NotchLoading plan…
Loading plan…
Use your browser's Print (Ctrl/Cmd + P) and choose Save as PDF. This page works offline once you've opened it with a signal.
A 36"-wide backless sink-base cabinet built from cabinet-grade plywood with a full-overlay face frame — doors and drawer face are a separate project.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L | Material | ✓ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sides | 2 | 3/4" × 22 3/4" × 31" | Cabinet-grade plywood, 3/4" | ☐ |
| Top | 1 | 3/4" × 22 3/4" × 34" | Cabinet-grade plywood, 3/4" | ☐ |
| Face frame rails, wide | 3 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 33" | Pine 1x2 | ☐ |
| Face frame stiles | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 31" | Pine 1x2 | ☐ |
| Face frame center stile | 1 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 21" | Pine 1x3 | ☐ |
| Back supports, long | 2 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 34" | Scrap plywood or 1x3 furring strips | ☐ |
| Back supports, short | 2 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 22" | Scrap plywood or 1x3 furring strips | ☐ |
| Base sides | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 17 1/2" | Pine 2x4 | ☐ |
| Base front/back | 2 | 1 1/2" × 3 1/2" × 35 1/2" | Pine 2x4 | ☐ |
| Item | Qty | ✓ |
|---|---|---|
| Cabinet-grade plywood, 3/4", 4x8 sheet Ripped 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 varies by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Pocket Hole Jig. Materials: Pine, 2x4, 8 ft
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.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Pocket Hole Jig, Table Saw. Materials: Cabinet-grade plywood, 3/4", 4x8 sheet
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.
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: Scrap plywood or 1x3 furring strips, for back supports
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.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Miter Saw, Pocket Hole Jig. Materials: Pine, 1x2, 8 ft, Pine, 1x3, 8 ft, Wood glue
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.
Tools: Drill / Driver. Materials: Scrap plywood or 1x3 furring strips, for back supports
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.
Tools: Drill / Driver
Once the carcase is built, attach the base, flush to the back and sides.
Tools: Drill / Driver, Pocket Hole Jig. Materials: Wood glue
Attach the completed face frame to the front of the carcase with glue and pocket hole screws through the pre-drilled front edges.
Tools: Random Orbit Sander
Sand every exposed surface and finish. Doors and the drawer face are their own project — build or order them separately and hang once finished.