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A sink base is the one cabinet in a run that's built without a back, and that's exactly what makes the back supports load-bearing rather than decorative: with no back panel tying the sides together, the pair of supports (scrap plywood or 1x3, doesn't matter which) at the top and bottom is what keeps the box from racking every time a door swings. Skip them and the cabinet stays square only until the plumbing goes in and someone leans on the counter above it.
The face frame gets built and clamped as its own flat assembly before it ever touches the carcass — every joint clamped, marked, and glued on a flat surface, then pocket-screwed to the front edges. Building it in place instead invites a frame that's square to nothing. And this plan stops deliberately short of the door and drawer face: they take different tools and know-how, warp more than any other cabinet part, and are cheap enough to have built separately or ordered pre-made — bundling them in here would make every other cabinet in a run repeat the same door-specific instructions.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| Cabinet-grade plywood, 3/4", 4x8 sheetRipped into a 22-3/4"-wide strip; only one strip is needed but a full sheet must be bought to get it — save the scrap. | 1 each |
| Pine, 2x4, 8 ft | 1 each |
| Pine, 1x2, 8 ft | 2 each |
| Pine, 1x3, 8 ft | 1 each |
| Scrap plywood or 1x3 furring strips, for back supports | 2 each |
| Pocket hole screws, 1-1/4" | 1 box |
| Wood glue | 3 oz |
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.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L |
|---|---|---|
| SidesCabinet-grade plywood, 3/4" | 2 | 3/4" × 22 3/4" × 31" |
| TopCabinet-grade plywood, 3/4" | 1 | 3/4" × 22 3/4" × 34" |
| Face frame rails, widePine 1x2 | 3 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 33" |
| Face frame stilesPine 1x2 | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 31" |
| Face frame center stilePine 1x3 | 1 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 21" |
| Back supports, longScrap plywood or 1x3 furring strips | 2 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 34" |
| Back supports, shortScrap plywood or 1x3 furring strips | 2 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 22" |
| Base sidesPine 2x4 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 17 1/2" |
| Base front/backPine 2x4 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 35 1/2" |
Buy 10 boards at 8 ft.
2 boards
2 boards
2 boards
1 board
3 boards
Assumes 8 ft stock, a 1/8" saw kerf, and buying each part at its own width. Change the board size or kerf on the full board plan →
Build the base as shown, 1/2" narrower in width than the cabinet carcass to account for the face-frame overhang. Drill pocket holes now for attaching the base to the underside of the cabinet in a later step, then set the base aside.
Rip the plywood sheet to a 22-3/4" strip and build the sides and top into the carcase. Drill 3/4" pocket holes along the front edges for attaching the face frame in a later step.
Attach the back supports at the top and back of the carcase — scrap plywood strips or 1x3/1x4 boards both work. With no back panel on a sink base, these supports are what keeps the box square.
Build the face frame as its own flat assembly: clamp and mark each joint before gluing, and build with 3/4" pocket holes and 1-1/4" pocket hole screws. Use fine-thread pocket hole screws if the frame is hardwood, especially where hinges will attach.
Add scrap plywood or 1x3/1x4 corner support pieces where the countertop will land — these give the top plywood something to fasten to once the cabinet run is assembled, and add corner support that helps keep the cabinets square.
Once the carcase is built, attach the base, flush to the back and sides.
Attach the completed face frame to the front of the carcase with glue and pocket hole screws through the pre-drilled front edges.
Sand every exposed surface and finish. Doors and the drawer face are their own project — build or order them separately and hang once finished.
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