# Knotty pine kitchen cabinets



## rickdavis81 (May 22, 2013)

My wife decided I needed to remodel the kitchen the other day. She decided she wants knotty pine cabinets. I've build cabinets before, not a professional by any means, but I'm getting better. Is there a special pine used for knotty pine woodworking? Also what would you use for the carcass? I've found some knotty pine plywood but looks like I'd have to have it shipped. Thanks


----------



## mat 60 (Jul 9, 2012)

You really should use kd pine and I would make all the cabinets out of birch or maple plywood and apply pine panels on the ends of the cabinets that show..Your face frame, doors and draw fronts and the ends will be all you see and you can save money....Are you shore you cant talk her into hardwood?..:smile:


----------



## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

You just use the pine with knots in it. :laughing: Really the whitewood pine they have at the box stores would work fine. It's a grade known as SPF meaning it's a mixture of spruce, pine and fir. Try to cut around any large knots. They have a tendency to fall out even years later when the wood shrinks. 

If you are making doors with flat panels if you live near a large city you might be able to order 1/4" plywood that has knotty pine veneer on one side. It isn't cheap but it's an option.


----------



## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Knotty Pine will haunt you forever....*

If you intend to never change them that will work, because once it's done, there's no going back. If's if the knots she's enamoured with, then you are stuck. Personally I hate them, but then, she's not my wife. :no:

Mi just made some shelves, kinda like kitchen cabinets .. just no doors from Aruco Pine. It's a great to work with and has NO voids or gaps between layers! Here's my thread:
http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f13/building-shelves-my-methods-123314/

I found that having a really flat work surface for an assembly table is absolutely necessary. Even with that my shelves were off about 1/8" in 8 ft. That won't matter when I screw them to the wall studs. :no:

So, if you want a "clear" Pine, not a knotty Pine Aruco is good. It's a good looking grain, just without the knots. Otherwise, you may have to use 1 x 12's in no. 2 or select. Plywood will probably not lay flat when you get it... mine didn't, so that made it more challenging.


----------



## mat 60 (Jul 9, 2012)

I like your shelves Wood but if thats the pine ply you guys are talking about I think it looks like poop..I hate pine for a kitchen.:smile:


----------



## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

rickdavis81 said:


> My wife decided I needed to remodel the kitchen the other day. She decided she wants knotty pine cabinets. I've build cabinets before, not a professional by any means, but I'm getting better. Is there a special pine used for knotty pine woodworking? Also what would you use for the carcass? I've found some knotty pine plywood but looks like I'd have to have it shipped. Thanks


Rick, 
I won't try to talk you out of knotty pine cabinets, but here's an opinion:
Knotty pine cabinetry is now considered old school. It was very popular in the '50's, but started losing its popularity by the mid-'60's. 
Now we see knotty pine in mostly cabins and rustic settings. 
One of the most popular cabinet woods today being used for a unique style and look is knotty Alder. The knotty Alder cabinets are beautiful and expensive. 
If you can get the knotty pine in 1/4" or even 1/2" plywood, I would buy it and use it as panels for frame and panel cabinetry for doors and drawers. 
Use solid wood for the cabinet frames. 
If you go with the knotty pine, you might as well plan to put rick-rack across the top (the old gingerbread design) to get the full effect. Ha


----------



## rickdavis81 (May 22, 2013)

Believe me, I'm trying to talk her out of it. Being from a small, like 900 people small town, and having a farm she tends to like the rustic look. Might just have to build what I want and beg for forgiveness. Thanks for the advice.


----------



## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

rickdavis81 said:


> Believe me, I'm trying to talk her out of it. Being from a small, like 900 people small town, and having a farm she tends to like the rustic look. Might just have to build what I want and beg for forgiveness. Thanks for the advice.


The knotty pine look is a personal choice thing however if you are trying to make an argument against it, because it is out of style it will hurt the value of the house. A kitchen sells the house and not a lot of folks will say "Wow I love knotty pine". If you plan to keep the house forever that is another thing.


----------



## Rebelwork (Jan 15, 2012)

There's nothing wrong with knotty pine cabinets. If this is a look you like then build away. You can build a few, stop and go buy some more when ready. It's always available. Just remember that most cabinet stock purchased is 13/16 thick and the pine bought at the big box is usually 11/16. Makes it a bit of a challenge with typical setups.

My suggestion would be T&G doors. My best suggestion would be to make maybe a medicine cabinet with a door and get a feel on how it works and performs.


----------



## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*There's some images if you search*

This one is not too bad, but the stove kinda dates it as early country rustic ... or something?









Some nice stained ones:


----------



## Toolman50 (Mar 22, 2015)

rickdavis81 said:


> Believe me, I'm trying to talk her out of it. Being from a small, like 900 people small town, and having a farm she tends to like the rustic look. Might just have to build what I want and beg for forgiveness. Thanks for the advice.


There's nothing wrong with liking an "old school" look. 
Many people do. For a farmhouse look or for the rustic look, the knotty pine can help deliver that style. 
But like I said in my earlier post, I recommend using the plywood for the sides, doors and drawer fronts in a frame and panel construction to make things easier. 
In the '50's and before, they used solid wood (no plywood) for the cabinets. When you opened the cabinet doors, you might see a 1X2" board run horizontally at the top and bottom on the back of the doors. 
The boards making up the door were fitted together with a rabbetted edge 
(lapped) to prevent a crack with any shrinkage. 
Good luck to you.


----------



## MT Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

How about knotty alder?
http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/members/mt-stringer-9532/albums/our-kitchen-remodel/

I used General Finishes Colonial Maple Gel Stain (wipe on/wipe off) and glaze them with GF Van **** Gel Stain (wipe on/wipe of). Actually my wife did all of the staining and glazing! :yes::thumbsup:

For the inside of the carcases, I used prefinished birch plywood. No painting or staining required. :thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

Mike


----------



## MT Stringer (Jul 21, 2009)

rickdavis81 said:


> Might just have to build what I want and beg for forgiveness. Thanks for the advice.


Go ahead and build a dog house, 'cause you are going to need it! :yes::laughing:


----------



## rickdavis81 (May 22, 2013)

That kitchen looks amazing. Lucky for me, my Doberman has her own couch so I'd just have to go sleep in the living room with her.


----------



## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

Sometimes as the builder you have to get over your personal biases and put together a product to the best of your abilities. That is what will stand out in the end, you don't have to like it but you do have to be proud of it.


----------



## mat 60 (Jul 9, 2012)

Frank has a good point and if she is positive she wants pine it may be a good idea to give it to her..If she is happy maybe she wont mind if you need a new tool sometime..Its easy for me to say what I would do because I have been with my wife 30 years and do what I want sometimes...:smile:..Tell the wife how much you love and respect her and use the pine.


----------



## Brian T. (Dec 19, 2012)

My big kitchen is all custom/simple 3/4" plywood cupboards. 9 drawers and 22 cupboard doors. Was dark stain & varnish = gloomy as hello.
#1 got cleaned up and painted kind of a tomato/terra cotta base.
#2 glaze coat applied with a textured chamois roller.
#3 44 new hinges meant 220 new holes plus 1/4" off 2 edges on the insides. Felt bumpers, the doors all close almost silently.
Result? I'm never bored with the same knots to see every morning. Cheerful in the winters.

JUst don't have the head to look at wood grain every day. YMMV


----------

