When you add doors to custom shelves, they become custom cabinets. Building these storage spaces for yourself gives you the opportunity to get exactly what you want for less money.
Instructions
1. Decide where you want your custom shelf or cabinet and determine its height, width and depth. If you are building a shelf or cabinet to fit a specific area, use a tape measure to get exact dimensions.
2. Cut your boards with the appropriate dimensions for the top, bottom, sides and shelves. For a cabinet, you also need to cut boards or plywood for doors. Divide the width of the cabinet interior by two to get the door width.
3. Drill pilot holes into the ends of the boards where screws will hold the unit together. For the shelf boards, drill the holes 1 inch in from each edge, in the center of the board thickness. For the top and bottom boards, drill holes on each end, 1 inch in from the edges width wise and 1/2 inch in lengthwise. For the sides, drill holes through the thickness of the board 1/2 inch in from the top and bottom and an inch in from each side of the board.
4. Lay the boards out on the floor and attach the sides, top, bottom and shelves to each other with wood screws through the pilot holes.
5. Cut the 1/4-inch plywood to fit the width and height of the unit. Attach to the back of the unit with finishing nails and a hammer.
6. Hold one door in place and decide where to put the hinges. Mark a pencil dot inside each hinge hole. Measure and mark the hinge holes for the other door so that both sides are even. Drill pilot holes on the dots.
7. Screw the hinges into place on the cabinet and doors.
Tags: inch from, drill holes, pilot holes, boards drill, boards drill holes
