Create custom faux moldings for MDF cabinet doors and drawer fronts with a parametric CNC workflow in FreeCAD. In this complete guide, I show you how to design a fully adjustable molding profile, generate toolpaths that update instantly with your parameters, export clean G-code, and mill the final piece on the CNC.
Because the entire model is parametric, you can change the board size, molding width, depth, and toolpath position in seconds—perfect for production work or repeatable jobs.
What you’ll learn in this tutorial:
How to model custom molding profiles using FreeCAD
Building a fully parametric spreadsheet-driven workflow
Generating precise profile toolpaths for any board size
How to export clean G-code for CNC routers
Milling faux moldings on MDF
Tips for accuracy, safe heights, and clean results
Perfect for cabinet makers, furniture builders, CNC hobbyists, and small shops who want fast, repeatable, professional-looking moldings.
After learning parametric sweeps for moldings, try creating organic textures. The 3D Wavy Patterns tutorial shows how to design flowing surfaces and machine smooth waves on MDF: • Learn to Design and CNC Machine 3D Wavy Pa...
If the parametric setup here was useful, you’ll enjoy the hinge-hole tutorial. It uses the same spreadsheet-driven approach to place, size, and mill hinge cups quickly and accurately: • Milling Cabinet Door Hinge Holes on the CN...
If you want to learn more about cutting clean, accurate outlines, watch the CNC Profiling tutorial in FreeCAD 1.0 It shows exactly how to select geometry and generate efficient profile toolpaths: • CNC Profiling Tutorial: Cut Shapes & Outli...
And if you prefer working in Blender, the Profiling & Outline Cutting tutorial with FabEX teaches a fast workflow for cutting shapes and outlines using free tools: • CNC Profiling & Outline Cutting Made Easy ...
00:00 Parametric molding workflow overview
00:32 Setting up the spreadsheet parameters
02:45 Modeling the parametric board
03:52 Sketching the molding path curve
06:34 Creating the toolbit profile sketch
08:55 Positioning the toolbit profile with formulas
10:13 Sweeping the profile along the curve
10:40 Adjusting sweep for rounded corners
11:11 Parametric height adjustments
11:35 Cutting the molding into the board
12:11 Testing parameter updates
12:39 Creating the CNC job (stock + origin)
13:32 Adding the toolbit + feeds & speeds
14:19 Creating the profile operation
14:36 Selecting geometry & generating toolpath
14:58 Aligning toolpath to the sketch curve
15:15 Parametric final depth control
15:42 Setting stepdowns & safe heights
16:08 Exporting the G-code
16:27 Testing parameter-driven toolpath updates
17:10 Why sketch-driven toolpaths give accuracy
17:59 Milling the molding on the CNC
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