Face Frame Base Kitchen Cabinet Carcass, 24"

Rip a full sheet of plywood into 22-1/2"-wide strips, saving the leftover scrap for the top supports or corner bracing. Cross-cut two 34-1/2" side panels from the strips and notch out the toe kick with a jigsaw. If you want pocket-hole face frame attachment, drill 3/4" pocket holes on the inside front edges of the sides now.

Cut the bottom shelf from the ripped strips, remembering the carcass runs 1/2" narrower than the desired finished cabinet width. Drill 3/4" pocket holes on its 22-1/2"-long sides and attach to the side panels with 1-1/4" pocket hole screws. Also drill 3/4" pocket holes facing forward on the underside of the bottom shelf for attaching the face frame later.

Use a scrap plywood strip for the front top support. This squares up the cabinet and gives you something to attach countertop plywood to later — it gets covered in a later step, so it doesn't need to look pretty. Drill 3/4" pocket holes and attach with 1-1/4" pocket hole screws; also drill pocket holes facing forward for the face frame if using that attachment method.

Add the back top support the same way, again using scrap plywood if you have it. This board is what you'll screw into a wall stud to hang the cabinet, and it also squares up the back. You can attach the back panel now or wait until after drawers or shelves are installed, whichever is easier.

Build the face frame from the stiles and rails with pocket holes and glue. If the wood is splitting, set your jig for 1/2" stock and use 1" pocket hole screws instead. The face frame runs 1/2" wider than the carcass — this gives you room to line up face frames perfectly across a run of cabinets, even on an imperfect wall.

Attach the finished face frame to the front of the carcass. For any cabinet end that will be exposed, finish it with 1/4" plywood matched to your face frame species — useful if you're using a lower-cost sheet good for the carcass and a nicer hardwood for the visible face frame and doors.

Sand every visible surface. Leave a 1/2" reveal gap between doors and drawers on the same cabinet, and 1/4" per cabinet between neighboring cabinets, when it comes time to hang doors.