if you want to build your own cabinets you definitely want to find out just how to build a cabinet so you're prepared for anything
If you’re looking to add new cabinets to your kitchen or even to any room in your house, it’s important to have just what you need. For a lot of people, however, it can be difficult to get exactly what you need. Maybe your space is a little bit strange or maybe your shelving needs aren’t the norm. But you should be able to get what you really want. That’s when you need to learn how to build a cabinet.
Deciding What You Need
The first step is figuring out what you really need. Look at where you’re going to put the cabinet as your starting place. Next, think about what size and shape it should be. Think about what needs to go inside it, such as shelves or hooks. All of these things will help you make a plan. Also think about anything you would be willing or able to compromise on if you found a cabinet premade.
Look around the store, especially hardware stores where you can get prefab cabinets. See if there’s anything that fits what you’re looking for or that you would be happy with in place of what you’re really looking for. Get an idea of how much it will cost to have something custom made to your specifications as well. You may find a way to cut costs with either of these options.
How to Build a Cabinet Plan
Once you know what you want and you know you can’t (or don’t want to) get it somewhere else, it’s time to start working on your actual plan. This is where you want to diagram everything out. Make sure you have all the measurements marked and definitely all the pieces you’ll need. That includes wood (or whatever you’re building out of) and screws.
Also make sure to note what type of materials you want and what size screws you’ll need. These things will all play a part in how you’re going to do. Your plan should be comprehensive enough that you understand what it means and could build it based just off that. It’s now time to head off to the store and start pricing things out.
The Costs Involved
So how much money are you actually going to spend on that cabinet? Well, it’s going to depend on anything and everything you want in it. You may need to spend more for higher quality types of wood. You may spend more on stain or on fixtures. The base cost of having someone build a cabinet is generally upwards of $900. To build it yourself could be half that (not accounting for your time) or even less).
Make sure to account for any additional costs such as a few extra screws in case you lose them. Also consider costs for a couple extra pieces of wood in case one of them breaks or is defective in some way. These costs can crop up when you least expect them to, so always be prepared for what might happen. The best way to avoid problems is to plan for everything right from the start and not let yourself actually run out of anything you’re going to need.
Start Your Engines
Okay, it’s not really going to take engines, but you should be getting ready at this point. Make sure you have your plan and all the pieces you’ll need. You want to start by staining or painting your pieces so when you put them together everything is going to look the way you want. It’s much easier to stain in pieces than after you’ve already built it.
So get all the pieces together, organize everything you’re going to need and get started. Make sure you follow your plan carefully. You don’t want to get partway done and realize that you missed a step or didn’t attach something the way you wanted. That’s one of the problems with building things yourself, however, is that you might not have everything figured out how you want.
Be Prepared for Anything
Unless you’re a builder by trade, or you have one look at your design, be prepared for things not to work out quite the way you planned. It’s entirely possible that things won’t connect the way you think they should or that they won’t look right when you’re done. You’ll have to be flexible on things, at least a little bit. You’ll also need to be willing to pull it back apart and start over.
No matter what, having a cabinet that you’ve put together yourself is definitely going to be interesting. It’s also going to be a great experience for you to create something completely unique and fun to show off to everyone that you know. Why not give it a try and see what you can create for yourself?