How to Build a Cabinet Door Which Opens Flatly

Measure the height and width of the cabinet. Cut two pieces of the 2-inch-wide board as long as the cabinet is tall. These pieces are the stiles, or the long sides of the frame of the cabinet door.

Measure the width of the stiles. Though they are theoretically 2 inches wide, this is almost never the case, as polishing and sanding in the factory narrows the width of the final product. Multiply this figure by 2. Subtract the result from the width of the cabinet. Cut two more 2-inch-wide boards with a length equal to the your modified width measurement. These pieces are the rails, or the short sides of the cabinet door frame.

Set the table saw to a depth of 3/8 inch. Measure the thickness of the stiles and rails. Set the fence on the table saw for half this width. Cut 3/8 inch deep grooves in the long sides of each of the stiles and rails that will be on the inside of the cabinet. Make these grooves ¼ inch wide.

Glue one of the rails between the two stiles, at one end. Wait for the glue to dry.

Cut a rectangle shape out of the plywood. Make it ¾ inches wider than the rails. Its length should be equal to the length of the stiles minus twice the width of the rails, plus ¾ inches.

Apply glue to the edges of the plywood and slide the plywood into the grooves of the stiles and rail that you glued together. Apply glue to the short ends of the top rail and slide it into place between the stiles, so the groove fits over the free end of the plywood. Wait for the glue to dry.

Screw the cabinet pull onto one of the rails. Place it in the middle of the rail.

Attach inset hinges to the cabinet. Attach the door to the cabinet by screwing one end of the inset hinge onto the edge of the door, and the other onto the edge of the frame. These hinges ensure that the door opens flush with the frame.

Screw the magnetic latch onto the top of the cabinet door, so it just fits inside the cabinet at the top when the door is closed. Mount the metal plate onto the cabinet top, so the magnetic latch touches it when the door is closed.