Posted by ryan on January 22, 2011 at 16:08:44:
i am sure that we all have a skill saw and a cordless drill. i am not selling anything…go to www.kregtool.com…look at the kreg jigs…there you will see a great pocket hole jig that will allow you to build drawers in minutes with the skill saw and drill… i have one of these and its great…it also allows you to bulid lots of other items like cabinants…if you like what u see go to amazon.com to buy the jig and extra srews, much much cheaper
Mike Scarbrough, Don, Doc and other DIY’ers - Posted by Tony Colella
Posted by Tony Colella on December 23, 2010 at 19:15:34:
A couple of weeks back I called Dr. B to discuss a huge frustration I face in rehabbing. I have come to believe that mobile homes are where drawers go to die, disappear or at the very least, shed their slides.
The death of the drawer is followed closely by the demise of the cabinet doors.
Dr. B does this stuff in his basement but even he seems reluctant to fabricate his own cabinet doors (finds cheap one’s all too easy but I don’t have that kind of luck).
Any of you do-it-yourselfer’s fabricating doors and drawers? If so can you expand on it or could Mike create a how to course for me (his DVD course made everything else so easy I figure this would become a cake walk for me with Mike’s help).
Tony
Re: Mike Scarbrough, Don, Doc and other DIY’ers - Posted by Don-NY
Posted by Don-NY on December 26, 2010 at 10:13:44:
This may sound silly but have you tried the junkyard? That’s where the misfit trailers go around here and you can buy the parts out of the cheap cheap.
Re: Mike Scarbrough, Don, Doc and other DIY’ers - Posted by miket/nc
Posted by miket/nc on December 24, 2010 at 07:37:03:
I usually just make new drawers using the old ones as a pattern. I figure there’s no need to try to repair the original ones. They won’t much to start with and gluing cardboard back together isn’t really tenant resistant. I do the same for the doors by just cutting out a new one from a sheet of plywood. I can match the stain pretty good. Can’t remember which stain I use at the moment. I also have a quick fix for the inside bottom of the cabinets. If they are just badly stained and not rotten then I just clean and paint them a dark gray or black. It hides the stains and mouse droppings.
Re: Mike Scarbrough, Don, Doc and other DIY’ers - Posted by Mike Scarbrough
Posted by Mike Scarbrough on December 24, 2010 at 02:40:10:
Merry Christmas Tony (and to all on CRE)! I was going to put a section on repairing drawers and cabinets on the course, but after 4 DVD’s and almost 6 hours of info, I had to decide what to leave out.
Cabinet drawer and cabinet door issues are extremely common in MH rehabs. The major problem I’ve noticed tends to be the fronts to the drawers and the cabinet doors tend to be ripped off. Below is a link to a scene I was going to do for drawer repair that didn’t get included on the video. Basically it shows the awesome selection of replacement drawer and cabinet covers that are now available at the big box stores that you really couldn’t get so easily maybe 10 years ago. (this scene was shot at a Menard’s)
I wouldn’t really recommend fabricating a door to a cabinet or the front of a drawer nowadays with the selection available out there.
When a whole drawer itself is broken, it’s a pain to fabricate them. Luckily, they are usually just in pieces/parts and all you are really doing is nailing (sometimes gluing) them back together and maybe putting new slides on; and not really having to fabricate them.
I recommend saving even so/so cabinets and drawers from homes you have to tear down to have for later, for those times when a whole drawer is missing.
If you are in a real pickle, and the home you are selling is a cheaper one, you can always glue/nail a drawer front where the drawer is supposed to be. Just be sure to let the buyer know there’s no drawer there before the sale. (when there’s three or four drawers, one missing is not usually a deal breaker.)
I hope this helps some.
-Mike
DIY’ers - Posted by Tony Colella
Posted by Tony Colella on December 24, 2010 at 08:21:06:
We have fabricated entire cabinets and made doors out of plywood with poor results. Warping seemed to be a problem over time.
Dr. B explained that his experience has shown not to paint or stain the inside of the door so that it can “breath” when these cabinets heat, cool or moisture is created.
I typically replace the floor of the cabinet with plywood and/or luan.
Thanks Mike.
Tony
Re: Mike Scarbrough - Posted by Tony Colella
Posted by Tony Colella on December 24, 2010 at 08:25:08:
Thanks Mike,
Dr. B mentioned he has also had great luck just buying the doors at second hand stores, habitat for humanity type stores and other similar places as well.
He and I both have rebuilt the entire cabinets and using his method I would make the cabinet to match the size of the doors we found at one of these places or if not at the big box store.
The drawers are something I need to focus on more as I am reaching a point where drawers are either no longer salvageable or completely missing.
Tony
Re: DIY’ers - Posted by Dan Dawson
Posted by Dan Dawson on December 26, 2010 at 19:59:09:
Tony, we have run into the same problem with drawers and doors disintegrating. We have facelifted kitchen cabinets for $100.00 to $150.00 cost of materials depending on size of kitchen. We use solid oak for stiles and rails and drawer fronts. All that is required is a stile and rail router bit set used in a router table and a table saw, 3/4 inch oak material ,1/4 inch oak plywood, and a little practice in putting it all together, When completed (usually in 1 day for assembly and then time to stain and lacquer) it looks as though you have put in new oak cabinets.E-mail me at affordablehomes.dan@gmail.com or call me at 309-275-5175 and I will be glad to walk you through it.
Drawers - Posted by shawn sisco
Posted by shawn sisco on December 24, 2010 at 14:51:11:
Sometimes out with the old- in with the new is in order. a 12" 4 drawer base cabinet pre-finished oak costs $179 at Lowes, unfinished is cheaper still.
The mismatch doesn’t look nearly as bad as you would first think.
Re: DIY’ers - Posted by shawn sisco
Posted by shawn sisco on December 26, 2010 at 21:00:13:
Dan do you mean new fronts on the existing box- or all new.
Re: Drawers - Posted by Dr. B. (OH)
Posted by Dr. B. (OH) on December 25, 2010 at 15:15:44:
Often this is an easy fix. BUT, on occasion I’ve gotten caught by the fact that the standard cabinet depth or height of cabinets was not heeded by the mobile home manufacturer. They built the cabinets 1-1/2" shallower (is that a word?) or 1/2" taller than standard, making my life hell for fitting the cabinet under the existing counter top. Most recently this was in a 1990s home. As always, don’t ASS-U-ME, measure twice, cut once.
I have successfully done a replacement new or used cabinet and painted the old with the new so it all matches.
Merry Christmas,
Steve
I agree Shawn. - Posted by Glen (OH)
Posted by Glen (OH) on December 24, 2010 at 15:30:47:
We are very fortunate here in the Cincinnati area in that we have several salvage operations (Habitat, Building Value ect.). I no longer beat myself up trying to repair items when I can by a good used replacement. Last week at the Habitat store I saw an entire kitchen cabinet set including the countertop, sink and fixture for $45 and they even load it in your truck for you. In addition the 50 cent cabinet door bin has saved me many times.
I also like the idea of blanking off the damaged drawer.
Merry Christmas to all,
Glen (OH)
Re: DIY’ers - Posted by Dan Dawson
Posted by Dan Dawson on December 27, 2010 at 10:10:27:
Hi Shawn! I mean just new fronts where possible, but I must admit I have replaced more boxes than I have refaced entire kitchens.
Building new boxes requires 5/16 birch plywood. We cut strips 5 - 6 inches wide or however tall we want the drawer, we groove the inside for drawer bottom then make the size box we need.
Square Corners - Posted by shawn sisco
Posted by shawn sisco on December 25, 2010 at 21:51:59:
The whole cabinet replacement issue (MH and pre-1970 est. site built) was something of a mystery to me - I mean nothing is square when I am replacing - but the old cabinets fit great. It isn’t important the room is square when you are building cabs to fit, sawing out the lumber on site. It is only when trying to fit a squared pre-fab cabinet that having a squared room is critical.
blanking off damaged drawers - Posted by Steve-WA
Posted by Steve-WA on December 27, 2010 at 15:58:52:
in one of my rentals, there is a built in hutch that has TONS of cabinet space, with about 8 drawers over cab doors. Couple of drawer fronts missing; oak floor registers(vents) fit the hole PERFECTLY!! Took a couple others off and did every other one - looks awesome
Re: I agree Shawn. - Posted by Don-NY
Posted by Don-NY on December 26, 2010 at 10:11:34:
We have 2 used home parts stores in the area but they are private business and their prices are 50-70% of full retail. I have not been able to deal with them so far.