Often, it’s necessary to vary the width of the rails on a particular case. Obviously, the width of the stiles and rails will affect both its structural and aesthetic effect. My loose guideline would specify that stiles should be at least 1 1⁄2" wide and rails 1 1⁄4". The trick is to size the parts to meet your design considerations. There is no firm standard for the width of face frame parts. This will affect both strength and appearance. Most of our face frames are cut from 3⁄4"-thick stock, however the width of the parts can vary quite a bit.
BRUCE STILES AND RAILS HOW TO
One of the first details to consider when building a face frame is how to size the parts. Or a chamfer routed on the edge of the outer stiles can act as a visual transition at the corners of the case. A simple bead molding along inside edges can set off the doors or drawers. A well-proportioned face frame can make the difference.Ī face frame is also a place to add detail. Without a face frame, the front of a case can lack depth and “bulk.” And doors and drawers may lack the spacial separation needed for the best aesthetic effect. They can also be used to enhance the visual appeal of a cabinet. However, face frames are not installed for strictly utilitarian reasons. The lower right box shows a good example. Sometimes structure, appearance, and function overlap in a face frame design. The exposed edges of the plywood can simply be covered by the frame parts. And drawer guides or runners can also be mounted or hidden behind face frame parts.įace frames can make building cases with plywood easier and more practical. For one, it provides a place to mount hinges or catches for doors. Likewise, the face frame rails can help counteract any downward force exerted on the dividers.Ī face frame also offers benefits in very simple ways. A stiff face frame stile glued to the long side of the cabinet will keep it from bowing and ensure that the openings stay consistent. This is especially true with large case pieces such as an armoire.įace frame members also serve to reinforce the individual case parts - the sides and dividers.
It adds an extra measure of rigidity against the racking forces that can distort the shape of the case. Installing a face frame can help overcome this. When you build a case with an open front, you’re creating a weak point in its structure. In most instances, a face frame serves several important structural purposes.
This allows you to subdivide the case into door and drawer openings without having to add internal case dividers. Sometimes the rails or internal stiles are “free floating,” attached only to other parts of the face frame. The face frame pieces are generally positioned over and attached to the sides and dividers of the case. Any inner stiles that divide the frame butt up to the rails.
BRUCE STILES AND RAILS FULL
The outer stiles usually run full height while the rails butt up to them. The drawing below illustrates the most common configuration of the parts. Here I’ll offer an overview of the points you need to think about.Ī face frame is simply a framework made up of stiles (vertical pieces) and rails (horizontal pieces) that’s installed on the front of a case. So when designing, building, and installing a face frame, you need to consider several factors. Beyond providing a grid that frames and divides a cabinet, a face frame serves structural and functional, as well as aesthetic, purposes. The face frame simply creates the drawer and door openings.īut in reality, when working out the details and fine-tuning a design, you find that there’s a lot more to it. This is a fairly standard design feature and it seems like a pretty basic concept. Almost all of the case projects we design and build incorporate a face frame.
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