So I recently discovered Trimble Sketchup, it is a program used to design architecture, landscape, interior design, and woodworking plans. I am super excited about it because now I can include printable building plans for you in all of my woodworking posts. It has been so much fun designing the never-ending projects that race through my mind. One of them being these built-in shelves with hidden storage. After drawing up my amazing plans in Sketchup I was so confident that this build was going to be smooth sailing. But unfortunately I was in a hurry when I jotted down the measurements and I ended up writing down the wrong numbers for the side pieces. Oops, you know what they say measure twice cut once. Although this project was a bit of a headache I think the end result was well worth it and I absolutely love having storage space in this tiny bathroom.
Overview
Tools
- Brad Nailer
- 1″ Brad Nails
- 2″ Brad Nails
- Drill
- 9/64″ drill bit
- 5/16″ drill bit
- 1 1/4″Cabinet Screws
- Staple Gun
Materials
- Sheet 1/2″ MDF
- 1/8″ Furniture backing
- (3) 6″x6′ Cedar Fence Slats
- Wood glue
- Wood Filler
- Cabinet Paint: Sherwin Williams Alabaster
- Door Paint: Valspar Thames Fog
- Note: I used MDF for this project because that is what I had on hand you can definitely use real wood.
Cut List
- (4) 4″x 26 3/4″ Cabinet Sides
- (4) 4″ x 14 3/4″ Cabinet Top/Bottom
- (4) 4″ x 13 3/4″ Cabinet Shelves
- (2) 14 3/4″ x 27 3/4″ Cabinet Backing
- (2) 3″ x 33″ Face Frame Sides
- (1) 3″ x 27″ Face Frame Center
- (2) 3″ x 37″ Face Frame Top/Bottom
- (4) 1 1/2″ x 13 3/4″ Shelf Fronts
Cedar Fence Slats
- (2) 1 1/2″ x 29″ Door Stiles
- (2) 1 1/2″ x 14 1/4″ Door Rails
- (1) 1 1/2″ x 26 1/8″ Center Brace
- (5) 1 1/2″x 72″ diagonal slats
Steps
1. Cut A Hole In Your Wall
First things first cut a hole in your wall, scary I know! But don’t worry it will be worth it.
There were a few studs in my way so my Hubby used a Sawzall to cut them out. Then he added some reinforcement using some 2x4s. This is just a small closet wall so we weren’t too worried about removing the studs. Make sure it is safe to remove any studs from your wall and if at all possible try to build your shelves to fit in between or around the studs.
2. Cut Out Cabinet Pieces
- (4) 4″x 26 3/4″ Cabinet Sides
- (4) 4″ x 14 3/4″ Cabinet Top/Bottom
- (4) 4″ x 13 3/4″ Cabinet Shelves
- (2) 14 3/4″ x 27 3/4″ Cabinet Backing
- (2) 3″ x 33″ Face Frame Sides
- (1) 3″ x 27″ Face Frame Center
- (2) 3″ x 37″ Face Frame Top/Bottom
- (4) 1 1/2″ x 13 3/4″ Shelf Fronts
3. Apply Wood Glue
I started by applying a bead of wood glue to the top edge of the shelf side pieces.
4. Use Brad Nails To Hold The Pieces In Place
Then I used 1″ brad nails to hold the two pieces together so they wouldn’t move around while I was drilling the pilot holes.
5. Pre-drill Pilot Holes
I used a 9/64″ drill bit to drill pilot holes. MDF splits very easily so make sure not to skip this step. I still had a few splits even after pre-drilling them.
6. Drill Countersink Hole
Next, I used a 5/16″ drill bit and drilled a hole approx. 1/8″ deep just enough to countersink the cabinet screws.
7. Secure Together Using Cabinet Screws
I secured the top and bottom shelf pieces to the sides using 1 1/4″ cabinet screws. The screws should be flush with the surface of the MDF.
8.Attach Shelves To Cabinet Sides
I used the same steps to attach the cabinet shelves. I drew a guide onto the outside of the cabinet to make sure that the screws were perfectly centered in the shelves.
9. Attach Furniture Backing To The Back Of The Cabinet
After that, I attached the furniture backing to the back of the cabinets using a staple gun. I put quite a few staples around the edges including the back of the shelves. I didn’t want any gaps around the seams. Everything was going so smoothly or so I thought!
10. Repeat All The Steps To Build A Second Cabinet
And this is the moment where I realized that my measurements were wrong. You think I would have noticed when the furniture backing was an inch too short but I thought that I had cut those pieces wrong instead so I cut new ones. I’m a little slow! But I will forever remember to measure twice cut once.
11. Paint The Cabinets And Trim
After ripping my cabinets apart and starting over, all while cursing under my breath. They were finally the correct size. I went ahead and painted all the pieces before installing them. That way I didn’t have to tape off the walls and deal with that mess.
12. Install The Cabinets And Trim Pieces
Thinking that any more possible mistakes were behind me I was ready to install these shelves and be done. As you can see by the thousand nail holes in the following picture that wasn’t the case. Hence the lack of pictures, by this point I was too frustrated to take any more pictures.
Anyways I found that the easiest way to install these shelves is to lay the boxes on the floor and then attach the face frame pieces. I have numbered the following picture with the best order to attach all the pieces. Just make sure that you do the center piece first. After it is all assembled then place your shelves into the wall and secure them using 2″ brad nails. All that is left to do is fill the nail holes and touch up the paint.
Barn Door Assembly
1. Build The Door Frame
Now for the Barndoor, I wanted this door to have a rustic look so I used cedar fence slats because they have a rough surface. I ripped each 6″ fence slat into three strips measuring 1 1/2″ wide each.
I cut out all the pieces for the door frame and assembled them together by shooting brad nails into all the joints at a sharp angle. These nails will be hidden by the diagonal pieces so don’t worry if they don’t look pretty.
2. Create A Herringbone Pattern By Using 45-Degree Angles
I then used 45-degree angles to create the diagonal herringbone pattern. You can see in the picture below that I marked the center line of the middle piece to use as a guide. The easiest way I found to cut the back slats is to cut the first angle and then lay the entire strip onto the door frame and use a straight edge to mark the second cut.
3. Here Is What It Should Look Like When It Is Done
4. Sand And Paint The Door
Now all that is left to do is lightly sand the door and paint or stain it in your desired color. To hang the door I made my own barn door track and I will be providing a tutorial for that very soon.
Here is how I painted my door and decorated the shelves. It is so nice to have some hidden storage in this tiny little bathroom and since the shelves are built into the wall they don’t take up too much space or make the room feel smaller.
![[metaslider id="2168"]](http://cedarlanefarmhouse.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Slider1-1.jpg)
If you have a small space in need of some extra storage give these built-in shelves a try, they are definitely the way to go. I love that they provide function while still looking pretty. After all, we still have to live in our homes, don’t we? So why not have home decor that can serve a purpose besides just looking pretty. They are personally my favorite and most rewarding projects to build and I hope you find them useful as well. Thanks for stopping by and stay tuned for the tutorial on how to make your own barn door track!
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DIY Sliding Barn Door Track
Love this! How did you get the distressed paint look?
Thanks! I used the same techniques I used on my antique corbels. You can find that post here -http://cedarlanefarmhouse.com/diy-antique-chippy-white-corbels/
Hello I’m new to your site and want to say, you do great things. So happy seeing a all your diy and love the way you show us how
Thank you
Thank you Kathy!