Thursday, January 21, 2010

Build A Closet Cabinet

Adding a cabinet to a closet can expand your storage space.


A closet cabinet is a useful way to add more organization to to your life. Each closet is different, so your closet will require different measurements and dimensions for any cabinets built into it. However, there are basic instructions that will work for any cabinet in any closet. The most important step is the design stage. Without a well thought-out design, the cabinet will not provide any additional usefulness to the closet. Does this Spark an idea?


Instructions


1. Measure the dimensions of the closet. Identify the areas where you can place a cabinet. Sketch the design that you want to create onto a piece of paper. Try to keep the design as simple as possible. The more complicated the design, the harder it will be to build.


2. Remove everything from the closet. Mark the basic outline of the cabinet on the closet wall. Find the wall studs with a stud finder, and mark their placement on the wall with a pencil or other marking device.


3. Determine how much wood you will need for the project. Take the measurements of the closet and the size of the cabinet that you want to build to find the correct amount of wood. This is easier to determine once you have the outline already on the wall.


4. Cut out the cabinet pieces from the wood using a table saw. You need two side walls, a top and bottom piece, a front door and shelves for the interior of the cabinet. If you want to hang clothes from inside the cabinet, make sure that the cabinet is at least 2 feet deep. Make the shelves as close together or as far apart as you wish, depending on what you intend to store in the cabinet.


5. Build the cabinet inside the closet. Use two metal brackets per joint to hold each part of the shelf together, for greater stability. Use 1-inch screws to hold the pieces together. Place the brackets inside the cabinet to hide them from view.


6. Screw the hinges on the door piece, then screw the other side of the hinges to the cabinet frame. Screw a handle to the other side of the cabinet door.


7. Cover the floor with a tarp, then paint or stain the cabinet as desired. Allow the cabinet to dry for 24 hours before using it for storage.

Tags: cabinet closet, inside cabinet, other side, that want