I'll build them like normal cabinets.

[lvmci]

Gary and Van from B&B put 3/4" plywood, i got prefinished in the color my wife wanted, that were screwed to the bus wall, then cleats of 1X1" birch,  that secure the cabinet frame to the plywood. Frame out of solid birch.  There are two structural beams above and two below on your MCI9, where the overhead  luggage bins and below where the seats secured. I put additional secure points for my cabinets and walls, keeping the rails above for later adding a drop down ceiling, for more insulation, ductwork and wiring, lvmci...sorry couldnt post picture...

[neoneddy]

Tertiary question : Choice of wood for face frames?   Oak? Poplar? Pine?

Some stuff will be painted, others I might stain / finish. I like oak for finished stuff.

[Gerry H]

Hello: The harder the wood, the harder it is to work with such as routering, sawing sanding, finish issues. Oak is hard but typically used in home cabinets. I chose natural hickory due to the varying grain, but experienced lots of issues with routering, mostly need very well sharpened bits. I templated curves, and face framed my cabs. Good Luck Gerry H

[neoneddy]

Ok ill check in with my progress, this is where I'm at. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[scanzel]

Gerry H, I really like the toilet by the kitchen counter, can talk to the wife preparing breakfast while sitting on the throne. Ha! Ha!

[daddysgirl]

If you want some cabinets to follow the bend, cleats are the easiest way to install them.
Actually, IMHO, cleats give you the most variety in terms of how you want to lay out all the cabinets.
And your face frame can be placed so as to provide space for down or uplighting.

Choice of wood: Birch and/or walnut.

[HB of CJ]

A different idea?  We had some success using aluminum square tubing and angle for the supports and framing and paneling in the cabinets using bathroom plastic wall and shower panels.  Lots of textures and colors available.

Very light weight.  Finished already.  Stiff with added aluminum angle.  Loctite.

All bolted together.  All fashioned to the floor and not the walls and ceiling.  No squeaks.  One could lay his eyes against the walls and see a 1/8 inch gap all the way to the rear.  The cabinetry never touched the walls or ceilings.

No wood inside the coach at all.  Ex Crown School bus.