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Sawdust Girl®

Sawdust Girl®

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How to Build a Cabinet with Dado Joints

All Posts, Cabinet Making 101, Cabinets, Free Plans, Kitchen Cabinets

The next method for building a basic cabinet in my three part series is using dado joints which requires more tools than the more basic methods.   This method of building cabinets gives you strong joints and the cleanest look.  It’s definitely a more advanced method so if this is your first cabinet building experience, maybe start with either the butt joints and wood screws or the butt joints and pocket hole screws method.

How to build a kitchen cabinet with dado joints

Technically we’re using Dado and Rabbet joints.  The difference is only WHERE in the wood you route (or cut) your groove — I’m just referring to ALL grooves in this post “Dados”.   You can cut a “through dados” with a table saw but you really need a plunge router and guides to do the “stop dado”– safely.

What is a dado? What is a Rabbet?

How to Build a Cabinet with Dado Joints

 

Materials:

  •  3/4″ for sides, bottom and shelves
  • 1/4″ for back
  • wood glue
  • clamps

Step 1:  Cut your dados

  • Use a plunge router and guides to ensure your dados are straight.
  • Use the correct sized bits for the material thickness.  Material should fit snugly inside the dado.
  • Look at each diagram for dado placement and sizing

For bottom shelf

Cutting dados for hidden cabinet construction

 

For Back Panel

cabinet dado for hidden back

 

For Back and Top Cleats

How to cut dados for kitchen cabinets

Step 2:  Attach bottom

  • Apply wood glue to dados for the cabinet bottom making sure to coat all three sides of the cutout.
  • Insert cabinet bottom into dados and use clamps (pipe clamps are what I generally use) to hold securely until glue dries.

Detailed tutorial to show you how to build a cabinet with dado joints tom Sawdust Girl.

Step 3:  Attach Back Cleat

  • Use wood glue and clamps to secure back cleat in place while glue dries
  • Make sure the cleat is pushed forward into the dado as far as it will go so there is 1/4″ of space left for back panel.

Woodworking plans to build kitchen cabinets with dados

 

Step 4:  Attach Top Cleats

  • Use wood glue and clamps to secure top cleats in place while glue dries.

Detailed tutorial to show you how to build a cabinet with dado joints tom Sawdust Girl.

Step 5:  Attach Back

  • Square up
  • Lay back panel into the recess

DIY Kitchen cabinet building tutorial

 Step 6:  Build and Attach Faceframe

A whole tutorial in itself which you can find right here.

 

How to use dado joints to build cabinets

Get all my cabinet building tips in one place in my Cabinet Building 101 eBook.  You can download it and keep it on hand!

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Cabinet Building 101 eBook

January 21, 2019 · 3 Comments

« Adding Decorative Legs to Cooktop Cabinet
How to build and attach a cabinet faceframe »

Comments

  1. Julie @ follow your heart woodworking says

    January 21, 2014 at 5:17 pm

    This is how I build, but I use my table saw with a dado blade to make the dados and rabbets.

    Reply
    • Sandra says

      January 21, 2014 at 11:13 pm

      Julie do you cut your stop rabbet on your table saw too? I do the through dado and rabbet but the plunge router is my preferred stop dado/rabbet method.

      Reply
      • Julie @ follow your heart woodworking says

        January 22, 2014 at 8:00 am

        I try and avoid them, but have done them on the tablesaw as well as the router, depending on the application. For something large like a cabinet side, I find the tablesaw more accurate and easier to manage for the through dado.

        Reply

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