# Melamine Cabinet Sides to Wood Face Frame



## dhg (Mar 27, 2008)

I've got about 20 kitchen and bathroom cabinets to build for a customer and at first the boxes were going to be 1/2" cherry plywood with 3/4" cherry face frames. Great no problem, then he told me it would be 3/4" plywood, he got a good deal on the plywood. (He's supplying the material) Well when I went to pick up the plywood, it turned out to be 3/4" cherry melamine.

My problem now is how would be the best way to attach the melamine sides to the cherry face frames. Normally I would dado the sides 1/4" into the FF and white glue and staple the sides to the FF. Now I'm thinking a 3/8" deep dado and using a urathane construction adhesive and stapling to the face frames but I'm worried that the melamine will blow out and chip. my experience with melamine has pretty much been just shelves.

Any other ideas or suggestions?

Thanks, Rich


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## kolwdwrkr (Jul 27, 2008)

dhg, couldn't you use pocket screws where not visible, and then just glue and clamps where they would be, like finished ends. You don't really even need to screw or nail the face frame to the box. The glue is more then enough to hold a frame on the box. You can use the screws in place of clamps. If you don't have a pocket screw jig you could just clamp it, or if you feel there is a lack of strength, use biscuits. Running the grooves seems like time well waisted.


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## childress (Sep 14, 2008)

just like kol said….I always use pocket screws. Works perfectly fine in melamine ans it's alot faster than doing it the way you are thinking.


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## ND2ELK (Jan 25, 2008)

I have always just glued my face frames on. You could shoot a few brads equally spaced to hold the frames in place till glue dries and it also allows you to pull the clamps a little quicker.

God Bless
tom


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## dhg (Mar 27, 2008)

Thanks for the input guys, I have both pocket screws and biscuits which I use often. I think i'll go with the some pocket screws.


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## North40 (Oct 17, 2007)

Pocket screws here, too. I use dowels instead of screws whenever the screw pockets might be visible (end of run cabinets, etc). Biscuits would work fine instead of dowels.


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