I'm building cabinets for the wall in my study, very similar to the contruction of kitchen cabinets. I have finished the boxes and am now moving on to the face frames. As I understand it, I can make them 1-1/2 or 2 inches wide typically. Any feedback on the best width?? Also, there will be 4 cabinets side by side. The last cabinet on the right will be going against a wall, so the face frame will need some extra to scribe on the wall. Is 1/2 inch oK or do I need more?
Lastly, the last cabinet on the left will be completely visible on it's left side. My plan was to make the face frame flush with the left side. Is that going to be the best approach? All feedback will be welcomed.
Thanks,
Ed

ed, i make my face frame sides 1 1/2" inch, the bottoms 1" wide, and 1" between drawers (for base cabinets). for sides where they meet another cabinet, i leave the face 1/16" proud of the side, it ensures a frame to frame mate. check the mating wall for plumb and straight with a level, that should help you with overhang for scribing, add that overhang amount to the 1 1/2". you may need more overhang if your corner is not square. the exposed side you can leave the frame proud, then router it off with a flush bit.

I finish the FF edge flush to finished end cabinets. If you allow a 1/16" edge to mating face frames, the rear of the cabinets may have an 1/8" gap to close up and change the plane of the front. Using a like spacer on the rear vertical edge will help keep the frontal plane in line.

Here is a method for getting face frames to be in alignment.

"If you allow a 1/16" edge to mating face frames, the rear of the cabinets may have an 1/8" gap to close up and change the plane of the front."

fwiw it's never been a problem, it's actually saved me more then once. since it's difficult to guarantee cabinet or wall squareness. i don't do anything with the gap in the back other then shim, as it's firmly attached to the wall.

I agree it has saved me also and never had a problem.

I usually use 1 and 3/4" styles and always leave 1/4" ears on joining cabinets. On built-ins...the styles are usually wider depending on the design and size of the room. Rick

When I build cabinets, I use 3/4 material. My face frames are usually 2" wide for the stiles, 3" wide for the top rail and 2" for the bottom rail. Depending upon what I'm trying to fit into the cabinet the other rails are either either 1-1/2" or 2".

The stiles extend 3/4" plus into the cabinet. This allows for a floater to attach the rear end of the drawer slides. The result is about an inch between adjacent cabinets and easy alignment. There is also a half inch for scribing to the wall. (Belt sander) For a finished end, a 1/4" sheet of plywood of the appropriate species is usually contact cemented to the carcass and the stile is flush trimmed.

I always make a separate toe kick for my cabinets. It is much easier to install a toe kick level and then install the cabinets on the level toe kick base.

BTW - It is usually better to build the face frame to fit the space and then build the carcass to fit the face frame.