Many people have the misconception that building a dream kitchen is as difficult as finding a good home of his choice. However, it is not the same anymore. With simple “Do it yourself” techniques, you can build kitchen cabinets for your kitchen and give it a perfectly furnished look without burning a hole in your pockets.
One does not need to be an expert woodworker or an excellent designer to build kitchen cabinets. All one needs is a creative mind and basic skills in cutting, sawing, painting and polishing, which you probably already know.
How to build kitchen cabinets
We prepare
Before you start building the kitchen cabinets, try to get a rough sketch of the kitchen design you have in mind, on a piece of paper. You can even take ideas from magazines/Internet and improvise them as you need. Plan in advance, the number, shapes and sizes of the kitchen cabinets you want in your kitchen, without ignoring the dimensions of your kitchen area. There are several options that are available in building kitchen cabinets.
Starting with the very basics of how to build kitchen cabinets, here is a list of things you need before starting the DIY job of building kitchen cabinets for your kitchen.
- Half inch plywood (depends on the budget, you can choose the type of wood that fits your budget).
- Tape measure, table saw, cutter, drill, sandpaper, nail hammer, and pencil.
- Surface frames made of oak or other hardwood, wood stock, drawer slides.
- Hinges, bolts, clamps, flathead screws or 1.5-3 inch deck screws, finishing nails, nuts, knobs which can be obtained from any local hardware store.
- Wood glue and adhesives.
- Paint and varnish of choice.
Building kitchen cabinets
1. Take the actual measurements of the walls and the length and width of the cabinets you want for your kitchen. Also consider the depth of each cabinet in order to assess the amount of plywood you will be required to purchase.
2. Cut out the frame for your kitchen cabinets, and screw the frames together to make it act like a box case for the cabinets. Apply glue to the pieces before nailing together. The clamps help you hold the wood in place while the glue dries.
3. Install the support bars to the walls to support the kitchen cabinets.
4. According to the estimates and calculations, cut the support of the cabinets from the plywood you have bought, and attach it firmly to the walls.
5. With half the work done, the next step of how to make the kitchen cabinets is to reduce the sides for the kitchen cabinets. And double stick them with wood glue and nails for a neater and longer lasting touch.
6. Pre-cut kitchen cabinet doors and drawer fronts can be purchased from stores or you can cut from plywood for kitchen cabinet finishing. The choice is all yours.
7. Pre-cut doors already have hinges attached. But if you are doing everything yourself, then also attach the hinges to the sides of the doors by first drilling holes in it and then fixing the hinges with screws. The more the number of hinges, the more secure your kitchen cabinet door is.
8. Once the body of the kitchen cabinet is ready, all you need to add are the extra touches and accessories. Depending on your personal preference, you can choose either a handle or a knob for the doors.
9. Now mount the body of the cabinet next to the wooden back which is already mounted next to the wall.
10. Finally, to add the finishing touch use a good quality wood varnish for polishing the wooden surface of the kitchen cabinets so that they look shiny and also remain protected from wood lice and the termites.
Some useful tips when building your own kitchen cabinets
1. You have to be very careful while taking the measurements for your kitchen cabinets so you don’t end up cutting and re-cutting the wood, which ultimately leads to a waste of time and money.
2. To achieve a neater appearance and even margins, smooth the freshly cut surfaces with sandpaper.
3. For inspiration and creative ideas, you can look for designs on top or catalogs and DIY.
4. Take precautions while doing the cutting work. Use gloves to avoid cuts and bruises, and protect your eyes from wood chips by wearing goggles.
5. Last but not least; keep a first aid kit handy.
Building kitchen cabinets by yourself is known to take a lot of time and requires a lot of patience but it is less expensive and an ideal way to customize your kitchen and once it is finished, the sense of happiness it gives is definitely priceless. After all, you will not only have food that suits your taste but also everything else, according to your taste in the kitchen.
