# Best way to trim existing cabinet fascia?



## jimithing (Nov 11, 2014)

Hello all, I just purchased a new refrigerator that's apparently a little too tall for the opening we have to fit it in. Currently the floor to the bottom of the cabinet above is 68 5/8". I measured the fridge and it seems to be 68 7/8". I've attached some pictures so you can see what it looks like. 





































You can see the existing edge has a bevel - I don't really care if the new edge has a bevel or not. I just want it to be straight. Anyone have suggestions for the best way to do this? Thanks in advance.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

You have a better situation than most. A lot of times the rail and shelf have moved up and the doors resized. With what you have I would remove the doors and cover the front of the cabinet where the saw will touch and cut 1/2" off the bottom of the rail. I would mark a line and cut as much as possible with a circular saw and use a jig saw or hand saw for the rest of it. Then putty and sand the area you cut and prime it and paint it.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*maybe not a circular saw*

This cut would be a "plunge cut" and for a novice that might prove a bit .... intimidating/dangerous/scary....:blink:

My advice, would be to use a high quality Bosch blade in the ji/saber saw. It's a rip cut so about 6 TPI will work fine, like this:
http://www.boschtools.com/Products/Accessories/Pages/BoschAccessoryDetail.aspx?pid=T101D#specs

You might also want to start your cut by making a small radius or curve at the beginning and end of the new line. It will protect any glue joints and may keep you out of any metal fasteners used in the frame.
It should only require a bit of sanding to true up the line with a 60 grit or 100 grit, depending. As far as the bevel goes, I'd use a small block plane and then a file to do the curved portion. You could just use a file for the entire length but it may split out the wood. Best bet is to eliminate it.


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## CNYWOODS (Apr 22, 2012)

Check that your fridge feet can't go any lower. I had that happen once.. Got lucky and got the clearance I needed without any dust.


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## aaronhl (Jun 2, 2011)

Find a 1/2" or 3/4" piece of wood and attach it to the horizontal piece with double sided tape. Use it as a template to router about 1/4" off so you can fit the refrigerator.


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## bauerbach (Mar 25, 2012)

yep Id grab the router, flush cut bit, put a 1" block behind there and rock out.

can throw a shape bit on there after you trim to get the profile back.


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## jimithing (Nov 11, 2014)

Thanks for the advice guys. So far I'm leaning towards finding a straight edge and marking about 1/2" up and then using a jig saw to cut the line as straight as I can. It would be nice to have something I could temporarily adhere to use as a physical guide for the jig saw but I can't think of a way to attach anything without screwing into the existing cabinet which I'm not willing to do.



aaronhl said:


> Find a 1/2" or 3/4" piece of wood and attach it to the horizontal piece with double sided tape. Use it as a template to router about 1/4" off so you can fit the refrigerator.


Forgive my ignorance but I'm confused how I'd get the router to go in a straight line while going across. Maybe I'm not understanding.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Home Depot sells spring clamps which is like a big clothes pin for a dollar you could clamp a guide strip to the face of the cabinet to make the cut. You would just have to move the clamp from time to time as it got in your way. 

If you choose to use a router you use a bit that has a bearing on the end of it. Then attach a board on the back side of the rail with a couple of small nails and the bearing of the router bit would ride on that board. Just don't try to route 1/2" all at one time. First cut some of the wood off with a jig saw so you only trim off about 1/16" with the router. You would have the benefit on that rail to be running the router with the grain. 

Also be sure to cover the front of the cabinet with tape so the base of the saw or router won't scratch the paint.


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

jimithing said:


> Thanks for the advice guys. So far I'm leaning towards finding a straight edge and marking about 1/2" up and then using a jig saw to cut the line as straight as I can. It would be nice to have something I could temporarily adhere to use as a physical guide for the jig saw but I can't think of a way to attach anything without screwing into the existing cabinet which I'm not willing to do.
> 
> 
> 
> Forgive my ignorance but I'm confused how I'd get the router to go in a straight line while going across. Maybe I'm not understanding.


I would remove the doors so I could clamp a straight edge to the frames on each side, then use a jig saw and clean up with a router.


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## jimithing (Nov 11, 2014)

FrankC said:


> I would remove the doors so I could clamp a straight edge to the frames on each side, then use a jig saw and clean up with a router.


I would love to be able to clamp a straight edge and use it as a guide but the only thing I see that I can clamp to is that vertical piece of wood between the two cabinet doors above. I guess I could clamp to the part I'm cutting off but I wouldn't be able to make 1 single cut with a jig saw - the clamps would be in the way.

Maybe that's what I'll have to do though. I just like the idea of 1 single cut all the way across. In my mind I have a better chance of making it straight if I do a single cut. Maybe that's not realistic though.


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

jimithing said:


> I would love to be able to clamp a straight edge and use it as a guide but the only thing I see that I can clamp to is that vertical piece of wood between the two cabinet doors above. I guess I could clamp to the part I'm cutting off but I wouldn't be able to make 1 single cut with a jig saw - the clamps would be in the way.
> 
> Maybe that's what I'll have to do though. I just like the idea of 1 single cut all the way across. In my mind I have a better chance of making it straight if I do a single cut. Maybe that's not realistic though.


Remove the doors from the hinges, close the hinges, clamp a straight edge to hinges.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*you can do this!*



jimithing said:


> I would love to be able to clamp a straight edge and use it as a guide but the only thing I see that I can clamp to is that vertical piece of wood between the two cabinet doors above. I guess I could clamp to the part I'm cutting off but I wouldn't be able to make 1 single cut with a jig saw - the clamps would be in the way.
> 
> Maybe that's what I'll have to do though. I just like the idea of 1 single cut all the way across. In my mind I have a better chance of making it straight if I do a single cut. Maybe that's not realistic though.



You will need to remove the 2 doors on the opening and the left side door because that hinge is also in the way. You can use a 3" wide board above your line and the clamps on the frame on either side, will not be in the way of the saw base or router base. The saw base will require a setting closer to the line because it is more narrow. The router base is wider, so you will raise the board up. You will have to determine the distance from the blade to the edge of thew saw base and from the router bit to the edge of the base. Those are the 2 dimensions you will need to establish where to clamp your guide board.


If clamping is an issue, just drive a small nail into the guide board and face frame, and leave the head proud a bit to make pulling it out easier. 

This is really pretty simple, once you get the set up figured out. If you don't intend to use a router, then it's only one dimension for the jig saw. :yes:


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## aaronhl (Jun 2, 2011)

jimithing said:


> Thanks for the advice guys. So far I'm leaning towards finding a straight edge and marking about 1/2" up and then using a jig saw to cut the line as straight as I can. It would be nice to have something I could temporarily adhere to use as a physical guide for the jig saw but I can't think of a way to attach anything without screwing into the existing cabinet which I'm not willing to do.
> 
> 
> 
> Forgive my ignorance but I'm confused how I'd get the router to go in a straight line while going across. Maybe I'm not understanding.


You can either use the base of the router to ride along the straight piece of wood, or you can use a flush trim bit where the bearing on it will ride along the piece of wood. It is pretty much the same idea you have as having the jig saw ride along the straight edge. The router might give you a cleaner cut and then you can add the edge detail with another bit afterwards. Well the refrigerator hinge will be blocking the cut so it might not matter how good it looks.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

aaronhl said:


> Find a 1/2" or 3/4" piece of wood and attach it to the horizontal piece with double sided tape. Use it as a template to router about 1/4" off so you can fit the refrigerator.


Yes, this is the method I have used to help a friend install a new ice maker. I had to buy a new, longer bit but it worked very well. Square out the corners with a small hand saw.

George


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## jimithing (Nov 11, 2014)

Thanks for the quick responses guys. It'll probably become more clear once I take the doors off and start trying to clamp. Any particular clamps you guys would use? I hate to admit it but I only have a couple of very basic clamps so I'll have to buy some.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

If all you are doing is clamping a board as a guide I would use a spring clamp.


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## wericha (Apr 29, 2012)

Forget the clamps, get some double sided tape.


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## jimithing (Nov 11, 2014)

You don't think tape would pull off the paint when I try to remove it?

I can get something like this and stick it up with tape I guess.


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## wericha (Apr 29, 2012)

It shouldn't, but if you're concerned about that get a hair dryer and warm the tape a bit before you try to remove it.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*here's another issue*



jimithing said:


> Thanks for the quick responses guys. It'll probably become more clear once I take the doors off and start trying to clamp. Any particular clamps you guys would use? I hate to admit it but I only have a couple of very basic clamps so I'll have to buy some.


"C" clamps, spring clamps, double sidded tape, or just a few small nails ... all will work. Here's another issue that has not been mentioned so far. You are trimming off a 1/2" strip from a 1 1/2" frame. There is little left for the base of the saw/router to ride on to keep everything perpendicular. A wider support base would be desirable, especially for the router which itself has a larger base than a jig saw.
To solve this, a 2 piece guide would be best. The first piece is the same width as the door opening above and fit in between the frame sides. The second piece is the actual guide and is longer than the opening by at least 6", 3" on each end. The 2 pieces are screwed together so that they form additional support for the base of the tool. 

OR, you can make one that is all above the frame like this:
http://www.workbenchmagazine.com/main/pdf/wb282-routerguide.pdf
What ever thickness the bottom plate is, 1/4" or 3/8", you will need to have a longer router bit to reach down further and trim off your frame.


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## aaronhl (Jun 2, 2011)

$7 carpet tape at Walmart would work well. It is very strong and shouldn't pull off paint.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

jimithing said:


> You don't think tape would pull off the paint when I try to remove it?
> 
> I can get something like this and stick it up with tape I guess.


If the cabinets are properly painted it shouldn't pull the paint off. I would be more worried about the tape leaving a sticky residue to have to clean off.


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## FrankC (Aug 24, 2012)

I find it is easier to get a straight edge in position using clamps, you can loosen them a bit and tap it into position, with tape it is sometimes hard to get the guide in exactly the right place.
I would not trust spring clamps, they are fine for glue ups but can get you in trouble when used with a guide for a saw. DAMHIKT


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## jimithing (Nov 11, 2014)

Well I ended up doing it last night. I got a 4 foot straight edge from lowes and at first I clamped it into place but the clamps were going to be in the way of the jigsaw so I ended up using some double sided foam tape that I had bought as a back up. I just taped it up so it was level and when accounting for the width of the jigsaw guide I would be cutting off 1/2".

Overall I did alright but my wife came and started talking to me in the middle of my cut and the blade wandered too high. No idea how since I was following the straight edge. I started cutting from the other side and finished but now there's a slice upward in the fascia that I have to do something about. I'm guessing wood filler, sand and then paint. If anyone has any particular do's and don'ts that'd be great.


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*do love your wife...*

don't let her interrupt any cutting process while you are in the middle of it.... it could be dangerous OR things can go awry, as you have discovered.

I was interrupted while making a cut on the table saw and I nearly jumped out of my skin from being startled.  No one is allowed in the shop while a machine is running and if they sneak in they must remain silent until the machine has stopped...RULE NO. ONE!

Paint and putty will probably fix it.


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## Kansas Gary (Nov 13, 2014)

A friend of mine had this exact problem with his new refrigerator. Here is what I did to solve his delema.......... I have a multi-tool from harbor freight. We slid the refrigerator up to the front of the opening and then I put a 1/4 in piece of hardboard on the top of the refrigerator and taped it down. Than all I did was hold the multi tool flat on the hardboard and cut the bottom of the cabinet off so he could slide the refrigerator in......... Worked like a charm and his wife was none the wiser after we cleaned up the little saw dust.....Hope this helps some....Gary:thumbsup:


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