When building aircraft cabinets, considerations must be taken into account for safety reasons. Weight limits are expressed in maximum gross weight, which is the heaviest an aircraft can get while remaining safe. In addition to staying light enough, aircrafts also have to meet standards for flammability. Materials need to meet set flame and smoke retardant requirements. In the case of customized or private aircrafts, these standards are even more important, as the uniqueness of designs can affect whether or not they are up to code. Read on for some facts about aircraft cabinetmaking to see if you might like to work on them one day.

You Might Work with Composite Wood after Cabinetmaking School
Composite wood may come up in your career after your courses, especially if you choose to work on aircraft cabinets. Due to weight regulations, aircraft cabinets can’t be made out of regular, solid wood, or even plywood, as this adds too much weight to the craft. In its place, professionals use composite materials, which can have the appearance of solid wood but are much lighter. Cabinetmaking courses will prepare you to work with all kinds of wood. Almost every visible part of a commercial aircraft cabin is made of composite materials. Parts in an aircraft must also be very strong—composite or engineered wood provides structural integrity without adding deadweight to the plane.

Composite wood is usually used on aircraft cabinets to keep them lightweight

Hydrographics Might Be of Interest to Students in Cabinetmaking Courses
Aesthetics are important on cabinets, as you will know from the precision and high standards in your cabinetmaking training.

Depending on the finish desired, hydrographics can be an interesting approach to use on aircraft cabinets. Hydrographics can be used to decorate cabinets in the style of solid paint colours, brushed aluminum, or wood grain patterns—among many different options. The decorative film is applied using a hydro-dip method, and can be applied to almost any common shape in an aircraft interior. Hydro dipping involves floating the film on the surface of water, then dipping an object into it, causing the film to stick. The film meets flame and smoke retardant requirements and is also very thin and lightweight for use in planes.

Private Jets and Customization Can Keep Things Interesting in Your Career

Customized cabinets for aircraft can add variety to your day and present new challenges and learning opportunities. If you’re wondering whether you’d like to pursue aircraft cabinetmaking after your training, this aspect of this career path could be something to entice you. From wanting the entire interior to be solid pink to specific sizing and storage requirements, clients may have very unique requests. You may encounter some interesting jobs that keep you stimulated and feeling creative in your career, as you pursue your passion for cabinetmaking.

Custom cabinets for a private plane layout are an interesting challenge that may come up in your career

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The creation of a good-quality cabinet may seem simple, but it actually involves as lot more than many may first think. It takes a careful attention to detail to work in this profession, but it’s also a career path that is very rewarding.

Cabinets, of course, can come in many different materials and styles, but they can also be sourced from different places. Each option will have different advantages and drawbacks. As a professional cabinetmaker, your primary goal is to create a product that fits a customer’s needs. Some customers may want special custom cabinets, while others may prefer stock or factory-made options that better fit their budget.

If you’re interested in finding out what you can expect after you finish cabinetmaking training, read on to learn more!

Stock or Factory-Made Cabinets Can Be More Efficient for Cabinetmakers

Essentially, stock cabinetry is anything that is prefabricated, manufactured, or ready-made. It is mass-produced in standard sizes and common shapes, and is meant to be created and delivered quickly to customers on short notice. Stock cabinets are modular by nature, which means they often come in simple designs and can’t be customized further after they arrive.

Stock cabinetry can help cabinet installers better fit their customers’ budgets

While this may not be ideal for every customer, the benefit of installing stock cabinetry after cabinetmaking training is that it offers a quick and cost-effective option that fits a customer’s budget. If you become a cabinet installer, you might work installing stock cabinets for customers who decide to go for this option.

You Can Use Your Cabinetmaking Training to Craft Custom and Semi-Custom Options

On the other end of the cabinet spectrum, you can choose to create more personalized products after cabinetmaking school.

Custom cabinets are appealing to any cabinetmaker, because they allow them to express their creative side, as well as reflect the personality and tastes of their customers. Generally, custom cabinet services begin by offering customers a standard base size, and then adding the custom features and details they want. Due to the amount of time and labour that goes into creating a custom cabinet, they are generally of a better quality and craftsmanship than factory-made options, but also tend to be more expensive.

Students at NATS can use their training to create customized cabinetry for future customers

Some customers, however, may want a middle ground between custom and stock cabinetry, and you have the option to offer semi-custom cabinets. Semi-custom cabinets allow for more variety in size and style than stock cabinets, and are also usually made from higher-quality materials. This option helps customers get something that matches their kitchen and tastes a little more than a stock option would, while still staying on the more affordable side. The layout and design of a kitchen can change dramatically from one customer to another, and both customized and semi-customized cabinets allow you to adjust your work to each specific parameter.

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There are certain tools that are essential for most people working in the trades—like hammers, measuring tape, and power drills—but cabinetmakers typically require additional ones on top of those. Whether cutting or sanding, woodworking tools allow cabinetmakers to get work done.

If you’re looking to build your own collection of woodworking tools during and after cabinetmaking training, it can be a little difficult to know where to begin. That’s why we’re here to help. We will look at four woodworking tools which will serve you well from the day you graduate cabinetmaking school to far into your career.

1. The Jointer-Planer Is a Worthwhile Investment for Cabinetmaking School Grads

Jointer-planers combine two essential tools into one, which makes them extremely convenient for cabinetmakers. The jointer part of this tool creates a smooth surface on one side of a piece of wood while the planer can thin a board to your desired thickness (while also smoothing the other side of the board).

Jointers and planers can be bought separately and there are handheld, non-electric versions of both tools that are much cheaper than a stationary, electric jointer-planer. However, given that smoothing and getting boards to the right thickness are tasks that cabinetmakers do frequently, investing in a stationary jointer-planer will help make your work go much faster.

2. Jigsaws Are Essential After Cabinetmaking Training for Cutting Curves

As a cabinetmaker, you’ll be cutting a lot of wood. Table saws and circular saws are great at cutting straight lines, but when you need to cut a curve, then the jigsaw is your tool of choice. Since cutting curves is something you will need to do at some point in your woodworking career after cabinetmaking training, the jigsaw is an essential addition to your workshop.

Many jigsaws are also adjustable so that they can make bevel cuts (i.e., cuts on an angle rather than just vertical). Jigsaws are also very easy to use so you should make buying one among your first priorities as a cabinetmaker.

3. Every Cabinetmaker Needs a Well-Stocked Collection of Clamps

Clamps are so essential to woodworking that the phrase “You can’t have too many clamps” has become a common refrain among cabinetmakers. Clamps are essential for when you’re gluing two pieces of wood together and need them to stay in place while the glue dries. Clamps also hold pieces of wood in place for when you’re cutting or doing detail work.

Every cabinetmaker will need an assortment of clamps in their careers

There are many different clamps for different purposes, such as spring clamps, C-clamps, bar clamps, parallel clamps, corner clamps, and angle clamps. Make sure your workshop is well stocked with various different types so that you never find yourself in need of one that you don’t have.

4. The Random Orbital Sander Is the Most Useful Sander for Most Cabinetmakers

Most cabinetmakers have an array of different sanders, from belt to finishing sanders. As you progress in your career after cabinetmaking school you’ll also likely acquire a range of sanders, but if you’re looking for the sander that is considered indispensable for cabinetmaking, then choose the random orbital sander. This sander is great for smoothing large surfaces. It works quickly and doesn’t leave the swirl marks that other sanders can leave behind.

The random orbital sander is the most useful and versatile sander for most woodworking jobs

The only disadvantages are that the round shape means it can’t be used in corners (for that you’ll need a regular orbital sander) and it’s not suitable for detailed work (in which case you’ll need a rotary tool, contoured sanding grip, or detail sander). However, if you want a versatile handheld power tool that will get wood planes to a smooth finish quickly, then a random orbital sander is your best bet.

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If you’ve ever tried to put furniture together yourself, you may be aware of the frustration that comes with trying to make sense of a confusing blueprint. They are, however, essential to any woodworking or cabinetmaking design, and while they may seem confusing, there are actually a few things you can do to help make sense of the jumble of numbers, figures, and diagrams.

One of the primary goals of any good blueprint is that it has to be easily understood if another person were to read it. What may make sense to you might not always translate well for others, which means it’s important to use the proper drafting rules and techniques to make sure your blueprint is clear and concise.

If you’re interested in finding out more, here are a few helpful ways you can better understand the blueprints you may see during your career in cabinetmaking.

Understanding the Types of Woodworking Plans during Cabinetmaking School

A blueprint may have a variety of different components, depending on what you’re trying to build. Woodworking plans for example, probably won’t have the same level of detail as the ones for NASA’s next satellite. Although reading a blueprint may feel like rocket science, familiarizing yourself with its different formats can help you better understand the information a blueprint is trying to convey.

Blueprints often come in three basic views: plan, elevation, and section. Each of these views offers a different dimension and perspective of what the final product should look like. A plan is most commonly a horizontal bird’s eye view from above, while elevation blueprints show an object at eye level from its north, south, east, and west sides, and a section blueprint offers a vertical, cross section view, as if you were looking at the final product cut in half.

What Does a Good Blueprint Look Like for Professional Cabinetmakers?

There are many aspects of a blueprint that help make it easy to read and understand, including specific features such as lines and scale.

A good blueprint needs more than images to make sense to its readers

Scale is essential to understanding a blueprint, and helps readers better visualize what the final product should look like. Architectural scales are the most common, and are expressed using fractions; 1/2”=1’, for example, would mean that a half-inch on paper would equal one foot in reality. Important details such as scale, grid, and measurement units should be properly listed in your blueprint’s legend or notes.

The lines you use also play a part in how a blueprint is read. Bold, heavy lines—usually referred to as object lines—are meant to outline the surfaces that are visible to the eye, and should be the standard line you use to compare and define the other lines against. Hidden lines are made of short dashes to indicate hidden surfaces, while center lines use long dashes at each end and short dashes at points of intersecting components. These are only a few of the lines you will commonly encounter as a cabinetmaker, but cabinetmaking training can teach you the finer aspects of the specific details you may see on a woodworking blueprint.

Cabinetmaking Training Can Familiarize You with the Cabinetmaking Code

Although there is a standard format for the blueprints that cabinetmakers use, you may run into a variety of abbreviated or initialed words and code that describe various parts of the cabinet.

Standard cabinets should generally include specific codes which help readers understand what type of cabinet they’re building as well as its features and dimensions. A typical wall cabinet, for instance, would come in this format: W2430, with W meaning ‘wall cabinet,’ 24 indicating its width in inches, and 30 its height, also in inches. The code for a base cabinet may look similar but could include different dimensions according to its size.  Cabinetmaking school teaches you to be as precise as possible, so you should always make sure the codes you use in your blueprints are accurate and properly noted.

NATS students can use their training to better understand different parts of a blueprint

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If you love working with your hands and you have an eye for detail, a career as a cabinetmaker could be a great fit for you. Cabinetmakers use precision and technical skills to create stunning woodwork. As a result of the ongoing construction boom in Southern Ontario, and the fact that many furniture manufacturers are located in the region, there is a steady and consistent demand for cabinetmakers, making it a viable career option.

If you’re considering a career in cabinetmaking, read on to learn some of the steps you’ll need to take to get there, and what your daily responsibilities will look like on the job.

A Cabinetmaker’s Role and the Path to Certification

Despite their title, cabinetmakers do more than just make cabinets. A cabinetmaker refers to a woodworking professional who makes and repairs furniture, millwork, and other wooden items. Once you become a cabinetmaker, you’ll prepare, cut, surface, and shape lumber. Additionally, you may work on a variety of projects, including new home constructions, residential renovations, and commercial properties. Experienced cabinetmakers can also pursue specializations, such as antique furniture restoration and boat oar making.

Becoming a certified cabinetmaker entails both an apprenticeship and classroom training. In Ontario, certified cabinetmakers generally need to complete 7,280 hours of apprenticeship work. As an apprentice, you will work under the direction of a journeyperson cabinetmaker. You will also have to complete 720 hours of in-class training at a cabinetmaking school during your apprenticeship. Once you complete your apprenticeship and classroom training, you’ll receive your Certificate of Apprenticeship.

Cabinetmaking School Can Prepare You for Daily Woodworking Duties

During a typical day as a cabinetmaker, you may spend the majority of your time assembling wooden products, either in a shop or at a work site. The woodworking skills and techniqies you’ll learn during your cabinetmaking training can be directly applied when you are assembling. For example, to assemble wooden products, you are going to need to know how to set up and operate woodworking equipment, such as jigsaws, band saws, and circular saws, all of which you’ll become familiar with during training.

Cabinetmakers need to be able to operate equipment like circular saws

Precision is absolutely key for this job and the old adage “measure twice, cut once” is engrained into every good cabinetmaker. To that end, you’ll use measuring equipment, like measuring tapes, levels, and protractors, and you’ll read and interpret blueprints and plans.

Cabinetmakers Will Work Both Independently and with Clients

While a large portion of a cabinetmaker’s time is generally spent woodworking, you will also need great communication and customer service skills. Cabinetmakers are not only concerned about their work being fully functional, but they strive to make it beautiful as well. For that reason, clients will often be very invested in your work. They may not care how the wiring or pipes behind their walls look, but they will definitely care how their kitchen cabinets or remodelled bathroom looks! That’s why interacting with clients is something you will do frequently as a cabinetmaker. This includes by interpreting plans for them, addressing concerns they may have, and marketing your abilities to them.

Cabinetmakers may work closely with homeowners, which requires excellent communication skills

While good communication is important, you’ll also need to be able to work independently and with little supervision. This is particularly true as you advance in your career, since many journeyperson cabinetmakers are self-employed and work out of their own shops.

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In a versatile field like cabinetmaking, there are many different tasks that go into the creation of your final product—from preparing the layout for wood articles, interpreting blueprints and specifications, and designing templates for furniture production, to installing the cabinets themselves.

Cabinetmakers work with a variety of styles and materials to meet the demands of their clientele. In order to be able to do this correctly, you’ll need to know the benefits and features of the designs you want to use, and how these designs and styles can help your clients achieve the appearance they want to feature in their homes.

Read on to learn about a few of the most common cabinet styles you’ll work with once you start your career.

1. Slab or Flat Cabinets are In-Demand for Cabinetmakers

One of the more recent trends in modern and contemporary kitchen design is a sleek, simplified and almost minimalistic appearance. This means that a popular corresponding cabinet style is slab or flat cabinets. These are the bare bones of cabinets, and as their name suggests, are flat panels typically made of wood or laminate, without much additional decoration.

Once you graduate from cabinetmaking school, some of your clients may request textured doors, which use ripples or other effects to add a little bit of flair to their slab or flat cabinets. Even with the extra design elements, this style requires minimal labor and material to create.

 NATS teaches students the proper cabinetmaking skills they need, no matter the style

2. You’ll See the Shaker Style Often after Cabinetmaking School

Shaker cabinet doors are among the most common and popular styles of cabinets, and draw their name from Shaker-style furniture, which is primarily known for its minimal and elegant design. This style of cabinet is a classic because it focuses on practicality and utility without much extra fuss.

Shaker-style cabinets are often comprised of five pieces of flat-panel wood, with four creating a frame around the fifth flat door panel. These cabinets are very versatile, and cabinetmakers can use many different types of materials and wood to add their own unique personalization to the Shaker style.

3. Glass Panels and Inserts are on the Rise in Cabinet Design

Glass inserts are generally used in upper cabinets, and serve as a kitchen’s focal point, adding more depth to smaller kitchens. Their decorative capabilities make them a popular option for clients, since they can showcase special items and features instead of hiding them behind a solid cabinet door. These types of cabinets tend to be more expensive than other styles because they are more labor-intensive to craft, and require professionals with cabinetmaking training to fit glass of a certain quality inside an existing frame.

 Cabinetmakers can use their practical training to install delicate glass panels in any project

4. Using Cabinetmaking Training to Craft Country and Rustic Style Cabinets

Country and rustic-style cabinets draw from traditional designs to give a kitchen a cozy, comfortable aesthetic. Although this style of cabinet inspires an unpolished, unrefined appearance, cabinetmakers do a lot of behind the scenes work to stain, treat and paint the materials they use. Common building materials you may work with includes knotty wood or hardwood and copper or iron features.

Some clients may request a distressed look, which can be achieved by purposefully rubbing the material of the cabinet or applying milk paint to make it look aged or antique.

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Cabinetmaking students spend a lot of time working with wood, building cabinets and other types of furniture and fixtures like shelves, tables and benches. While there are many other options for building materials, none can match the warmth and unique character of wood, with its distinct grain patterns, color variations and texture. This is where much of the artistry of the trade comes in, as cabinetmakers not only design unique custom pieces, but also choose the right materials to bring them to life. If you’re looking for a career in the trades that allows you to flex your creativity, cabinetmaking is a great option.

Knowing what type of wood to use for different projects can be overwhelming at times. The right training will teach you that there are many options to choose from including manufactured woods like plywood, softwoods like pine or cedar, and hardwoods like mahogany, walnut or oak. Each type might vary in terms of its relative hardness as well as its colour, grain, and how well it accepts paints or stains.

Read on to learn how to choose the right wood for every job at cabinetmaking school and beyond.

Cedar and Redwood are Great Options for Outdoor Projects

Not all woods can handle moist environments without warping or rotting, so it’s particularly important to choose the right wood for anything that might be left outside, like a set of patio furniture or an outdoor bench, for example.

Cedar comes in several varieties, with the most common being western red. It’s a relatively soft wood, with a straight grain and a pleasant, aromatic smell. Redwood also has a straight grain, and like western red cedar, a slight reddish tint. Both of these softwoods are good options for students in cabinetmaking training working on outdoor projects, as they’re resistant to moisture and won’t rot or warp if left outside.

Oak and redwood are typically top choices for cabinetmakers when working on outdoor furniture

Common Hardwoods Used by Cabinetmaking Professionals

Oak is one of the most commonly used hardwoods for cabinets and furniture. It has a light to medium brown colour, and coarse and uneven grain which can be stained or painted. Oak comes in two varieties, red and white. White oak is the preferable option for furniture-making, and like cedar and redwood, it can be used for outdoor projects, although red oak cannot.

Another great hardwood for furniture is mahogany. With a reddish-brown to deep-red colour and a straight grain, it takes stain well and looks great with a natural finish, although it can be much pricier than oak and your future clients may not be willing to splurge on mahogany.

Walnut is attractive and easy to work with, but can also be rather expensive, and for this reason, is often only used for accents or inlays. Poplar, on the other hand, is one of the least expensive hardwoods, and is also easy to work with. It’s considered less attractive than walnut or other hardwoods, though, so is usually painted, or used for less visible pieces, like drawers.

Other common hardwoods that students in cabinetmaking schoolmight use for furniture and cabinet-building are cherry, maple, beech, and ash.

Cabinetmaking students know that the type of wood chosen can impact the finished look of cabinets

What Students in Cabinetmaking Training Should Consider When Choosing

There may be several options that work for any particular project, and it’s important to keep all of the relevant factors in mind when choosing. These include the grain and colour of a wood, its ability to take stain or paint, its workability and relative hardness and its price, among other things. For students in cabinetmaking, these choices are all part of the artistry that goes into a well-made custom piece of furniture.

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Joints are an important component of a woodworking project. Wood joinery allows cabinetmakers to assemble different components of a piece together into an aesthetically pleasing and structurally sound whole, and is crucial to producing quality work.

Selecting the right type of joint can be difficult for those just beginning their career. To help make things easier, here is an overview of five of the most common types of woodworking joints and how they are used in certain projects.

1. The Butt Joint is Simple and Easy

A butt joint is one of the most common and simple methods of joining two pieces of wood together. It is done by simply placing the end of one piece on the surface area of another in a right angle formation. It is generally considered to be the weakest type of wood joint and is typically used in wall framing on construction sites and other simpler jobs.

However, its strength can depend on the kind of reinforcements used. While butt joints are often just glued together, mechanical fasteners, nails, and screws can all be used to provide additional durability.

2. Mortise and Tenon Woodworking Joints Are Stronger

For those who want a woodworking joint with more strength, the mortise and tenon joint is a great option. Rather than butting both pieces together, this type of joint requires one piece of wood to be inserted into the other.

For the receiving piece, a hole or cavity is created in the surface, also known as the mortise, and the opposite piece has a carved nub on its end, called the tenon, that is inserted and provides a sturdier hold than the butt joint. In terms of measurements, the tenon is approximately 1/3 of the wood’s thickness, with the mortise corresponding to the height and width of the tenon. These types of joints are typically used in heirloom cabinetry for furniture such as dressers and cabinets.

3. Trade School Students Work With Tongue and Groove Joints

Another popular woodworking joint that students may encounter in trade school is the tongue and groove, edge-to-edge joint. This joint is made by cutting a slot or groove along the edge of one piece while its opposite has a protruding line, or tongue, that allows it to mesh when placed together. Since both pieces produce a flat surface once connected, these joints are effective in wood tabletops, flooring, parquetry, paneling, and other similar situations.

Measuring before cutting can increase precision

4. Students Can Choose Which Dado Joint to Apply

For cabinetmakers aiming to connect shelves, drawers, or bookcases, dado joints come in handy. Dado joints require a groove across the surface of one board so it can accept another board’s edge. There are two types of dado joints: the through dado, which consists of the groove running across the full width of the surface, and the stopped dado, where the groove will stop at any point before reaching each end.

5. When to Use a Bridle Joint

A bridle joint is similar to the mortise and tenon as it requires the same type of cutting in order for each piece to connect. However, there is one main distinction with this type of joint that students in cabinetmaking training should be aware of. When creating the mortise and tenon in a bridle joint, each cut runs the length of the width on the edge rather than a limited space on the surface.

Different lengths and widths can make a difference in certain situations

The longer carving can pose both an advantage and disadvantage as it can make the joint much stronger but will expose the ends on both sides. This can be seen as a blemish to those who consider visual appearance to be a factor. Bridle joints are usually used in projects that require joining upright pieces of wood, such as legs to benches or tables.

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Graduates emerge from training courses full of enthusiasm and motivation as they start out their new career, so it’s important to choose a role where you can hit the ground running. Apprenticeships are a common starting point for trades experts, including cabinetmaking professionals, and are an excellent way of developing skills and making contacts early in a career.

The 2015 National Apprenticeship Survey found that almost four out of every five apprentices in Canada were involved in Red Seal trades, such as carpentry, plumbing or auto mechanics. The benefits of an apprenticeship are laid bare when you look at some of the differences between those who completed and discontinued their terms. More ‘completers’ secured a permanent job, while they also earned $10,000 more than ‘discontinuers’ on the job.

It’s a valuable learning resource, so here’s what you should keep in mind while searching for a cabinetmaking apprenticeship.

Generate Apprenticeship Opportunities During Cabinetmaking Courses
Like so many careers, it helps if you have built up a broad professional network which can open up potential job opportunities, including apprenticeships. A cabinetmaking school, such as North American Trade Schools, can help you along the way because of their established relationships with industry employers. Many of these recruiters are so confident in the quality of graduates that they contact top schools before posting jobs in public.

Apprenticeship opportunities are also posted on popular job websites, such as Indeed or Monster, so look out for these ads regularly so you don’t miss out on the best opportunities. Get your resume up to scratch by outlining your latest qualifications and training experience, and maintain a professional online presence.

cabinetmaking coursesDevelop the skills learned at cabinetmaking school

Helpful Tips for Excelling in a Cabinetmaking Apprenticeship
Once the apprenticeship has been secured, avoid getting complacent. This is a wonderful opportunity to develop your skills, so acquire as much knowledge as possible from your supervisor or manager. Try and organize regular meetings with them to assess necessary areas of improvement or types of work which you would like to develop in the near future. Set yourself weekly and monthly goals and keep a close eye on your achievements as time goes by.

Apprenticeships are an excellent way of building industry contacts and opening up full-time work opportunities. If you’ve proven your ability to your supervisor, they are much more likely to come back to you if a vacancy arises. Even if these opportunities don’t appear before the end of the apprenticeship, maintain an ongoing dialogue with your supervisor and end your term on good terms.

Apprenticeships Develop Crucial Skills in a Paid Work Environment
The best cabinetmaking courses develop a broad range of industry specific skills, including joint trimming and fitting, interpretation of drawings and cabinet installation. Apprenticeships offer graduates a great opportunity to adapt these skills to a professional setting while also getting paid. They also get a closer insight into the business environment, such as a cabinetmaker’s interactions with clients about plans or bills.

An apprenticeship, supplemented with cabinetmaking qualifications, makes any graduate even more employable in fields including woodworking, window door fabrication, or cabinet manufacturing and installation. Those working in a professional environment also have the opportunity to build contacts with other tradespeople, such as plumbers and electricians, who may be working on a job where a cabinetmaker is also needed. If they know your name, they’re much more likely to recommend you!

construction careersMake important industry contacts during a cabinetmaking apprenticeship

Open the door to lots of interesting construction careers.

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When it comes to pantry building, the design possibilities are through the roof. Clients can opt to have pantries made from scratch by professional carpenters, or even modify a part of their home. Many of these designs depend a great deal on spacing, as well as the type of materials the client wishes to purchase for the job.

For prospective students considering a career in cabinetmaking, there’s a lot to keep in mind about how to go about building pantries. Curious about the most important things you’ll need to know about pantry design and construction? Read on to learn more!

1. Materials Are Important for Grads of Cabinetmaking Courses to Consider

When it comes to constructing a pantry, it’s critical that the cabinetmaker and client select the best quality materials for the job. Many cabinets can be made from a material called particle board, while others are built from hardwood and plywood.

It’s not so much the type as it is the quality of materials that’s important!

Some of the best quality materials include Red Oak, which while cheap, is very strong and durable. Should clients want something a bit stronger, they can always opt for materials made from White Oak. For more custom projects, clients may choose Cherry, which can be used for both traditional and modern looks.

2. Cabinetmakers Should Always Use Wood Finishing

Moisture can wreck havoc on wood cabinets if they aren’t properly protected with varnish, causing them to warp and crack. Wood finishing is also important for the appearance of the cabinets, giving even cheaper wood a shinier and more expensive look that clients will love.

Making sure to properly finish cabinets can also make them easier to clean. Before applying the varnish, graduates of cabinetmaking courses will sand away any imperfections, then stain the wood if necessary or requested by the client. They may also polish the wood afterwards to get the desired shine.

3. Students in Cabinetmaking Courses Know Pantries Can be Framed or Frameless

When building or modifying a pantry, it’s important to know that they can be built either with or without frames. The frames simply outline the front of the pantry, and in some cases can serve as a divider between the doors of a cabinet.

The main distinction between the two design styles isn’t purely aesthetic, however. Frameless cabinets have a more modern look and are perfect for contemporary style kitchens, but they also make the best use of space, allowing for larger drawers and greater access for clients. Ultimately, the choice is up to the client, but it might be helpful to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of both with them beforehand.

4. Pantries May Have Shelves or Drawers Depending on the Client’s Wishes

Choosing between shelves or drawers for a pantry can be either an aesthetic choice or a practical one. For the most part, having drawers instead of shelves can sometimes help to maximize storage space and be more user-friendly for clients.

Arguably, graduates of cabinetmaking school can design and build shelves with greater depth that make good use of space. However, having drawers in a pantry instead of shelves might help clients get to food more easily, without having to reach all the way in the back to find it.

5. Some Pantries May be Built by Modifying Parts of a Client’s Home

Depending on the client, some pantries can be built by modifying storage spaces and closets in their home. These modifications can vary from project to project, making each one unique. For instance, professional cabinetmakers can transform a cupboard under the stairs into a pantry by installing some shelves or drawers.

Get trained to become a cabinetmaker to build unique pantries

If the client requests it, they may even install small French doors for a more traditional and elegant look. Some smaller pantries have even been built behind walls, with a door that clients can slide open to get access to their food.

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