Can I Cut Down a Cabinet Without Taking It Down?

Cutting In-Place Vs. Dismantling Cabinets

• Cutting cabinets in-place is suitable for slightly reducing an upper or tall cabinet's height. In general, in-place cuts are only feasible if you want to trim from the bottom portion of a cabinet's frame. The front face of a cabinet frame extends beyond the underside of a cabinet's bottom surface, sometimes by several inches. Therefore, if you only want to reduce the cabinet's height by a few inches, you can trim from the bottom of the face without damaging the cabinet's bottom or sides. Alternatively, if your height alteration requires cutting into the cabinet's side frame or door, it's best to remove, dismantle or rebuild the cabinet.

Solid Vs. Veneer Cabinets

• Cutting in-place differs between solid and veneer cabinets. The exposed face of solid cabinets consists of solid hardwood or finish-grade lumber. The exposed face of veneered cabinets consists of a thin sheet of hardwood veneer glued to a fiberboard or plywood base. If you're working with veneered cabinets, it's sometimes possible to remove the veneer before cutting the underlying frame. It's best to cut the veneer off-site if possible; this allows you to make precise alterations to the veneer's dimensions with stationary tools, such as table saws. If you're working with a solid-face cabinet, you have no choice but to cut through the finish-grade surface.

Tools for Cutting In-Place

• Although a standard circular saw is capable of cutting cabinets in-place, most builders opt for lightweight, small tools. Common choices include angle grinders equipped with wood-cutting discs, handheld rotary tools and saber saws. Regardless of tool type, use a finish blade. The shape, spacing and pattern of a finish blade's teeth are designed to minimize damage to the work material. Achieving a smooth-edged, clean cut is critical when you're cutting finish-grade veneer or cabinet facing.

Filling Gaps With Trim

• Cabinet manufacturers offer trim kits that fill gaps and finish the edges of openings in cabinetry. Trim kits fix potential mistakes. If you accidentally trim too much height from your cabinet, or if your saw slips and damages the cabinet's face, trim covers blemishes or fills the space between the cabinetry and the new fixture. If you choose to use trim, ensure that the trim's species, grain and color match your existing cabinets.