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A buffet or sideboard needs to look like a cabinet from the front and hide plywood everywhere else, which is exactly what a face frame does — it's a solid-wood frame applied to a plywood carcass, so every visible edge is real wood while the structure underneath is sheet goods.
The center divider splits the interior into two independent sections, which keeps each door's opening a manageable size and gives the case a middle post to anchor the face frame to — without it, a cabinet this wide would need a much heavier door or open awkwardly.
Leave a consistent 1/8" gap around every door opening. Doors that fit too tight will bind the moment the house's humidity shifts the wood even slightly; a uniform small gap reads as intentional and still closes flush.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| Construction lumber, 2x4, ripped to 3" wideFace frames. | 4 each |
| 3/4" hardwood plywood, 4x8 sheetSides, bottom, and center divider. | 2 each |
| Pine board, 1x4, 8 ftSide trim. | 2 each |
| 1/2" hardwood plywood, partial sheetDoors. | 1 sheet |
| 1/4" plywood, partial sheetBack panel. | 1 sheet |
| Construction lumber, 2x6, ripped to 5" wideTop. | 4 each |
| Pocket hole screws, assorted | 60 each |
| Brad nails, 1-1/4" | 1 box |
| Wood screws, 3-1/2"Attaches the top through the face frame. | 10 each |
| Staples or nails (back panel) | 1 box |
| Wood glue | 4 oz |
| Paint | 12 oz |
| Wood stain | 8 oz |
| Hinges and door pulls | 2 set |
Overall cost: $$$. Lumber prices vary by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure we would only be pretending to know.
Rip the 2x4 stock to 3in wide and build two face frames — front and back — with pocket holes, glue, and pocket screws.
Build two matching side panels from 3/4" plywood, with pocket holes down the back edge and the front edge trimmed with 1x4 stock.
Attach the two side panels to the back face frame, flush at the top on both sides. Cut a 3/4" plywood bottom panel and attach it to the back face frame and sides with pocket screws and glue.
Cut a center divider slightly shorter than the sides and attach it to the base and the face frame's center leg. Attach the front face frame to the sides and divider, keeping the outside edges and top flush.
Build two flat-panel doors from 1/2" plywood, leaving a consistent 1/8in gap around each opening, and trim each door's face with mitered strips.
Rip the 2x6 boards to 5in wide and join them edge-to-edge with pocket holes, then attach the assembled top to the cabinet with long wood screws through the face frame.
Cut a 1/4" plywood back panel and attach it with glue and staples or nails. Paint the cabinet and doors, stain the top, then install the hinges and door pulls.
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