dumb question about cabinet face frames

[vbgregg]

Hi,

I hate to ask a question that will probably turn out to be really dumb, but here goes. I am making a cabinet, or actually an audio/video shelf unit. I made the carcass out of 3/4" oak plywood and now I want to make a face frame out of solid oak. For various reasons, I thought I would make the horizontal pieces go from end to end, and then put the vertical pieces between the horizontal pieces. Is there a good reason (or maybe multiple reasons) not to do it this way?

It seems that on cabinet doors, the vertical pieces (stiles) always go from end to end, and then the horizontal pieces (rails) go in between. This is the opposite of what I am planning to do, so I figure there is at least one reason not to do things this way. Is the way that I have in mind less stable structurally, or less pleasing aesthetically, or what?

Thanks,

Gregg

[walnutjerry]

Originally Posted by vbgregg

Hi,


It seems that on cabinet doors, the vertical pieces (stiles) always go from end to end, and then the horizontal pieces (rails) go in between. This is the opposite of what I am planning to do, so I figure there is at least one reason not to do things this way. Is the way that I have in mind less stable structurally, or less pleasing aesthetically, or what?

Thanks,

Gregg

Gregg-------I like the outside stiles to go from bottom to top with the rail in between them----you will not see the end grain that way. Depending what effect you want to see will dictate how you treat any face frame members within that perimeter. Whether you put full length rails and short stiles or the opposite is the call of the designer. Just my opinion.

Jerry

[vbgregg]

Originally Posted by walnutjerry

Gregg-------I like the outside stiles to go from bottom to top with the rail in between them----you will not see the end grain that way. Depending what effect you want to see will dictate how you treat any face frame members within that perimeter. Whether you put full length rails and short stiles or the opposite is the call of the designer. Just my opinion.

Jerry

Hi Jerry,

Thanks for the input. I had not thought about the end grain, but don't you see it either way? With full length stiles and short rails, don't you see the end grain at the top of the stiles (and at the bottom of the stiles on something like an above counter cabinet)? With full length rails and short stiles, don't you see the end grain at the ends of the rails? Maybe one way looks better in general than the other, but won't the end grains be visible either way, just in different places?

Thanks,

Gregg

[Woodman2k]

Gregg,
for the type of cabinet your gonna build yes you would see end grain,but if it was a cabinet with a counter top you would not.For your application miter the corners and install the face frame in one piece and no end grain anywhere.You can use dowls or mini biscuits or face frame screws to hold it together and it will be clean.Pictures are a requirement you know

[FredP]

I its a tall piece i run the verticals then the horizontals inbetween. I its a short cabinet I make the top cover the endgrain. if the face frame shows at the top I miter the top corners or all four corners depending on how I want it to look. sometimes I will dutch miter all of the inner pieces. So long as you make it look uniform its realy up to you how you do it. personally I dont care for endgrain showing. at any rate we want pics!

[Joe Scharle]

The stile bottom and top is visually expected, as in doors. More importantly though is the strengthening effect of the long stile, braced with the rails upon the eye. IMHO
Also, I've structurally pulled bowed ply with the face frame, which would be impossible with frame-less.