Learn the simplest and most accurate way to build drawer boxes with this easy tutorial.

Drawer Box Build

Welcome back, this is Kristen from In Her Garage Woodworking here with another build plan for you.  When I first began my DIY woodworking journey over 5 years ago I was most intimidated by building drawers. I avoided them because I thought there were too many measurements and too much room for error. But, with a simple plan and a lot of practice, I now make drawers consistently and accurately.  These are the exact plans I use to this day to make drawer boxes for all of my commissioned furniture pieces because when you’re able to make something quickly and easily that is solid and looks great, why would you ever change it?

Materials

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Tools

Instructions:

Your drawer can be any depth you wish, but before building the drawers, rip your 3/4″ material to the drawer height you desire (if you are using plywood or if your 3/4″ material is wider than your finished drawer.

Step #1: Cut drawer box sides

Using your miter or circular saw, cut two identical 3/4” boards to the same length of the drawer slides you’ll be using.

Step #2: Cut drawer box front and back

Cut two pieces of the 3/4 inch material for the front and back of the drawer box.  If you’re using ¾” material to build the drawer box then the length of the front and back can be calculated as follows (see equation and picture below):

Width of drawer box – 1½” = width of front and back drawer box boards

Drawer Box Diagram

Step #3: Add groove for drawer bottom (optional)

Taking all four 3/4″ boards to the table saw cut a groove 1/4” from the bottom of all sides that is 1/4” deep. Run the 3/4 board through one time, then adjust the fence (or your saw) to cut another groove next to the first. (A standard saw blade is 1/8” wide so you will need to make two passes in each board to achieve a 1/4″ groove for the 1/4″ drawer bottom material.

Dry-fit the plywood to check for fit.

 

Step #4: Create pocket-holes

Using your Kreg jig make 2 pocket-holes at either end of the front and back boards on the opposite side as the plywood bottom groove if you chose to do this step. Be sure to avoid the groove.

Step #5: Assembly

If you DID NOT cut a groove to accept the plywood bottom, then you can assemble the drawer box using wood glue and 1 ¼” pocket screws.

Then, you will cut your bottom 1/4″ panel to the length and width of the drawer box and simply glue and nail it to the bottom of the drawer box

If you DID create a groove for the bottom panel assemble the front and both sides using wood glue and 1 ¼” pocket screws.

Next, cut the ¼” plywood to fit into the bottom of the drawer box groove dry fitting the back panel to check for fit.

Once you have the correct size for the plywood bottom then slide it into the groove and attached the back piece of the drawer box using wood glue and 1 ¼” pocket screws.  There is no need to apply glue into the panel groove.  The plywood bottom will “float” in place.

No need to worry about filling the pocket-holes because you will be applying a drawer face directly over them.

Be sure to check for square by measuring both diagonals of the drawer box.  If one measurement is longer simply squeeze the longer diagonal until both are the same.

Allow drawer box to dry.

That is the basic drawer box build that I use and it is strong and easy to put together. I hope this tutorial gives you the confidence to tackle that project you’ve been putting off.  Next, I will teach you my favorite method for installing drawers and how I troubleshoot drawer boxes that just aren’t quite the right fit!

Finishing Tips:

If you are making your drawer boxes out of plywood then check out Brittany’s Edge Banding Tutorial and learn how to cover that unsightly plywood edge.

Wondering how, or if, you should apply a protective finish to the drawer box? If I am working with solid wood for the drawer sides then I will give the material a quick finish sanding and that’s it. But, for plywood, I typically do one of two things, depending upon what I have on hand at that time.

  • Option 1: Apply 1 or 2 coats of sanding sealer to raise the grain of plywood and sand smooth. Sanding sealer is clear, easy to apply, and dries quickly. If I have the time and patience I may also apply a quick spray of clear, semi-gloss, water-based topcoat to give it a little shine but it isn’t necessary.
  • Option 2: Apply 2 to 3 coats of spray shellac to seal the plywood.  Spray shellac dries quickly and won’t leave any chemical smell behind. But be aware that it will give the plywood a slight amber tone which typically isn’t big deal.  Remember to lightly sand between coats.

Hi! I’m Kristen, from In Her Garage, and I am a self-taught woodworker and DIY fanatic from Minnesota where I live with my husband and our two daughters. Between being a wife, mom and, registered nurse, I try to make as much time for DIY as possible. My love for building came after our family built our current home in 2015. After we moved in, we needed furniture and instead of spending massive amounts of money to order the pieces we wanted I decided that I would build them myself. I started with a buffet table plan from the fabulous Ana-white and quickly set out to remodel my entire home office.

Since then I have started a side business building furniture for the people in my community. I love hearing my clients talk about the pieces they wish they had whether it be a rustic buffet table, a one drawer side table, or a toy box, and then making it a reality for them. While starting my small business it made perfect sense that I would document my building journey so I simultaneously launched the In Her Garage blog and I love sharing my plans, tips, and tricks.

Making something beautiful with your own two hands through a little preparation and determination is an amazing feeling and I hope to bring inspiration and know-how to those looking to tackle a big or small project.

I am so glad that you found me here and please feel free to connect with me on PinterestInstagram, and Facebook to see what I am working on right now. And check out the brand new In Her Garage Etsy shop for other plans or to have a furniture item made especially for you!

diy french cleat

I am going to teach you how to securely hang heavy objects on the wall with a board and a few screws. Using a French Cleat has been a tried and true method for hanging heavy objects and is used by professional cabinet makers and DIYers alike. It can be incorporated into the item being built or added after the fact.

DIY French Cleat

How to Make a French Cleat

What is a French Cleat?  A French Cleat is a board or molding with a 30°-45° bevel cut attached to the wall along with a corresponding beveled board or molding attached to the object to be hung on the wall. That sounds a little confusing but check out the diagram below and it will all make sense. First let’s grab a few supplies.

DIY French Cleat

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

  • 1″ x 3″ board or 3/4″ plywood strip (3″ minimum width)
  • 2″ screws

Tools:

Instructions:

Step 1:

Measure the length that you need your French cleat to be. Typically a french cleat is the length of the item to be hung on the wall and spans the length of at least 2 studs in the wall that the item will be secured to.

Step 2:

Adjust your table saw or circular saw to a 30°-45° bevel and rip your board along the center. (For tips on using a table saw safely, read this article.)

Step 3:

Secure the top piece of the cleat to the item to be hung (see diagram shown below). This can be done with pocket-holes, glued under a shelf, or with screws to the back of the item. (You may want to pre-drill your holes to avoid splitting the wood.)

DIY French Cleat

Step 4:

Choose the height at which you want to hang the item on the wall and mark where the bottom cleat will be placed. Mark the studs that the cleat will be screwed into and secure the cleat to the wall using wood screws and a level in the orientation shown above. (Again, you may want to pre-drill your holes to avoid splitting the wood.)

Step 5:

Gently place the object above the wall cleat and lower until the two pieces are securely nested together.

Often times the weight of the object and the angle of the beveled cleat is enough to keep the object securely in place. But, if you’re worried about children lifting the item, you can add a screw through the hanging object into the cleat or a wall stud for peace of mind.

DIY French Cleat

And if you’re excited about using a French Cleat, you might like to make a headboard that is hung on the wall using a French Cleat!

rustic-king-headboard-side-view

This is a great tip for hanging cabinets on the wall as well. I hope you try your hand at making and using a French Cleat soon. Let me know how it goes!

Hi! I’m Kristen, from In Her Garage, and I am a self-taught woodworker and DIY fanatic from Minnesota where I live with my husband and our two daughters. Between being a wife, mom and, registered nurse, I try to make as much time for DIY as possible. My love for building came after our family built our current home in 2015. After we moved in, we needed furniture and instead of spending massive amounts of money to order the pieces we wanted I decided that I would build them myself. I started with a buffet table plan from the fabulous Ana-white and quickly set out to remodel my entire home office.

Since then I have started a side business building furniture for the people in my community. I love hearing my clients talk about the pieces they wish they had whether it be a rustic buffet table, a one drawer side table, or a toy box and then making it a reality for them. While starting my small business it made perfect sense that I would document my building journey so I simultaneously launched the In Her Garage blog and I love sharing my plans, tips and tricks.

Making something beautiful with your own two hands through a little preparation and determination is an amazing feeling and I hope to bring inspiration and know-how to those looking to tackle a big or small project.
I am so glad that you found me here and please feel free to connect with me on PinterestInstagram, Facebook, and Youtube to see what I am working on right now.

 

 

How to Make a DIY Half Lap Joint using Miter Saw

Want to add another joint to your woodworking skillset? Today I’ll show you how to create a simple DIY half-lap joint with your miter saw.

Half-Lap Joint with your Miter Saw

Hi! It’s Kristen from In Her Garage and I am going to teach you an easy way to create a half-lap joint to add to your DIY skill set. The half-lap joint is versatile and super strong.

Wondering what a half-lap joint even is? Put simply, a half-lap joint is a joint between two boards that are halved together so that a flush surface results. Check out the pictures below for two popular ways half-lap joints are used. Best of all this joint only requires wood glue to hold it together.

   

I have used this style of joint when a butt joint or pocket-hole joint isn’t possible. It’s helpful to use when working with thinner material or in tight spaces. Let’s learn how to make a half-lap joint!

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Tools:

Instructions:

Step 1: Mark your boards

  • Place your boards over one another in the orientation they will be joined.
  • Mark out the width of the overlap on each board.

   

Step 2: Set up your miter saw

  • Place a sacrificial board against the miter saw fence, with the face flat (as seen in the video below).  This board should be flat and square. You will need this because you are not cutting through the board to be used in your project and thus the miter saw will not cut the back portion of the board you are cutting. The scrap piece will push your board out so that the miter saw will cut halfway down from the front to the back. If you do a test cut without the scrap board you’ll see what I mean.
  • Next, use your saw’s depth stop control and adjust the depth to cut approximately halfway down into the first board to be cut. Use a scrap piece of wood for this step to make sure you have the depth you want before using the board that will be used in your project.
  • Adjust the miter angle at this time as well if you are not planning to cut at 90 degrees.

Step 3: Cut the first board

  • With your depth set and scrap board in place make your first cut into your board. Make sure you are minding which side of the marked lines your blade needs to cut!
  • After the first cut move the board slightly (about 1/8”) and create another cut right next to the first.
  • Continue moving and cutting until you have created all the cuts needed between the two width lines you marked out previously.
  • Dry fit the second board into the first to make sure the width is correct and make any necessary adjustments.
  • Use sandpaper to smooth out any ridges left from the saw.

Step 4: Cut the second board

  • If you cut exactly halfway through the first board then you will not have to do any adjustments for this step and you can cut the second board exactly as you cut the first.
  • But, if you are like me you didn’t cut the first board perfectly and the depth will need to be adjusted slightly for the second board. This is simple.
  • The cut for the second board will need to be the depth of what you DIDN’T cut from the first board. Use a piece of scrap to fine-tune this depth before cutting the board you will use.
  • Now that the depth has been set for the second board you can cut the half-lap into the board just like you did for the first. Again, being mindful of which side of the lines your blade is cutting.
  • Dry fit the two boards together to be sure you have a snug fit and the boards create a flat surface.

Step 5: Glue together

  • Apply glue to both lap joints in each board and fit them together.
  • Apply downward pressure to the joint and allow the glue to dry.

There you have it!! You have expanded your talents and created a very strong half-lap joint for your next project. Nice work!

Pin this graphic for future reference:

How to Make a DIY Half Lap Joint using Miter Saw

New to using the miter saw or need a refresher? Check out the Pretty Handy Girl’s How to Use a Miter Saw tutorial to get you all caught up!

Hi! I’m Kristen, from In Her Garage, and I am a self-taught woodworker and DIY fanatic from Minnesota where I live with my husband and our two daughters. Between being a wife, mom, and registered nurse, I try to make as much time for DIY as possible. My love for building came after our family built our current home in 2015. After we moved in, we needed furniture, and instead of spending massive amounts of money to order the items we wanted I decided that I would build them myself. I started with a buffet table plan from the fabulous Ana-white and quickly set out to remodel my entire home office.

Since then I have started a side business building furniture for the people in my community. I love hearing my clients talk about the pieces they wish they had whether it be a rustic buffet table, a one drawer side table, or a toy box and then making it a reality for them. While starting my small business it made perfect sense that I would document my building journey so I simultaneously launched the In Her Garage blog and I love sharing my plans, tips, and tricks.

I am so glad that you found me here and please feel free to connect with me on PinterestInstagram, and Facebook to see what I am working on right now.

Check out my latest blog post about building a DIY Folding Craft/Sewing Table! This table is large enough for any craft project but folds down when you don’t need it. Perfect for anyone with a small space but large crafting ambitions!

diy beverage center housing mini fridge

It’s 5 o’clock somewhere! Whether it’s 5 am or 5 pm this DIY Beverage Center will hold whatever it is that gets you going in the morning and winds you down in the evening.

DIY Beverage Center

DIY Beverage Center

Hi there! This is Kristen from In Her Garage and I am going to teach you how to build a DIY beverage center for your home. I have built a couple of these and each client who received this beverage center loves to tell me how appreciative they are to have a separate space to hold their coffee supplies and adult beverages. Plus, a beverage center freed up space needed in their kitchen refrigerator.

This beverage center measures approximately 40”h x 38 ½”w x 24 ½”d and I built it to house the Whirlpool JC 103EZY Mini-fridge that a client had purchased. Feel free to modify the dimensions for the mini-fridge of your choice, just keep in mind there should be an allowance on the sides and top for proper airflow around the fridge (usually specified in the owner’s manual). This particular mini-fridge requires 2” on both sides and top.

Materials:

(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)

Tools:

Board Cuts:

  • 2- 2×3 @ 36″
  • 3- 2×3 @ 20¼”
  • 2- 1×2 @ 39 ¼”
  • 1- 1×2 @ 34 ¼”
  • 1- 1×2 @ 34 ½”
  • 1- 1×4 @ 34 ½”
  • 2- 1×2 @ 23″ – drill two pocket hole’s in both ends
  • 2- 1×2 @ 12 ¼” – drill two pocket hole’s in both ends

Cut list and corresponding pocket-hole placement:

To make plywood cuts easier while using a circular saw please check out my tutorial for creating your own DIY Track Saw Jig for your circular saw. It will make cutting plywood simple and foolproof!

Instructions:

Step 1: Create the beverage center base

  • First, build a base frame using the cut 2×3 studs, wood glue, and 2 ½” wood screws. Pre-drill your holes to prevent splitting.

  • Next, Secure the bottom plywood panel on top of the base frame and secure it with wood glue and brad nails

Step 2: Attach beverage center sides

  • On a flat surface, stand both sides on their backs with the pocket-holes pointing to the ceiling.
  • Apply glue to the sides of the beverage center base and stand it on its back.
  • Sandwich the base between the two sides aligning the bottoms and fronts of the sides and base.  If you have clamps use them to squeeze the sides to the base or have someone help hold them in place until they are secured.
  • Now pre-drill three holes in each side, drilling from the inside of the base frame 2×3 out into the sides, and attach using 2″ screws.
  • Stand the piece up

Step 3: Attach center divider

  • Grab both 1 x 2 x 23″ support boards and use those as spacers for the center divider.
  • Place a small bead of glue along the bottom of the center divider panel (the short edge with pocket-holes) and place it over the base spaced by the 1×2 boards. Be sure that the long edge with the pocket-holes is facing the front just like the pocket-holes on the sides.
  • Attach the center divider with 1 ¼” Kreg pocket screws

Step 4: Attach the top spacer supports

  • Using the same two 1 x 2 x 23″ support boards you used to space the center divider and 1 ¼” pocket screws, attach the boards to the front and back of the side and center divider at the top of the panels to create even spacing.
  • Repeat with the 1 x 2 x 12 ¼” boards spacing between the center divider and the opposite side.

Step 5: Build the Face Frame

  • If you haven’t cut the boards for the face frame yet do that now according to the cut list or the diagram below.
  • Refer to the diagram below for pocket-hole placement.
  • Use wood glue and 1 ¼” pocket screws to attach the face frame pieces as depicted.

Step 6: Attach the face frame to the beverage center box and plug pocket-holes

  • Attach using wood glue and 1 ¼” pocket screws aligning the sides, top, and bottom. You can either lay the carcass on its back or clamp the face frame to the carcass while it is standing up.
  • If you choose to plug the pocket-holes do that now. You will only need to plug the pocket-holes in the refrigerator compartment of the beverage center because the other pocket-holes won’t be visible within the drawer compartment.

Step 7: Attach drawer slides

  • I used eight 1 x 2 x 23” strips of plywood to create runners to attach the drawer slides to.  To evenly space each runner vertically I use a couple of pieces of scrap cut to the same height. When the runner is spaced and level, attach it using glue and brad nails.
  • Now attach your drawer slides to these runners keeping the front of the drawer slide just behind the face frame.
  • This step can be done in a couple of ways and most people have their preference for installing drawers and drawer slides but this is my method.

Step 8: Build the drawer boxes and apply drawer slides

  • There are several different ways to build drawer boxes and you will need to decide on dimensions based on the drawer slides that you’ve chosen to use. I have provided a diagram for a simple method of building drawer boxes. (Or you can follow this tutorial for building drawers.)

  • If you choose to add edge banding to the top edge of your drawer boxes I recommend doing this after the box components are cut but before assembly to make the process easier.  New to edge banding? Pop over to see a tutorial on finishing raw plywood edges.
  • After the drawer boxes are built apply the drawer slides to the boxes and slide into place to check for fit. Make any necessary adjustments to make sure the drawer boxes are level and flush to the back of the face frame. You’ll want to make those adjustments now because it can be very difficult to do after the drawer faces are attached.  I have learned this the hard way.
  • EXTRA! One great addition to the beverage center is to add a DIY Drawer in a Drawer to keep small items such as corkscrews, bottle openers, K-cups, and wine corks organized.  Check out my tutorial for how to build this because now would be the perfect time to incorporate it into the beverage center.

Step 9: Cut the drawer faces and beverage center top

  • Using the remaining plywood cut out the beverage center top,  and drawer faces. You WILL need to edge band these pieces to hide the unsightly edge!
  • Cut the top to overhang the base by 1/2″ on either side and the front.
  • The drawer faces should be cut to fit within the face frame and cover each drawer box with a 1/16″ gap around each drawer face. A tip is to use playing cards or nickels to get even spacing.

Step 10: Finishing

  • You’ve gotten as far as you possibly can without putting it all together which means it’s time to sand everything smooth and apply the finish you’ve chosen.
  • Remember, if you are staining then you should be using a pre-stain wood conditioner which will help the plywood absorb the stain evenly and prevent blotchy discolorations.
  • Apply a protective topcoat. A wipe-on polyurethane (over oil-base stain) or polycrylic (over water-based paint) is a great choice for this build.

Step 11: Attach drawer faces and drawer hardware

  • Start by removing all drawer boxes except the bottom and then work your way up.
  • Use your playing cards or nickels to help you evenly space the drawer face with the face frame, then pre-drill 2 holes from the inside of the drawer box out into the drawer face.
  • Next, use two 1 ¼” screws to attach each drawer face to the drawer box.
  • Once all drawer faces are attached, you can install your drawer pulls according to the manufacturer’s directions.
  • Finally, cut the 1/8″ backer board to size to cover the back of the drawer compartment and attach it with brad nails.

Step 12: Attach the top

  • Using the figure-eight fasteners and matching size Forstner bit attach two figure-eight fasteners to each side and the center divider. If you’re unsure how to attach figure-eight fasteners here is a quick video to help you out:

Note: This is a very heavy piece of furniture and should not be moved by lifting from the top. Always lift from the sides or bottom.

Step 13: Install the mini-fridge!

  • Once the beverage center has been carried to where it will be placed in your home slide the mini-refrigerator into place and fill it with your favorite beverages.  I already know what mine would be! 😉

diy beverage center housing mini fridge

Great job!! This is going to be such a cool piece to have in your home and you’ll enjoy the extra space in your kitchen refrigerator.

Check out my latest blog post about building a DIY Folding Craft/Sewing Table! This table is large enough for any craft project but folds down when you don’t need it. Perfect for anyone with a small space but large crafting ambitions!

Hi! I’m Kristen, from In Her Garage, and I am a self-taught woodworker and DIY fanatic from Minnesota where I live with my husband and our two daughters. Between being a wife, mom, and registered nurse, I try to make as much time for DIY as possible. My love for building came after our family built our current home in 2015. After we moved in, we needed furniture, and instead of spending massive amounts of money to order the items we wanted I decided that I would build them myself. I started with a buffet table plan from the fabulous Ana-white and quickly set out to remodel my entire home office.

Since then I have started a side business building furniture for the people in my community. I love hearing my clients talk about the pieces they wish they had whether it be a rustic buffet table, a one drawer side table, or a toy box and then making it a reality for them. While starting my small business it made perfect sense that I would document my building journey so I simultaneously launched the In Her Garage blog and I love sharing my plans, tips, and tricks.

 

I am so glad that you found me here and please feel free to connect with me on PinterestInstagram, and Facebook to see what I am working on right now.

 

Saving Etta: Kitchen Cabinet Decision and Install

Saving Etta: Kitchen Cabinet Decision and Install

Oh my goodness, I just realized I never shared the Saving Etta kitchen mood board with you! Well, I guess it’s a bit late for this, but here you go:

Saving Etta: Kitchen Cabinet Decision and Install

Inspiration Sources:

Kitchen Design Image from Regan Baker Design’s Lake District Revival

Stainless Steel Hood by Broan

4″ x 12″ Subway Tiles by Jeffrey Court for Home Depot

Morley 4 Light Island Light Fixture

Not shown, were open shelving I planned to install on the full tile wall to the left of the window. What I was really digging is the painted island in navy. About a week after I created this mood board, I was stopped in my tracks by this photo from my friends Katelyn & Uriah, at The Inspiring Investment.

Saving Etta: Kitchen Cabinet Decision and Install

I immediately messaged Katelyn to ask if the cabinets they used on their LaRancharita flip was navy or was I just dreaming? She replied “YES!” (If you aren’t following The Inspiring Investment on Instagram, you need to. Katelyn and Uriah are local flippers who I love to watch!) By now I was smitten and determined to use a similar color in Etta’s kitchen. As you may know, I’m certainly no stranger to using color in a kitchen. You may recall that my own kitchen cabinets are a pretty minty blue.

Saving Etta: Kitchen Cabinet Decision and Install

The Decision Process:

I began hunting for stock navy cabinets to purchase but was coming up blank. If you’re wondering why I didn’t purchase custom cabinets, here’s why:

  • For my own kitchen, I didn’t mind paying the extra fee for a custom color. For a flip, I have a tighter budget.
  • Going with a custom color might not appeal to as many potential buyers. (Remember my front door color dilemma?)
  • Ordering custom painted cabinets can add weeks to the timeline.
  • Hunting down a manufacturer that doesn’t charge an arm and a leg for custom colors is time consuming.

Ultimately, time and budget played a huge role in ditching the idea of using navy cabinets (insert sad emoji face.) This was my mood when I found myself at Cabinets To Go (not sponsored). By this time I was ready to order cabinets and be done with it. But, first I needed to make sure the cabinet quality was up to my standards.

I pulled out all the drawers and inspected them. Dovetail construction on all drawers: check. Then I tested the drawers and doors. They all had soft close slides and hinges: check. But, the final inspection these cabinets had to pass could be a deal breaker. Having been through a major unplanned kitchen renovation. because cabinets were ruined by water, has changed the way I choose cabinets forever. I looked at the inside of the Cabinets To Go cabinets and was pleased to see plywood boxes: check.

Next it was time to choose the cabinet style. I was resigned to the fact that I couldn’t get navy cabinets (although I did ask.) As a distant second choice, I decided to look for a neutral gray cabinet as a safe choice. These were the first cabinets I looked at, but ultimately I didn’t like all the molding profiles and dark wax look. I needed something a little more updated for a younger buyer.

Saving Etta: Kitchen Cabinet Decision and Install

On the opposite end of the style scale were these glossy modern cabinets. They are sleek and sexy, but I was craving a modern farmhouse style for Etta (I don’t think she’d want to flaunt her sex appeal at her age.)

Saving Etta: Kitchen Cabinet Decision and Install

Finally, I settled on a simple shaker style cabinet. The “platinum grey” color was exactly what I was looking for to appeal to a variety of home buyers.

Saving Etta: Kitchen Cabinet Decision and Install

After meeting my high standards, I braced for the total price. Luckily I was eligible for a contractor discount and paid about $3,000 for all the cabinets. I put down my deposit and was told I could pick up the flat-packed and un-assembled cabinets in about two weeks. I could have paid an additional $1500 for assembly and installation, but I figured this was a good place to save some money.

Assembling Cabinets:

After the wood floors were installed, I was anxious to pick up the cabinets. My good friend Holly, a fellow renovator and local realtor, offered to help me with assembly. Little did I know how incredibly grateful I would be for her offer. As we unpacked the cabinets from the boxes, she looked at the instruction sheet briefly and said, “Perfect! These are just like the ones we assembled for our rental house.” With her experience in assembling cabinets, I let her take charge. Before long we had assembled the majority of the cabinets.

Saving Etta: Kitchen Cabinet Decision and Install

Honest Opinion of Cabinets to Go Cabinets:

One of the last cabinets to assemble was the corner lazy Susan cabinet. If you purchase this cabinet from Cabinets to Go, throw away the instruction sheet because it is useless! Watch this video to see how to assemble it.

I want to take a minute to let you know my honest opinion of the Cabinets To Go quality. For the price, I was pleased with them. But, for my own home, I would definitely want something with stronger construction. The flat packed cabinets have a finicky turning lock nut (think IKEA furniture construction) that hold the panels together. It took some finagling to get some of them to line up correctly. But, ultimately they seem to assemble tight together. Only time will tell if they hold up to regular use.

Hanging Wall Cabinets:

About a week after cabinet assembly, I was finally able to get a helper to assist me while hanging cabinets. My husband, aka Pretty Handsome Guy, offered to take the day off work to help me get the cabinets installed. You may remember his skill set from this popular tutorial on fixing common gift wrap problems. I still get a good laugh from his first guest post on the blog. Although he’s not handy, he does a great job holding things and handing things to me. I am truly grateful for his help.

We started by securing level ledger boards to the wall to rest the wall cabinets onto. Then we started with the corner wall cabinet.  You’d never want to work your way into the corner because walls are harder to move than cabinets. Know what I mean?

Saving Etta: Kitchen Cabinet Decision and Install

Next, we installed the two cabinets flanking the corner cabinet. Each cabinet was secured with multiple screws into the studs and then secured to the cabinet next to it.

Saving Etta: Kitchen Cabinet Decision and Install

Luckily, we only had three upper cabinets to hang. This certainly made our first cabinet installation job a snap. After the wall cabinets were secured, we removed the ledger board. The holes in the wall would be easy to patch, but I knew I’d be tiling over them.

Saving Etta: Kitchen Cabinet Decision and Install

Next we assembled the fridge cabinet and secured the side walls to the cabinet on the floor before lifting it upright and securing it to the wall. If you decide to try this method of attaching the cabinet walls, make sure your ceiling is tall enough to accommodate the cabinet at a diagonal when you lift the cabinet upright. We had no issues because Etta’s ceilings are nine feet tall.

Saving Etta: Kitchen Cabinet Decision and Install

Hanging the wall and fridge cabinets took most of our time that first day. The next day I worked solo installing the base cabinets and assembling the island. There was a fair amount of leveling and shimming to get them all level. Unfortunately one cabinet had to be trimmed on the base where the floor had a hump in it. I mistakenly thought the new construction portion of the house would be perfectly flat and level—I was wrong.

Saving Etta: Kitchen Cabinet Decision and Install

The last step in the cabinet install was to build a base for the two wall cabinets designated for the back side of the island. Unfortunately I didn’t take a picture of that step. You’ll forgive me right?

Saving Etta: Kitchen Cabinet Decision and Install

The island cabinets were eventually secured to one another and secured in place with shoe moulding around the base. Tomorrow I’ll show you a little something special I added to the island. If you have USB devices (and who doesn’t these days), you’re going to love it!

What do you think of the gray color? Is it a safer choice, or should I have looked longer for navy cabinets? Stay tuned for more Saving Etta updates!

Saving Etta: Kitchen Cabinet Decision and Install