• 50 questions

NOCTI Cabinetmaking Practice Test

Unofficial practice for NOCTI Cabinetmaking: shop safety, layout, woods, hand and power tools, machines, assembly, finishing and installation.

Shavings and offcuts in a scrap bin catch fire. Which class of fire is burning wood?

Pick an answer, then press Check answer. Then you see Correct or Not quite, with the reason. Keys: A to D pick, Enter checks.

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Exam mode: 50 questions, 56 minutes.

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Unofficial practice questions, not affiliated with NOCTI. Bank checked October 16, 2026.

Next step Weak on safety rules? OSHA 10 questionsAnother NOCTI test: Carpentry

All 50 questions

Safety 6

  • A cabinet shop has no clinic or hospital close enough to treat an injured worker. What does the medical services rule then require? OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.151, paragraph (b). Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Safety
  • A finish splashes on a worker's arm. Which section of the product's safety data sheet describes the first care to give? OSHA Brief, Hazard Communication Standard: Safety Data Sheets (OSHA 3514). Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Safety
  • Boards of different widths are flattened on a hand-fed jointer. Under the woodworking machinery standard, what must the guard on the working side of the fence do? OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.213, paragraph (j)(3). Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Safety
  • The power fails while a shaper is running, then comes back on. Where a restart could injure the operator, what does the woodworking machinery standard require? OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.213, paragraph (b)(3). Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Safety
  • Shavings and offcuts in a scrap bin catch fire. Which class of fire is burning wood? U.S. Fire Administration, Fire Extinguishers. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Safety
  • When must the cord of a portable sander be looked over for damage such as a cut jacket or a missing pin? OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.334, paragraph (a)(2)(i). Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Safety
Show all 50 questions (44 more)

Design, Layout, and Estimation 7

  • A cut list calls for six plywood panels, each 24 by 32 inches. Ignoring the saw kerf, how many 4-by-8-foot sheets are needed? Written to the NOCTI Job Ready Credential Blueprint for Cabinetmaking (4014), Design, Layout, and Estimation; the answer is arithmetic on the numbers in the question, worked twice
  • A drawing calls for a three-sided slot cut across the grain of a cabinet side to hold a fixed shelf. What is this joint called? Wikipedia, Dado (joinery). Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Design, Layout, and Estimation
  • A face frame is 30 inches wide. Its two stiles are each 2 inches wide, and the rails fit between them with butt joints. How long is each rail? Written to the NOCTI Job Ready Credential Blueprint for Cabinetmaking (4014), Design, Layout, and Estimation; the answer is arithmetic on the numbers in the question, worked twice
  • On a shop drawing, which document lists the parts and materials of a cabinet with the quantity of each? Wikipedia, Bill of materials. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Design, Layout, and Estimation
  • Which joint is a two-sided recess along the edge of a part, often cut to take the back panel of a cabinet? Wikipedia, Rabbet. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Design, Layout, and Estimation
  • Which kind of drawing shows the parts of a cabinet slightly separated, so the order of assembly can be seen? Wikipedia, Exploded-view drawing. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Design, Layout, and Estimation
  • Why does a careful cut list allow for the kerf of each saw cut? Wikipedia, Saw, Kerf. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Design, Layout, and Estimation

Major Woods and Materials 5

  • A wood supplier lists a Janka number for each species. What does the Janka test measure? Wikipedia, Janka hardness test. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Major Woods and Materials
  • Compared with flat-sawn boards, what is quarter-sawn lumber known for? Wikipedia, Quarter sawing. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Major Woods and Materials
  • In plywood, the grain of each layer is set at a right angle to the layers beside it. What is one benefit of this cross-graining? Wikipedia, Plywood. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Major Woods and Materials
  • Oak, maple and cherry are hardwoods. What makes a wood a hardwood? Wikipedia, Hardwood. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Major Woods and Materials
  • Which sheet good is made by breaking wood down into fibers, mixing them with wax and a resin binder, and pressing panels under heat? Wikipedia, Medium-density fibreboard. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Major Woods and Materials

Hand and Portable Power Tools 7

  • A flat-head screw must sit flush with the surface of a hinge rail. What is cut in the wood for the screw head? Wikipedia, Countersink. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Hand and Portable Power Tools
  • What is a marking gauge used for? Wikipedia, Marking gauge. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Hand and Portable Power Tools
  • Which hand plane is small enough for one hand, has its blade bedded at a low angle with the bevel up, and is designed to cut end grain? Wikipedia, Block plane. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Hand and Portable Power Tools
  • Which portable power tool has a flat base and a rotating bit that extends past it, and is used to hollow out an area or shape an edge? Wikipedia, Router (woodworking). Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Hand and Portable Power Tools
  • Which portable saw has a short reciprocating blade and is the usual choice for cutting an irregular curve in a panel? Wikipedia, Jigsaw (tool). Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Hand and Portable Power Tools
  • Which portable tool cuts a crescent-shaped slot in each of two mating edges for a compressed wooden wafer that swells with glue? Wikipedia, Biscuit joiner. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Hand and Portable Power Tools
  • Why does a random orbital sander suit a face frame, where the grain of the stiles meets the grain of the rails at right angles? Wikipedia, Random orbital sander. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Hand and Portable Power Tools

Stationary Power Equipment 9

  • A door needs a clean, flat-bottomed recess bored for a cup hinge. Which bit is used in the drill press? Wikipedia, Drill bit, Forstner bit. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Stationary Power Equipment
  • A rough board is to be run through the thickness planer. What does the board need first? Wikipedia, Thickness planer. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Stationary Power Equipment
  • A table saw blade is dull and badly set. Under the woodworking machinery standard, what is done with it? OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.213, paragraph (s)(1). Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Stationary Power Equipment
  • On a table saw, which safety device sits behind the blade and moves up and down with it as the depth of cut is changed? Wikipedia, Riving knife. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Stationary Power Equipment
  • What is a jointer used for when rough stock is prepared? Wikipedia, Jointer. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Stationary Power Equipment
  • What is a stacked dado set, mounted on a table saw, used to cut? Wikipedia, Dado set. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Stationary Power Equipment
  • Which stationary machine has a vertical spindle that drives stacked cutter heads to mill a profile on the edge of stock? Wikipedia, Wood shaper. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Stationary Power Equipment
  • Which stationary sander has a drum that both rotates and moves up and down, and is good for sanding curves and contours? Wikipedia, Sander. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Stationary Power Equipment
  • Which stationary saw can cut irregular or curved shapes, with the tightest curve set by the width of its blade? Wikipedia, Bandsaw. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Stationary Power Equipment

Assembly 10

  • A customer wants to reach the very back of a deep drawer. Which hardware supports the drawer even when it is pulled entirely out of the cabinet? Wikipedia, Drawer, Movement. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Assembly
  • How is the bottom of a wooden drawer usually held in place? Wikipedia, Drawer. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Assembly
  • In a frame-and-panel door, why is the panel left unglued in the grooves of the frame? Wikipedia, Frame and panel. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Assembly
  • In pocket-hole joinery, how is the hole for the screw drilled? Wikipedia, Pocket-hole joinery. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Assembly
  • In which method of case construction are doors hung straight on the cabinet sides, with hardware set in rows of holes 32 millimeters apart? Wikipedia, Frameless construction. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Assembly
  • Several boards are glued edge to edge into a wide panel. Which clamp is made of two jaws fitted to a length of threaded pipe, so its reach depends on the pipe? Wikipedia, Pipe clamp. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Assembly
  • What does a face frame do for a cabinet case? Wikipedia, Face frame. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Assembly
  • Which hinge has a cup and arm that fit a recess in the door and a mounting plate on the case, and can be adjusted after it is installed? Wikipedia, Hinge, Concealed hinge. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Assembly
  • Which joint is commonly cut at the front corners of a wooden drawer so that the joint cannot be seen from the drawer front? Wikipedia, Drawer. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Assembly
  • Why is a pilot hole drilled before a screw is driven near the end of a hardwood rail? Wikipedia, Pilot hole, Pilot holes for screws. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Assembly

Finishing 3

  • Lacquers and their thinners are flammable liquids. What is the most Category 1, 2 or 3 flammable liquid that may be kept in one storage cabinet? OSHA, 29 CFR 1910.106, paragraph (d)(3)(i). Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Finishing
  • Shellac is sold as dry flakes. In what are the flakes dissolved to make the liquid finish? Wikipedia, Shellac. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Finishing
  • Why is a pile of rags soaked with linseed oil a fire hazard in the finishing room? Wikipedia, Linseed oil, Drying properties. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Finishing

Installation 3

  • A floor is uneven where a run of base cabinets will stand. What is slipped under a cabinet to bring it level? Wikipedia, Shim (spacer). Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Installation
  • A wall cabinet is to be hung on a French cleat. What is a French cleat? Wikipedia, French cleat. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Installation
  • How deep, front to back, is a kitchen base cabinet usually made? Wikipedia, Kitchen cabinet, Buying cabinets. Written to NOCTI Cabinetmaking (4014), Installation

How this list was compiled: Our own questions, written to the competency list of the Job Ready Credential Blueprint for Cabinetmaking (code 4014, version 01, copyright 2022) that NOCTI publishes at https://www.nocti.org/wp-content/uploads/Blueprints/JRCabinet4014.pdf , read 2026-10-16: a written assessment of 162 questions in 3 hours over eight areas (Safety 12%; Design, Layout, and Estimation 14%; Major Woods and Materials 9%; Hand and Portable Power Tools 14%; Stationary Power Equipment 18%; Assembly 20%; Finishing 6%; Installation 7%), plus a performance assessment of three jobs. This bank holds 50 in those proportions. Every rule and definition was read on 2026-10-16 on the public page named under its question: OSHA standards in 29 CFR 1910 on osha.gov (woodworking machinery, 1910.213, among them), the OSHA brief on safety data sheets, the U.S. Fire Administration, and Wikipedia. Every length and count in a sum is made up for the drill, and each computed answer is arithmetic that was worked twice. Licence: Questions, choices and explanations are original work of this site.

How it works

Fifty questions of our own for the NOCTI Cabinetmaking test, sorted by the eight areas of the Job Ready blueprint, code 4014. This free practice test is unofficial and not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by NOCTI.

Read the full guide

Eight areas, and Assembly leads

Assembly is 20% of the written assessment and Stationary Power Equipment 18%. Design, Layout, and Estimation and Hand and Portable Power Tools are 14% each, Safety 12%, Major Woods and Materials 9%, Installation 7% and Finishing 6%.

The clock

All 50 questions in 56 minutes is the pace of the written assessment, 162 questions in 3 hours. No pass mark is printed in the blueprint, so a round gives a score and no verdict.

Built in the shop

The three performance jobs are not practiced here: developing a cut list from shop drawings, laying out, cutting and assembling a face frame, and building one drawer with its pull.

  • A dado runs across the grain and a groove runs with it. A rabbet is cut along an edge.
  • Rail length for a face frame with butt joints: the frame's width minus the width of both stiles.
  • Stock preparation: flatten one face on the jointer first, then send the board through the planer with that face down.

Questions and answers

How many questions are on the NOCTI Cabinetmaking test?

The Job Ready blueprint, code 4014, lists 162 written questions in 3 hours, given in one, two or three sessions. The three performance jobs take another 3 hours.

What is on the NOCTI Cabinetmaking test?

Shop safety and safety data sheets; drawings, cut lists, joints and estimating; woods and sheet goods; hand and portable power tools; saws, jointers, planers, shapers and sanders; case, face frame, door and drawer assembly with hardware; finishes; and installing base and wall cabinets.

Is this also practice for the NOCTI Teacher test in cabinetmaking?

Yes. The Teacher assessment for Cabinetmaking, code 5314, prints the same eight written areas with the same weights and 162 questions in 3 hours. Teacher tests are given at a NOCTI-approved Area Test Center.

Where is the NOCTI Cabinetmaking blueprint?

On nocti.org/credentials/blueprints, as a free PDF with the competencies, the share of each area, ten sample questions and a sample job. None of the samples is used or reworded on this page.

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