About Cabinetmaking and Millwork

The woodshop is a hub and center of activity in the Applied Technology Division. Besides a great woodworking environment, the shop supports annual classes in Cabinetmaking and Millwork. Students use the Annual Project House plans to learn how and construct the entire house-full set of cabinets each Fall and Winter. By late Spring, they are ready to install in the near completed Project House.

Most cabinets are plywood carcass construction with solid wood face frames, which vary year-to-year specified in the student designed house plans. The shop is well equipped to teach students techniques in 'story-pole' layout, milling and glue-up, raised-panel and stick/cope construction doors, along with panel router dimensional sander, and shapers to accurately mill components. After the units are assembled, students take them into the finish room and spray coat a finish to protect the fine pieces on into their future uses. This is when the wood sparkles!

When is comes time to install the cabinets, many students have also been in the Residential Construction classes, building the home, and excitement rules the job site. Once cabinets are carried in, set into place, leveled and fastened together, then the fun begins with installing tile countertops. This is common for bathroom vanities and the kitchen counters. By the time the grout dries, students have learned one more successful lesson in their hands-on training, by doing the entire cabinetmaking project.