E-12 Assembles cabinets and furniture

Overview

The standard separates the two product types:

• Cabinets are wood or composite products that are permanently fastened in place.
• Furniture is generally freestanding.

Cabinetmakers assemble both in the shop before shipping them to the site. They must always be aware of the conditions and accessibility of the installation site.

There are three sub-tasks:

1. Assemble cabinet components (E-12.01).
2. Assemble furniture components (E-12.02).
3. Combine the two kinds of components into final assemblies and install the hardware, doors, drawers and glass (E-12.03).

E-12.01 Assembles cabinet components

What you do

• Select and use the tools and equipment the application requires.
• Select and sort cabinet components by cabinet construction and by grain and colour.
• Check that the components are true, square and cut to size according to the drawings and project specifications.
• Apply adhesive to the joints to provide strength and minimize clean-up.
• Select fasteners and containment methods that allow for wood movement. Base the choice on the drawings, project specifications and industry standards.
• Join the sub-assembly components, then the cabinet components, using tools and equipment, joints and fasteners.
• Check the final assembly for square and accuracy, and adjust it where needed.
• Remove excess adhesive.
• Trim joints flush and to the desired size.

What you need to know

• Cabinet components, sub-assembly components, drawer components and cabinet door components.
• Adhesives, joints, fasteners and containment methods.
• Standard cabinet measurements.
• Properties and applications of solid wood and sheet goods.
• Types of doors, door and drawer front applications, door hardware and drawer hardware.
• Face frame and frameless construction.
• Door and drawer front clearances.
• The 32 mm drilling system of cabinetmaking.
• The tools, equipment and procedures for assembling cabinet components.

Range of variables

• Cabinet components include: gables, tops, bottoms, doors, drawers, backs
• Subassembly components include: toe kick boxes, drawer boxes
• Drawer components include: sides, bottoms, backs
• Cabinet door components include: stiles, rails, panels, slab door
• Standard measurements include: height, width, depth
• Properties (of solid wood and sheet goods) include: expansion, contraction, photosensitivity
• Joints include: dowel, biscuit, dovetail, finger, hardware, rabbets, dados, mitres, mortise and tenon
• Fasteners include: biscuits, dowels, screws, assembly fittings, pins, glue blocks, splines
• Containment methods include: using slotted hardware, foam panel spacers
• Types of doors include: raised panel, flat panel, tambour, slab
• Door and drawer front applications include: full-overlay, half-overlay, inset, retractable
• Door hardware includes: hinges (concealed, butt, piano, pivot), soft-closing, locks, pulls
• Drawer hardware includes: integrated slides, full-extension slides, soft-closing, locks, pulls
• Tools and equipment include: measuring tapes, squares, pneumatic nailers and staplers, clamps, biscuit joiners, drills
• Industry standards include: AWMAC, AWI, WI, CKCA, shop-specific standard

E-12.02 Assembles furniture components

What you do The steps follow the same pattern as cabinet assembly, with two differences:

• Components are sorted by furniture assembly requirements, as well as grain and colour.
• There is an extra step: confirm the furniture components and joints for fit.

The other steps are the same: check that parts are true, square and cut to size; select fasteners and containment methods that allow for wood movement; apply adhesive for strength and minimal clean-up; join sub-assemblies and components; check and adjust for square and accuracy; remove excess adhesive; trim joints flush.

What you need to know Much the same as for cabinets (adhesives, joints, fasteners, containment methods, properties of solid wood and sheet goods, doors, door and drawer front applications, door and drawer hardware, drawer components, the 32 mm drilling system), but for furniture components and subassemblies, plus:

• Types of furniture.
• Furniture hardware.
• Standard furniture measurements.
• On-site installation considerations.
• Shipping and handling requirements.

Range of variables

• Furniture components include: legs, aprons, rails, arms, backs
• Subassembly components include: web frames, table pedestals
• Types of furniture include: tables, chairs, beds, desks
• Furniture hardware includes: hinges, table slides, swivels
• Joints, fasteners, containment methods, properties, standard measurements, doors, door and drawer front applications, door hardware, drawer hardware, drawer components and tools and equipment: same lists as E-12.01

	Cabinets (E-12.01)	Furniture (E-12.02)
Components	gables, tops, bottoms, doors, drawers, backs	legs, aprons, rails, arms, backs
Subassemblies	toe kick boxes, drawer boxes	web frames, table pedestals

E-12.03 Combines cabinet and furniture components into final assemblies

What you do

• Select and use the tools and equipment, and use fasteners according to the drawings, project specifications and application requirements.
• Install the face frame onto the case work.
• Apply decorative moulding and edging, paying attention to alignment and placement.
• Install hardware and specialty hardware to the manufacturer's specifications so that they give the desired function.
• Install decorative hardware according to the drawings, project specifications and client requirements.
• Recognize where hardware placement could impede operation, and make adjustments.
• Install drawer boxes, using hardware for smooth operation.
• Install doors and drawer fronts, and adjust them for alignment and clearances.
• Install glass and decorative panels into the framework using fastening methods.
• Test and evaluate every component for operation, aesthetic appeal and installation considerations.

What you need to know

• Most of the E-12.01 and E-12.02 knowledge (cabinet, furniture, subassembly, drawer and cabinet door components; adhesives, joints and fasteners; doors, door and drawer front applications, door and drawer hardware and clearances; face frame and frameless construction; types of furniture and furniture hardware; the 32 mm drilling system; on-site installation considerations; shipping and handling requirements), plus:
• Hardware, specialty hardware and decorative hardware.
• Fastening methods for glass and decorative panels.
• The sequence of assembly and the factors to consider.
• The tools, equipment and procedures for making final assemblies.

Range of variables

• Hardware includes: hinges, locks, slides, guides
• Specialty hardware includes: drop leaf hinges, table slides, swivels, retractable door hardware
• Decorative hardware includes: handles, knobs, pulls
• Fastening methods (glass and decorative panels) include: retaining strips, silicone, wood stops
• Factors (sequence of assembly) include: finishing requirements, laminating, site assembly, sanding requirements
• Tools and equipment include: tape measures, clamps, pneumatic nailers, screwdrivers, drills, routers, mortising jigs, door handle jigs
• Fasteners include: biscuits, dowels, screws, assembly fittings, pins, glue blocks, splines

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Source: Red Seal Occupational Standard – Cabinetmaker, Task E-12 (pp. 92–100).