screws for melamine

[reduni]

Just want to find out what type of screws to use for melamine cabinet construction. I have used the confirmat type screws before but they are a bit expensive and a pain to predrill on a large project. ( didnt have the stepped drill bit for them) Also if this is the best option where can I get the drill bit? I think I remember seeing it at lee valley but cant be sure and I cant seem to find it in the online cataloge.

Thanks for the help

[stevem]

im sure LV carries the conformat screws and bits, i couldnt find them either

#8 by 1 1/2 particle board screws work well, experiment a little to get the right pilot hole size, the right one will countersink the screw a tiny bit and not spin out and a biscuit or two will keep the parts aligned and provide some glueing surface

[Brian @ Muir]

I have used confirmat screws many years ago and then switched to regular wood screws. I now used type 17 assembly screws. They look a bit like a regular wood screw but have a deep root, smaller shank and a cutter on the end of the screw. This cutter seems to help with the splitting of hardwoods. Some use particle board screws which are very similiar to assembly screws but do not have the cutter on the end.

Brian

[Bryan @ Woodstock]

I have been using 1&1/2"- #8 coarse thread gold colored plated screws for assembling the melamine boxes for my son's kitchen. I had a plastic jar of 600 and went today to get another at the local Castle lumberyard. I was shocked at the $30 price tag so asked if they still had bulk screws. Got 3 pounds of the same screws for $12 which filled the jar .

[HorseshoeHobby]

im sure LV carries the conformat screws and bits, i couldnt find them either

#8 by 1 1/2 particle board screws work well, experiment a little to get the right pilot hole size, the right one will countersink the screw a tiny bit and not spin out and a biscuit or two will keep the parts aligned and provide some glueing surface

Hi Steve
Do do suggest that you glue kitchen cabinets?
I am planning on using #8 x 2" PB as recommended by Mr. Proulx.
Pre drill with a 1/8" with countersink.

[stevem]

glueing a melamine coated box wont do any good unless you rabbett all of the sides

i would suggest using biscuits and glueing them in, a good biscuit joiner will make all of the pieces self aligning during assembly and the biscuit will strengthen the joint

any of your cabinets that have a finished or exposed side, then just use biscuits on the exposed side

[Mack C. in Brooklin ON]

[quote=reduni;219750]

Just want to find out what type of screws to use for melamine cabinet construction.

Here's my choice!
http://www.leevalley.com/hardware/pa...=3,41306,41315

[OttawaP]

[quote=Mack C. in Brooklin ON;219790]

Here's my choice!
http://www.leevalley.com/hardware/pa...=3,41306,41315

I forgot how good those screws are.....Do you use a #6 ?? I imagine you still have to predrill a little bit though.

[Mack C. in Brooklin ON]

[quote=OttawaP;219792][quote=Mack C. in Brooklin ON;219790]

I forgot how good those screws are.....

Do you use a #6 ??

Hi Paul; It's been a couple of years now, but when I compare the heads, it appears I used # 8's x 1½".

I imagine you still have to predrill a little bit though.

Not withstanding the literature advising drilling isn't necessary, I still predrilled. That ensures the hole is exactly where you want it to be.

[Wish Upon A Saw Inc.]

I use #8 1 1/2 for 3/4 stock #8 1 1/4 for 5/8 stock. My personal preferences are to predrill with 1/8 and set countersink depth at approx 1/4 shy of the screws nominal length. Also, during assembly I find the biscuit joiner to be really excessive, slow, and abrasive to the melamine surface and the edge banding. I just shoot it all together with 1 1/4 18ga brads before piloting and screwing. Very efficient and works quite well. It should be noted that my preferred melamine construction practices are based on the so called "higher grade" denser pine particle core, not the softer and less dense lower grade.

[Jack in Nepean]

http://cabinetmaking.com/pages/hardware.htm#screws

2" particle board screws and the Dimar carbide countersink work well for me (and Danny too)

[Bob in Weyburn]

2 " partical board screw, I get mine bulk from Richeleau. Some excellent counter sinks there also. 4 screws per side on the uppers will hold anything. minimum 1.5 inches back from a corner.

[reduni]

Thanks for all the advice. I'll be looking into some of the screws from lee valley I think and giving them a try.

[Craig in Victoria]

I use #8 1 1/2 for 3/4 stock #8 1 1/4 for 5/8 stock. My personal preferences are to predrill with 1/8 and set countersink depth at approx 1/4 shy of the screws nominal length. Also, during assembly I find the biscuit joiner to be really excessive, slow, and abrasive to the melamine surface and the edge banding. I just shoot it all together with 1 1/4 18ga brads before piloting and screwing. Very efficient and works quite well. It should be noted that my preferred melamine construction practices are based on the so called "higher grade" denser pine particle core, not the softer and less dense lower grade.

This is pretty well exactly how I assemble kitchen cabinets, only difference being I typically use 1,1/4" staples and I'll drop to a #6 1,1/2 screw for 5/8. Once the cabinets are screwed together gable to gable and fasten to the wall, they are pretty darn strong, with exception to the rails on the lowers until counters are installed.

stevem said:

glueing a melamine coated box wont do any good unless you rabbett all of the sides

i would suggest using biscuits and glueing them in, a good biscuit joiner will make all of the pieces self aligning during assembly and the biscuit will strengthen the joint

any of your cabinets that have a finished or exposed side, then just use biscuits on the exposed side

This is also excellent advise for melamine boxes, although a little time consuming. It also brings up a good point about finishing end gables when you screw and staple/pin your boxes together. I have two different ways I like to deal with it.

1) You can p-lam or veneer your exposed end gables after assembly with materials that match what your doors are made of. But, this leaves a gap between the door and cabinet and a bit of the euro hinge exposed(when viewed from the side), which is fine for cabinets in the garage or laundry room, but very unsightly in a higher end kitchen. To avoid this gap I resort to option two.

2) Option 2 is to use another gable that is the same thickness and style of your doors. For example, if your using style and rail doors, make up another door to use for the end gable. This gable should be wide enough to cover the exposed gable, the 1/8 gap and your door thickness, essentially giving you the look of an inset door. Fasten this finished gable from the inside of the cabinet. I will typically cut this panel 1/8" oversize (in width) incase the wall its going to butt up against isnt pretty and I need to scribe the panel for a nice tight fit rather than load the gap with caulking(yuk). Just make sure the gable is flush with the door face and has the same gap between them that you have for the rest of the doors and thats it. If I have some free time I will try to post some pics of each type.

Hope that helped. And sorry for going a bit off topic.

Craig

[stevem]

you might want to check the other thread going here too on screws and base cabinets, there's a pic of what i do to the end of a run of cabinets to hide all kinds of sins including the hinges as brought up by Craig

here's the pic

[Chris in Saskatoon]

glueing a melamine coated box wont do any good unless you rabbett all of the sides

There are glues designed for melamine. Roo Glue and Titebond Melamine are two of them, there are probably others.

[Chris in Saskatoon]

[QUOTE=Mack C. in Brooklin ON;219790]

Here's my choice!
http://www.leevalley.com/hardware/pa...=3,41306,41315

Those are good, but somewhat pricey. I find these screws from Lee Valley to be excellent, and about half the price. The self-drilling version is a about 10% more expensive, still much less than the Spax.

[Craig in Victoria]

There are glues designed for melamine. Roo Glue and Titebond Melamine are two of them, there are probably others.

True, but I would still be screwing and stapling them together so as to not rely on just the glue.

[Mike]

I have build lots of kitchen cabinets and always preferred to create a rabbet 5/8” x 1/8” at each end of the side pieces and then assembling by using glue and 1¼” crown staples. Also, since melamine come in 5/8” tick, it make it easier to calculate each parts.
Example: 24” X 30 box would convert into two sides of 30” long and two pieces 23” for bottom and top.