The Complete Guide to Custom Shelves & Built-Ins

CUSTOM SHELVES &

-Build Custom Add-ons to

Create a One-of-a-Kind Home

by Theresa Coleman

Creative Publishing rnemational

CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA www.crcativepub.com

NOTICE TO READERS

For safety, use caution, care and good judgment when following the procedures described in this book. The Publisher and Black & Decker cannot assume responsibility for any damage to propenty or injury to persons as a result of misuse of the information provided.

The techniques shown in this book are genera l techniques for various applications. In some instances, additional techniques not shown in this book may be required. Always follow manufacturers' instructions included with products, since deviating from the directions may void warranties. The projects in this book vary widely as to skill levels required: some may not be appropriate for al l do-it-yourselfers, and some may require professional help.

Consult your local Building Department for information on building permits, codes and other laws as they apply to your project.

Copyright © 2007 Creative Publishing international, Inc. 18705 Lake Drive East Chanhassen, Minnesota 55317 1-800-328-3895 'WWVoJ.creativepub.com All rights reserved

Printed at R.R. Donnelley

10987654321

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-publication Data

Coleman, Theresa. The complete guide to custom shelves & built-ins: build custom add-ons to

create a one-of-a-kind home / by Theresa Coleman. p,em.

At head of ti tle: Black & Decker. Summary: "More than 30 step-by-step projects to help homeowners

achieve custom built-ins that add function and style to any home decor"--Provided by publisher. Includes index. ISBN-13: 978- ' -58923-303-4 (soft cover) ISBN-10: 1-58923-303-4 (SoftCQver) 1. Built-in furniture. 2. Cabinetwork. 3. Shelving (Furniture) I.

Title. II. Title : Black & Decker the complete guide to shelves & built-ins.

TI197.5.8SC592007 684.1' 6--dc22

2007010500

The Complete Guide to Custom Shelves and Built-Ins

President/CEO: Ken Fund VP for Sales & Marketing: Peter Ackroyd

Home Improvement Group

Publisher: Bryan Trandem Managing Editor: Tracy Stanley Senior Editor Mark Johanson Editor: Jennifer Gehlhar

Creative Director: Michele Lanci-Altomare Senior Design Manager: Brad Springer Design Managers: Jon Simpson, Mary Rohl

Director of Photography: Tim Himsel Lead Photographer: Steve Galvin Photo Coordinators: Julie Caruso, Joanne Wawra Shop Managers.' Randy Austin, Bryan McClain

Production Managers: Laura Hokkanen, Linda Halls

Page Layout Artist: Danlelle Smith Photographer: Joel Schnell Shop Help: Dan Anderson, Glenn Austin, Tami Helmer, John webb

Created by: The Editors of Creative Publishing international, Inc., in cooperation with Black & Decker. Black & Decker® is a trademark of The Black & Decker Corporation and is used under license.

Contents

The Complete Guide to Custom Shelves & Built-Ins

Introduction . . .. .... .. ... . 4 Installing a Post-form countertop .. . . 64

portfolio of Built·1n Building a Custom Laminate

& Shelving projects ....• . . .. ..... 7 Countertop . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. 66

Creating wood Countertop Edges .. . . 74

Techniques & Design . ... . . 18

Tools & Materials ..... . .. . ...... .. 20 Built-In Projects . ........ . 78

Window Seat . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. 80 Planning a Project ....... .. . . . .... 30

Bed surround ... . ..... . • ....... . . 88 Jobsite Preparation . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . 34

Loft Bed . . . .. . .. . . . . .... . . . . . . .. 94 proiect Safety ............ . . . . .... 3S

country Diner . . .. . . .. .... . . .. . . . 102 Cutting & Fitting Joints . . . .. . . .. . . .. 36

wall Niche ........... . • ........ 11 2

Power Miter Saw Techniques . .. . . .. 37 Room Divider . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 118

Establishing Level, Plumb & square ... 44 Laundry Center. . . .. .. . . • . · . . 128

Adding Doors . . .. . . . . . . .. . . .. . . .. 46 Towel Tower .. . .. . . .. . . . . · . . 136

Basic Drawers . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 understairs project · .. 142

preparing for the Finish ............ 50 Hobby Center ... . ..... . • . · . . 150

Install ing Cabinets . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. S4 Bath Cabinet. . . .. . . .. .. . . . . .. . . . 1 S6

Creating a Kitchen Island . . ... 60 Kneewall Cabinet . . ........ 162

Making Countertops . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. 62 Club Bar . . . .. . .. . . .. .... . . .. . . . 168

Shelving Projects . .. ... . . 180

Shelving Basics ......... . ........ 182

Modular Shelving ......... . . ..... 184

Installing Wire Shelving . . . . . 186

Formal Bookcase . . . .. . . .. .... . . . 188

Utility Shelves . . .. . . .. . . .. . . .. . . . 194

Cube Shelves . . .. . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . 198

Closet Shelves . .. . . .... . . .. .. . . . 204

Joist Shelving . . .. . . .. . . .. .... . . . 206

Bin & Shelving Unit. . . . . . .... . . . . . 210

Trimwork Wall Shelves . . . . . . 214

Box Beam Shelves . . .. . . .. . . .. . . . 222

Floor-to-Ceiling Shelves . . . . . . 228

Resources .. .... ... .. . .. 234

Credits . ........... . .. . 235

Metric Conversions . ... .. 236

Index . . ........ ...... . 237

I

Introduction

Ge t ready to Aex your carpentry m uscle~ and

im prove your home w ith a little help from stock

and sem i ~stock cabinets . Bui lt-ins a rc no longer just for kitchens . W ith

the range of available cabi net sizes, finishes, and

organization accessories avai lable in s tock and sem i

stock styles, combini ng cabinets and standard s heet

goods to create c ustom looks fo r your favorite roo ms is a reali stic option to b uying the pre- made s he lves cllld

h utches that everyone else in your neighborhood owns.

We designed the one-of-a-kind projects in t hi s

Comp le te Gu ide to live up to the essence of the t itle- "com ple te"- withou t making the projects too

tough fo r weeke nd DlYe rs. The result: A var iety of fun

projects fo r va rio us ski ll levels v,lith a range of design

styles fo r rooms all over your hOLise.

If you like the look of sleek urban style, chec k out

T he C lu b Bar (page 168) . Its s lick modular pa lette

is a total atte ntion grabbe r that you m ight fi nd in an

avant-garde city hotel. T he classically appointed Formal

Bookcase (page 188 ), on the othe r hand, is D IY-friendly

project in spi red by traditiona l hardwood libraries.

C has ing the brass ring of good design inspired

more than just a hip ~traditiona l design s te\'v. It begged

us to be min dful of the pe rmanence of these projects .

Sure, the projects a re fun to c rea te, but we took the

natu re of a built ~in serious ly. \A/hen you c reate a

built~in o r add shelving, it becomes part of you r home,

part of your day-to-day rea lity- whethe r your bui lt- in

is used to store laundry detergent, display c heris hed

meme ntos, or cu rl up with <1 f<1vorite book.

We c rafted projects that YO LI can build. projects

w ith rock-sol id, real-vwrld assembly and fabrication

tech n iques. And, si nce many of the designs incl ude

sem i ~s tock cab ine ts, the ca rpe ntry skill s needed a ren't

• 5

furniture gr<:lde. Personally, I like to think of this gu ide CI S the carpentry equ ivalent of using a cake mix: You still have to add a fe\\' of your ovm ingredients, but you get to skip a few steps \,vith the pre~made mix.

While yo u need the proper tools to comb ine all of the pieces, you don 't need a professional workshop, <:IS many of them comb ine pre-made cabinets v" ith ons ite carpent'Y that ra nges from simple to intermediate skill leve ls.

Some projects call for some fan cy fabri cation like the Country Diner (page 102) or the C lub Bar. Others , li ke the \-lobby Center (page 150 ), Lau ndry Center

(page 128), and Window Seat (page 80) are tied togethe r with un ique site-bui lt details that integrate the built-in into your space.

For a different mix of skills needed, c heck out the Trim Molding She lves (page 214) and the Loft Bed (page 94). Eac h of these projects com bines rough and fini sh ca rpe nt 'Y to create two totally custom built-ins.

6 • TH E COMPLETE GUIDE TO CUSTOM SHELVES & BU1LT-1NS

You'll <:Ilso Ilnd super she lves, fu n furn iture, and spacious sto r<:lge projects for kid's rooms, bath rooms, and utility spaces that can meet your needs today and grow \,vith you and your family.

In the e nd, we hope that we've created a book that I ives up to its name- not so much on these pages, but in your home and in you r life.

If you aren't inspired to c reate that one-of-a-kind

perfect-fit look fo r your house after flippin g through the des igns \,ve've in cluded in the Complete Guide to Shelves & Built-Ins, you arc miss ing out on an opportunity fo r maximizing the "\t\1ow" from yo ur

friends and fami ly. \!Ve hope you have as much fun building these

projects as we did building thi s book.

Theresa Coleman

I Portfolio of Built-In & Shelving Projects

Built-ins add character and charm to any space. While built-ins can be purely functional, they can also be decorative (as shown to the left) or combine functionality with a showcase element (as shown above). The type of built-in that works best for you and your home depends on your style and how you enJoy showing off prized treasures.

PortJolio of Rlli/t-11l & SIJeI!lillg Projects • 7

~ I~,.J -


Built-ins are more than just simple shelves and wall cabinets. Whether you are building a cozy kitchen nook (left), an underbed platform (below) or a storage cabinet that custom-fits your bathroom floorplan (right)' unique little extras like drawers and cubbies in oneof-a-kind built-in furniture can maximize storage options for every type of space.



Bookshelves are one of the most popular types of built-in projects. Bookshelves don't have to just be showcased prominently in a formal living room, they also fi t perfectly- and dramatically maximize smaller homes' storage potential- along hallways (opposite page). Built-in storage also can act as a visual room divider in larger spaces, creating the opportunity to display keepsakes that can be viewed from both rooms, and giving homeowners additional nooks to stow other items away (left). Even the smallest, simplest of shelves can greatly increase the amount of usable space (below) and add visual impact.



Built-in projects aren't just for traditionalists. In the built-ins category you will find countless perfect projects and stock products that match the modern style of many of today's homes. A uniquely shaped room can benefit from a custom built-in couch that maximizes the space inside the frame. Drawers keep throw blankets handy for colder days, and games ready for guests. A kitchen with a view is a perfect spot to integrate an eating area without interrupting the floorplan or flow of the space. And for the home office, there are many cabinets that offer semistock accessories, from file drawers and CD organizers to pull-out writing trays and office supply organization trays (right).



The bathroom (opposite page) is a smaller space in most homes, and really benefits from some custom built-in organization. Optimizing the space with a built-in cabinet outfitted with upgraded organization accessories can help keep all of those little bottles and grooming supplies much more easily managed.

Sports equipment, shoes, and coats are typically among the top clutter culprits in most houses. By creating a coat cubby or locker-room-styled organization (below) near the most-used entryway, you'll create a greater chance that those items might be put away. For kids' rooms, take advantage of the whimsy of color and style when decorating custom built-ins, and take the opportunity to maximize the storage possibilities (left).


-- -


Awkward spaces, nooks and crannies don't offer much utility to the homeowner, but when improved with a clever built-in or shelving project, the space can become a real asset for your home. Understairs areas are prime examples of unused space that can be exploited with a built-in, as with this understairs wine rack (right).

If your idea of built-ins is simply cabinet installations in a kitchen or a bathroom, there are many styles, finishes, and colors available. Cabinet-makers are offering detailing options- moldings, wine racks, spice racks, and pull-out trays, for example- that help you create the exact look and performance you desire (below).

r [J


I Tools & Materials

Building she lves and built-ins is a challe ngi ng job thal requ ires patience, attent ion to deta il ,

and the right tool for each task. \rVithout these basic require ments , YO ll arc sett ing yourself lip for pote ntial fa ilure and the result wi ll suffe r.

Start off right by us ing high-q uality tools. Good

too ls la st longer and arc ge ne ra lly morc acc urate than less expensive ve rsions.

Many people buy tools on ly as they a re needed to avo id purc hases they will not use. T hi s ra tionale sho uld only app ly to power tools and higher- priced specia lty items. A high-quality bas ic too l se t is importan t for every dO- it-yourselfer to have on ha nd . DOing so avoids im proper tool usage and ma kes your job easie r, with improved results.

The hand tools you will need fo r most fin ish

carpentry jobs can be broken down into two types: layout tool s and construction tools . It is common for most people to own construction tools, bu t to lack

necessa ry layo ut tools for basic carpent!)' jobs. Purc hase the highes t-qual ity layout tools yo u

ca n afford. They are crucial fo r hdp ing you avoid cos tly meas uring and

Combination square

marking mi stakes.

20 • THE COM PLETE CUIf)E TO CUSTOM SHELVES & BUILT·INS

LAYOUT TOOLS Layout tools help you measure, mark, a nd set-up perfect cuts w ith accuracy. Many layout tools are inexpensive and simply provide a mea ns of measu ring for level, sq uare , and plumb lines. However, recent tec hnologies have incorporated lase rs into levels, stud find ers , and tape measures, making the m more aCC lIrate than ever before but, a t a s lightl y highe r price. Although these new tools a re ha ndy in spec ifi c appli cations, their highe r p rice is not always wa rranted

for the do- it-yourselfer.

• A ta pe measure is o ne of the most common tools a round. The odds a re good tha t you a lready own a t least one. ( If you arc making frequent trips for

building supplies, invest in a second ta pe that stays in your car. ) Carpenlry projects req uire a sturdy tape measure with a length greater tha n your longest stock. A 2S-ft . tape measure has a w ider and thicke r reading su rface than a 16-ft. va rie ty, but e ithe r is adeq uate fo r most ca rpe nt!)'

jobs . If you ca n't te ll the diffe rence between the sma lle r lines o n a standa rd tape,

conside r purchas ing an "Easy Head" v<Jrie ty. I t is importa nt to read the

tape acc uratel y.

"Easy Read"

tape measure

Levels

• A framing square, a lso knO\vn as a carpenter's sq uare, is commonly used to mark sheet goods ctnd c heck recen tly insta lled pieces for position . Frami ng squares are also used CIS Cl n init ial check for wa ll squareness and pl umb in relation to a fl oor o r ceiling.

• C halk lines are used to make te mporary straight lines anywhere one is needed. T he case of a chal k line, or the "box," is tea rdrop shaped so that

th e tool doubles as a plumb bob. Use a c hal k line to mark sheet goods for cutt ing or to establish CI

level li ne in a room. Keep in mind that chalk can be difll cult to remove from porous su rfCl ces.

• A stud finder is used to locate the fra ming members in a \.va ll or ce iling. Higher~pri ced vers ion s a lso locatc plumbing, elcc trica l, or other mcchan ica ls in the wa ll. Although stud

Ilnders are not complete ly necessary, they are convenient for larger jobs.

• Levels are ava ibble in a variety of lengths Cl nd price ranges. The longer a nd more accurate the level, the higher the price. The t\·vo most commonly used sizes are 2-ft. and 4~Ft. lengths. 2~ft. levels are handy for tighter spaces, while the 4-ft . variety

serves as a better all-purpose level. Laser levels are handy for creating a level line around the perimeter of a room or for level lines along longer lengths. They provide a wide range of line or spot placeme nt, depending on the model.

• A T-bevel is a spec ia li zed tool for find ing and transferri ng precise angles. T~ beve l s

are gene rally used in conj un ction with a pmver miter saw to gauge angled miters of non~square corne rs. Thi s tool is espec ially handy in older homes where the original states of square, plumb , and level may no longer apply.

• A profile gauge uses a series of pins to recreate the profi le of any object so that you may tran sfer it to a wo rk piece. Prollie gauges

are especia lly useful when dealing \-vith irregular obstructions.

• A combination square is a mu ltifunction sq uare that provides Cln easy reference for 45~ and 90-degree angles, as \.vell as marki ng revea l lines or a constant spec illc di stance from the edge of a work piece.

Framing square

Profile gauge

Stud finder!

laser level

Tools & Materials • 21

CONSTRUCTION TOOLS • A good qua lity hamme r is a must fo r every

ca rpe nt ry project. A \6-oz. cu rved claw hammer,

otherwise known as a fi nis h hammer, is a good a ll -purpose c hoice. Some people prefer a larger straight clelw ha mmer for heavy tear-down projects and rough fram ing, bu t t hese hammers <:I re too

clumsy a nd heavy for dr iving s maller cas ing and finis h nails, and tend to mar the su rface of t rim .

• Utility knives are available in fixed, re tract ing, and re t rac table blades. T hi s tool is used fo r a wide

varie ty of cutting tasks fro m penci l s harpen ing to back-beveling mi ter jo in ts. Always have add it ional blades read ily ava ilab le. Fo ld ing fixed-blade ut ility knives offer the durab il ity and strength of a fixed blade with the protection of a fo lding ha ndle.

• A set of' chisels is necessary fo r in sta lli ng door hardware as well as notching tri m aroun d obstacles an d final fitting o f d ifficult pieces. Keep a set o nly fo r lise with wood , <:I nd do no t su bst itu te

them for screwdrivers.

• Block planes are used to fi t doors into openi ngs and re move fi ne amoun ts of materia l from trim. A finely tuned bl ock p la ne can even be used to clean

up a sloppy mite r join t. • A coping saw has a thin , fl exib le blade designed

to cut curves a nd is essential for maki ng professiona l trim jo in ts on inside corners. Copi ng saw blades shou ld be fine too thed , between 16 and 24 teeth per in ch for most hardv,roods, and set to cut o n the pull stro ke of the S3\'V to offer you more blade contro l.

• A sha rp h a ndsaw is convenient for qu ick cu toffs and in some in stances w'here power saws are difficu lt to control. Purchase a crosscut S3\V for

general-purpose cutti ng. • Protec tive wear, incl ud ing safety gb sses and ea r

protection, is requ ired any t ime you are worki ng with tools. Dust masks are necessary vvhen sanding, doing demolition , or when worki ng around fum es .

• Pry bars come in a va rie ty of sizes and shapes. A qual ity forged high-carbo n stecl fl a t bar is the

most com mon choice. Wrecking bars make ligh ter work of trim a nd door removal d ue to thei r added weight. No matter what type of pry bar you use, protect finis hed su rfaces from scratches with a b lock of wood vv hen removing trim.

• Side cutte rs and e nd nippe rs are usefu l for cutting off and pu ll ing out bent na ils. The added ha nd le length and curved head of a n en d n ippers makes them idea l for larger cas ing nails.


Pne umat ic brad nui ls and sma ll e r pi ns will pull o ut eas ier with s ide cutters. Purc hase u nu il set fo r coun te rsin ki ng nail heads. T hree-p iece sets a re available for di fferent nail sizes.

• A ra sp and metal file se t is important for fitt ing coped joints prec ise ly. The va riety of s hapes, sizes, and mi lls a llow fo r fas te r rough removal of

mater ia l, or smoother slow re moval, depend ing on the fi le.

• Use a putty knife to fi ll na il holes wi th wood fi ller and fo r light sCfuping t<Jsks.

•

•

, SANDVIK " '

Irl r. i ~ "".~~~~1\.\.\..)

Handsaw •

IRWIN

Tools & N/nterials • 23

•

I Power Tools

Compound power

miter saw

Reciprocating saw

Despite th e higher price as compared to hand tools,

power tool s a re a great va lue. T hey al low you to \-\lork

more quickly a nd accura te ly than w ith hand tools

<:Ind ma ke repet it ive tasks like sa ndi ng, drilling, and smving more enjoyable. Basic home ca rpe ntIY does not req uire every power tool shown here, but some tools, sllc h as a power mite r box, a re c rucia l for profess ional

results . Purchase power tools on an as ~needed basi s, keeping in mind that \.vhilc the cheapest too l is not

always you r best option, the most expensive and

powerful is probably not necessary, e ithe r. C hea per

tools genera lly sacrifice p rec is ion, while the mos t

expe nsive tools are made for people who lise them every day, not just occaSionall y.


Circular saw

Jig saw

Cordless drill

• A cordless drill is one of the hand iest too ls

availab le. Al though drill s a re not normally used

to in sta ll trim , they make quick wo rk of insta lling

st ructural compone nts. OccaSio na ll y, trim -head

scre\vs are used to in stJ Il trim , rathe r than na ils o r

regular wood screws .

• A circular saw is ideal for stra ight cuts in pl)'\vood and quick cut-offs of solid mate ria l. Purchase a

plywood blade to make smooth cu ts in plywood ,

and a gene ral -purpose blade for other cuts.

• A jig saw is the perfect tool for cutting curves,

or notc hing out trim around obstructions. Jig saw

blades co me in a n array of deS igns for diffe re nt

styles of c uts and di fferent types a nd thicknesses

of materials . Always lise the right type of blade

and do no t force the Sa\V during the cut: or it may

bend or break.

Router

Biscuit joiner

Random orbit sander

planer Finish sander

Belt sander

• A biscuit joiner (also ca ll ed a plate joiner) is a spec ialty tool used for alignme nt and to make strong joints between t\vo squa re pieces of stock.

• A reciprocating saw is used for remova l <:Ind tea r-down applications. This too l is es pec ia lly handy for re moving door jambs.

• A power miter saw, or chop saw, wi ll yield professiona l resul ts. Most have a 10" or 12" diameter blade. A compou nd power mite r saw has a head that pivots to cut both bevels and miters. Sl idi ng miter sa\vs have more cutting capac ity but are less portabl e. A nne-tooth carbide-t ipped blade is best fo r built-in and shelving projects.

• A belt sander is not essent ial but is a handy tool for quick removal of material.

• Random-orbit sanders are a good cho ice for smoothing Aat areas, such as plyv,lOod, quickly.

Table saw

Ran dom-orbit sanders leave no circular marki ngs, like a di sc sa nder, and can sand in any direction rega rdless of wood gra in .

• Finish sanders are ava ilable in a var iety of sizes a nd shapes for different light sanding applications.

• A power planer is lIsed to trim doors to fit openi ngs and fl atten or straighten ou t materials. Power planers arc faster to use tha n manual hand planes, but the resu lts arc more difn eult to contro l.

• A table saw is the best tool for ripping stock to width, and larger mode ls ca n be fitted with a molding head for cutting profiles.

• A router (plunge router is shown he re) has many uses in trim carpe nt ry, espec ially for cutt ing edge profi les to make your own custom \vorkpieces.

Tools & N/nterials • 25

I Pneumatic Tools

Pneu matic tools ca n be a key to tim ely, profess iona l carpent ry results. They save time and ene rgy over traditio nal ham me r-ancl-na il insta lla tion. Not only do

they drive fasteners quic kl y, but they counte rsin k at

th e sa me time, avoiding mu ltipl e strikes to trim , which

could thrmv jo in ts out of a lign ment. Predrill ed ho les are not necessary \,vith pneumatic tools. Sp litti ng is

infrequent if the work piece is he ld firmly in place

Pin nailer

Brad

nailer

Stapler

Angled

finish nailer

26 • TH E COMPLETE GUIDE TO CUSTOM SHELVES & BUlLT-l NS

and the na ils are pos itioned at least } 'I fro m trim

e nds . Na il guns a lso allmv YO LI to concent rate on the

placement of the \vork pi ece with one hand and

fas ten it w ith the othe r. You needn't fumbl e around

\vith single faste ne rs beca use they are al ready loaded

in the gun .

T he costs of pne umatic tools, compressors, and

fas tene rs has dec reased over the years, ma king t he m

not on ly the professiona l's choice, but a great option

for the do-it-yourselfe r as wel l. Pneumatic kits a re

ava ilab le at home cente rs with two diffe re nt gun s and

a compressor at a value price. For sma ll or in frequent

jobs, cons ide r ren ting pneu matics.

Portable com pressors are ava ilab le in different

styles, including pancake ,md hot-dog styles . Any

compressor w ith a ir pressure capability of 90 ps i or

greater w ill drive a fini sh o r brad naile r. Consider

options like tank size, vve ight of th e unit, and noise

leve ls whil e the compressor is running. Ta lk to a home

cente r spec ia list about what your spec ifi c com pressor

needs are and keep in mind any future pn eumatic

tools you might want.

The t\'vo bas ic pne umati c tools used in c<:l rpen try

are a fini sh nailer, and a brad naile r. A finish na iler

drives IS-gauge na il s ranging from I II to 2Ih ". These

nai ls work for a va rie ty of moldings, door and windO\,v

trim, and general-purpose fasten ing. Angled finis h

n<:l ilers are easier to m<:l ne uver in tight corners than

st ra igh t guns, but e ithe r o ptio n will work. Brad na ile rs

drive smaller IS-gauge faste ners ranging in length from Ih" to 211 . Some brad nailers ' maximu m length is

I I//, . Because the fasteners are sma ller, it is no surprise

that the gun is lighter and s maller than a fini sh gu n.

Brad nailers a re used to attach th in ner stock, with less

tendency to split the wood . Headless p in ners drive

fasteners si mila r to brad nails, but without th e head.

T hese nai ls h<:lve less holding po\,ver, but are normally

used to hold sma ll moldings in p lace until the glue

dries. Be Sllre to load headless pins with the poin ts

down, taking note of the label on the

magazine. %,11 c rown stap lers a re used to

attac h thin panels and in situat ions w here

maxim um holding pO\ver is needed, but the fastener head will not be vis ible.

Because staples have two legs and a crown

th<:lt connects them , the ir holding power is

excelle nt. Howeve r, the hole left by the staple's crown is la rge and ca n be diffi cult to conceal.

18 gao x 1114" brads

11/4" X 3/4" narrow crown staples

3/8" X 1" narrow crown staples

3/8 " x 1'12" narrow crown staples

I Pneumatic Fasteners

IS -gauge angled finish nai ls and regu lar fini sh na ils

range in le ngth up to 2112". The angled variety are

exactly the same as the st r<:tight n<:t il s, but come in

angled clips. These na ils a re made fro m galvanized

wire, so they a re suitable for exterior applications . Use

fini sh na ils to attac h larger mold ings and trim casings.

Drive fasteners at regu lar intervals a long the moldings

and keep the posi tion of the na il s at leas t 1" from the

molding e nds . Faste ner length is de penden t upon the

size of workpi ece installed. Typical stock moldings and

dimens ional lumbe r is %" thick. 'vVhen installing buil t ~

ins, the fastene r must pass through the molding and

wallboard a nd into the stud behind. Genera lly, half the

fastener should be embedded in the backing or stud,

so in most app lications, 2" fasteners should sufllce.

15 gao x 2W' finish nails

15 gao x 2" finish nails

18 gao x 1 W' brads

18 gao x 5/8" brads

1 8~gauge brad na ils ra nge in length up to 2" for

some guns a nd leave s malle r hol es to Ill! than Ilnis h

gun s. Brad n<:t il s a re common ly used fo r thinne r

casings that a re na iled directly to a solid backer. A

spec illc exa mple of thi s is a long the inner edge of a

door or windmv cas ing. The ou ter edge of the trim is

nailed with a llnis h gun through the wa ll board, whi le

the inside edge rests aga inst the door jamb, so it can

be fas te ned with a brad naile r. Headless pins leave

a lmost no nail hole to fill but a re li m ited in length

to I ". The ir holding pov.re r is gre<:t tly dimini shed due

to the lac k of head, but they a rc generally used in

conjunct io n \.vith wood glue . W' c rovvn staples are used

on ly when the fastener head will not be visi ble.

Tools & N/nteria ls • 27

I Sheet Goods

There "re many differen t types of plywood fo r a wide array of uses. For built· in and shelf projects, finish· grade or paint·grade plywood is com monly used . Each type is made up of thinly sliced laye rs ca ll ed plies. T hese layers arc made of sol id hardwood, softwood, or wood products. The more plies a sheet good has, the stronger it \vill be. This is only true for veneer- based plies. Med ium density fiberboard, or MOF, is made of wood fibers that have been glued and pressed together. T hese panels a rc extremely sta ble and rarely shrink, expan d, or warp . Plywood thicknesses range from I/S II

to 1". Many species of wood are avai lable for t he outer plywood veneers. T herefore , the core, or inner plies, give the panel its st ructural characterist ics.

3/4" or 2313/ AC plywood has a finish-grade face on one side and a utility grade o n the other. Standard AC plyv.rood is made of seven plies of soft\·vood , sllch as spruce or pine. Th is plywood is a good choice for paint-grade moldings. 3// ha rdwood veneer plywood is availab le in red oak, maple, and birch at most home

centers. Its in ner core is basically the same as AC plywood, but it has a hardwood outer face. 3(," M OF

oak venee r plywood is made up of three layers: two outer o<:lk ve neers and a solid core made of i\lIO F. This plyv.rood tends to be less expens ive than a veneer core product and has a smoother face , but is heavy, less durable, and docs not hold faste ne rs as wel l.

IVIOF is aV<:Iilable \-v ith o r without an outer veneer. WI Baltic birch plywood is m<:lde up of thirteen plies, making it more dimensionally stabl e than regular veneer core pl)'\vood. This panel is common ly used in Modern-style trim a nd ca n be painted or stained . Lumber-core ply,.vood has strips of so lid wood edgeglued betvveen outer veneer plies. Med ium density

overlay, or Nl DO, pl)~vood has a solid wood veneer core v·,Iith a n M O F face. This panel e liminates the \'\reight of a MOF pane l and ha s the fastening strength of" solid veneer core. The M O P face is perfect for paint-grade applications. Wainscoting paneling is available in several thicknesses from 3/ 16" to 5fs".

I Lumber

Solid hardvvood is ava ilab le at most home centers

in varyi ng widths. Species va ry, depending on your

location. These boards make good so lid stock mate rial to co mbine with or mi ll into new trim moldings

because they arc already planed to a uniform

thickness. If yo u can't find th e type of lumber you need at a horne center, chec k v,lith a lurnbel)'ard or a

smal l cab inet shop in you r area. For larger runs wi th a

uniform thickness, many cabinet shops \·vi ll charge a nomina l nat fcc to plane the boards for you. They may even be willing to order the material for you through a

loca l distributor.

Tip ~

Whenever possible, do a quick inspection of each board before you purchase it. Because hardwood

lumber is often stained, carefully take note of cosmetic flaws such as splits, knots, checks, and

wanes. These issues can sometimes be cut around, but once the finish is applied, the imperfection will show through . Lumber that is twisted, cupped, or crooked should not be used at full length. If a board is slightly bowed, you can probably flatten it out as you nail it. In any case, always choose the straightest,

flattest lumber you can find.

Pine

Tools & Mnterials • 29

I Planning a Proiect

With any of the built-in and shelf projects found in thi s book, you can eit her build the project as

shown, or adapt the des ign to fit yo ur unique space and needs. To build the projec t as shown, fo ll ow the measureme nts in the parts table that accompanies each project. Sma ll width and he ight adjustments can

be made using the fitting tips on page 32.

vVhcn adapting a built- in des ign, it is vcry

important to make accurate plan drawings on graph

paper to show hmv the project wi lt fit in you r space. T hese drawings let you orga ni ze your wo rk <:I nd fi nd

approximate measurements for parts; they also make it easier to estimate the cost of materials .

............... ... '>oe --~ ~:;",:I!>IlJiiT. 'S.lr ...

To e nsure a profess ional look and fUllctionaiuse,

plan your built-ins so they fa ll withi n the standard range of sizes llsed by c<:I binet makers <Jnd furniture

man ufacturers (page opposi te.)

vVhether YOLI are adapting a project or following

a des ign as shown, it is safer to measure and cut the

pieces as you assem ble the built-in in its location,

ra ther than to precut all pieces in advance. Small

discrepancies in marldng, cutting, and assem bly

techniques ca n lead to costly errors if you precut

all the pi eces.

-28'·-

Make accurate scaled drawings on graph paper when adapting one of the built-in projects featured in this book. use a Simple scale, like 1 square = 1 ", to draw a side, top, and one or more front views of your project. For a complicated project, draw several front views showing the basic walls (carcase) of the built-in, the face frame construction, and the finished project including drawers and doors. Side views and top views should show all trim pieces and moldings. Make sure to use the actual measurements of sheet goods and dimension lumber when making your drawings.


STANDARD BUILT-IN MEASUREMENTS Highest shelf shou ld be no more than 80" above the fl oor to be w ithin casy reac h.

Shelves should be at leas t 10" deep in bookcases, and

12" deep in hanging wall cab inets. Space the shelves so there is at least 1/2" of ope n space above the ite ms you are storing.

First shelf in a wa ll -hung built-in should be a t leas t 18" above a countertop.

Work-surface height varies depending on how the su rface is used. Place the surface 28" to 30" above the

Aoar for a typi ng desk or sewing \vork center. Place th e countertop at 3611 fo r sta ndard kitchen c<:tbinets, at 44" for a dry bar or cating cou nte r, or at 34" for

accessible roo ms .

Standard seating surfaces , like vv indmv seClts un d

desk chuirs, are between 16" and 20 11 high.

Base cabinet depth varies from 15" fo r a room divider to 30" for cabine ts that support a des k surface. Sta ndard kitc hen -s tyle fl oor ca binets usually arc 24" or 25" in depth.

Access space in front of a bu il t- in s hou ld be at least 36" to provide kneeling space for open ing drawe rs an d cabinet doors.

Drawer sizes range fro m a minimum of 3" high, 8" wide, and 8" deep ; to a maximu m of 10" high, 36" wide, and 30 " deep . Large drawers, more than

24" wide, shou ld be equipped with two drawer s lides for sta bili ty.

P/mlllil1g (j Project • 31

Tips for Planning and Fitting Built-Ins ~

Make small width adjustments (up to 6" on each side) with hardwood strips measured and cut to fill the extra space. Attach the strips to the edges of the face frame with counterbored wood screws. These "filler strips" let you slightly enlarge a project without making changes to the basic design. Filler strips also can be scribed to fit uneven walls.

Ceiling CeilIng jOist

J

Top plates

Floor JOist

Make small height adjustments by changing the thickness of the sale plates or top plates that anchor the built-in to the floor and ceiling. The floor-to-ceiling projects in this book are designed to fit rooms with 8·ft . ceilings. If your room height differs slightly, adjusting the sale plates or top plates lets you adapt a project without major design changes.

Nominal size Actual size

1 x 2 3/4" X 1112"

1 x 3 314" X 2112"

1x4 3f4" x 3112"

1 x 6 3/4" x 5112"

1 x 8 3/4" X 7114"

2 x 4 1112" x 31/2"

2 x 6 1112" x 5112"

2x8 1112" x 7114"

2 x 10 1112" X 9114"

Measure spaces carefully. Floors, walls, and ceilings are not always level or plumb, so measure at several paints. If measurements vary from point-to-point, use the shortest measurement to determine the height or width of your built-in.

Measure your materials. Actual thickness for plywood can vary from the listed nominal size; ¥," plywood, for example, can vary in thickness by nearly 'k" .

Use actual measurements, not nominal measurements, of dimension lumber when planning a built-in. The table above shows the actual dimensions of common lumber.


Revise the listed measurements of a featured project, if necessary, and record them. use your scaled drawings as a guide for estimating the revised measurements. Always double-check measurements before cutting pieces to prevent costly cutting errors.

Make cutting diagrams to help you make efficient use of materials. Make scale drawings of sheet goods on graph paper, and sketch cutting lines for each part of your project When laying out cutting lines, remember that the cutting path (kerf) of a saw blade usually consumes '/,' of wood.

Amount Cost for Total Materials needed each cost Plywood (4 ft. x 8 ft.)

V4" sheets 1/2" sheets ¥," sheets

Lumber 1 x 2 boards

1 x 3 boards

1 x 4 boards

1 x 6 boards

1 x 8 boards

2 x 4S

Moldings Door-edge

Shelf-edge

Base shoe

Baseboard

Crown/cove

Ornamental

Hardware

Finish nails

Power-drive screws

Angle brackets

Countertop brackets

Drawer Slides

Hinges

Door latches

Pulls/knobs

Other materials

Wood glue

Oil/stain

Sanding sealer

Paint

Outlet strips

Grommets

Light fixtures

Total cost:

Make a list of materials, using your plan drawings and cutting diagrams as a guide. Photocopy this materials list, and use it to organize your work and estimate costs.

P/mlllil1g (j Project • 33

I Jobsite Preparation

W hether you are insta lling an elabora te, custom

buil t-in or a simple she lf, preparing the jobsite

is a n importa nt step of you r project. Remove furniture

and ot her objects from the rooms YOLI \v ill be wodu ng in so that YOLI \ovon't worry about getting smvdust on a ni ce u pholstered cha ir, or acciden ta lly damaging

an antique furnish ing. Cover any items you ca nnot remove w ith plast ic s heeting. You may a lso want to

cover fln ished floo rs with cardboard or plast ic as \vell,

to protect the m fro m scratc hes or just to make cleanli p easier.

Set li p tools s lich as a power mi ter saw at a central

workstatio n, to avoid walking lo ng d istances between

where you a re insta lling and where YOLI are cutti ng materia l. This central location is key to profess io na l

resul ts because measure me nts a re easier to remember

and qu ick trimmi ng is possible without t he added t ime

of ex iting and entering the house.

Make sure the work area is well li t. I f you don't

<:Ilready own one, pu rchase a portable light (t rou ble

light) to ma ke vie\vi ng the workpieces e<:ls ie r. Keep your

tools sha rp a nd c lean. Acc idents a re more like ly \,vhe n

blades are d ull and tools are covered in dust and di rt.

Keep the work area clean and organ ized . A

dedicated tool table for staging your tools is a great

organizat ional a id. Too l tab les also make it poss ib le to

conve ni e nt ly keep tools fro m d isappearing. If you only

use t he tools t ha t you need and set them on the tool

tab le \,vhen you are n't usi ng them , tools stay off the

Aoor and ou t of other rooms. Add a set of c lamps to

the tab le and you have a convenie nt space for fin e

tu ning t he fit of eac h piece.

Organize your tools and avoid wearing a bulky work belt by setting up a dedicated tool table where all of your project tools and materials can be staged.

I L~ -

In some built-in or shelving projects, the most efficient way to accomplish the work is to convert the insta llation room into a temporary workshop.


I Proiect Safety

Personal safety shou ld be a priority when working

on any project. Power tools and hand tools ca n cause serio LI S injuries that require immediate

attention. Be prepared for such situations \vith a

properly stocked first aid kit. Equ ip you r kit with a variety of bandage s izes and other necessary items such as ant isepti c wipes, cotton swabs, tweezers, sterile gauze, and a first aid handbook.

To help you avoid using the nrst aid kit, read the owner's manuals of all power tools before operating

them, and fo llO\v all outli ned precautions. Protect yourself with sCifety glasses, eur protect ion, and dust masks and resp irators when necessury.

Keep your work environment clea n and free of clutter. C lean your tools and put them away after

Always wear safety glasses and ear protection when operating power tools. Use dust masks when necessary, and protect yourself from chemicals with a respirator. Work gloves save your hands when moving or handling large amounts of material. Knee pads are useful when working on floor-level projects such as baseboard.

eac h work sess ion, sweep up dust and any leftover fasteners, and collect scraps of c ut-off trim in a work bucket. These sc raps may come in handy before the e nd of the project, so keep the m around until you are finis hed.

Mainta in safety throughout your project, and remember that being safe is a priori ty. Everyone needs to use ear protec tion when operating loud tools. If you don't, you wi ll lose you r hearing. People don 't just get used to loud no ise. They lose their hearing and the noise doesn't seem as loud. The concept that safety applies to everyone but you is fool ish. Take the necessaI)' precautions to prevent injury to yo urself and those around you.

Read the owner's manual before operating any power tool. Your tools may differ in many ways from those described in this book, so it's best to familiarize yourself with the features and capabilities of the tools you own. Always wear eye and ear protection when operating a power tool. wear a dust mask when the project will produce dust.

Project Safety • 35

I Cutting & Fitting Joints

Cutti ng and fittin g joints is a skill tha t requ ires

patience, know ledge, and wel l-mainta ined

eq uipment to achieve effective results . There a f C a

few basic joints that are genera lly used for most

carpent ry applications: butt, inside and outside mite r,

scarf, and coped joints.

Although cLl ttingjoints acc urately is the key fun c tion of a pm,ver mite r saw, it is not the only tool

necessary for quality joinery. Coped joints requ ire a

cop ing S3W as we ll as a se t of meta l files . For some

app lica tion s, fitti ng butt joints is simp lified \vith the

lise of a bi scu it jointer or a pocket hole jig. These arc specia lty too ls designed for join ing wood.

Cu tting and fitting joints during insta lla tion

can be very frustrat ing, especially when it in vo lves

difficu lt wal ls that are not plumb and corners th at are out of square. TClke the time to read through the

proper techniq ues of using a miter smv, as we ll CIS the

correct method for cu tting each ind ividua l jo int. These

techniques a re desc ri bed in de tai l to help you work

through the imperfections found in every house and

to avoid com mon problems during instal lat ion.

Careful cutting is the hallmark of good joinery, be it in making furniture or installing trim moldings. Used correctly, a power miter saw offers the speed and precision to make your project look like it was done by a pro.


I Power Miter Saw Techniques

Th. ere <:Ire two main types of power miter $mvs.

The basic style cuts mitered angles when material is placed against the fence or beve led angles

when material is placed flat on the work surface.

The second type is ca lled a compound mite r saw. Compound saws allow you to cut a mite r and a beve l

simu ltaneously. T he compound angle is extremely

helpfu l in situatio ns where a corner is out of plumb

and a mi tered angle requires <! beve l to compensate.

Some compound saws are Clvcti lable \\l ith a sl iding feature that allows YO LI to cut through wider stock

with a small er blade size. Thi s option raises the cost of the saw considerably.

Tip: To avoid cutting off too much, start out by making a cut about W' to the waste side of the cutting line, then nibble at the workpiece with one or more additional cuts until you have cut up to the cutting li ne. Wait until the blade stops before ra ising the arm on every cut

Tips for Cutting with a Power Miter Saw ~

TO cut multiple pieces of stock to the same length, clamp a stop block to your support table at the desired distance from the blade. After cutting the first piece, position each additional length against the stop block and the fence to cut pieces of equal length.

Blade guard removed for

clarity

Make a full downward cut with a compound saw to cut wide stock. Release the trigger and let the blade come to a fu ll stop, then raise the saw arm. Flip the workpiece over and finish the cut

use a sliding miter saw equipped with a saw carriage that slides away from the fence. These saws have greater cutting capacity than a nonsliding saw so they can cut wider stock. They're also more expensive, but you may find it worth renting one.

Power fI.4iter Saw Tecll11 j[J! les • 37

I Mitering Outside Corners

C utting outside miters is one of the main funct ions

of a pm,vcr mi ter saw. Most S3\VS have positive stops (called dete nts) a t 4 5° in eac h di rect ion, so standard outs ide corners arc prac tica lly cut for you by the saw. Keep in mind that your saw mu st be accurate ly set

up to c ut jo in ts sq uare ly. Head the owne r's ma nua l for sett ing up your saw as \\le ll as fo r safe ty precaut ions . Before you begin , chec k the walls for square \,vith a combinat ion square or a fra ming square . If the corner is vel)' close to squa re, proceed with th e square corner insta llat ion. If the corne r is badly ou t of sq uare, follow

th e "Out of Square" proced ure on the fo llowing page .

Tools & Materials ~

Combination square

or framing square Miter saw Pencil Tape measure Pneumatic finish nail gun

Air compressor Air hose T-bevel Molding Masking tape 1 x 4

How TO Miter Square Outside Corners

Set the miter saw to 45°. Position the first piece on-edge. flat on the miter box table, flush against the fence. Hold the piece firmly in place with your left hand and cut the trim with a slow, steady motion. Release the power button of the saw and remove the molding after the blade stops.

Stud location

'I

First piece

With the first piece of molding tacked in place, hold the second piece in position and check the fit of the joint If the joint is tight, nail both pieces at stud locations.

38 • TH E COMPLETE GUIDE TO CUSTOM SHELVES & BUILT-INS

Set the miter saw blade to the opposing 45° positive stop. Place the second piece of molding on-edge, flat on the saw table, flush against the fence. Fasten the piece tightly in place with a hold-down or clamp. Cut the molding with a slow. steady motion.

If the corner joint does not fit tightly, shim the work piece away from the fence to make minor adjustments until the joint fits tightly. Shims should be a uniform thickness. Playing cards work well.

I How to Miter Out-ot-Square Outside Corners

line parallel to wall

Draw a reference line off each wall of the corner using a straight 1 x 4. Put masking tape down on the finished floor to avoid scuffing it and to see your lines clearly Trace along each wall, connecting the traced lines at a point out from the tip of the corner.

Transfer the angle of the T-bevel to the miter saw by locking the saw in the down position and adjusting the angle to match the angle of the T-bevel.

To find the angle you need to miter your moldings, place a T-bevel with the handle flush against one wall, and adjust the blade so that it intersects the point where your reference lines meet. Lock the blade in place at this angle.

Position the molding on-edge, flat on the saw table and flush against the fence. Cut at your cutting mark. Tack the workpiece in place and repeat steps 2 through 4 to measure and cut the mating piece. Or, you can subtract the angle of the first cut (for example, 47") from 900 to find the angle for the second cut (43 0 in this case). using math is faster; taking direct measurements is more reliable.

Power fI.4iter Saw Tecll11ilJlles • 39

I Mitering Inside Corners

Although most profess ionals prefer to cope-c ut ins ide corners, it is com mon to see moldings that are mitered to inside corners. These joints are more l ikely to se parate over time an d to allow gaps to show. For that rcason it is not advised to use inside corner mite rs

when insta lling a stain-grade trim product:. The gaps

will be visi ble and are very difficu lt to fil l with putty.

For paint-grade projects, miteri ng in side corners makes more sense because joints can be fi lled and sanded before th e top coats of pai nt a rc applied .

Tools & Materials ~

Miter saw

Pencil Tape measure Utility knife

Pneumatic finish nail gun

Air compressor Air hose Molding

How To Miter Square Inside Corners

Set the miter saw to 45° and place the first piece of trim on·edge, flat on the miter box table and flush against the fence. Hold the piece firmly in place with your left hand and cut the trim with a slow, steady motion. Release the power button and remove the molding after the blade stops.

3 Stud location Stud location

\ Butt the molding tightly against the wallboard and tack it into place.

40 • TH E COMPLETE GUIDE TO CUSTOM SHELVES & BU1LT·1NS

Front face of

Back·cut the inside edge of the trim piece with a utility knife so that the top corner will sit flush against the wall corner.

4

Adjust the blade of the miter saw to the opposite 45° angle and cut the mating piece. Test the fit of the jOint, adjusting the miter angle if necessary. Once the fit is tight, nail both pieces at stud locations.

I Building a Straightedge Guide

Making straight and accurate cu ts on plywood or

paneling is a challenge. Even the best carpenter ca n't

always keep the blade on the cut line, espec ia lly over a longer span. A straightedge gu ide solves this problem

<:IS long as YO LI keep the sav/s base plate flu sh with the

edge of the cieClt.

The cleated edge of the gu ide provides an acc urate anchor for the base plate of the S3\'V as the

blade passes through the material. You can ma ke a

stra ight cleat edge by rippi ng the fi rst 2" off of an

existing plyvvood pa nel and using the factory edge. Use

a fine-toothed blade for rip cuts and a plywood blade for splinter-free crossc uts .

Tools & Materials ~

C-clamps Pencil Circular saw v,' Plywood base (10 x 96")

~,' Plywood cleat (2 x 96")

Carpenter's glue

A straightedge guide overcomes the difficulty of making square rip cuts and other square cuts on long workpieces. The guide is built square, ensuring that any cuts made with it will be square as well.

I How to Build a Straightedge Guide

Apply carpenter's glue to the bottom of the ¥," plywood cleat. then position the cleat on the W' plywood base, 2" from one edge. Clamp the pieces together until the glue dries.

Position the circular saw with its foot tight against the ~," plywood cleat. Cut away the excess portion of the plywood base with a single pass of the saw to create a square edge.

TO use the guide, position it on top of the workpiece, so the guide'S square edge is flush with the cutting line on the workpiece. Clamp the guide in place with C-clamps.


I cutting Mitered Returns

Mi tered return s are a decorative treatment lIsed to

h ide the e nd gra in of \,vood and provide a fi nished

appearance. M ite red re turn s range from tiny p ieces of

base shoe up to vcry la rge crown moldings. They are

also commonly used when instal ling a stool a nd apron

treatment or on decorative friezes above doors.

Bevel returns <:Ife another simple return option

for cha ir rail, baseboard, and base shoe . A bevel re turn is simply a cut at the end of the mo ldin g tha t

"return s" t he \'vorkpiccc back to th e wa ll at a n angle.

T he biggest advantage to using mitered returns rather

than beve l re turn s is that mi tered returns a lready

have a finish ed s urface. Beve l re turn s requ ire more

touc hups.

C ut ting mite red retu rn s for s mall moldings, such

as q uarte r-round, or for thin stock, such as baseboard ,

can be tric ky when using a power miter S3\'V. The

Mitered joint

/ MiteIed Ietum

--...l-. Straight

cut

Mitered returns finish molding ends that would otherwise be exposed. Miter the main piece as you would at an outside corner. Cut a miter on the r.eturn piece, then cut it to length with a str.aight cut so it butts to the wall. Attach the return piece with wood glue.


fina l cut of the process leaves the re turn loose where

it can sometimes be thrown from the saw due to the

a ir current of the blade. Plan on llsing a piece of trim

that is long enough to cut comfortably, or you will find

yourse lf fighting the saw.

Tools & Materials ~

Combination squar.e Utility knife Power miter saw Miter. box and back saw

Pencil Tape measure

pneumatic finish nail gun

Air compressor Air hose T-bevel

Molding Wood glue

Returns are made fr.om two 45 0 angle cuts. The scr.ap piece is removed and the r.eturn piece is glued into place.

How to Cut Mitered Base Shoe Returns

Measure and mark the molding to length. Adjust the miter saw blade to 45° and back-miter the molding, cutting the front edge to the desired overall length of the trim. Nail the backmitered piece in place using a square to line it up flush with the edge of the door casing.

Adjust the blade of the miter saw to the opposite 45° angle and miter-cut the molding using a slow, steady stroke.

Hold the mitered molding against the baseboard at a right angle above the installed base shoe. Mark the molding at the depth of the installed base shoe. Square-cut the molding at the cutoff mark. Because making this cut with a power saw is very dangerous, use a miter box and a back saw The cut-off piece will be the mitered return piece.

Check the fit of the return against the baseboard. If it is too small, repeat steps 3 and 4, making the piece slightly larger. If the return is too large, trim it to fit with a utility knife or sandpaper. Once the return fits properly, glue it in place with wood glue.

OPTION: Beveled returns are a quick and simple alternative to mitered returns. They require finish touchup after the trim is installed .


I Establishing Level, Plumb & Square

Good ca rpe nters strive to ach ieve three basic ideals in t he ir work: plumb, level, a nd sq uare. Go into

<1Il Y home, however, and you a re bound to find walls

that bow, Aoars that slope, a nd corners that do n't form

right angles. This does n't a lways mean the carpe nter did a poor job , but ra ther refl ects the fact that wood and many bu ild ing mater ia ls arc natura l products that

expand, contract, and settle with the seasons. T hese

natural movements do not always occu r at the same rate, however, causing Auctuations th at sometim es become permanent . That's \,.., hy it's no surpri se that older homes more cOlllmon ly have larger Auctu3tions.

T hese movements cun make trimming a built -

in project c ha llenging. Level and plumb are hard

concepts to apply when the fl oor s lopes heavily a nd corners float in or ou t. Compounding the problem

furt he r is that powe r too ls arc made to cu t and shape

wood preci sely. Preset angles o n a com po und miter saw don't include angles such as 47 degrees.

In most cases, your installat ion of built- ins a nd

trim "v iII requ ire co mprom ises. Keep in mind the

overa ll appea rance of your project and remember that the concepts of plumb and level can be relative concepts. Strive to achieve them fo r quality joints, but don 't insist on th em when they affect the overall

appeara nce of you r project negatively. Here are a couple of Ilne pieces of advice to keep in mind:

• Level to the room is more important than leve l to the ea rth .

• Flat is morc important than leve l.


A plumb bob is hung to establish a plumb (exactly vertical) line. Plumb can be difficult to visualize. Most chalk boxes can double as plumb bobs for rough use.

Window and door jambs are normally installed level and plumb, but if they aren't your casing should still follow an even reveal of 3/,," to '// (about the thickness of a nickel) around the inside edge. Set the blade on a combination square to the depth of the reveal , then use the square as a guide for your pencil when marking. Install the casings flush with the mark.

Install baseboard as close to level as possible, paying attention to areas where a floor dips or slopes over a longer length. In these instances, "cheat" the baseboard as close to level as you can, leaving a gap below it. You can only cheat the molding to less than the height of your base shoe, or quarter round . These trim pieces will cover the gap because they are thinner and easier to flex to the contour of your floor. Cheating the molding will also make cutting miters easier because they will require less of a bevel.

use a spacer block as a guide to install moldings near a ceiling. The spacer will allow you to easily follow any ups and downs of an uneven ceiling, making the trim run parallel to it rather than exactly level.

Use a T-bevel to measure for miter-cutting trim on out-ofsquare corners. use a piece of scrap 1 x 4 to trace lines parallel to the corner walls. Place the T-bevel so the blade runs from the corner of the wall to the point where the lines intersect. Transfer this angle to your miter saw to cut your moldings.

ESfahlisiliJlg Lel'el, PIUIIII) & Square • 45

I Adding Doors

Cabine t doors are easy to ma ke using 'h" nn is hgrade plywood, and door-edge moldings. When

hung \,vith se mi-concealed overlay hi nges, do- it

yourse lf panel -s tyle doors requ ire no complica ted rout ing or morti sing tec hniques . You can build them to

any size needed, and fin ish them to match your tastes.

Anothe r casy option is to buy ready-made cabi ne t

doors from a cabinet manu facturer or ca binet refac ing

company, and hang th em yourself us ing semi

concealed hinges. You also ca n have a profess ional

cab inetmuker des ign and bu ild custom cab inet doors

to your specifications- a good choice if you wa nt wood-fra med doors \\lith g lass pane ls .

Other do- it-yourself door opt ions include sl id ing doors, solid-glass doors, and frame less doors (page

opposite).

Easy-to-build overlay doors, made with 'I,' finish-grade plywood panels framed with door-edge moldings, are designed to overhang the face frame by about W' on each side. semi-concealed overlay hinges, which require no mortising, are attached to the back of the door and to the edge of the face frame. This door style also can be adapted to make folding doors.

Door-catch hardware is recommended if your doors do not use self-closing hinges, or if you want to lock them. Common types of hardware include: utility hasp (AI, railer catch (B), keyed lock (C), brass door bolt (0), and magnetic push latch (E) commonly used for solid glass doors.


I Door Options

Ready-made cabinet doors are available in stock sizes from cabinet manufacturers and cabinet refacing companies. Or. you can have doors custom-built by a professional cabinetmaker. Install these doors with semi-concealed overlay hinge.

Pivot hinge

Glass doors give a contemporary look to built-in projects. Use '/," tempered glass with smoothed edges, not ordinary window glass, for doors. To install a glass door, drill holes in the top and bottom of the door opening, and insert pivot-hinge bushings. Mount the door using pivot-hinge brackets attached to the glass with setscrews (inset).

Sliding doors are a good choice if limited space makes it impractical to install swinging doors. Build a pair of sliding doors from '/," finish-grade plywood, cut so they are 'h" shorter than the opening and will overlap by about 2" in the center. Attach door-track moldings to the top, bottom, and sides of the door opening. Install the doors by sliding them up into the top track, then lowering them into the bottom track .

•

• (

Frameless doors are common on contemporary-style builtins constructed without face frames - especially those made with melamine-covered particleboard. Frameless doors are mounted with concealed hinges attached to the inside surface of the built-in.

Adding Doors I 47

I Basic Drawers

In its simplest fOfm, a drawer is noth ing Illore t han a

wooden box that slides in and o ut o n a pe rma nent

shelf. Adding drmver slide hard\,vare, a hardvvood drawer face, and orname ntal knobs or pull s makes drmvers look more professional.

T he drawer shown on the following page is si mple to build and w ill work for any of the projects in thi s

book. T he design is ca ll ed an "ove rlay" clrm-vcr because

it featu res a hardwood drawer face that overhangs the cabinet face frame.

Ready-made hardwood drawer faces are sold by

companies spec ializing in cabinet ref;::lC ing products.

You G ill also make yo ur O\vn clrm-ver faces by cli tt ing hard\,vQod boards to t he proper size and usi ng a router

with an edgi ng bit to create a decora tive Rai r.

A cente r-mounted drawer s lide attac hed to the botto m of the drmver a llows the drawer to gl ide

smoothly an d acts as a support for drawers installed in

open cab ine ts.

T he height, w idth , and depth of the cabi llet, and

th e opening for the drmver must be carefully measured

before the drawer is built , to ensu re a good Ilt .

Side panels : 1f2" dado

finish-grade PlYWOOd~ove

Bottom panel: W' finish-grade plywood

Front panel : 112"

finish-grade plywood Face: 3/4"

hardwood

The basic overlay drawer is made using y, " plywood for the front, back, and side panels, and %" plywood for the bottom panel. The bottom panel fits into a %" dado near the bottom of the front and side panels, and is nai led to the bottom edge of the back panel. The hardwood drawer face is screwed to the drawer front from inside the drawer box.


I Directions: Overlay Drawer

INSTALL THE DRAWER TRACK Insta ll the track for the drmver slide, foll ovving

the man ufacturer's directions, If the slide will be

supported by the face frame and the back panel,

mount it using the rear bracket included with the slide

kit. I f the track will rest on a she lf, install it before the

ca bi net is assem bled.

BUILD THE DRAWER FRAME Measure the inte rior dime nsions of the face fra me

and the depth of t he cab inet from the back edge of

the face frame to the interior surface of the back

panel. Then follow the d imensions l isted in the table

(opposite page) to cu t the drawer pieces to size.

Tip: Measuring the Cabinet ~

Part Dimension

Sides length Depth of opening, minus 3"

height Height of opening, minus Vl'

Front length Width of opening, minus 1 y,"

height Height of opening, minus y, "

Back length Width of opening, minus 1 %"

height Height of opening, minus 1"

Bottom length Width of opening, minus 1"

height Depth of opening, minus 2'('''

Face length Width of opening, plus 1"

height Height of opening, plus 1"

Mount the track for the drawer slide with the rear bracket when installing a drawer in an open cabinet

Outline '/-I "-wide dado grooves on the interior

faces of the front and side panels. Hout '/," -deep dado grooves a long the mmked outl ines, Llsing a route r v,fith

a '/-1" stra ight bi t and a st ra ightedge gu ide.

Cla m p and gl ue the drawer panels together w ith

the fro nt a nd bac k panels between the side pane ls and the top edges of the panels a ligned . He inforee the jo ints with 21t finis h na ils driven through the fron t and

back into the side panels.

ATTACH THE DRAWER BOTTOM Let the gl ue dry and remove the cla mps. Slide the bottom pane l into the dado grooves from the bac k of

the drawer box. Do not apply glue to the dado grooves or the bottom paneL

Attac h the back edge of the bottom pa nel to the back panel, using b rad na ils spaced every 4".

APPLY THE FINISHING TOUCHES Finish the drav\rcr face to matc h your project, Cl nd 311mv the fi n ish to dry. Posit ion the drawer box against the bac k side of the drawer face, so the face overhangs by Ih ll

on the sides and bottom, and J" on the top. Attach the face with III screws driven [Tom ins ide the drawer box.

Attac h the drawer s lide insert to the drawer

bottom , fo llmving the man ufacturer's d irections.

Attac h any d rawer p ull s o r knobs as desi red, a nd sl ide

the d rawer in to the cab ine t , making Slire the d rawer

slide and insert are a ligned .

Front of

drawer

\

Outline and then rout a dado groove along the bottom edge of the front and side panels.

Slide the bottom panel into the dado grooves of the drawer assembly.

Attach the face of the drawer by driving screws through the front panel into the face.

Basic Drawers • 49

I Preparing for the Finish

Aproperly prepared wood surface absorbs Rnish

mater ials evenly, focus ing attention on the qua li ty

and color of the wood and the Rnish . A poorly prepared

su rface foc uses attention on itself an d its fl aws.

Sandi ng o r fi lling scra tc hes and gouges, removing

de nts and stai ns, and ca refu lly fi nish sa nd ing are the

essential steps in prepari ng for the fi nis h . \t\/ith many

woods (especia lly softwoods like pine) you can c reate

a more even finis h by sea ling the wood with san d ing

sealer im mediate ly after flnis h sandi ng, then sa nding

the sealer lightly \v ith 220-gri t sandpaper afte r it d ries.

For exceptionally smooth, rich Rnishes (particularly

on open-gra in hurdwoods like mahogany), Cl pply wood

gra in fi lle r to fi ll in c hecks and large pores, creating a

smooth -as-glass surface.

Before begin ni ng the fina l preparations fo r

the finis h, sa nd the workpiece \v ith med ium-grit

sa ndpaper to remove small scratc hes and other su rface

problems- th is is especia lly im portant if YOll d id not

usc sand ing as a fi na l stage of fi n is h remova l. Any

scratc hes, gouges, dents, or stains that survive the

intermed iate san ding shou ld be remed ied befo re you Rnish-san d.

Do your fi nal stCige of fi nish sa nding immed iately

before you apply the Rnish- the smooth surface created

by finish sa nding is eas ily scrCltc hed or d iscolored .

Sand wood with power sanders, like the random-orbit sander shown above, to make quick work of the initial finish sanding stages, while producing a very smooth wood surface.


How to Prepare a Wood Surface

Get rid of glue. Dried glue won't absorb wood stain or any other penetrating coloring agents, so glue spills and squeezeout show up as bright blotches if they're not removed by sanding or scraping before the finish is applied.

Apply wood grain filler that approximately matches the natural color of your wood. Available in light and dark colors, grain filler creates a smooth surface in open wood grains. Usually manufactured as a gel, it can be applied with a putty knife or a rag, but the excess material should be wiped off with a plastic scraper.

Sandpaper Grit Chart ~

Grit Task 80 to 100 Finish removal 120 t0150 Preliminary finish sanding 180 Final sanding for softwood; intermediate

stage of finish sanding for hardwood 220 Final sanding for hardwood 300 to 400 Sanding between finish layers 600 wet/dry Wet sanding of final finish layer

Choose the right sandpaper for the Jab. Aluminum oxide and garnet are two common types. Aluminum oxide is a good general-use product suitable for most refinishing and finishing purposes. Garnet is usually cheaper than aluminum oxide, but it wears out much more quickly use sandpaper with the proper grit (higher numbers indicate finer grit-see chart above).

Make your own sanding sealer by blending one part clear topcoat material with one part topcoat solvent. Note: Use the same topcoat material you plan to apply to the project. Sanding sealer is used before coloring soft or open-grain woods to achieve even stain penetration. TO apply, wipe on a heavy coat, then wipe off the excess after a few minutes. Sand lightly with 220-grit sandpaper when dry

Preparillgfor tile Fillish • 51

I Surface preparation

Surface preparation ensures an even, high-qual ity

finis h. Finish-sa nd with progress ively Ilner grits of

sandpaper, start ing \,vith IOO-grit . Hardwood req u ires

finer-grit sandpaper (a final sand ing with 220 -grit

is common) than soft wood (sand to I 50-grit). To

speed up the process, use a power san der for the first stages of t he s<:I nding, then svvitc h to hand-s<:t nding to

complete the process. Finish sanding alone creates a smooth su rface,

but because \,vood a bsorbs stai n at different ratcs,

the color can be blotchy and dark. Sca ling wood w ith

sand ing sealer (e ithe r a com mercial product or your own concoction of thinned fin is h) evens out the sta in

<Jbsorpt ion rates and yields a lighter. more even fin ish. Fill ing the gr<:li n w ith a co rnrnerci<1\ p<Jste fille r creates

a fina l finish that feels as smooth as it looks.

I How to Finish-sand

Use sanding sealer or grain filler for a fine finish. Finish sanding alone (left) can leave a blotchy surface when stain is applied, but a coat of sanding sealer (center) or grain-filler (right), or both, allows you to create a smoother, more even finish.

Finish-sand all surfaces with 1S0-grit sandpaper, following the direction of the grain. Use a finishing sander on flat surfaces and specialty sanding blocks on contours. When sanding hardwood, switch to 1BO-grit paper and sand again.

Raise the wood grain by dampening the surface with a wet rag. Let the wood dry, then skim the surface with a fine abrasive pad, following the grain.

use sanding blocks to hand-sand the entire workpiece with the finestgrit paper in the sanding sequence. Sand until all sanding marks are gone and the surface is smooth. (Use bright side lighting to check your progress.) If using sanding sealer, do that now.


I How to Use Sanding Sealer

Make your own sanding sealer by blending one part clear topcoat material (not water-based) with one part topcoat solvent. Note: use the same topcoat material you plan to apply to the project.

Wipe on a heavy coat of the sealer. then wipe off the excess after a few minutes. When dry, sand lightly with 220-grit sandpaper.

I How to Apply Grain Filler

After finish sanding, use a rag or putty kn ife to spread a coat of grain filler onto the wood surface. With a polishing motion, work the filler into the grain. Let the filler dry until it becomes cloudy (usually about 5 minutes).

Remove excess filler by drawing a plastic scraper across the grain of the wood at a 45 0 angle. Let the grain fi ller dry overnight.

Lightly hand-sand the surface, following the direction of the grain, with 220-grit sandpaper. Finally, dampen a clean cloth with mineral spirits and use it to thoroughly clean the surface.

Preparillg/or tile Fillish • 53

I Installing Cabinets

Cabinets must be firm ly anchored to wa ll studs, and they must be plumb and level when installed.

The best v,ray to ensure thi s is by <:Ittnc hing a ledger boa rd to the vVCI\I to assist in the insta llat ion. As a general rule, in sta ll the uppe r cabi nets first so your access is not impeded by the base cabinets. (Although some professionals prefer to insta ll the base cabi nets

fi rst so they can be used to support the uppers during insta llation.) It's also best to begin in a corner and work outward from there.

Tools & Materials ~ Handscrew clamps Cabinets Level Trim molding Hammer Toe-kick molding Uti lity kn ife Filler strips Nail set valance Stepladder 6d finish nails Drill Finish washers

Counterbore drill bit #10 x 4" wood screws

Cordless screwdriver #8 x 2W' screws Jig saw 3" drywall screws

I How to Fit a Corner Cabinet

II'

54 • TH E COMPLETE GUIDE TO CUSTOM SHELVES & BUtLT-tNS

Stock cabinets are sold in boxes that are keyed to door and drawer packs (you need to buy these separately). It is important that you realize this when you are estimating your project costs at the building center (often a door pack will cost as much or more than the cabinet). Also allow plenty of time for assembling the cabinets out of the box. It can take an hour or more to put some more complex cabinets together.

Before installation, test-fit corner and adjoining cabinets to make sure doors and handles do not interfere with each other. If necessary, increase the clearance by pulling the corner cabinet away from the side wall by no more than 4" . To maintain even spacing between the edges of the doors and the cabinet corner, cut a filler strip and attach it to the corner cabinet or the adjoining cabinet. Filler strips should be made from material that matches the cabinet doors and face frames.

How to Install Wall Cabinets

1

Position a corner upper cabinet on a ledger and hold it in place, making sure it is resting cleanly on the ledger. Drill ~,," pilot holes into the wall studs through the hanging strips at the top, rear of cabinet Attach the cabinet to the wall with 2'h" screws. DO not tighten fully until all cabinets are hung.

3

Position the adjoining cabinet on the ledger, tight against the corner cabinet or filler strip. Clamp the corner cabinet and the adjoining cabinet together at the top and bottom. Handscrew clamps will not damage wood face frames.

2 Filler

/ strip

Attach a filler strip to the front edge of the cabinet, if needed. Clamp the filler in place, and drill counterbored pilot holes through the cabinet face frame, near hinge locations. Attach filler to cabinet with 2'h" cabinet screws or flathead wood screws.

Check the front cabinet edges or face frames for plumb. Drill ~, ,.' pilot holes into wall studs through hanging strips in rear of cabinet Attach cabinet with 2'1," screws. Do not tighten wall screws fully until all cabinets are hung.

/lIs/ailiJ1g Cabinets • 55

Attach the corner cabinet to the adjoining cabinet. From inside corner cabinet, drill pilot holes through face frame. Join cabinets with sheet-metal screws.

7

Join frameless cabinets with #8 x , %" panhead wood screws or wood screws with decorative washers. Each pair of cabinets should be joined by at least four screws.

56 • TH E COM PLETE GUIDE TO CUSTOM SHELVES & BU1LT-1NS

6

Position and attach each additional cabinet. Clamp frames together, and drill counterbored pilot holes through side of face frame. Join cabinets with wood screws. Drill '/,," pilot holes in hanging strips, and attach cabinet to studs with wood screws.

Fill gaps between the cabinet and wall or neighboring appliance with a filler strip. Cut the filler strip to fit the space, then wedge wood shims between the filler and the wall to create a friction fit that holds it in place temporarily Drill counterbored pilot holes through the side of the cabinet (or the edge of the face frame) and attach filler with screws.

Remove the temporary ledger. Check the cabinet run for plumb, and adjust if necessary by placing wood shims behind cabinet, near stud locations. Tighten wall screws completely. Cut off shims with utility knife.

12

10

Use trim moldings to cover any gaps between cabinets and walls. Stain moldings to match cabinet finish.

Attach decorative valance above sink. Clamp valance to edge of cabinet frames, and drill counterbored pilot holes through cabinet frames into end of valance. Attach with sheetmeta I screws.

Install the cabinet doors. If necessary, adjust the hinges so that the doors are straight and plumb.

/lIs/a iliJ1g Cabinets • 57

How to Install Base Cabinets

1

v

Begin the installation with a corner cabinet. Draw plumb lines that intersect the 34'// reference line (measured from the high point of the floor) at the locations for the cabinet sides.

3

Place cabinet in corner. Make sure the cabinet is plumb and level. If necessary, adjust by driving wood shims under cabinet base. Be careful not to damage flooring. Drill ¥,," pilot holes through the hanging strip and into wall studs. Tack the cabinet to the wall with wood screws or wallboard screws.

Clamp the adjoining cabinet to the corner cabinet. Make sure the new cabinet is plumb, then drill counterbored pilot holes through the cabinet sides or the face frame and filler strip. Screw the cabinets together. Drill 'h," pilot holes through hanging strips and into wall studs. Tack the cabinets loosely to the wall studs with wood screws or wallboard screws.

use a jig saw to cut any cabinet openings needed in the cabinet backs (for example, in the sink base seen here) for plumbing, wiring or heating ducts.

58 • TH E COM PLETE GUIDE TO CUSTOM SHELVES & BU1LT·1NS

5

Position and attach additional cabinets, making sure the frames are aligned and the cabinet tops are level. Clamp cabinets together, then attach the face frames or cabinet sides with screws driven into pilot holes. Tack the cabinets to the wall studs, but don't drive screws too tight- you may need to make adjustments once the entire bank is installed .

7

Make sure all cabinets are level. If necessary, adjust by driving shims underneath cabinets. Place shims behind the cabinets near stud locations to fill any gaps. Tighten wall screws. Cut off shims with utility kn ife.

use trim moldings to cover gaps between the cabinets and the wall or floor. The toe-kick area is often covered with a strip of wood finished to match the cabinets or painted black.

Hang cabinet doors and mount drawer fronts, then test to make sure they close smoothly and the doors fit evenly and flush. Self-closing cabinet hinges (by far the most common type installed today) have adjustment screws that allow you to make minor changes to the hardware to correct any problems.

/lIs/a iliJ1g Cal)iJlelS • 59

I Creating a Kitchen Island

Kitchen islands can be created using a \,vhole range

of methods, from repurposing an o ld tab le to fine, Clistom \,voodworking. But perhaps the eas ies t

(a nd most fai lsafe) way to add the conveniences and conviviality of a kitchen island is to make one from

stock base cabinets. The cabinets and countertops don 't have to match you r kitc he n ca binetry, but that is ce rtainly an option you should conside r. "'!he n

designing and positioning your new island, be sure

to maintain a minimum distance of 3 ft. bet\veen the

island and other cabinets (4 ft. or more is better).

r 1

Tools & Materials ~

Marker Drill/driver 2 x 4 cleats Pneumatic nailer and

2" fin ish nails or

hammer and 6d finish nails

2 base cabinets (approx. 36" wide x 24" deep)

Countertop Wallboard screws

TWO base cabinets arranged back-to-back make a sturdy kitchen island base that's easy to insta ll. When made with the same style cabinets and countertops as the rest of the kitchen, the island is a perfect match.

60 • THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO CUSTOM SHELVES & BUlLT-l NS

How to Create a Stock-cabinet Island

Set two base cabinets back-to-back in position on the floor and outline the cabinet corners onto the flooring. Remove the cabinets and draw a new outline inside the one you just created to allow for the thickness of the cabinet sides (usually 3/,").

Join the two base cabinets together by driving 1'1,' wallboard screws through the nailing strips on the backs of the cabinets from each direction. Make sure the cabinet sides are flush and aligned. Lower the base cabinets over the cleats. Check the cabinets for level, and shim underneath the edges of the base if necessary.

Cut 2 x 4 cleats to fit inside the inner outline to provide nailing surfaces for the cabinets. Attach the cleats to the floor with screws or nails. TIP: Create an L-shape cleat for each inside corner.

Attach the cabinets to the floor cleats using 6d finish nails. Drill pilot holes for nails, and recess nail heads with a nail set. Make a countertop and install it on top of the cabinets.

Creatillg a Kitchell Islalld • 61

I Making Countertops

More than si mply a work surface, a kitchen countertop is an important part of many buil t- in s

that can dazzle with the look-nt-me pizzazz of grani te,

or bring together a coun try theme with soapstone and

butcher block. There are many choices in COllntertops,

from the less expensive laminate and post-form ,

through ceramic and stone tile, to high-end stai nlcss

stee l, granite an d marble.

Countertop options for you r buil t- in depend on how much you are wi lli ng to spend, whether you will

Butcher Block ~

Typical countertop material is 1%" wide and 25" deep,

available in a number of lengths from 4 ft to 12 ft. long.


be doing the \,vork yourself or contracting out, and

what loo k yo u wa nt: to ac hieve. In this chapter we will

cover several countertop options, identify ing their

pluses and minuses, and giving installat ion di rection s

for those you can install yourse lf.

Step-by-s tep instructions with photographs are inc luded for t\VO countertop projects: post-form laminated, custom lam inate.

End grain

Face grain

Edge grain

Butcher block that's constructed with the end grain oriented up is the most deSirable, but it is relatively hard to find and fairly expensive. Material with the face grain or edge grain facing up is more common and more affordable

(prefinished, it still runs around $30 per lineal foot).

A well-chosen countertop can give your built-in a high-end appearance and a professional finish.

!'\lIakillg e mlllterrops • 63

I Installing a Post-form Countertop

Post-form lam inate counter

tops are ava ilable in stock

<J nd custom colors. Pre- m itered

sect ions afe also avai lable. If the

COllntertop has an exposed e nd, YO LI \·vill need an endeap kit that

contains a prcshapcd strip of matching laminate. Post-form

countertops have eith er a waterfall

edge or a no-drip edge. Stoc k colors a fC typically ava ilab le in

4-,6-,8-, j 0- and 12-foot stra ight lengths and 6- and 8-foot mitered lengths.

Materials and tools for installing a post-form countertop include: wood for shimming (A), take-up bolts for drawing miters together (81, household iron (CI, endcap laminate to match countertop (D), end cap battens (EI, file (F), adjustable wrench (G), buildup blocks (H), compass (I), fasteners (I), silicone caulk and sealer (K) .

Post-form countertops are among the easiest and cheapest to insta ll. They are a good choice for beginning DIYerS, but the design and color options are fairly limited.


OPTION: Use a jig saw fitted with a downstroke blade to cut post-form if the saw foot must rest on the good surface of the post form. If you are unable to locate a downstroke blade, you can try applying tape over the cutting lines, but you are still like ly to get tear-out from a normal upstroke jig saw blade.

Tools & Materials ~

Tape measure Framing square

Pencil Straightedge C-clamps Hammer Level Caulking gun Jig saw Compass

Adjustable wrench Belt sander Drill and spade bit Cordless screwdriver

Post-form countertop Wood shims

Take-up bolts Drywall screws Wire brads Endcap laminate Silicone caulk Wood glue.

How to Install a Post-form Countertop

Use a framing square to mark a cutting line on the bottom surface of the countertop. Cut the countertop with a jig saw, using a clamped straight-edge as a guide.

Attach the battens from the endcap kit to the edge of the countertop, using carpenter's glue and small brads. Sand out any unevenness with a belt sander

Installil1g a Post -form COIlllfer/op • 65

Hold the end cap laminate against the end, slightly overlapping the edges. Activate adhesive by pressing an iron set at medium heat against the endcap. Cool with a wet cloth, then file the end cap laminate flush with the edges of the countertop.

!i

Because walls are usually uneven, use a compass to trace the wall outline onto the backsplash. Set the compass arms to match the widest gap, then move the compass along the length of the wall to transfer the outline to the top of the backsplash. Apply painter's tape to the top edge of the backsplash, following the scribe line (inset).


Position the countertop on base cabinets. Make sure the front edge of the countertop is parallel to the cabinet faces. Check the countertop for level. Make sure that drawers and doors open and close freely. If needed, adjust the countertop with shims.

Remove the countertop. use a belt sander to grind the backsplash to the scribe line. Replace and install the countertop.

Tips for Installing Post-form Countertops ~

Mark the cutout for a self-rimming sink by tracing it. Position the sink upside down on the countertop and trace its outline. Remove the sink and draw a cutting line %" inside the sink outline.

Drill a starter hole just inside the cutting line. Make sink cutouts with a jig saw Support the cutout area from below so that the falling cutout does not damage the cabinet or countertop.

Apply a bead of silicone caulk to the edges of the mitered countertop sections. Force the countertop pieces tightly together.

From underneath the countertop, install and tighten miter take-up bolts Position the countertop tightly against the wall and fasten it to the cabinets by driving wallboard screws up through corner brackets and into the countertop. Screws should be long enough to provide maximum holding power, but not long enough to puncture the laminate surface.

Seal the seam between the backsplash and the wall with silicone caulk. Smooth the bead with a wet fingertip. Wipe away excess caulk.

Installi l1g a Post-form COIlllfer/op • 67

I Building a Custom Laminate Countertop

Bu ildi ng yo ur own c us tOIll la minate cou nte rto p using

sheets of plastic laminate and part ic leboard offers two ctdva ntages: the countertop YOLI get \,vill be less

expe nsive tha n a custom-orde red counte rtop , and it

will a llm,v YO LI more options in te rms of colors and edge

t reatme nts. A cOllnte rtop made with laminates a lso can be ta ilored to fit any space, un like prc madc countcrtop material that is a standard width (usua lly 25").

Laminate commonly is sold in 8- ft. or j 2-ft. lengths that are abo ut Ihol! thic k. [n width, they range from 30 '1

strips to 4811 sheets. The 30" strips <:Ire sized spec ifl cally fo r counte rtops, a llowing for a 2 51!-wide COllntertop, a

I lh" wide front edge st ri p and a short bac ksplas h. T he plastic laminate is bonded to the parti cle

board or j'vl DF subst ra te with contac t cemen t

(a lthough mos t profess iona l ins ta ll e rs usc ad hesives

that are avai lable only to the trades) . Water-base

contact cement is nonAammabl e and no ntoxic ,

but so lvent- base contact cement (whi ch requ ires a

res pi rator and is highly Aa mmable) c reates a muc h

stronger, more durable bond .

Tools & Materials ~ Tape measure Framing square Straightedge

Scoring tool paint roller 3-way clamps

Caulk gun J-roller Miter saw Scribing compass Circular saw

Screwdriver Belt sander

File Router

%" particleboard Sheet laminate Contact cement and

thinner wood glue Drywall screws.

Fabricating your own custom countertop from particleboard and plastiC laminate is not exactly an easy DIY proJect, but it gives you unlimited options and the results can be very satisfying.


Tips for Working with Laminate ~

Measure along tops of base cabinets to determine the size of the countertop. If wall corners are not square, use a framing square to establish a reference line (R) near the middle of the base cabinets, perpendicular to the front of the cabinets. Take four measurements (A, B, c, D) from the reference line to the cabinet ends. Allow for overhangs by adding 1" to the length for each exposed end, and 1" to the width (E).

Backsplash substrate

Countertop substrate

Layout cutting lines on the particleboard so you can rip-cut the substrate and build-up strips to size, using a framing square to establish a reference line. Cut core to size using a circular saw with clamped straightedge as a guide. Cut 4" strips of particleboard for the backsplash, and for joint support where sections of countertop core are butted together. Cut 3" strips for edge buildups.

BllildiJlg a ellS/Om Lam il1ale COIllller/op • 69

How to Build a Custom Laminate Countertop

1 1

•

Join the countertop substrate pieces on the bottom side. Attach a 4" particleboard Joint support across the seam, using carpenter's glue and 1 %" wallboard screws.


2

-

Attach 3"-wide edge buildup strips to the bottom of the countertop, using 1%" wallboard screws. Fill any gaps on the outside edges with latex wood patch, and then sand the edges with a belt sander.

TO determine the size of the laminate top, measure the countertop substrate. Laminate seams should not overlap the substrate. Add y," trimming margin to both the length and width of each piece. Measure laminate needed for face and edges of backsplash, and for exposed edges of countertop substrate. Add '(," to each measurement

4

Cut laminate by scoring and breaking it. Draw a cutting line, then etch along the line with a utility knife or other sharp cutting tool. Use a straightedge as a guide. Two passes of scoring tool will help laminate break cleanly.

Bend laminate toward the scored line until the sheet breaks cleanly. For better control on narrow pieces, clamp a straightedge along the scored line before bending laminate. wear gloves to avoid being cut by sharp edges.

OPTION: Some laminate installers prefer to cut laminate with special snips that resemble avaiator snips. Available from laminate suppliers, the snips are faster than scoring and snapping, and less likely to cause cracks or tears in the material. You'll still need to square the cut edges with a trimmer or router.

Create tight-piloted seams with plastic laminate by using a router and a straight bit to trim edges that will butt together Measure from cutting edge of the bit to edge of the router baseplate (A). Place laminate on scrap wood and align edges. To guide the router, clamp a straightedge on the laminate at distance A plus v." , parallel to laminate edge. Trim laminate.

BllildiJlg a ellS/Om Lamil1ale COIllller/op • 71

Apply laminate to sides of countertop first Using a paint roller, apply two coats of contact cement to the edge of the countertop and one coat to back of laminate. Let cement dry according to manufacturer's directions. Position laminate carefully, then press against edge of countertop. Bond by rolling with a !-roller.

9 \

Use a router and flush-cutting bit to trim edge strip flush with top and bottom surfaces of countertop substrate. At edges where router cannot reach, trim excess laminate with a file. Apply laminate to remaining edges, and trim with router.

I )

Test-fit laminate top on countertop substrate. Check that laminate overhangs all edges. At seam locations, draw a reference line on core where laminate edges will butt together. Remove laminate. Make sure all surfaces are free of dust, then apply one coat of contact cement to back of laminate and two coats to substrate. Place spacers made of %"thick scrap wood at 6" intervals across countertop core. Because contact cement bonds instantly, spacers allow laminate

/

to be positioned accurately over core without bonding. Align laminate with seam reference line. Beginning at one end, remove spacers and press laminate to countertop core.


11

Roll the entire surface with a J-roller to bond the laminate to the substrate. Clean off any excess contact cement with a soft cloth and mineral spirits.

Apply contact cement to remaining substrate and next piece of laminate. Let the cement dry, then position laminate on spacers, and carefully align the butt seam. Beginning at seam edge, remove spacers and press laminate to the countertop substrate.

cutting bit

Remove excess laminate with a router and flush-cutting bit. At edges where router cannot reach, trim excess laminate with a file. Countertop is now ready for final trimming with bevelcutting bit.


15° bevelcutting bit

Finish-trim the edges with router and 15° bevel-cutting bit. set bit depth so that the bevel edge is cut only on top laminate layer. Bit should not cut into vertical edge surface.

14

cut 1 Y."-wide strips of %" plywood to form an overhanging scribing strip for the backsplash. Attach to the top and sides of the backsplash substrate with glue and wallboard screws. Cut laminate pieces and apply to exposed sides, top and front of backsplash. Trim each piece as it is applied.


\.-~

TIP: File all edges smooth. Use downward file strokes to avoid chipping the laminate.

15

Test-fit the countertop and backsplash. Because your walls may be uneven, use a compass to trace the wall outline onto the backsplash scribing strip. Use a belt sander to grind the backsplash to scribe line.

16

Apply a bead of silicone caulk to the bottom edge of the backsplash .

18 I

Position the backsplash on the countertop, and clamp it into place with bar clamps. Wipe away excess caulk, and let dry completely.

screw 2" wallboard screws through the countertop and into the backsplash core. Make sure screw heads are countersunk completely for a tight fit against the base cabinet Install countertops.


I Creating Wood Countertop Edges

For an e leaant Cl dded tOllch on a laminate COllntert~p ) li se hardwood edges and shape them

with a router. Hout the edges before attac hing the

backsplas h to the countertop. Wood caps ca n also be added to the top edge of th e bac ksplas h. A sim ple edge is best for easy cleaning.

Tools & Materials ~

Hammer Nail set Belt sander with 120-grit

sanding belt 3-way clamps

Router 1 x 2 hardwood strips

Wood glue Finish nails Incorporating hardwood into the countertop edging

presents a wealth of attractive and very durable solutions for the nosing of a plastic laminate countertop.

I How to Build Solid Hardwood Edges

Apply laminate to the top of the countertop before attaching the edge strip. Attach the edge strip flush with the surface of the laminate, using wood glue and finish nails.


Mold the top and bottom edges of the strip with a router and profiling bit, if desired. Stain and finish the wood as desired.

I How to Build Coved Hardwood Edges

Cut 1 x 2 hardwood strips to fit the edges of the countertop. Sand the strips smooth. Miter-cut the inside and outside corners.

Attach edge strips to the countertop with wood glue and 3-way clamps. Drill pilot holes, then attach strip with finish nails. Recess nail heads with a nail set or, use a pneumatic finish nailer with 2" nails.

Sand the edge strips flush with the top surface of the countertop, using a belt sander and 120-grit sandpaper.

Apply laminate to the edge and top of the countertop after the hardwood edge has been sanded flush.

Cut cove edge with a router and cove bit with ball-bearing pilot Smooth cove with 220-grit sandpaper. Stain and finish exposed wood as desired.

Crentillg Wood COIO/terrop Edges • 77

I Window Seat

One great way to add cozy charm to a room is to build a \"lindow seat. Not on ly do window seats make a

room more invit ing, they provide fu nctional benellts as

well, part icularly "vhen you surround them with bu ilt- in

shelving. The "vindow seat shown here has a base built from above-the-refrigerator cabinets. This size provides


just the right height (when placed on a 3" curb) to create

a comfortab le seat. Above the cab inets and Aanking celch side is a

site-made bookcase. A top she lf bridges the t\iva cases and t ies the whole thi ng toget her-\,vhile creating st ill more space for storage or d isplay.

Tools Mi ter S3\Y

Table saw Ci rcular saw

Drill/driver Level Stud finder Hammer

Tape measure Nail set Pneumatic nailer/compressor

Hauter Shooting board

Sander Fra ming square

Materials 2) lSI! upper refrigerator

cabinets 2) %" x 4 x 8 ft. pes. M DF or

plywood Screws/nails I ) 'I," ~ x 4 x 8 ft. laua n plywood

Caulk Primer

Paint

Cutting List

Part No. Desc. Size

A 2 Outer standard % x llY2 x 771//

B 2 Inner standard 3/4 x 111fl X 63 1//

C 6 Shelf ¥-i x 161/) x 1 ]1//

D Top shelf 0/4 x 11 1/ .. x 70W

E Top bocker 1f4x131/4 x71 %"

F 2 Bllckers 1/. x 171/1 x 631/4 "

G Seotboord 0/" 25 x 74"

Material Part No. Desc. Size Material

MOF H 2 Bridge "binets 15 h x 36" w Stock "binets

MDF 2 End panel 'I, x 24 x I B" MDF

MDF J 4 Nailer 3/. x 21/1 x 15" Plywood

MDF K ledger 3/. x 2111 x 72" Plywood

Plywood L 2 Curb rim o/4 x3x72" MDF

Plywood M 4 Curb strut 0/4 x 3 X 22 1/1" MDF

MDF N Cabinet nailer o/4 x3x72" MDF

Wi l1dOHl Seal • 81

How to Build a Window Seat

1

The key control point for laying this project out is the center of the window sill. Measure and mark it

After striking a level line at cabinet height, measure from the floor in three locations to make sure the cabinets will fit

3

Strike a plumb line on each edge of the cabinet run. use a Hoot level and strike the line from floor to ceiling.


LAY OUT THE PROJECT T h is window seat is integrated v·,Iith the exist ing windO\v

and trimwork. T he key contro l point for laying out

the base ca binets is locating the center of the v·,Iindow

openi ng. It is al so important that the cabinets sit level both le ft-to-right and front-to-back. Level cab inet tops

make in sta lli ng the uppe r cabinet cases mLl ch eas ie r.

Before YOLI begi n building, re locate or re move a ny

electrica l outlets that' ll be cove red by the ca binet,

according to you r local e lectrica l codes . For exa m ple,

you ca n't just dead-end wires and leave them buri ed

in a wa ll. T hey usua lly need to be capped and placed

in a junc tion box with a re movable faceplate that is

access ible (vv hic h may mean making a c utout in the

back of a cab inet pane l).

Mark the cen te r of the window opening on the

sill (photo I ) . Use a square and a level to t ransfer

that mark plum b down the wa ll to the ca binet he ight

locat ion. At the he ight of the cab ine ts mark a level

line. i\lleas ure from the Roa r up to the level line in

severa l locations to make sure the cabine ts will fit a ll

a long their enti re run (photo 2). If t hey don't fit , make

the prope r adjustments; that is, raise the line . Ca binets

tha t don·t come up to the li ne m ust be shim med so

they are level. Using an elec tronic s tud finder, Rnd and mark the wa ll stud locat ions beneath the windO\v and

on each side in the project area. Note: You should find jack and king stlids directly on ei ther side of the window and a header above the windollJ. Deter/nine the overall span of the cabinets you. choose. For the project ShOl lnt

here, the bank will be 6 ft . long, nwasuringfrom ontside ~

edge to outside-edge. Use a level to mark tile outside edges of the cabinet run Oil tlte wall. Mark plumb lines

down to the floor and "1' to the ceiling (photo 3).

INSTALL THE BASE CABINETS With a ll the layout lines marked out, the next step

is to insta ll the ca binets that form the base of the

win dmv seat. T hi s de te rmines the control points for

the rest of the project layout. Use a pull -saw an d sha rp

c hi se l to remove base molding between the verti ca l

layo Llt lines (photo 4).

To e levate the ca binets that \vill be used fo r the

seat to a more comfo rtab le he ight , and to create a

toe~ kick space, build a s ho rt curb that matches the

footprint of t he scat. Si nce the cu rb will not be visibl e,

you can usc j ust abou t any shop scraps you may have

to b u ild it. The o ne s hown here is made with iVlDF

sheet stoc k that is rip-c ut in to 3"-wide strips. Then

the curb is assem bled into a ladder shape by attach ing struts betwee n the front and back curb members with

glue and sc rews (photo 5). O nce the ladde r is bu il t, set the cabinets on the curb so the cabinet fron ts

and sides al ign with t he cu rb. Ma rk the location of the backs of the ca binets onto the top of th e curb and then remove the cabinets. A ttac h a nailer to the

curb just behind the line for the cab inet backs . T hen, pos it ion the curb tight against the wall in the area

where the base molding has bee n removed. Attac h it

to the si ll plate of the wa ll wi th na il s or screws. To support the bac k edge of t he seatboard,

attac h a ledger to the wa ll. Th e top of the ledge r (we used a 2 'j,"-wide st rip of plywood ) should be Aush with the tops of the cab inets when they are in stalled

on top of the curb. A ttac h the ledger with panel

adh esive and nai ls or screws drive n at stud loca tions

(photo 6). Measu re betwee n th e top of t he curb and ledger and cut a few nailers to this length .

Assemble the curb members into a ladder-like frame and secure the butt joints with glue and screws driven through pilot holes.

4

Because a pull-type saw requires almost zero clearance at the bottom of a cut (where it would hit the floor in this application), it's great for removing the base molding so the cabinet carcases fit tight to the wall.

Attach a ledger for the back edge of the seatboard to the wall, using panel adhesive and screws or nails driven at stud locations.

Wil1dolV Seal • 83

Cut nailers to fit between the ledger and the curb and attach them to the wall at the ends of the project area.

For floors that are out of level, shim the cabinets up to the level line to keep them in a level plane.

After clamping the cabinet face-frames together, predri ll and fasten them together with screws.

84 • TH E COM PLETE GUIDE TO CUSTOM SHELVES & BUlLT-l NS

Attach them to the wedl at the e nds of the project, and add a coup le near the center to help support the ledge r (photo 7).

Set t he cabinets in posi tion on the curb, \,vith the

back edges aga inst the nai ler. Drive shims betwee n the curb and the Aoor if necessary to level the cabinets (photo 8 ). Fasten the cabi nets to the na iler st rip. Pre-dri ll , coun ters ink a nd face-fasten the face frames toge ther \<\I ith screws to form a "ga ng" of cab inets (photo 9). If YOLI are lIsing cab inets that have no face fram es, screw the cabinet sides together as directed by the cabinet manufacturer. Cut off shims as necessary.

If the e nds of you r window seat are open (that is , they don 't butt up against a wall ), cut e nd pane ls to cover the ends of the cab inets and the open space behind them. Use 1/4

11 plywood or hardboard. You may need to remove a slive r of the baseboard on each side so you can butt the panels up aga in st the \.va ll. Attach the pane l to the cabinet ends and the curb with pa ne l adhesive.

Cut, rout and install the seat top. Cutting a 74" x 25" blank from M DF (medium -density fiberboard ) works wel l. This will c reate a one inch overha ng at the front and sides of the cab inets.

Before installing the seat top, rout a profile on the front and side edges. Don't rout the back.

Use <:I route r <:Ind bit with <:I decorat ive profi le (suc h <:IS <:I n ogee or a plain roundover) to smooth the hard edge of the M OF (photo 10). Profilin g the edge red uces the chance that the edge wi ll chip or crack. Pos ition the

seat top on top of the cab inets and the wal l ledger and faste n it from the interior of the cabinets using coarsethreaded drywall screws. A bead of panel adhes ive along the top edges of the c<:l binet a nd the ledger he lps ensure a sol id con nection.

CUT THE CASE STOCK T he bookcase portion of the window seat can be assemb led from sheet stock (M OF is a good c hoice)

or solid Ix stock, such as I x 12 pine or poplar (pine is c heaper, popla r is st ronger and takes paint better) or hmd,vood like mCiple, oCl k, or cheny for sta ining. WhCltever materiCi I you choose, insta ll CI backer sheet of '/," plywood that fi ts into rabbets in the backs of the case stoc k to help ensu re square assem bly and provide a st rong connection point to the wal l.

T he ac tual width of I x 12 di me nsion lumber is 1 J 112", so if usi ng sheet stock, rip all pieces to width .

Any edges that face th e interior of the room need to be sanded smooth to remove SClW marks. Note that it's usuCi lly eas ie r to dress the fac tory edge than the edge cut on-site. Running the pieces on a jointer or route r table is a fast, accurate ,vay to dress the edge. A

be lt sa nder or finish sander with fine grit paper works too, but be careful not to re move too muc h stoc k. Of course, you ca n also hand sand it.

C ut <:I 1/2 1! ,vide by 1/.,," deep rabbet (see drawing, page

81) on the backs of the standards (photo I I). You can do this ,vith a table saw (either make multip le passes on the table saw to remove stoc k or use a stacked dado head cutter blade); using a router with a rabbeting bit;

or on a jointer or router tab le. The remainder of the layout and sizing must be registered from the seat top to accommodate spec ific si te conditions.

INSTALL THE TOP-SHELF BACKER The remaining measurements for the backer and shelf dimensions are now determ ined by the distance between you r window casing, vertical layout lines, and ce iling height. They must be si te-measured for accuracy.

Layout the top shelf backer (photo 12). It should

fit ben·veen the cei li ng a nd the top of the wi ndow cCisi ng- and be t,,\leen you r vertical layout lines. To calcu late the top she lf backer dimen sions, measu re between th e ve rt ical layout lines. Su btract %,1> . To

calcu late top shelf backer height, measu re fro m the top of the window cas ing to the ceili ng. Subtract 1/8" .

Clamp all work securely before milling the y, x % rabbet. for the backers with a router, which will provide safe, accurate cuts. The remainder of the layout and sizing must be registered from the seat top to accommodate specific site conditions.

12

use the layout lines to size the top shelf backer and the backers for the vertical shelf units.


[nsta ll the top she lf backer t ight to the ceil ing by fastening to studs wit h fi n is h nails or sc rews.

FABRICATE & ASSEMBLE THE BOOKCASES T he bookcases' outs ide edges run fro m the seat-top to the ceili ng. T he inside edges run fro m the seat-top to

the top of the \v indow casi ng. Me<1s lIre a nd cut each vertical bookcase mem ber to le ngth . O n a fl at su rface,

lay a[[ the bottoms of the bookcase members flus h

and mark out your shelves (photo [3). Use a framing square to mark them. Keep in mind the re is a bottom


Marking layout lines all at once using a framing square is a good way to keep lines parallel from shelf-to-shelf. Make sure all bottoms are held flush during the marking procedure.

Install the rest of the shelves taking care to drive fasteners straight to prevent blow-outs in the shelf stock.

shelf that sits di rectly above the seat top. The top shelf is insta lled late r.

Layou t and cu t the backer stock . To calcu [ate the width, measure the distance bc(\vcc n the \vi ndow casing and the vertical layout li ne, m in us 1// .

To calculate the height, measure the distance fro m the seat top to the bottom edge of the top bac ker and subtract 11/',".

Asse mb[e the cabinet sides and the bac kers. This is an ideal app li cation for a pneumatic 1/./ crovm stapler,

but it can also be done effective ly by pre-dril [ing and

5

Hold the shelf assembly as tight as possible to the window trim, seat top and wall then fasten.

screwing, or by lIsing a pneumatic finish na ile r. Use a framing square as a reference to be Slire the cabinet carcascs arc as sq uare as poss ible during assem bly. iVlcasure, c ut, and insta ll shelves at the layout lines

(photo J 4). Fasten through the ca bine t carcass into the shelves. Pre-drill and countersink jf using sc re\vs.

INSTAll THE BOOK CASES & TOP SHELF Butt the left bookcase to the window trim and fasten it to a wa ll stud with a few screws or na il s dr iven

thro ugh the backer (photo 15). Make su re the case

16

For paint grade units, caulk any gaps that appear to make shadow lines disappear You can caulk the gap on paint grade shelves too. Be extra diligent in wiping down the material after caulking.

sits as tightly to the wa ll , seat top, and \vindow trim as poss ible . Expect to make some on -site corrections as necessary to accommodate out-oF-p lumb \.va ll s or other imperfection s. Sl ight gaps can be caulked

later. Repeat for the right-side bookcase and then

measure, c ut and insta ll the top shelf. If pa int ing, caulk wherever necessary (photo 16) . Fill exposed

ho les for nails an d screws, then pri me and paint or apply anothe r nni sh of your choice. Make or buy

a comforta ble seat c ushion. Fina lly, brew a c up of

coffee, grab a good book, and get busy relaxing.


I Bed Surround

Headboards aren 't the only way to adorn the head of a bead. In deed, it ca n be dressed not on ly with

form but \,vi th terri fic function . Combining cab inets of

differi ng sizes and shapes provides both the finis h to

a bed-that is often the sole domain of the attractive but purely decorative headboard-and the util ity of cab inets that doubl e as both decoration and much needed storage.

T he cabinets' c lea n, deAned lines len d this Bed Surrou nd a modern fee l while the option for a bove-

88 • TH E COM PLETE GUIDE TO CUSTOM SHELVES & BUILT-INS

bed lighting creates the halo of a warm and calm space

for sta rting and ending the day or tucking a\vay for a

qui ck nap. Before getting started, determine if YO Ll \va nt

the option of ca binet· mounted lights. If so, rough

in the wires and S\,vitc h(es) prior to insta lling the

cabinets . Once the ca binets arc on site, prep them

before hanging by drilling the appro priate holes to

accommodate the \vires and house the light fixtures.

30 'l'~

A

D A

, , , c : 81" ,

A

c

Cutting List

Part No. Desc. Size

A 4 Wall cabinet 12 x 30"

B 2 Wall cabinet 15 x 30"

C 2 Bose cabinet 18 x 34Y1"

D 2 Countertop 1'1" 19 x 25"

Hed S'urrolllld • 89

How to Build a Bed Surround

LAY OUT THE PROJECT C hoose the exac t locat io n for your bed surrou nd .

Mark the left and right edges of the project area,

and t hen And t he center li ne. Be very exact. Usi ng a

4 ft. leve l, plu mb u p from the ce nter poi nt. Ma rk a

p lu m b li ne (p hoto I ). T h is is the control poi nt from

whi ch YOLI map out the rest of the IaYOLIt . Measure 30 1/8" left a nd right of the cen te r poin t to ma rk t he

ou tsi de edges of th e ho rizon ta l uppers (p hoto 2 ).

D rive a 6-pc nny nail r igh t on the ce nte rli ne to ho ld

your tape.

INSTALL THE UPPER CABINETS I nsta ll a temporary ledger <:It the locCltion of the bottom

edges of the horizon tal cabi ne ts (81" above the Aoor

in OLif project). Carefully insta ll the ho rizontal uppers

by res t ing the m in position o n the temporary ledgers

and the n d riving screws through the cabinet backs

and into wall st uds (p hoto 3). If you discover gaps

between u pper cab ine ts, create fi lle r st ri ps to inse rt

bet\veen the cab ine ts (p hoto 4 ) and conceal the gaps

(see page 32 ).

From the outs ide edges of the in sta lled

horizon tal upper assembly, plum b down to t he Aoor

with a 4-ft. level. W ith the uppers insta lled, you

now have rock sol id contro l po ints to p lum b down to

the Aoor from. T hese li nes e nable you to place the

lower ca b inets acc urately a nd keep all face fra mes

tight. Measure the base ca bi ne ts' \vidt h to the left

and righ t of the p lu m b lines and ma rk t he baseboa rd

fo r removal (photo 5). Us ing a comb ination square

and pu ll saw, mark a nd re move the base mo lding. Be

ca reful not to da mage t he wal lboa rd w he n removing

the base mo lding.

INSTALL THE VERTICAL ELEMENTS T he base cab inets will need so me type of

cou n tertop s urface so they can fu nc t ion as

n ightstands and a lso suppo rt the vert ical upper cab ine ts. \;\Ie made part ic leboard cou ntertops \v ith

p lastic la mi nate app li ed to the tops and edges.

Because the s izes are re la tively sma ll , thi s projec t

<:I lso presents <:I good opportu n ity to ex peri me n t with

some h igh ~e nd cou n tertop mater ia ls, such as gran ite

or q uartz. Install t he cou nte rtops before in sta lli ng

the base cabi ne ts in the project a rea (p hoto 6).

Insta ll t he le ft base cabinet tigh t to the plumb li ne

(p hoto 7).


Draw a plumb reference line in the exact center of the project area.

2

..

Mark vertical reference lines %" further out from the centerline than the horizontal cabinet height.

3

Move the upper cabinets into position and fasten them to wall at stand locations using screws.

4

Cut and attach filler strips to the edge of one of the cabinets if there is a gap between it and its neighbor.

From the plumb line, measure out the exact width of the base cabinet carcass and mark the base molding for removal.

Bed Su rrolllld • 91

Install the laminate countertop on the base cabinet prior to installation. Make sure it is flush to the inside edge and back of the base cabinets and overhangs the front and outside edges.

Install the left base cabinet tight to the plumb line. Drive screws into a stud at both the top and bottom of the cabinet carcase.


On top of the left base cabi net, mOll nt the first

vert ical uppe r tigh t to the plumb li ne. Be careful of the lami nate countertop during installation. Mount the second vert ica l uppe r tight to the first. Make su re

the face frames are Aush. Shim the back as necessary and make sure to catch wa ll studs wi th the fasteners

(photo 8). Repeat these steps for the base cabinet on

the right side.

JOIN THE CABINETS T he horizontal uppers and verti cal uppers shou ld be

at the same height. If so, Aush up and fasten the face

frames (photo 9).

If the ca bin et gangs are not Aush, adjust the

horizo ntcd uppers to mate \vith the left a nd right

vertical gangs . O nce Aush in all directions, fasten the face frames a nd secu re to the wall (photo 10).

Insta ll (or have installed) the light fix tu res and

swi tches. Remove the temporary ledger, patch drY'.va ll ,

cau lk, and trim cabinet bases as required . Sand and

spot-tollch the hnishes .

9

Fasten the face frames of the vertical uppers to the horizontal uppers. Pre-drill and countersink before driving screws.

Sometimes shims are required to keep face frames tight and flush, due to irregularities in the wall surface. Insert shims behind the cabinets as needed and remove excess shim material after installation.

10

Once the face frames are fastened together, attach the wall cabinets securely to the wall with screws driven through the cabinet backs at stud locations.

Bed Surrolllld • 93

I Loft Bed

If you had- or wanted- a loft bed back in college or in your first apartment, then this is a project you're

going to like. But your kjds will probab ly li ke it more because it's cool, fun , and their fr iends probably \,\ro n 't

have one. T hi s loft bed is designed to open lip fl oor space

usually consu med by a bed. I t a lso provides a location underneath it for a kid or kids to play, do activi ties or

set up a desk. An d, it because it ties in with the wa ll , it ca n work for kids of all ages.

Because YO LI ca n tie into the \va ll , thi s loft bed probably has a litt le more oomph than the one YOLI

might have buil t with yo ur old roumnlelte. And, <!

bllilt ~ i n safety rail adds an extra layer of protect ion


fo r younger kids. VVhi le YO LI ca n make the bed to your

own specification s follow ing the techniques below, the bed des ign here is based on a twin-sized mattress, v" hi ch is 39" x 75 ",

T he outside dimensions of the bed frame are 483/ .. " X 80", wh ich a ll O\,vs room up top fo r books, a drink, and a little ext ra room for the bedding to drapc when the bed is made . Your little princess or prince

wi ll love cl imbing the ladder to get in bed. Safety Note: Never attach hooks or handles to the

loft bed and do not hang ite1lls lr01I1- it, including rope and belts. Children can catch thenlselves on these ite111.s when. playing or in the event that {In accidental fall occurs.

Tools Mi te r S3\Y

Table saw Ci rcular saw

Drill/driver Level Stud finder Hammer Tape measure Nail set Pneumatic nailer/compressor

Hauter and bits Sander Carpenter's square

Shooting board Of straightedge

Materials (2) W' x 4 x 8 ft. maple pl)~vood (6) I x 2 x 8 ft. maple (4) lx6x8ft. maple (3) 2 x 2 x 8 ft. pine Brass screws

"',lith grommet washers Deck screws Trim head \,\'ood screVl's

Finish ing materials

Cutting List

Part No. Desc.

A Box front

B Box end- left

e Box bock

D Box end-right

E Box bottom

F 2 Box/roil cop-front

G 2 Box cop-end

H Box cop- bock

Roil cop-end

Size

Y. x B x BO"

Y. x B x 4B"

%x5%x78W

%x5%x48

Y. x 4B x BO"

0/4 x ]111 x 80"

¥. x 1'1, x 48"

% x 11/2 X 781/2

%x 11h x 30 1,4


Maple plywood J 10 Roil post %X1 V2X 4 I x 2 maple

Maple plywood K ladder leg-short % x WI X 59W' I x 6 maple

Maple plywood L ladder leg-long % x 5V1 x 79W' I x 6 maple

Maple plywood M 6 ladder rung Y. x I V, x 24 I x 2 maple

Maple plywood N ladder filler %x 5Vlx 6W' I x 6 maple

I x 2 maple 0 8 ladder filler Jh x 51/1 x lOY?" I x 6 maple

I x 2 maple p ladder filler JI. x 51/1 X 31/1 I x 6 maple

I x 2 maple Q CleoHong ] lh x 11/1 X 79 1/4 2 x 2 maple (or pine)

I x 2 maple R (leoHhort 1'/, x l'h x45 2 x 2 maple (or pine)

Lof' Red • 95

How to Build a Loft Bed

1

once you've determined the height you want the mattress to be, strike a level line indicating the bottom of the mattress support box.

LAY OUT THE WALL CLEATS Determine the length, width , and location of the bed frame . P lan you r layout so that once the mattress is in , you have 4" to 6" all the way around it inside the

mattress box, providing room for bedd ing and other things. Ma rk a level line o n both walls at the bottom of the mattress box (photo I).

BUILD THE MATTRESS BOX The mattress box is fabricated from 3// thick maple plywood, which creates a clean, mode rn look once insta ll ed and finished . Maple is also a very stab le

material that delivers dependa bl e mec han ica l connectio ns for assemb ly. And , because vve can make pa nels larger theln wi th dimensiona l lumber, we create a nest for the mattress to set inside that resul ts in a c u rb that will he lp keep ch ildren safe at n ight. The box shou ld be assembled as compl e te ly as possib le on th e grou nd ( in your s hop) a nd then

96 • THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO CUSTOM SHELVES & BU1LT-1NS

cut stock using a circular saw and straightedge guide, and stack it neatly. Label each piece (magic marker on blue painters tape works) to make identifying it later easier.

hoi sted into position on th e wa ll c leats w hen you've

taken it as far as it makes sense to go. The two si des of the box that face out into the room are \"rider than the two that go aga inst the wa ll s because the room-s ide of the box needs to conceal the c leats that support the plywood box bottom. T hese clea ts (the room side ones) a rc attac hed to the frame first and the other two are attached to the walls first. The plywood bottom is butted agai nst the room sides of the box frame , and is Rush \vith the outs ide edges of the wa ll si des of the frame. The top edges of the box are covered wit h I X 2 maple on-edge, \,vhich a lso se rves as the bottom rail of the ra iling on the room s ides.

I1ip-eut the four box frame sides from 'ii' maple plyv/Ood, using a tablesaw or a circ ular saw and st raightedge cu tting guide (photo 2). Note that th e t\,VO frame sides that go against the wall are 21//1 narrower than the ones fac ing the room.

The fastener sc heme we chose for this bed is to tack the parts together w ith glue and pneumatic nails, then 3 reinforce with brass screws and grommet~sty l e was hers once things arc squared up (the brass screws on ly need

to be used on visi ble surfaces) . Join the corners of the

box wi th glue and screws (photo 3). The two exposed s ides should conceal the end gra in of the side they're

attached to. \t\1ork on a large, flat surface \,vith the box

sides upsid e~dO\vn so their top edges are even. Cut the c leats to length from 2 X 2 pine stock.

Attac h c lea ts to the bottom inside faces of the exposed

box sides, Aush with the bottom edges of the box (photo 4). Use g lue and brass \vooc! screw's dri ven at

8" interval s to sec ure the cleClts.

Once the cleats are in place, cut the mattress box bottom to size and attach it to the cleats that are connected to the room sides of the box. Drive 211 dcck sc rews through the plywood bottom and into the

c leats, spaced no more than 12" apa rt (photo 5). At the wall -s ides of the box, the pl)~vood bottom should

be Aush with the o uts ide edges of the box. Also dri ve 2" deck or wa llboard screws into the ply'\vood box

edges on thi s side. C ut 3 2 X 2 st iffe ners "nd posit ion them on the

undersides of the plywood. The ends should be flu s h agai nst the room side cleat. Tac k in place and then attach by dri ving screws through the top of the plywood.

Attach the cleats that support the mattress box bottom to the two sides of the box that face the room.

Join the corners of the mattress box with glue and a few nails or with glue and clamps, and then reinforce each joint with three #8 x 2'h" brass wood screws. Space the screws evenly. we added decorative grommet-style brass washers instead of counterboring and plugging the screw holes.

5

Attach the plywood mattress box bottom by driving screws through the plywood and into the two cleats mounted inside the box. Also drive screws through the box bottom and into the back and right end edges of the box.

Lo!t Red • 97

Run the top edges of the j x 2 map le stock for

the railing and edge caps parts through a router table fitted with a 1// roundover bit. Cut the box caps, cap

rails and rail posts to length (use a stop block on you r power miter saw to make uniform length pieces). Attac h the I x 2 caps to the back edge and right end

(the wa ll sides) with glue and Anish nails (drill pilot hole for the Anish na ils if hand-dr iving them). Before

attaching the fro nt and left side box caps, layou t positions for the railing posts accord ing to the diCigram

on page 95 (photo 6). For best accuracy, gang~mark

the post locations on the rail caps a nd box caps. Attach each post to the box caps at marked

locations, usi ng glue and two 3" deck screws or wood screws driven up through pilot holes in the box

Layout the locations for the rail ing posts on the mating ra il and box caps so you' ll be sure they're aligned perfectly.


cap and in to the bottom ends of the posts. Then, attach the box caps with attac hed posts to the front

and left sides of the mattress box, llsing glue and 3" trim -head wood scre\'vs driven dovm through the top edges of the box ca ps and into the box at t 211 inte rvals (photo 7).

Next, attach the fCli ling caps to the tops of the railing posts with glue and trimheCld wood screws

driven down through the rail caps and into the posts. Make sure the posts are a ligned \vith the reference lines you marked for their positions. F in ish-sand the

mattress box (you may wa nt to back out the screws a ways to get underneath the grom mets), It's best to wait

unti l a ll parts are built so you ca n apply Anish at the

sa me time

After screwing the railing posts to the box caps, attach the assemblies to the front and left sides of the mattress box using counterbored trim-head wood screws.

Shape the bullnose profiles into the top edges of your 1 x 2 rung stock before cutting the rungs to length.

Adding a Ceiling ~

.. g ..... .. . · . ..... . . · ....... . · ....... . ... . .. ... .. .

The ladder is a 3-ply assembly. The short leg is the first layer. Next come the ladder blocks that run parallel to the leg. After you install a ladder block. you install a rung perpendicular to it, working your way down the ladder- block, rung. block, rung, etc. Make sure the blocks are flush to the edges of the leg and that the rungs are held tight to the blocks. use glue and screws (or pneumatic nails).

The bottom edges of the front side and left end of the mattress box are still exposed plywood edge grain . There are a couple of ways of dealing with this. One is to conceal the edges with heat-activated maple veneer tape. Or, you can tack on additional strips of maple 1 x 2. But we chose to create a "ceiling" for the area underneath the loft bed by attaching a sheet of tempered W' hardboard to the underside of the box.

MAKE THE LADDER T he ladder/post is made from bui lt-up I X 6 map le boards . T he rungs arc I x 2 maple boards with bull nosed edges. To simplify the mac hining, cut the

bu ll noses by proA ling a ll fou r edges of you r 8-ft. I x 2 stock o n a router tabl e ntted with a %" roundover bit

(photo 8) . The rungs should have CI more pronounced bullnose than the top of the I x 2 box ca ps. T he n cut the ru ngs to le ngth \.vith a m iter smv or power m iter smv (3 sto p b loc k is a good idea fo r ensuring uniform length s).

Cut the ladde r legs and ladder b locks to le ngth fro m I x 6 maple stock. Arra nge the sho rte r legs on a Rat surface wi th the ou tside edges 24" apart and the e nd Au sh. Make sure legs stay para llel at a ll times . Insta ll the 6'1,' blocks first Aus h wi th the top ends

of the legs. Use glue a nd a coup le of Anis h na il s or pne umati c na ils to secu re the blocks. T hen begin v\lork,j ng downwa rd, add ing fu ngs and blocks accord ing to the d i"gram 0 11 page 95 (photo 9).

Loft Red • 99

'1'0 " · . . .. ... .. · . . . .. .. ' .. . .. ,' . .. . . ..... , .. . . . ..... " .... ... .. · ..... .. . . , ...... . · . . . . . . . . ......... .. .... .. ' ", ..... . . . . . . ... . . .. . ..... ......... ... ... , .. . . . .. . . .. " ..... . . .... . ... . ........ . .... .. .. . ... .. .. ..... .

Attach the long outer legs to the blocks. rungs and short legs, ensuring that the bottoms and sides are flush. Glue and screw securely with flat head brass wood screws and decorative grommet-type washers.

11

' -' '. ,. ?

pre-assemble the wall cleats into an L-shape and fasten them to the wall studs with lag screws and adhesive.


Faste n the longer legs over the assembly, sa nd\vic hing the blocks and rllng ends be tween I x 6 legs (photo 10). The extra 15" of le ngth shou ld be a t the to p of the longer legs .

INSTALL THE LOFT BED Be fo re in sta lling the loft bed , app ly your fi nish of c hoice (a few coats of durable polyure thane varn ish is a good option). Pre ~assemble the long side c leat and short side c leat into a n L~ shape, using glue a nd 3" dec k screws . Attac h the cleat to the \.va ll at the mattress box layout lines . App ly pa nel adhes ive to the

back faces of the c leats before insta lling. Attac h wi th 3/8 x 3 1h" coun tersun k lag sc re\vs \,v ith was he r at eac h

stud locatio n (photo j I). C la m p a lo ng 2 x 4 to th e fro nt face of the

mattress box so th e 2 x 4 w ill s up port t he fro nt a t rough ly the co rrect he ight \,vhe n it is insta ll ed. With a couple of he lpers (or more), ra ise th e box a nd rest th e bac k and right end on the wa ll s c leats, ma king su re the box is sq uare to the co rn ers and

Rus h agai ns t the wa ll s . Pl ace a level on th e box a nd adj ust th e c la mp and 2 x 4 brace so the box is leve l (photo j 2).

12

Check with a 4 ft. level across the corner of the box near the ladder location to make sure the box is level on both sides.

13

• •

Position the ladder at the corner of the front and left side edges. The rung layer and short leg layer should fit snugly underneath the box, since the ladder will serve as a corner support post. Attach the ladder to the rnattress box.

Once the mattress box is leve l, face-nail through

the front and left ends of the box and into the wa ll c leats to ho ld the bed in place. After the ladde r is secured "mel attached to the bed it \,vill be safe enough

to go topside and drive some nai ls through the box

bottom and in to the \,va ll cleats .

INSTALL THE LADDER Position the ladder under the mattress support box.

lvIake su re that the right side of the ladder is Rush

with the long, outsi de edge of the mattress support box. Plumb it and fasten us ing glue and screws. The short legs of the ladder create a ledge to he lp support the free e nd of the box.

Drive 3 1// brass scrclwvs with grommet washe rs

through the ladder leg a nd upper ladder block at 8" intelVa ls to sec ure the ladder (which functions as

Secure the bottom of the ladder/corner post by attaching a cleat to the floor behind the ladder legs.

a post) to the mattress box (photo 13). Locate the

screws so they hit the 2 x 2 cleat at the bottom , inside

edge of the box. AJso drive a few countersunk 2"

screv/s dovm through the plywood box bottom Cl nd in to

the top e nds of the s hort legs. DOLIb le~chec k the ladder to make SLIre it is

plumb and then sc rew the sixth ladder rLIng to the

floor, directl y behi nd the bottom of the ladde r, laying Rat (photo 14). The ends of the rungs shou ld be flush with the outside faces of the ladde r legs.

Drive sc rews or na il s through th e rungs and in to

the bottom s of the legs to prevent the ladder from moving. A lso ClttClc h the top ends of the long ladder

legs to the top railing caps with tri m-head screws .

Drive a few extra na il s through the box bottom and

into the cleats, remove the temporary 2 x 4 brace,

and add your mattress.

Loft Red • 101

I Country Diner

Diners are traditiona l morning and late-night

ga the ring spots, well - loved for being bright , friendly, and upbeat. They have been gracious ly Izjcking off our days for generations \\l ith hot food, great coffee and \.varm company.

At home, breakfast nooks emulating diner booth designs and ambience arc traditiona l gath ering spots for morning coffee, preparing for the day a head , or

qu iet evening conversations with the fami ly. But

at-home breakfast nooks have traditionally bee n

in terpre ted as dark-stai ned , hard-edged plyv/Ood and somewhat monol ithic designs. They lack the spunk, pop, and zip of the local diner and ca ll overpO\"le r a small s pace.

The Country Diner com bines the fee l of the small town diner with a modern Rare that keeps up wi th


your fami ly. Wh ile \.ve've llsed ply\vood for the benc h

su ppo rts, we wrapped it in warme r whi te pi ne that can be left clear, painted , or pic kled. The seatboards and tabletop are made fro m edge-glued pine, but you can choose other materials if you prefer.

The tongue-and-groove pine pane ling \'vrapp ing the benches adds contour and shadow lines while the bench's bac k grows right out of the seat. T he

ascend ing modern line delivers a sleek shape whi le the wide bench ca p provides a ni ce capita l a long wi th a flat surface. The modern su rface looks like it might o nce have supported \,vhite ceramic coffee c ups a nd short-s tacks back when dine rs looked li ke train ca rs, yet it's modern and tough enough to stand up to busy fam ilies that \,vill use the country d iner fo r a lot more than b reakfast.

Tools Materials Tablesav" Counters in k F in ish materials 2) 3/; x 4 ft. x 8 ft. plywood Circular saw and Combination sq uare (6) tab letop clips 10) I x 4" x 8 ft. pi ne

shooting board Framing square (2) Metal L-brackets 2) 1 X 8" X 8 ft. pinc

Jig saw i\II iter saw Sc rews 7) 1 X 10" X 8 ft. pinc

Tape measure Table saw Nails 1) I X 12" X 8 ft . pine

Cord less drill/driver C lue 7) 3/8 x 3'12" X 8 ft. pine 2) 2 x 8" x 10ft. pine bead-board 4) 2 x 4" x 8 ft. pine

Cutting List

Key Part No. Size Material Key Part No. Size Material

A Bench upright 4 1'1, x 5Y, x 50 Rip from 2 x 8 Tobie strut/front 1 l 'I, x3x28 Rip from 2 x 4

B Bench support 6 V.x lB x l8 Plywood J Tobie strut/ledger 3 1'/,x3x24 Rip from 2 x 4

C Bench strut 10 ¥. x 31h x 60 lx4 K Apron 2 J;4x 3x52 V4 Rip from 1 x 4

D Seot buck [UP 2 %x 7x 61 Vl lxB L Tobie leg·front % x 1111. x 29 V4 Cut from 1 x 12

E Seot boords 4 V.x 9x 61 Y, 1 x 10 (edge gluel M Tobie leg buck % x ll l/. x 26 V4 Cut from 1 x 12

F Buck ponel 2 ¥.x I8x57 Plywood N Tobletop boords 3 'i. xl0x60 Cut from 1 x 12

G 8uck cleot 8 0/4 X 3/4 X 18 Pine 0 T&G clodding %x6xcuttofil Beodboord

H Buck cleut 4 1'4 X¥' X2 1/4 Pine

COlllllry Di ller • 103

How to Build a Country Diner

MAKE THE BENCH FRAMES The framework for the diner benches is made by

fabricating six identical bench supports from plywood

(three per bench ). The supports are notched to accept

five 1 x 4 st ruts thelt tie the sup ports together <Jnd

provide flailing surfaces for the tongue-and-groove

cladding. It's important that the bench supports be identical so the notches al ign correctly (othen,vise the benches won't be square). The best way to make this happen is by fabri cating a pattern that wi ll serve as

the template for cutting the other pieces. For greatest accuracy, use a route r and a template bit to cut the bench support s. But if yo u are reasonably handy w ith


a ci rcular saw and jig sa"v, YO LI can lise the first bench support as a pattern for marking and cutting the ot he rs.

Cut ten 3 1h" by 5-ft.-long struts from I X 4 pine. Then, to make the legs, cu t %" plywood into six identical J 8 x J 8" blanks. Taper one of the bl anks J" at each side, so the top edge is J6" long (photo I ).

Lay Ollt the 3/4 X 3 1h" notches for t he struts according to the diagram on page I 03. Cut the notches with a jig saw (photo 2). Clean up cut edges on the first bench support with a sander, then use the

first support as a pattern for laying out the taper lines

and notches on the rest of the \vorkpieces.

Use a circular saw and straightedge guide to make taper cuts on the first bench support.

Carefully cut strut notches using a jig saw. See drawing for locations. Using a cut-off from a strut as a tracing pattern will help you get accurate cuts.

Starting with the top strut, attach the struts to the

bench supports, spac ing the middle be nch support exactly midway in each bench frame (photo 3) . Use glue and wood screws driven in countersunk pilot

holes to a ttac h the struts to the benc h supports .

Finally, cut th e uprights. As shown, they are

sized to be rip -c ut to Rn ishecl size ( J '12 x 5'12") fro m

2 x 8 stock. Ma ke sure to take stock from each side

so you remove the slight bu llnose edges that are cut

at the lu mber mil l. Set yo ur pO\ver mi ter smv to m<Jke

12 degree cuts. T rim the ends in parallel cuts to Cllt

the uprights to le ngth (photo 4). Attach the uprights

to th e ins ide faces of the outer be nch supports, accordi ng to the placement information on page 103.

Assemble the frames for the benches by attaching the struts to the bench supports with glue and screws. Take care to keep everything square.

use a miter saw to cleanly cut the angled seat upright prior to installation.

COlllllry Diller • 105

ADD THE BENCH BACKS The backs of the benches arc made by installing a plywood back board between the uprights and then cladding the backboard on both faces with tongue-andgroove pa nel ing. Start by cutting the cleat that you'll use to anchor the back board from I X stock. Cut e ight cleats (4 for each bench) to 18" and cut four to 2'/.". Insta ll a short cleat and a long cleat in an L-s hape on the inside face of each upright (photo 5). The top of the long c leat should be Rush with the top of the upright.

Us ing a table saw or a ci rcula r saw and shooting

board, cut the back pa nels to s ize. Apply a bead of


v,lood glue or ad hesive and lay the pa nels in to the

L-s haped brackets created by the two cleats (photo 6). Drive cou nte rsunk 11

/", " sc re\'vs th rough the back panel and into the long cleat. I nsta ll the re main ing trim

pieces around the plywood seat backer.

CLAD THE BENCHES T he bases and backs of the benches are clad wit h pi ne tongue-an d-groove paneling (sometimes called carsiding) . Because the paneli ng on the en ds of the

benches that face the room concea ls the ir edges, insta ll the panel ing that's attached to t he benc h

Fabricate an L-shape to accept the plywood bench back, then attach it to a bench upright.

A plywood backer gives the bench back its rigidity. Install the backer using adhesive and fasteners.

<:I long its length fi rst. C ut the first paneli ng boa rd

to length so the bottom end is sligh tly above the

floor a nd the top e nds are fl us h with the tops of the benc h supports (the top ends wi ll be concealed by the sea tboard overhang). Then. trim off the groove

to create a sol id wood edge at t he end of the bench. I f you ovm <:I pneumatic nail er, use it to drive nail s

th rough the tongue of the first paneling board.

O therwise, hand· nai l with 4d or 6d fin ish nails and set the heads with a nail se t. D rive at least one nail

into each strut that the pane ling board is posi ti oned

over (photo 7).

App ly panel ing to the front and back of the bench base. To clad the bench ends (yo u only need to clad the end that will face the room), hold a panel ing boa rd up against the end and trace the angled edge onto the

back side of the paneli ng (photo 8). C ut a long thi s line. Instal l this piece flus h to the bench en d. Fasten and complete paneling installation for the bench

base. Also insta ll tongue-and-groove panel ing boards

on the front and bac k sides of each back panel. T he boards shou ld be flus h with the top and bottom of the plywood bac k pa ne l.

Begin installing the tongue·and· groove cladding on the base of the bench. You' ll find many options, but %". th ick paneling (sold in 14 sq. ft . packages) is an economical choice.

Trace the angle of the tapered bench onto the back side of a piece of paneli ng and trim it to fit.

COlllll ry Di ller • 107

9

)

Cut the seat back cap to length from I X 8 stock and attach it to the tops of the uprigh ts a nd to the top of the benc h back us ing glue and nails. The cap should overhang the front up right by abou t I lhll and be Aush vvith the end of the bench that goes against the wa ll.

MAKE THE SEATBOARDS & TABLETOP Both th e seatboards and the tab letop are construc ted by edge-glu ing pine boards toge ther. If you have access to a woodworking shop, you' ll wa nt to joint the edges of the boards be fore you gl ue them together. O thenvise, make a nice, clei:1Il rip-c ut alo ng each edge \\l ith a sharp circ ulur saw blade. For strength,


Edge-glue two 9" wide boards to make each seat board, and glue up three 10" boards for the tabletop. Use a biscuit joiner to help ensure that the boards are aligned and level.

Mark the cutout locations for the uprights onto the seatboard and cut them with a jig saw

it is not necessary to use splines, biscu its or dowels to re in force the edge g lued joints, but any of these devices wi ll ass ist with al ignme nt. v\le used a biscuit

joiner to al ign the glue-ups for bot h be nches and the tab letop. Use at least three or four pipe clamps with jav,l paddi ng to cla mp eac h glue- up together (photo 9).

Afte r the glue has dried overn ight, remove the

clamps a nd sand the glue-ups to remove any d ried glue squeeze-out.

T he seat board must be notched to fit mound the uprights. Positio n the boards on the seat base, Au sh at the \va ll end and overhanging about 11/2 11 on the room- side end . Mark the location of the uprights onto

1 t ::::::: .... j

.....

4']: t •••••

12

th e seatboards, then re move them and make cutouts with a j ig saw (photo 10 ).

T ip the bench so the end that goes against the wall is Aa t on the Aoor. Attach a pa ir of tabletop

clips to the inside of the bench base nem eac h end, and a coup le more on each side . (Tab le top c lips a rc

so ld a t woodworking sto res and in woodworking

catalogs. T hey offer a means for fastening tab letops and benchtops, while st ill allowing for some ,",vood movement. ) Attach the seat board from underneath

using the table top clips (photo 11 ).

Set the benches back down in the ir co rrect orie ntation . C ut filler strips of 3/4!1~ thi ck pine and

glue them into the gaps between the uprights and

Attach the seatboards to the bench base with tabletop clips that secure gluedup panels but also allow for some wood

There are many tricks you can use to conceal the gap at the bottom of the cladding, as well as the ragged ends of the tongue-and-groove boards. A skilled woodworker would bevel-rip trim moldings and install them with compound miter joints.

the backs of the benc hes. Make sure the wood grain on the fill e r strips has the same orien tat ion as the

seatboards. As a last finishing deta il for t he benches (othe r

than sa nding, p<:I inting Of sta ining), attach some type of wood trim to concea l the gap betwee n the tongucan d -groove boards and the fl oor. If you use very

small mo lding, such as screen retainer or vcry na rrow

base s hoe, you ca n probably get 3\vay with attaching

the molding as is, using butt joints at the corners.

Bu t fo r larger moldings (and fo r a more profess ional appearance) you'll need to bevel-rip the molding to

allow for the ta per of the be nch base, as well as ma ke compound miter jo ints at the corners (photo 12).

COlllll ry Diller • 109

13

MAKE & INSTALL THE TABLE T he Country Di ner ta ble is designed to be affixed

to a wall , su pported by a ledger boa rd on the wa ll

side while a leg fun s to the Aoor on the entry side. T he length and wid th of the table are adj ustable

to sllit your pa rticu lar set~u p but the fabr ication

tech niques are the same. The dimensions spec ified in the drawing arc 30" \.vide and 5 Fe long. T he top of the table surface is 30" above the Aoor. Struts c ut

from 2 x 4 pine a re added beneath t he tab le for bot h

looks a nd stab ility. \A/e c hose to gl ue up a rustic p ine

tabletop (whic h shou ld ge t ma ny coats of po lyu retha ne

va rni sh). You may prefer to have a ta ble top fabr icated

fro m solid ~s llrfac i ng, quartz or na tural stone. Layout and c ut the leg fro m I X 12 pine. The

front ha lf of the face-glued leg should run full height


cut two identical leg halves, then trim 3" off the back one and face glue it with the front half to make a laminated table leg.

Attach the ledger for the tabletop to the wall with heavy-duty fasteners, such as counterbored lag screws driven at stud locations.

(29'/,"), tapering from 4 " at the top to the full wid th of

the I X 12 ( 11 '//) a t the bottom . Make the bac k ha lf-of

the lami nated leg identical to the front , bu t then trim

off the top 3" to c reate a ledge for the front ta bletop

st rut (photo 13). Attach the ledgers (photo 14).

liip-e ut 2 x 4 pi ne stock to 3" wide to make all

four tabletop struts. Also rip-cut so me I x 4 stock for the tv<'O Clprons. C ut the front st ru t to 281! lo ng Cl nd the n clip the bottom corners to give the table both some "lift" and to create leg room as you enter the

booth. C ut the ledger and the in ner st ruts to 24" long. Also cu t the aprons to 52 1/4" long from the 1 x 4 stock. Locate exactly w he re you r table will be fastened to

your wa ll by arranging the location of your benches and then cen tering the tab le between the m. Us ing a ca rdboard cut·out to tai lor exactly where you want the

15

table and ben ches also \,viil help YO ll clistomize your diner. Once YO ll find the center of the tab le location, find the center of the ledger board a nd mark it. When installing the ledger board, line up th ese two marks

for a perfect fit. At the ledger board location , strike a level line 29'/," above the Aoor. Find and mark the wa ll

stud locations- try to \oc<1te the ledger so it spa ns t\VO

studs. In sta ll the ledger on layout using glue and the proper fasteners (photo 14). Idea lly, usc a %" X 3'h" countc rborcd lag screw drive r through the ledger and

into wall studs, plus additional sc rews and/or toggles to stab ilize the ledger.

On <:I nat surface, assemble the table frame by capturi ng the short st ruts bet\,veen the apro ns (photo 15). The front strut should be attached to the apron s w ith L-brac kets on the inside joint.

Assemble the table frame all at once on a flat surface.

Clamp the table leg to the front strut temporarily and check the tabletop for level. Attach the leg to the strut with glue and screws.

Attach the tab letop to the st ruts with one tabletop cl ip near each end of each strut. Cla mp the leg to the front strut and rest the other end of the tab letop on the wall ledger, whi ch shou ld fit between the free ends

of the aprons (photo J 6). Adjust the height of the leg if necessary, and t hen attach it to the front stru t with glue and screws. Drive screws through the aprons in to the ends of the ledger.

APPLY FINISH, POUR COFFEE T he Country Diner is shO\vn here with a light wood stain a nd high gloss polyurethane finish for ease of clea ning. Le t all adhesives, Ilnish a nd pClint d I)' thoroughly before si tting dO\>vn at the Country Dine r fo r a slO\.v home~cooked breakfast and time well spen t with fami ly and friends.

COlllllry Di,ler . 111

I Wall Niche

A wa ll niche is kind of cubby ho le carved into a

stud wa ll , us ually to house display she lving. T hese

days, they are often see n as prefash ioned inserts \,vith an arc h shape and Greco- Roman styling in higher-end hOLising, ofte n with classical sta tu ary with in the

n ic he sides . T he niche shovm here is a ra ther diffe re nt

animal. It is simply a wooden box that you s li p into a

holc in the wall and then tri m out. As a quic k and easy

sto rage p roject, it is a perfect accompan iment to our

Fast Country Diner proj ect (see pages J 02 to J J J). A niche creates <1 perfect spot to stas h napkin

holde rs, salt a nd pep per shakers and other tablewa re

so yo ur tab le surface is clea r for ea ting, re laxing or

doing a bi t of ho mework.

The steps, ski lls and tool s described here ca n

be used to c reate wa ll nic hes of variou s sizes and in

numerous locatio ns . It is important to note, however,


that these niches a re intended for non-load beari ng

wa ll s. If t he nic he you wish to c reate wou ld involve

cutting framin g members in a load beari ng \,vall,

consider redesigning the project so you do not have

to cut wa ll studs. i\llaking st ructural a lterat ions to a

load -bearing wall should be done only by qualified

profess iona ls .

It's a lso important to be aware of any electrica l

wires or gas or wate r p lumbing near your projec t area.

Check to see if there a re light switches or p lugs above

or below the niche open ing before cutt ing ;md try to

deduce \vhere plumbing might be routed and located .

Safety Notice: TI,.is project should be installed only in non.loadbearing walls . Do not cut 1I7all studs in load hearing 1I7alls unless you are 1I70rki-ng 1I7ith a certified building engineer or professional carpenter.

Tools DrY'Nall/plastcr cu tting saw

Reciprocati ng sa\'v

Cordless drill/driver

C ircu lar $m,,· i\lliter S3\V

Cutting List

Part No. Dese.

Countersink

DrY',va ll finishing tools

2-foot leve l

Aviator sn ips

Materials Ix6 Trim- head screws 1/4" birch plywood scra p 1 %," d ry,.vall sc re\'vs

Case molding Paint

Size Material

A 2 Top/bottom % x 3% X 25 Y2" Hordwood/MDF

B 2 Side 3/4 x 3% x 8" Hordwood/MDF

C Bock % x 91/2 x 25 Y1" Plywood

D 4 Trim (opt.) lh x 27/a" x miter to fit (ose molding

Hl1l1 Nie/Ie • 113

How to Build a Wall Niche

LAY OUT THE NICHE Determine that the wal l you're cutting into is not a load-bearing wall. Determine the opening's finished location and height and \vidth. An 8" tall by 24" wi de

n ic he is just the right scale fo r the kitchen booth project we designed this ni che to accompany (see page 102). Use a 2·ft . level and mark al l fou r sides of

the opening plumb and leve l at the finished location. T hese lines arc the control points for a ll other measurements.

Measure 3/:.'1 out from each control point line (photo j ). Do t his at two points on each line and

connect the dots using a 2-ft. level.

Start your layout by mapping out the niche's finished dimensions, then measure out from there for the rough opening where you will make your cuts. This is the cut line.

114 • THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO CUSTOM SHELVES & BU1LT·1NS

MAKE THE CUTOUT Turn off electrical power at the main circuit breaker. Use a dr)1\vall saw or rec iprocating saw to cut along the cut line. Make the cut as sha llow as you can in case there are hidden w ires or pipes in the wall (photo 2).

Remove the drywall, expos ing the wa ll studs. More than like ly, you're going to have a wall stud or t\VO somewhere in the middle of the opening. Use a reciprocating saw to remove the studs . Or, you can usc a c ircular saw to start the cut (photo 3a), carefull y

aligning it with the edge of the drywall and using it to

cut the stud. Then, finish the c ut with a reciprocating saw (photo 3b). Be carefu l not to cut t hrough the

drywa ll on the back side of the cut.

2

With electrical power turned off, cut the opening in the wall covering. Use caution in case there are hidden wires or pipes in the area.

use a circular saw to start the stud cut, then use a reciprocating saw to fin ish the cut. This method is easier on the drywall- especially if the studs back up to another room- and provides a straighter cut.

5

vVhen removing studs, you may pull a faste ner

through from an adjoining room and have to repair

that afte rwards . Na il s or screws may be penetrating

from the other side of the wa ll into the stud . Ca refull y

remove the stud sec tion. It is likely that re moving

the stud section will cause the fastener to pull

through the oppos ite s ide of the wa ll , so touch-up may be necessary. For most non-loadbearing w<:I lI s the competed nic he box s hould provide adequate

su pport for the cut studs. But if you arc cu tting morc

than one stud , or if yo u s imply \va nt to be certajn the

nic he box does not sag fro m down wa rd pressure, make

the opening la rger and in sta ll a 2 X 4 fra me to hOllse th e niche box. Thi s \,vill requ ire cons iderably more

patc hing of the wa ll coveri ng, but you may apprec iate

it for you r own peace of m ind.

Rip-cut the niche frame boards to width. Cutting them so they stop just short of the opposite wallcovering when installed.

Assemble the niche box. Drill countersunk pilot holes for the screws.

BUILD THE NICHE BOX Measure the depth of your wa ll cavity and su btract

'hl! f rom the overa ll depth to give yourself (l little bit

of Aexibil ity vI/hen insta lling the ni che and to <:tllow

fo r the th ic kness ( '//) of the backer materia l. This

measu rement yie lds the requi red width of the boards

you'll use to make the nic he box. Rip-cut I X 6 X 8

lumber to the required width , usi ng a tab lcsav" or a

ci rcula r smv with a st ra ightedge gu ide (photo 4). Cut

the frame parts to length.

Fasten top a nd bottom niche frame parts to the

sides with dIYv,'all screwS or trim-heud sc rews driven

into counte rsun k pilot holes (photo 5). C ut the backer

board to size and attach it to the back edges of the

fram e \,vith drywall scre\'vs or llni sh nai ls. Install

backer ma terial (9 112 X 25 112") with drywall sc rews .

Hhll Niclle • 115

6

C ut trim moldings (such as door casing or picture frame molding) to fit the nic he box. For the most satisfying results, c hoose a molding style a nd approach that refl ects the mold ing scheme already in the room. Faste n the t rim to the niche box wi th finis h nails and glue or panel adhes ive (photo 6). Run a sma ll bead of cau lk/adhes ive on the face of th e nic he box. Nail

casi ng to ni che box.

INSTALL THE NICHE BOX T he ni c he box is faste ned through the interior wa lls of the box to the ends of the stud(s) you removed . It

ca n also be fastened to blocks you in sta ll in the wa ll


use standard casing to trim out the niche like a picture frame. Pre-installing the trim means you can slip the niche box assembly into the opening and the trim guides how the box sets against the wall, similar to how a pre-hung door is installed.

Fasten the niche box up into the stud ends with finish nails.

cavity on each side. Locate eac h st ud and transfer its location to the inte rior of the box and mark it.

Test-fit the n iche box to make s ure it lays Rat again st drywall. W hen you have estab li shed that the fit is good , rlln a bead of ca ul k/adhes ive on the backsides of the trim p ieces .

Inse rt the niche box into the opening. Press firml y

so the trim squeezes into the adhesive. Pre-drill holes at stud locations an d fasten with a

pa ir of 6d Ilnish nails driven through the fmllle boards and into the ends of the cut wall studs (photo 7).

Fill and sa nd fastener holes. Sand and caulk as

necessal)'. Prime and paint or app ly another finish of your choice.

Options for Making a Wall Niche ~

One key to cutting in a wall niche is to understand that you must cut a larger hole in your wall than the finished dimensions of the wall niche. So first, you determine the niche's finished location and opening dimensions and mark them out on the wall. You then measure from those lines so that the niche box fits inside the wall. Although making the niche so it fits precisely within a stud bay has

some built-in efficiencies, it is not necessary. As you'll see in this project, as long as you're building in a non-load bearing wall you can locate your niche just about anywhere you choose. Three options for trimming out a wall niche are described here. The first is to frame a wood niche insert with picture-frame trim. The second is to use a drywall wrap created with blocking inside the wall cavity and finished with joint compound to blend with the surrounding wall. The third option simply involves installing

a prefabricated product.

Frame the niche opening and install a wood shelf at the bottom, then trim out the opening with wallboard using common taping and finishing techniques.

Build your niche completely out of wood, insert it into a hole cut in the wall and trim it with picture molding (as seen on previous pages).

purchase a prefabricated wall niche from an architectural millwork supplier and install it in a properly sized wall opening.

Hhll Niclle • 117

I Room Divider


Aroom divider, like a partition wall , separates one

large room into two usable spaces, each \vith its

ovm specific function. But unlike a partition \>I/ a ll , a

room divider adds storage space to your home, whil e

letting YOLI retain the open feeling of a larger room.

Room dividers commonly are llsed to separate a large kitchen/dining area into two different "rooms ."

Add ing a pass-through and overhanging cQuntcrtop, as

in the project shown here, creates a casual dining area.

I n the design featured here, the room divider

is built in two main sections: the base cab ine t with

countertop, and the LIpper shelf unit. The two section s are joined by a Aoar-ta-ceiling plyv/ood framework to

create one attractive built· in.

A room divider lends itself to personal touches,

like mounting a win e rac k and ste mwa re racks on

the unde rside of the she lf unit to make a convenient

dry bar.

The overhanging cou ntertop gives this room

divider eln <:Idded dimension as a convenient dining

surface loc<:Ited near the food preparation a rea of

the kitchen. The cabinets o n the kitchen side of the

room divider also provide accessible storage space for

pots, pans, and kitchenwa re . T he open shelves in the

upper half of the room divider are ideal for displaying

glass\vare or collectibles.

\tVe deSigned this room divider with a built·up

plyv.rood countertop that has a polyurethane varnis h

finish. This is an economi cal and perfectly appropriate

so lution . But if you 're looking to spice up the design a

bit, consider replac ing the cou nte rtop v . .rith a highcr.

e nd countertop material, suc h as granite or solid · surfac ing. You' ll be amazed at how much di ffere nce

a fe\\' vve ll ·chosen design highlights ca n make in the

over<:tll appearance of th e project.

H

o

JI 1r II II

c

Construction Detail, Front View

,

Q

R

,

, ,

,

Room Di vider • 119

Tools Stepladder Handscrev.' clamps Peneil Ba r clamps Level Dri ll/driver and bits Tupe meaSure Screwdriver

Plumb bob Hammer Framing square Nail set Router v-l it h 3// straight bit Putty knife C ircular saw or table saw

Materials Wood glue Finish nails ( I", 1/~1t, 2" ) S' I ( I I! ] 1/ " 21\ 21/:" 3'1) CreH S , -I, , 2)

Shims 3// hardwood strips

Countertop trim

Shelf-edge trim Pin -style shelf supports Finish ing materials

Door hardwa re 5) 2 X 4" X 8 ft. pine 5) I X 4" X 8 ft. oak 4) I x2"x8ft.oak I ) 1/, X 4 ft. X 8 ft. oak p lywood 4) 3(, X 4 ft. X 8 ft. oak plywood

ROOM DIVIDER PROJECT DETAILS

2"0= + 4"

.+

Cutting List

Part No. Desc. Size Material

A 4 Top ond sole plotes 71 Y,' 2 x 4

B 4 Sale plate cross braces 15" 2 x 4

C Outer end ponel 95 W' xiS" 3/, ook plywood

D I Inner end panel 91" xiS" '(." ook plywood

E 3 Bose ponels 22" x 14'(." 3(." ook plywood

F 3 Cobinet shelves 21 3(." x 14'1, 3(." ook plywood

G 6 Cabinet risers 30" x 14'(." 3(." ook plywood

H Cobinet bock ponel 32" x 70" 1(." ook plywood

(ountertop panels 70 W' x24" 3(." ook plywood

J Shelf unit supports 33" xiS" 3(." ook plywood

K Top, bottom shelf ponels 70y," xiS" 3(." ook plywood

L Center shelf ponel 69'1." xiS" 3(." ook plywood

M Shelf unit sides 25 W' xiS" 3(." ook plywood

N Shelf unit risers 12 W' x IS" '(." ook plywood

0 Face frame roils 33 lineor ft. I x 4 ook

p Foce frome stiles 26 linear ft. Ix200k

Q Face frame stiles 12 linear ft. Ix300k

R Overloy doors see poges 46 to 47

Cabinet risers, cut from ¥.' plywood, have holes for pin-style shelf supports drilled at 4" intervals, 2" in from edges of each riser face. Holes start 9" from top and bottom.

Shelf-unit panels, cut from 'I." plywood, have W'-wide by '!,"-deep dadoes to hold the shelf risers. The center shelf panel is dadoed on both the top and the bottom faces, and the top and bottom shelf panels are dadoed on one face only.

120 • T HE COMPLETE CUIDE TO CUSTOM SHELVES & BUILT-tNS

How to Build a Room Divider

1

Mark the location for the top plates on the ceiling, using a framing square to ensure that lines are perpendicular to the wall. Locate wall studs and ceiling joists in the project area, and install blocking if necessary

4

2

cut two 2 x 4 top plates and position them against the ceiling, with the outside edges flush against the reference lines. Check to see if plates are level, and install shims if needed. Anchor plates to ceiling Joists or blocking, using 3" screws.

5

cut two 2 x 4 sole plates, and align them directly under the top plates, using a plumb bob as a guide. Check to see if plates are level, shim if needed, then anchor the sale plates to the floor, using 3" screws.

Cut and attach 2 x 4 cross braces across the sale plates, using 2'/''' screws. Position the cross braces at the ends of the sale plates, and below the planned cabinet riser locations.

Measure and cut the outer end panel 'h" shorter than the floorto-ceiling height to allow for adjustments. Align end panel with the edges of the 2 x 4 plates, then attach it to the top and sale plates, using 2'h" screws driven into counterbored pilot holes.

Room Divider • 121

6

Measure and cut the inner end panel 'h" shorter than the distance between the top plate and sale plate cross braces, and slide it in place. Align the panel with the edges of the top plate and sale plate cross braces, then attach it to the wall with 2'/," screws driven into wall studs or blocking.

Measure and cut plywood base panels the same width as the risers. Lay one base panel across the sale plate cross braces, butted against the riser at the inner end panel, with the '{," recess at the back side (inset). Attach the base panel, using 2" finish nails.


Planned height of countertop~

-------

tIll"

•

Measure and cut plywood cabinet risers with holes for shelf supports (see Project Details, page 120). Risers should be '1." narrower than end panels, and 1 '/," shorter than the distance from sale plate cross braces to planned countertop height. Attach a riser to each end panel, flush with the front edge, by driving 1 '1." screws through counterbored pilot holes.

Make riser assemblies (for inner riser locations) by Joining two risers together, back-to-back, with glue and 1 '{," finish nails. Set one riser assembly on the cross brace next to the first base panel, and attach it with 2W' screws driven through pilot holes and into the base panel edge.

Install the middle base panel, then the second riser assembly, then the last base panel, using the techniques shown in steps 8 to 9.

12

Apply glue to the top of the fi rst countertop panel, then set the second countertop panel on the first panel. Clamp the panels together, then join them by driving '" screws up through the underside of the first panel.

11

Measure and cut two plywood countertop panels, 24" wide, to fit between the end panels and set the first panel on the cabinet risers, flush with the front edges of the end panels. use a framing square to adjust the risers so they are perpendicular to the countertop, then drill pilot holes and drive 2W' screws through countertop and into risers.

Measure and cut a W' oak plywood back panel to fit into the recess created by the back edges of the risers and base panels (see step 8). Set the back panel into the recess, then attach it to the cabinet risers and base panels, using '" wire nails driven at 8" intervals.


Measure and cut plywood shelf panels for the upper shelf unit, then cut '!."-wide, 'I,"-deep dadoes at shelf riser locations (see Project Details, page 120). Tip: "Gang-cut" dadoes to speed up your work: mark locations for dado cuts on panels, then clamp them together so dado marks align.

. Center shelfY • panel

Shelf risers

Measure and cut plywood shelf unit risers the same width as the center shelf Stand the center shelf panel on its side, then glue the shelf risers into dadoes. Reinforce the joints with 2" screws driven into counterbored pilot holes.


Measure and cut plywood shelf unit sides. Make a 'I," -wide, %"-deep dado in each side, where the center shelf panel will fi t

Bottom shelf panel

Assemble the remaining pieces of the upper shelf unit, using glue and 2" screws driven into counterbored pilot holes. Attach side panels to center shelf, then attach top and bottom shelf panels to side panel and shelf risers. Make sure diagonal measurements of shelf unit are equal (if not, adjust unit as needed until it is square).

Measure and cut plywood shelf unit supports. Supports should be tall enough to leave a gap of about 1" beneath the top plates when the shelf unit is mounted on their top edges. Attach the shelf unit supports to the inner and outer end panels, using glue and 1'1." finish nails.

20

Align the edges of the upper shelf unit with the edges of the end panels. Attach the shelf unit by driving 1'1." finish nails through the side panels and into the end panels. Space nails 4" apart, along outer edges of shelf unit.

19

With a helper, lift the shelf unit onto the tops of the shelf unit supports. There should be a gap of about 1" between the shelf unit and the top plates.

21

Set a 2 x 4 brace between the countertop and the shelf unit, then measure and cut 1 x 4 top and bottom rails for the face frames. Miter the corner joints at the edges of the outer end panel, and butt the trim against the wall at the inner end panel. Drill pilot holes, and attach rails with glue and 2" finish nails driven into panels and framing members.


22

Measure and cut 1 x 4 countertop rail to reach from the wall to the outside edge of the outer end panel, on the front side of the room divider. Attach the rail to the edge of the countertop, using glue and 2" finish nails driven through pilot holes.

24

Measure and cut 1 x 2 stiles to fit between the countertop rail and the top rail at the front of the room divider. Position stiles over the edges of the end panel, and attach with glue and 2" finish nails driven through pilot holes.


23

Measure and cut 1 x 2 face frame stiles to fit between the bottom rail and the top rail at the back of the room divider. Make a %" x 1 W' notch in each stile, where the edge of the countertop will fit Attach the stiles to the end panels, using glue and 2" finish nails driven through pilot holes.

Cover the countertop overhang with ornamental trim molding mitered at a 45 0 angle at corner joints. Attach with glue and 1 '/;" finish nails driven through pilot holes.

Measure and cut 1 x 3 stiles to fit between the bottom rail and the countertop rail on the back side of the room divider Position end stiles flush with the outside faces of the end panels, and center the interior stiles over the riser assemblies. Attach with glue and 2" finish nails driven through pilot holes.

28

Cut adjustable shelves for the cabinets, attach shelf-edge trim if desired, then install shelves, using pin-style shelf supports.

27

Attach W' shelf-edge strips to all exposed edges of the upper shelf unit, using glue and 1" finish nails driven through pilot holes. Cut horizontal strips the full length of the shelf unit, then add vertical strips between the horizontal strips.

29

.. •

Cover gaps at ceiling with cove molding, and along floor and wall with base shoe molding. Fill holes, sand, then apply fin ish. Build, finish, and hang overlay cabinet doors (pages 46 to 47). Attach all remaining hardware.


I Laundry Center

Many of the a reas where we do our laundry

lack two important features: organizat ion and

lighti ng. T h is laundI)' ce nte r is a self-co ntai ned buil t

in t hat funct ions like a roo m within a room, addi ng

both storage space and tas k lighting fo r what can

otherwise be a disagreeab le tas k. I t is built fro lll a base cab inet and butc he r b lock countcrtop on one side

of a 24"-wide, 7 ft. ta ll stu b wall, and a ban k of wall

cab inets o n t he other side of the wal l. The cab inets

are designed to Ilt above a was he r an d dryer co mbo.

T he s tructu re includes a ce iling with light fixt u res

mou nted over both s ides, and a switch \\f ired into

the stu b wall to cont rol t he I igh ts. The \va ll s are b uilt

from inexpen sive wall sheath ing a nd, a long vl ith the

ceili ng, a re c lad with easy to \.vas h ti leboard that adds


brightness \vh ile contrasting with the maple wood of

the cab inets. The edges of the center are trim med

v" it h c lea r map le.

If you are creating your bu ilt-in laun dry center

in a room tha t did not previously house you r washe r

and d ryer, arrange for and have insta lled the hookups

for both app liances before you bui ld. If you arc not

experienced with plu m b ing an d wi ring, hire a plum ber

and elect ricia n to run any new dra in , supply, d ryer

ven t or e lectrical service li nes. Also make sure to

identify potentia l sou rces for electrical service to

pO\ver the ligh ts (in t he vers ion seen here, \ve ins ta lled

recessed c<:tnister lights over t he cou ntertop <:tnd <:t bove

the washer and dryer).

Tools Tape Measure Level Pencil Square

Drill/driver & bits Pmvder-actuated nai ler

H ammer or pneumatic

nailer

Jig saw

E

Tileboard ,/

F

H

Materials (2) 4 x 8 sheets wa ll sheathi ng (7/16 OK, 23/32 better) (3) 4 x 8 sheets tileboard with an 8-ft. inside corner

strip and panel adhesive

(2) Recessed canister light with trim kit

( I) Undercabinet fluorescent fixture (direct wire ) - 24" ( I) Clothes rod (24" ) wi th mounting hardware I x 2, I X 4 and I x 6 map le for trim 32" vv ide base cab inet

Butcher block countertop for base ca bi net (2) 28" 2-door uppers Electrical box. switch, 14/2 romex, switch plate

End pa ne l for upper cab inets Panel adhes ive

D'Y'vall or dec k sc rews Nail s (4) I 'h x 3'12 X 96 pine

"

Tileboard

Cutting List


A Cop/Sill plate 1 'I, x 3'1, x 24" 2 x 4

B 3 Stud 1'/, x 3V, x 79" 2 x 4

C Full wall s;, x24x82" Sheathing

D Wall cop % x 5112 x 79" Maple 1 x 6

E Ceiling 'I, x 24 x 100"' Sheathing

F Half wall 'l, x24x43" Sheathing

G 4 Top trim % x 51/1 X cut to fit Maple 1 x 6

H Bose cabinet 34 '1," h x 36" w Stock cabinet

Wall cabinets 12 x 30 x 30" Stock cabinets

J (ounlerlop 1'!. x2Sx36 Counlertop

'IoCan be pieced together from two boards joined at the

c rotch of the L.

LW/J!dry Cellfer • 129

I How to Build a Laundry Center

Attach the base plate for the stub wall perpendicular to the wall, allowing space between the stub wall and the corner for your base cabinet

Run cable and install boxes for the light fixtures. Hire an electrician to do this if you are not experienced with home wiring. (Note that you will need to apply for a permit and have your wiring inspected.)


After toe-nailing the studs to the base plate (and face nailing the stud next to the wall if possible) attach the cap plate, making sure the studs are vertical.

FRAME THE STUB WALL T hi s blli l t ~ in laundry center is anchored by a 7 ~ foot ~

tal l, 24"-widc stub wa ll , so start by framing the wa ll. Measure out from the corner the width of your base cab inet (3 6" here) and draw a 24"- long reference line

perpendicu lar to the wa ll. Cut a 2 X 4 wa ll plate to 24" and attach it to the Aoor. If you are building in a

basement wi th a concrete Aoor, lise pressure-treated lumber for the base plate and attach it by driving concrete nails with a powder-actuated nailer (photo I).

Cut three 2 x 45 to 79" long and attach them to

the base plate by toe-nailing (reinforce con nections w ith L-brackets if YOLI \\fish). The n, cut a 24"- long cap pbte and nai l it to the free ends of the studs with 16d common nails (photo 2). If you are instal li ng overhead ligh ting, run cable from the power source (don't hook lip the \,vires yet) through the studs and to an electrical switch box mounted to the wa ll frame (photo 3). Also run s heathed cabl e from the electrical box and out

through a ho le in the wal l cap p late. Run enough cable to reach the light fixtures. \lI,!e wired the fixtures in

series: the pO\ver lead goes to the electrical box for the undercabi net light Il rst, and then runs from the box to the canister light. If you prefer to swi tch the light independen tl y, install a double gang box and cable for two switched circui ts .

INSTAll THE BASE CABINET We designed this laundry center \v ith matc hing base

and upper ca bine ts. I nsta l1 t he base cabi ne t between

th e stub wall and the corner (photo 4- see pages 58

to 59 for information o n inst<Jlling base cabine ts). You

ca n lise just about a ny type of cOllnte rtop mater ia l you

wish . We selected map le butcher block because it can resist \vater and heat , req uires very littl e maintena nce,

and makes a nice surface fo r fo ld ing laundry. Plus, it

matc hes the maple ca bine ts and trim boards . To secu re

butc he r b lock, you need to drill extra- la rge gu ide holes

through the nailing strips o n the base cabinet and

attach the countertop with a s hort sc rews and was hers

(photo 5). Thi s a llows the material to move as it

expands and contrac ts, \vhich bu tcher block will do.

4

!

Install the base cabinet between the stub wall and the corner, making sure it is level and securely attached to at least one wall.

INSTAll THE WAllS At the ve ry least, yo u' ll need to cover bot h sides of

the stub wa ll for your laundry center. If the wal ls

in your in stallation a rea are fit fo r coverin g with

tileboard, yo u "von 't need to create a ny add itional

"vall s urfaces. I n part to c reate an attachment

surface fo r the c lothes rod , we a lso insta lle d a wa ll

surface on t he left s ide of the project area. T he

wa ll s urfaces are c reated by attach ing sheath ing

to the wall studs and th en bonding water-res istan t

tileboard over the faces of the s hea thing w ith pane l

ad hesive. C ut a piece of wa ll s heath ing that's t he

same w idt h as th e stub wa ll a nd reac hes th e same

height ,·vhe n placed on the countertop su rface.

Attach the shea thing to the sid e of the coun te rto p

5

Attach the countertop material (butcher block is seen here). The countertop should be flush against both walls and it should overhang the base cabinet slightly.

Lnwzdry Cellfer • 131

C.O. , ..,.1Stud '1 • lot aiion

Attach wall sheathing to the wall to create a nai ling surface at the wall end of the countertop area.

Clad the stub wall on both sides with wall sheathing, making sure to cut out accurately for the switch box.


area (photo 6). I nse rt a couple of fur ring stri ps bet\vee n the sheathing and the wa ll to creute aI rspace.

C lad the stub wall on both sides with wall shea thi ng (photo 7). Ma ke a cutout for the switc h box,

T he sheathing on the countertop s ide should rest on the counte rtop. Slip a couple of shi ms underneath the \,vail sheathing on the vvas her and dryer side so the shea thing does not contact the floor, whic h can lead to wicking of water.

C ut picccs of tile board to fit the wall surfaces and attach them wi th panel adhes ive . Attac h inside corner

stri ps c ut to Ilt at the inside corners of the countertop area (photo 8), Rub the t ile board su rfaces aggressively with balled-up towels to he lp seat the t ileboard into the adhes ive.

HANG THE UPPER CABINETS The upper cabinets should be mounted on the \.va ll s so the ir tops a re nu sh wi th the top of the stub wa ll and they butt up aga inst the stub wa ll at the s ide . Attach

,",v ith a ledger sys tem or by driving cabi ne t scre\vs through the mounting strips and in to the wa ll at stud locations (photo 9), See p"ges 54 to 59 fo r more informCition on hCl nging wCl II cabin ets. If the exposed ca binet e nd is not fini shed, purchase a nd install an

e nd pane l to matc h the cabinet type (or, make one from 'I," plywood).

MAKE & INSTALL THE CEILING You' ll find that it's eCisiest to c ut the ceil ing board, attac h the til eboard and mOllnt the ligh t fixt ures a ll before you attach the ce iling asse mbly to the stub wa ll and cabinets . Sta rt by cutting the ce iling boa rd to size and shape from a piece of 4 x 8 sheathi ng

(photo J 0 ). We des igned the cei li ng to be 24" wide above th e ca bin et, then to c ut bac k to J 8" wide over

the \,va il cabinets, which creates CI 6 11 overhang above the cabinets so an undercCl bine t light fixture can be mounted if you \vish . As shown , the side ~ to-side

width of the structure is over 96", so a single piece of 4 X 8 ft . wall sheathing \,von't cover it. You'll need to make the ceili ng in two pieces, so size the pieces so the scam falls in the middle of the top plate for the

stu b wall.

8

•

Cover the wall surfaces with tile board, which is attached with panel adhesive and set by rubbing with a rag.

10

install the wall cabinets so they are level and their tops are flush with the top of the stub wall.

Cut the ceiling to size and shape from a piece of sheathing (you'll need multiple pieces if your project is more than 8 ft long).


· I '------.I

Mount the hardware and box for the light f,xture to the ceiling panel before you install the ceiling.

13a


Attach the ceiling panel to the laundry center wall and the cabinets.

13b

Make the wiring connections at the light fixtures (left) and at the switch (right).

Att<:lc h t ileboa rd to the ceili ng p<:lnel o n the face that wi ll be fac ing dovvll\,vard. Then, plot out the location s for the light fixt ures and mount the housi ngs and ceiling boxes to the back of the ce iling pane l as

needed (photo II ). Set t he ceiling panel over the laun dry center and attac h it with nails or screws driven

into the top plate of the stub wa ll and the cabinet sides (photo 12) .

HOOK UP LIGHTS & INSTALL TRIM Make the w iring con nections at the light llxtures and at the switch (photos 13a and 13b) . You wi ll need

to have a \v iring inspection before making the Ilna l hookup at the power source.

C ut pieces of I x 6" maple to muke th e top t ri m. Miter the outside and ins ide corners <:IS you inst<:l ll the trim . Use a pneumat ic nai ler to <:Ittach the trim if you have access to one (photo 14). Attac h the vertical trim mem be rs to cover the wa ll at the left s ide of the project and t he end of the stub wa ll (photo 15 ). Scribe as necessary (see page 66) and rip the stu b wall trim

to Ilt. For a more Iln ished look, round over the edges of the vert ical trim pieces sl igh tl y.

Fina ll y, sl ide in, level and hook up your was her and dryer (photo 16). Make sure to follow loca l codes for water and drain supply a nd for venting your dryer.

Attach the vertical trim boards, butting them up against the top trim and keeping the bottom slightly above the floor. Apply a finish and top coat to the trim boards as desired.

14

Trim out the top of the structure with 1 x 4 hardwood to conceal the gap beneath the ceiling panel. If you prefer, you can use crown molding here.

16

Install your washer and dryer (or have your appliance dealer install them for you).


I Towel Tower

136 • THE COM PLETE GUIDE TO CUSTOM SHELVES & BU1LT-1NS

If there's one place in the house that co ll ects everybody's stuff, it's th e bathroom. Towe ls,

clothes, cleaning supplies, even laundry. But so me

fancy design \vork lI sing a couple of refrigerator \va ll

ca binets and some cool carpen try crea te a niche spot

that can provide a central location For al l kinds of

different items. Suitable even for sma ll bathrooms,

this towe l to\'ver also adds texture and co lor to the

space. And another added benefit to th is project is the sea ting provided by th e countertop top on the

ca binet.

The beadboard backi ng fo r thi s project is made v,lith painted -%"-thick tongue and groove pine, sometimes called carsiding. IVlore advanced carpenters

may prefer to make the ir own Cll s tom bead board from hardwood and give it a custom wood finish.

The base for this project is an over-the-fridge size wa ll cabinet (sometimes ca lled a bridge cabinet). At I S!! high, it is within the range of comfortable seating

heights. But if you prefer a slightly higher seat (and

rnany people do), build a 2 X 4 curb for the cabinet to rest on (see the Window Seat project on pages 80 to 87 for in formation on how to install a seat in a 2 x 4 cu rb).

To concea l the sea m where the towel towe r meets

the Aoor, we trimmed around the base with base shoe

trim , mitering the corners. vVe used the sa me trim

stock to co nceal the ga p where the seatboard meets

the tongue-and-groove paneling. H ere, however, \ve

added small miter return s to the ends of the base shoe

(sec pages 42 to 43 ).

Materials 32 sq. ft. tongue-and-groove paneling (2) I X 6 X 8 Ft. pine 3 ft. crown molding liz sheet W'-thick MDF 12 ft. qU<:Irter- round molding

Towel hooks Faste ners

Cutting List

Key No. Description Size

A Over·fridge cobinel ISh x 30w x 24d

B I Seotboord 0/, x 2S x 32*

C 8 T&6 pone ling %x S1flX 71 W**

D 2 Towel hook bockers ¥. x SV1 x 27"

E 3 lin. ft. Crown molding CUi 10 fil (w/milers)

F 12 lin. ft. V.-round molding Cullo fil

Material

MOl

Pine

Pinelx6

Pine

Pine

'I- Finished size: requ ires slightly larger board for

machining

** Length equa ls di stcll1ce from top of seatbo<:l rd to ceiling minus Ih"

E

c

Towel Tml'er • 137

How to Build a Towel Tower

INSTAll THE BASE CABINETS Begin by making the seatboard that tops the refrigerator cab inet. Cut a piece of medium dens ity fiberboard (M OF) so it is I " wider than the cabinet

<:I nc! a couple of inches lo nger front -to-back (make it about 26" if using a 24" cabinet as shown here). Mount a piloted ogee or roundover bit (or othe r profil ing bit of your choice) into your router and shape the front and side edges (p hoto I). You 'll probab ly get a litt le bit of blow-out at the bac k edge, whic h is

why it's recommended that you make the workpiece a couple of inches too long. Once you've routed the profiles, trim the back edge so the front overha ngs the cab inet by I II, Coat a ll faces and edges with pri mer and at least tv,ro coats of paint.

Rout a profile, such as an ogee or roundover, into the sides and front of the seatboard. use a router table if you have one, otherwise hand-machine it with a piloted profiling bit.


Attach the seatboard with screws d riven through the mounting st rips on the cab inet top and in to the underside of the seatboard. The back edge of the seatboard should be nush with the back edge of the cab inet and the overhang shou ld be equal on the

sides. Since this cab inet is small, it might be best to clamp the blank in location on the cabinet, then turn the cabinet on its back so you ca n access the faste ner locations more eas ily (photo 2).

Insta ll the cabinet in the project location. 13aseboard and any othe r obstructions shou ld be

removed from the project area. Slip shi ms be low and behi nd the cab inet as needed to make sure it is leve l

and pl umb. Attac h the cabinet to the wall by driving 2" wa ll board screws through the cab inet bac k at wa ll stud locations (photo 3) .

Because these cabinets are so small, it's easier to pre-gang them together, then flip the assembly upside down to install the seatboard.

3

-

INSTALL THE PANELING T he backer boa rd fo r the towe l tower ca n be made

from a nu mber of bu ild ing materials, \,vhi le retai ning

the beadboard appea rance that lends a bit of country

style to t hi s project. The easiest and c heapest product

you can usc is beadboard pa neling: th in sheet stock that comes in 4 X 8 ft . panels . You'll find a wide range

of colors, patterns and qua lit ies in the beadboard sheet stock, including some that is pre-s ized to around 42"

for ins ta llat ion as v,ra in scot ing. The c he<Jpest materied

has a pri n ted pattern layer laminated over hardboa rd . T he better quali ty material has hardwood veneer over

a plywood or lauan backi ng. We chose real tongueand-groove boards made from pine. W ith actual d imens ions of 3/R x 5 1hl!, the carsid ing product we llsed has e nough depth to c reate a convinc ing profi le but is

st ill relat ively inexpensive. Because it is very un likely that the strips of

carsiding will be exac tly the same \,vidth as your base cab inet once they're instal led, you' ll need to ri p-cut

the outside boards to fit t he project area (it is bette r

to rip-c ut both outer boards a n equa l amount tha n to take everythi ng out of one of the boards). To gauge where to make yo ur cuts , assemble enough boards to cover the width of the ca binet and lay them out on a flat surface (photo 4 ). Mark the centerpoi nt of the

middle boa rd and measure out half the distance in each direction . Ma ke rip-cut lines at these poi nts .

Midpoint

-\

Drive screws through the back of the cabinet at the marked wall stud locations.

Layout the tongue-and-groove carsiding boards in a row, with the tongues fitted into grooves. Measure out in one direction (half the width of base cabinets) from a midpoint line in the center board.

Towel Tower • 139

Clamp a straightedge over a tongue-and-groove board, placing a piece of scrap plywood underneath as a backer. Ripcut the board to the correct thickness for the filler piece.

Before ri pp ing the boards, tr im a ll of your

carsidi ng stock so it is 1/4" to 'htl shorte r than the

d istance from the seat board to the cei li ng. The n, t ri m the outer carsiding boards to width lIsing a table saw (make sure you arc tri mming off the correct edge, be

i t tongue or groove), If you have access to a tablcsaw,

use it to make the cuts. Otherwise, use a c ircular saw

and a straightedge cutti ng guide. \rVith thin stock like

this, cutt ing a scrap wood backer board a long \\l ith

the workpiece wi ll resu lt in a c leaner cut . iVlakc the

rip cuts (photo 5) and sa nd the edges if necessary to

smooth out the cuts.


6

Press the trimmed filler board to the wall, seating it in construction adhesive, at the left edge of the panel area.

Use" 4-ft. level to extend plumb lines di rectly

li p the \.va ll fro m the outside edges of the seatboard.

T hen, mark the \,va ll stud locations o n the seatboard

and cei ling \,vith tape. Begin insta ll ing the carsid ing

on the left side, with the left trim med boa rd. In mos t

cases, the tongue will be preserved o n t hi s board and

shou ld be oriented inward (photo 6). Apply a hea\1' bead of construction ad hesive to the back of the board

and st ick it to the wal l. If it happens to fal l over a

\,vall s tud, na il it in pl ace by driving (l fin ish nai l (or,

preferably, a pne umatic brad) th rough the tongue at a n

angle. The nai ls shou ld be countersun k e nough tha t

they do no t obstruct the groove of the adjo ining board.

Continue installing boards until you reClch the right edge (photo 7) . Use plenty of adhes ive und drive several nails when you hit a \va ll stud. If none of the wall studs align be neat h cars idi ngjoi nts, tac k the

board that fal ls over a wall stud by face-nailing o nce at the top and once at th e bottom. I n most cases, you shou ld be ub le to tack each board at the top too, nailing through the face Cl nd into the stud \vall cap plate (thi s will be concea led by crovm molding anyway). Note: TI-le 1Iloun.ting boards for the towel hooks will help hold the carsiding in place alice they are attached at stlld locations.

Cut the towe l hook backer boards to le ngth from I x 6 stock. For a more decorative effect, cut a c hamfer

profile into the edges (or just the top and bottom edges) with a router a nd chamfe ring bit. In sta ll the backer

7

Drive a pneumatic brad through the tongue of one of the fa r-right boards, and into a marked wall stud.

9 - • -~-

board by driving 21hl! deck sc re\\/s, countersunk, CIt vvall

stud locations. Fill the sc rew hol es with wood putty. In stall quarter~rou nd molding around the bottom

of the ca binet to conceal the gap whe re it meets the

Aoor. Also in stall quarter-round to co ncea l th e gap whe re the ca rsiding meets the cabinet seat board (photo 8 ). i\/lake mitered return s at the end for a more fini s hed ap pearan ce (see pages 42 to 43 ).

Attach crown molding to the top of the projec t (photo 9), also making a mitered return to fini sh the ends of the molding (sec pages 42 to 43 ).

Sand a ll wood su rfaces and fill na il holes, scrcw

ho les and visible gaps with wood putty. Paint th e project wi th primer and at leas t two coa ts of enamel paint. Finally, attach the tov,'e l hooks to the tov,lel hook backers .

• ·8

Install quarter-round or base shoe molding at the top edge of the seatboard where it meets the carsiding. Tie the molding back to the wall with mitered returns (see pages 42 to 43).

Attach crown molding at the top of the project, creating mitered returns at the ends. Mark the ceiling joists with tape.

Towel Tower • 141

I Understairs Work Center

The irregular space beneat h a sta ircase can be used for a variety of creative bu il t-in projects. Because

the dimensions and <1ngles of understa irs areas v<:I ry wide ly, Ilnding stock cab inet ry that illS the space is difficult. However, the design shown he re can be built to fit almost any area .

T he undcrstairs work center, in its simp lest form , is a pair of bas ic cabinets that support a countcrtop.

T he basic cab ine ts are built to a sta ndard height, depending on the ir use. You can adapt the size of the


understa irs work center by shortening or lengthening

the cou nte rtop and connecting she lf. A smal l ca binet and upper she lves are added to fill out the remaining space. The depth of the cou ntertop also ca n be adjusted to matc h the width of your staircase.

Most understairs projects requ ire that you make many angled cuts, but in the project shown here, you will need to ma ke only a few miters and bevels.

Beveled cuts ca n be made with a pmver miter saw, ci rc ular saw, or tab le saw.

Tools Pencil

': .l ..... " l·····.

...... "

r····. . ... . '. . .... .

.... "'.~., "

Tape rneasure

Level T-bevel C ircular saw

or table saw

Cutting List

Part No. Desc.

A Top shelf

B lower shelf

C Shelf deats

D 4 Cabinet sides

;:"

.:' " , " : " . . ', .:' '.

.-, r···· . . '.

r<· ..... .... f: ""

Cordless Drill/driver Drill bits H amrner Router with WI straight

bit and W' rabbet bit Bar clamps Power rn iter saw

Size Material

28 x 18" 3(." plywood

42 x 18" 'I." plywood

12 lineal ft. I x 2

35';' x 24" 3(." plywood

E 4 Cabinet bose, top panels 19'1. x 24 " 'I." plywood

F 4 Cabinet shelves 19'1. x 24" 3(." plywood

G 2 Cabinet bocks 20 x 35" 'I." plywood

H (ounlerlop 32 x 64" 3(." plywood

Small cobinet side 18 x 24" 3(." plywood

Materials Sh im s Finish nails ( ]II , 11/", " , 2" )

U tility screws ( ] ", ] 1/", ", 2Ih") ] 11 \,,'ire nails

Trim mold ing Finish rnaterials

Door and drawer hardv·,Iare

Part No. Desc.

J Small cobinet side

26 lineal ft. oak 1 x 3 25 lineal ft. oak 1 x 2 1) 'I, x 4 ft. x 8 ft. pl)~vood 3) % x 4 ft. x 8 ft. oak plywood

Size Material

34 Y, x 24" W plywood

K 2 Small cobinet bottom & top 19Y. x 24" W plywood

L Small cobinet bock 20" x 34" 3(. " plywood

M Connecting shelf 27 '/. x 24" '!." plywood

N Face frome pieces 26 lineal ft. I x 3 ook

0 Fa(e frome pieces 25 lineal ft. I x 2 ook

p Shelf edge strips 4 lineal ft. 'I, plywood

Q Drawers see pages 48 to 49

R Cabinet doors purchase to fit

Ulltlers/airs Work Cel1ler • 143

I project Details

The side panels for the short cabinet (left), made from W' plywood, differ in size. Shelves and cleats, made from plywood and 1 x 2 strips, are beveled A line connecting the tops of the two panels should follow the slope line of the

staircase. The side panels for the main cabinets (right), are also made from ¥,' plywood, and have dadoes for the cabinet shelves and base, and rabbets for the cabinet top. The taller side panel for the small cabinet fits against a main cabinet side panel when the work center is installed.

so they fit flush against the understairs cover. The shelf edging strips are cut from oak 1 x 2, and mitered at the same angle as the shelves.

Duplicate the slope of your stairs using a T-bevel. Set one arm of the T-bevel in a level position against the back wall, then align the other arm with the stairs (top photo). Transfer the angle directly to your saw to make mitered and beveled cuts (bottom photo).


Cover stair underside before you install your understairs work center. Panels of 1%" plywood attached to the stringers of the staircase create an understairs cover that can be used to anchor shelf cleats. If you plan to add electrical or plumbing lines, do the work (or hire a professional if you are inexperienced) before installing your built-in.

How to Build an Understairs Work Center

1

Mark the location for the shelf cleats on the walls and understairs cover, using a level as a guide. Butt the 12" cleats against the back wall, and allow at least 12" of clearance between the countertop and the bottom shelf.

Measure and cut 'I,' plywood side panels for main cabinets, then use a router and an edge guide to cut rabbets for top panels and dadoes for bottom panels and shelves (see Project Details, page opposite).

Measure and cut 1 x 2 shelf cleats to fit along the reference lines on the walls and the understairs cover (see Project Details, page opposite). Bevel the cleats on the understairs cover to match the stair slope angle. Attach the cleats with 21// screws.

Clamp and glue the cabinet sides to the top and bottom panels and shelves to form rabbet and dado joints. Note: If you plan to install centermounted drawer slides, mount slide tracks before you assemble the cabinet.

Measure and cut ¥,' plywood shelves, then attach a 'I,' hardwood strip to each shelf edge (see page opposite) using glue and finish nails. Set shelves on cleats and attach with 1'1," finish nails driven through pilot holes.

Reinforce each cabinet joint with 2" finish nails driven at 4" intervals.

Ullders/airs Work Cellfer • 145

Cut a ",' plywood back panel for each main cabinet. Set each back onto a cabinet frame so that all sides align, then attach them to cabinet side, base, and top panels using 1" wire nails.

Position one cabinet so the top panel is pressed against the understairs cover and front face is flush with edge of stairway. Shim if needed, then toenail into the floor through the side panels, using 2" finish nails. For masonry floors, attach with construction adhesive.

Position the other cabinet 'I,' away from side wall, with front face aligned with first cabinet. Check with a level and shim if needed. Insert ' I. " spacers between cabinet and side wall, then anchor to wall with 2" screws driven into framing members.

cut 1 x 2 cleats for the connecting shelf that fits between the main cabinets. Mark level lines on the inner cabinet sides, then attach shelf cleats to the cabinet sides by driving 1'1. " screws through counterbored pilot holes.

Measure and cut a ¥." plywood connecting shelf to fit between the cabinets, and attach it to the cleats with 1v." finish nails. (If you plan to build a drawer using a centermounted drawer slide, attach the slide track to the shelf before you attach the shelf to the cleats.)


1

Measure and cut a plywood countertop panel that extends all the way to the back wall, with one side flush against the understairs cover. Attach the countertop to top panels of cabinets by driving finish nails down through the countertop.

Back panel

Top panel

Side panel

Build a small cabinet the same width and depth as the main cabinets (steps 4 to 7). Adjust the height of the side panels to follow the stair slope (see Project Details, page 144). Cut a v," plywood back panel, with the top edge sloped at the same angle as the line between the side panel tops. Attach the back panel to the cabinet with 1" wire nails.

13

Apply or install any special countertop finishing material, like ceramic tile or plastic laminate. Obtain installation instructions and follow them carefully if you have not installed tile or laminate before.

Position the small cabinet so the taller side panel is flush against the main cabinet. Align the face of the small cabinet with the face of the main cabinet, then check with a level, shimming if necessary Connect the cabinets by drilling pilot holes, and driving 1,/," screws through the side panels.


If the corner is open at the bottom of the stairs, attach nailing strips to the understairs cover and cabinet sides, then cut a plywood panel to fit the space, and attach it to the nailing strips with 1" screws.

Measure and cut 1 x 3 rails to cover the edges of the connecting shelf and the countertop. Miter the end of the countertop rail that Joins the long, diagonal raii. Attach the shelf and countertop rails flush with the countertop and shelf surfaces, using glue and 2" finish nails driven through pilot holes.

148 • THE COM PLETE GUIDE TO CUSTOM SHELVES & RUI LT·INS

16

Measure and cut 1 x 3 bottom rails for the cabinets. Also cut a long, diagonal rail to fit along the edge of the understairs cover. Miter the ends of the diagonal rail to fit against the floor and the side wall, and miter the longer bottom rail to form a clean Joint with the diagonal raii. Test-fit the rails, then attach them with glue and 2" finish nails driven through pilot holes.

18

Measure and cut 1 x 2 stiles for the front edges of the cabinets. Attach the stiles, flush with the edges of the cabinet sides, using glue and 2" finish nails driven through pilot holes.

Measure and cut 1 x 2 rails to fit between the stiles, so they cover the cabinet shelf edges and are flush with the shelf tops. Attach the rails, using glue and 2" finish nails driven through pilot holes.

21 22

cut base-shoe molding to cover gaps along wall and floor surfaces, mitering the corners. Tack the molding, using 2" finish nails. sand, fill, and finish the understairs center.

Attach slide tracks for side-mounted drawer slides, according to the manufacturer's directions.

Build, finish, and install drawers (see pages 48 to 49) and drawer hardware. Purchase or build and finish cabinet doors and hang them using 3,,' semi-concealed hinges.


I Hobby Center

If you or someone in your family enjoys a hobby or

activity, whethe r it's computing, sc rapbooldng, drawing

or anything else that involves pleasant time seated and engaged in your avocat ion , YO LI deserve to have a specicd place set aside for that ac tivity. And here, it is important to note, "set aside" does not mean "spread out on the kitchen table be tween family meals." A dedicated spot

wi th loads of storage, a pleasing appearance a nd an

efficien t footprint can all be obtained with this corner

hobby center provides the things you need to spend time o n your act ivity, not managing it.


I n thi s corner hobby center, upper and ]mver

ca binets are combined to deliver exce llent and attractive sto rage options. At the sa me time, some on-s ite ca rpe ntry c reates a stable frame for a spacious

but not overpov,rering L~s haped desk. The laminate des ktop configu ration provides not just room to spread out a project or stage supplies left and right , but a lso provides three access points (ce nter, left , and right) for

you to e ither move around a large project or for othe rs to pull up a c hair and he lp or just watch,

c

A

Tools Materials Cutting List Pencil (2) Base cabine ts

Part No. Desc. Size Material Tape measure (2) Upper cab inets

A Bose cabinets 24 x WI," Level or laser level ( I ) Co rner cabi net Drill/driver (2) 8 ft. 2 x 3 B Upper cobinets 18 x 30"

Miter savv ( I ) Co untertop C Corner cabinet 24 x 30"

Drl"'all or deck D Wall deot lV1x 21/1 x 40" 2 x 3 screws E Oiogonol deal l V1 x2 Vl x59" 2 x 3

Finish nails Finishing materia ls

F l·shope (ounterlop IV1X 25 x 72" Custom make

f-/ohhyCellfer • 151

I How to Build a Hobby Center

LAY OUT UPPER CABINETS Start wit h the upper ca binets first, then in stall

the base units. Once th e bases are set, frame the desktop su pports and insta ll the countertop.

T he des ktop is laminate an d while you can make it you rse lf, \vo rking \v ith laminates is a specia lty

trad e and it is ofte n mu c h easier to o rde r the unit

and have it delivered pre~assembled. Locate and strike the leve l line for the uppers 52 112" a bove the

flo o r. Project each line 42" out from the v·/al l co rner

(photo I ). Locate and mark the wal l studs below the level

li ne. Fasten a temporary ledger to the wa ll studs

Project the level line for the upper cabinets 42" out from each corner.

3


(photo 2 ). Set it be low the level line to s upport th e

cab inets during installat io n.

LAY OUT THE BASES & DESKTOP Measuring along the top of the base molding from

the corner, muke marks at 42" Cl nd 60" on the base

trim. T hi s is t he locat ion of eClch base cabinet. Use a

combinat ion sq uare and mark square lines dovm to the floor. The 18" of base/s hoe molding between the lines \·vill be removed to accept the base cabinets. In the corne r, measure up 34 'h" (the height of the base

ca binet) from th e Aoor a nd ma rk eac h side of the wa ll

(photo 3).

Fasten a ledger board for the upper cabinets just below the level line.

Extend your tape in the corner and mark each wall at 34%".

Plan Ahead ~

If you can pre-gang and install the upper cabinets in one shot, this will provide a quicker, more accurate installation, but you'll need helpers to do this. It helps to transfer the location of the wall studs to the insides of the cabinets for future reference so you're not searching for the studs while you're holding cabinets aloft (photo 41.

4

.. \ ..... ..

Fasten the upper cabinet to the wall studs to hold it in place, but do not drive the screws all the way (this allows for a little fine tuningl.

Note: If you have a carpet floor treat1llent, it may be w ise to place a base cahi'net in, position and use a 2Jt. level to transfer its height to the wall. Remember, carpet ([-nd pad will COtllpreS5 some ance the cabinet has been

loadecllvith ite'lJ1.s so apply a little pressure lvhen doing this. Once height is esta blished, strike a level line 61 '/,"

out on each wall. TI1e reason to strike the line out to 61 !h- inches is

because the deshtop extends J '12 II beyond the outside edge of the base unit. Along the level line on eac1'.1Vall,

mahe a 1uark at 42" and strike a plumb-Une down to the

Transfer the stud locations to the inside surfaces of the cabinets before you lift them.

base molding. rn lis is dIe inside edge of the base cabinet and the outside edge of the desktop ledger board. Locate

the 1Vallstuds and mark them along the top edge of the level line.

INSTALL THE UPPERS I f YO LI <:I re installing one cabinet at a ti me, start with

the center cabin et in th e corner. Set it on the ledger

board and then dri ve screws into the wa ll at stud

locations (photo 5). Repeat for each e nd cabi net.

Hohh)' Cellfer • 153

Before fully sinking wall screws, be sure the fronts of all wall cabinets are flush. Make adjustments as necessary to get them flush, clamp, pre-drill, then fasten.

8

Install ledgers below level line on wall studs. Note that the second piece overlaps the first piece and must be cut 1 'h" shorter to fit

Before fully sinking the wa ll screws, clamp the

cabinets together, dri ll p ilot holes in the cabinet sides or face ffumes, <:I nd $creV,1 them toge ther (photo 6).

Complete the process by dr iving all wa ll screws tight ly against the cabinet bac k. Add cabi net doors.

INSTALL THE BASE UNITS Remove the base mo ld ing a lready marked usi ng a

pull -smv. Posit ion the base un its <Jgainst the \,va ll at

the layoll t lines and then shim and faste n the base

cab inets to the wall studs (photo 7). See pages 54 to 59 fo r more information on insta lling cabinets.


Position the base cabinets at the layout lines and fasten them to wall studs with screws.

cut the diagonal ledger brace with opposing miters. Longpoint to long-paint, it's 59".

ATTACH DESKTOP LEDGER Because the desktop is only supported by cab inets on the olltside edges, YOLI mllst build a 3-p iece ledger system that supports the desktop both a long the wall and under the fron t edge of the desktop. 2 x 3s \vork wel l for this. Cut a nd insta ll ledger pieces a long

the \vall, fastening with two 3 11 screws into the wall

studs (photo 8). Me"sure " nd c ut the fi rst piece to fit be t\.veen the wu ll a nd t he inside edge of a base

cab inet . A piece just shy of 42" should fit. C ut and insta ll t he second piece. A piece ju st shy of 4 0 112 11

shou ld fit.

Cut a 2 x 3 to 59" (Iong- to-Iong) with opposing

miters (photo 9). Pre-dr il l and pre-set screws in

th e mitered ends of the diagona l brace th e n insta ll

(photo j 0 ).

INSTAll THE DESKTOP H ave a cus tom des ktop made to lit from particlebord

and laminate, or any other suita bl e materials. Or,

make your own (see pages 62 to 77). Get a he lper and

pbce the desktop on top of the base ca b ine t/ ledger

system (photo I I). F ine tune the desktop placemen t

onto the layout marks and faste n from be neath . Fasten from inside th e base ca binets as wel l as through the ledger system's di agonal brace . Fasten ing through the diagona l brace req uires pre-drilling and

10

pre-drill (to prevent splitting) and pre-set screws in the mitered ends of the diagonal brace and install.

pre-drill then drive screws at an angle through the diagonal brace into the desktop.

insta lling scre\vs on a n angle (photo J 2). Be cu refui

not to puncture the top surface of the lam inate.

APPLY YOUR FINISH T he fini sh details are relat ively minima l on this

project, since it is made out of prefin ished cabinets and a pre-built desktop. Yo u ca n cau lk bet\vee n the cab inet edges and t he wa ll as necessary, or \vrap the base cab inet bottoms \·vi th base molding as necessa ry (you can skip this if the Aoor is carpe t) and prime and

pa int the ledger system boards the sa me as the wa ll colo r. One great addit ion is to instal l an undercab ine t

light beneath the upper cabinets to provide focused

task lighting (photo \3 ).

With a helper, position the desktop on the cabinets and ledger system.

13

install task lighting and add convenient receptacles according to your skill and comfort level with wiring.

Hohl') ' Cellfer • 155

I Bath Cabinet

Cabinetry and casework are fu ndamental to

making bu il t- ins a nd bookcases. T h is s mall

wall-h ung cab ine t is a useful item for bathroom

or ki tchen, and it is a great project for a beginning

carpente r to develop some bas ic cabi netry skill s. It is also extremely inexpensive to make. The enti re case, in clud ing the top, can be bui lt from an 8-ft.

lo ng p iccc of I X 10 wood (you' ll nccd a li ttle extra

material for the she lving and the towe l rod). T he

mitered frames appl ied to the fronts of the door g ive


the look and fee l of a ra ised pane l door, wi thout any of

the fuss.

\tVe bu ilt the version of the cabi net YOLI see here out of No.2 and better p ine and then gave it an

orangey maple finis h. You can choose any lumber

you like fo r this, eve n sheet stock slich as j\lIDF, and

app ly a clea r or a painted fi ni sh . For a trad itional look,

c hoose a whi te enamel pa int. Be su re and apply several

thin coats of polyurethane varn ish , especia lly if the cab inet wi ll be insta lled in a \vet area like a bathroom.

Tools Pencil Tape measure Comb ination square

Router, proflling bit

C ircular sa\\,

Jig saw C lamps Hammers

Drill/driver 3// Spade bit

Materials ( 1)8ft.lxIO ( 1) 4ft. I x8 ( I) '1." Dowel ( I) Scree n retainer

molding ( 10 lineal ft. ) (2) Door knobs (2) Touch latches (2) Hi nges

Drywall or deck sc rews Finish nails Finish ing material s

Cutting List

Part No. Desc.

A Top

B 2 Sides

C 2 Doors

D 2 Shelves

E Towel rod

F Wall cleot

G Door molding Ishortl

H Door molding (long)

Size Material

lf4 X 91/4 X 19 \11 I x 10 pine

3f4 x 71/ , x 2m;. I x 100ri x 8pine

0/.x 9x15 IxlOpine

3/4 x 7 X 161/1 I X 8 pine t Square = 1"

0/. x 18" Dowel

lf4 xl 1j, x161h, I x 2 pine T 3/4" towel rod

1h x o/l x(utlont Retainer molding 0 lh x ¥. xcuttofit Retainer molding 51/4"

11 Bath Cabillet • 157

How to Build a Bath Cabinet

PREPARE THE STOCK This bathroom cabinet can be made a lmost entirely from a single 8-ft. J x J 0 using basic too ls. (Jf you

buy a J O-footer you 'll have enough stoc k to make all

but the middle shelf, whi ch ca n eas ily be made from

,mothe r piece of wood or even glass. ) At you r local lum beryard or building ce nter, hand-select a board (pine or another wood: No.2 or better pine is muc h cheaper than other types in most areas). Look for a board that's stra ight and free from defects li ke large

knots or waney (bark-like) edges. When you get the board home, trim around 1/4

11 off eac h end (never trust

the factory ends- they' re seldom squa re ly cut).


Cut the top board to 191/2 ". Then , cut a n ogee profile into the fron t edge and the side edges llsing a pi loted ogee bit (photo I). Be su re to attach blocking

at the back edges to prevent the router bit from turning the corner and cutting into the back edge. If

you don't own a router, you can simply hand-sand a

roundover in the bottom edges or you can try cutti ng a chamfer profile with a hand plane (a tricky job, but a

good ski ll to develop).

Next, cu t the stock for both doors to length, plus a

litt le bit (cut a piece a round 30'h" long) a nd either rip

cut the edges to get a clea n surface on both si des or sand them or plane them smooth (photo 2). The nna l v,lidth of the materia l should be 9", Once the stoc k is

prepared, cut the doors to length,

Shape a decorative profile into the top using a router and pil oted agee bit. Do not remove more than %" of material along the bottom edges.

use a tablesaw, circu lar saw, plane or sander to get straight, criSp edges on the cabinet door stock.

Cut the stock fo r the cabinet sides to \vidth (7 '/''') or select a piece of I X 8 stock and si mply sand the edges . Then enlarge the pattern on page 157 using a photocopier to make a hardboard template of the curved shape . Trace the profile on one side ,

refe renc ing up from the bottom of the board (photo 3). Cbrnp the tvvo s ides together so the ends a nd

edges all are flu sh . Then, cu t out the profile in both pieces at once using a jig SJ\>V (photo 4). Make you r cuts just short of the cu tting line. When the cut is fin ished, do not unc larnp the ganged sides. Use a sa nder or a round file to srnooth the cuts and

rernove waste wood exac tly up to the cut ting lines. An osc illating spindle sander is the best tool here. Another good idea is to rnOll nt a drurn sa nder in a drill

Photocopy the pattern on page 157 and use it to make a hardboard template a guide to trace the profile onto the bottom of one cabinet side.

Cut both side profiles at the same time, staying just outside the cutting line so you can sand precisely up to the cutting line.

press. Las tl y, before you unelamp the sides, locate the cen terpoint for drilling the ·W'-di a. dowel ho le for the towel rod . Drill the hole with a 3/)' spade bi t, rn aking su re to s lip a backe r board underneath the bottorn board to prevent tea rout \vhen the bit exits the

workpiece (photo 5).

ASSEMBLE THE CABINET Assembl ing your bathroorn cabinet is a sirnple process of glu ing, clarnping and nai ling. It is \,vorth investing in a couple of 24" bar clarnps or pipe clarnps if you don 't

O\vn them already, a lthough another option is to use screws instead of nail s to fasten the parts, relying on the scre\vs to provide clarnp-l ike pressure to the glue joints. O nly do thi s if you are painting the cab inet.

Still with the sides ganged together, drill a %"·dia. hole for the towel rod, using a backer board under the bottom side.

Balh Cahillel • 159

Press the two shelves and the cleat between the cabinet sides after applying glue to the ends.

Glue the ends of the towel rod into the holes in the cabinet sides and then pin it in place with a finish nail driven through the back edge of each side.

Lay the side boards on a Aat surface, lying parallel

and o n their back edges. C ut the j x 2 c leat and the

7"-wide shelves to length ( j 6 'h"). Note: The sl/elves

are 1// narrower than the sides to provide clearance for the doors. Position the cleat and the shelves between the cabinet sides, making SHre ever),thing fits squarely. Then, apply wood glHe to the ends of all three parts and clamp tl1Cm between the cabinet sides (photo 6). Then ,

clamp the sides with bar c lamps and c heck with a

framing squa re to ma ke sure the sides arc square to the she lves. Also make sure the middle shelf is

perpen d icu lar to the s ides.

Before the gl ue sets (aboll t 15 minutes) drive three 6d nnis h nails through the cabi ne t sid es and into

eac h s he lf end . Drive a pair of nails into the wa ll c leat

(photo 7). It is always a good idea to drill pilot ho les

for na iling. In sert the towel rod into the holes in the


Reinforce the glued joints with 6d fillish nails driven into pilot holes.

Miter the corners of screen retainer molding and nail and glue decorative frames to the door fronts.

cab inet sides . Once it is in position , pus h it in vvard Ih i! or so o n one side and app ly g lue to the inside surfaces

of the dowel ho le. The n , press the rod from the other

side to revea l about 1// of the hole a nd app ly gl ue.

Push the rod so the e nds are Aush \,vith the ca binet

sides and the drive one 3d finish na il through the back

edge of eac h cabinet s ide and into the dowel to pin it

in place (photo 8).

HANG THE DOORS C ut str ips of half-round screen reta ine r mo ld ing to

make decorative fra mes for the fronts of the cabinet

doors. Mi ter the corne rs (photo 9 ). The frames should

be inset \11 or so from the door edges on a ll s ides .

Attac h the frames to the door fronts with glue and a few Ih !l wire b rad s.

Note: NOllJ is a good time to finish or paint your bathroom cabinet. Be sure to sand all the surfaces well and Jllake sure yon remove any dried glue- the stain and finish won't stick to it. We used a gel~type Swedish maple stain on our pine cabinet because it imparts a rich.

color (it resembles orange shellac ) and disguises the fact that pine has very little wood grain . We added three thin

coats of wipe-on varnish after the stain dried (photo 10). Hang the cabinet doors with 11// brushed chrome or

nickel butt hinges (photo I I ). In most cases, you'll need

to cut shallow mortises in the cu binet sides and door for

the h inges. Center the cabinet top so the overhang is

equal on the side and the back is flush with the cabinet

back . Attach the top by d ri ving a few fini sh na ils through

it and into the top edges of the cabine t sides, as \vcl l as

in to the top edges of the wa ll clea t (photo 12 ). You're

better off not usi ng glue to attach the top.

Install a touch latch at the top of each door opening.

Apply your finish or paint the cabinet before you hang the doors and install the cabinet top.

Attach the finished cabinet top to the cabinet sides with 4d finish nails.

HANG THE CABINET Locate wall studs in the insta lla tion a rea . Where

poss ible, position the cabinet so it hits two studs.

Attac h the cabinet with v·,rood sc rev,Is driven through

the wa ll cleat an d into the studs (photo J 3). If you

on ly have one stud avu ilable, dr ill u 1/4" ho le thro ugh

the c lea t , as fa r fro m stud locatio n as you cun ge t

a nd still have access . Positi on the cabinet agains t

the wa ll and ma rk the hole onto the wa ll by insert ing

a finish nail into th e hol e. Re move th e cabinet and

insta ll a plastic screw insert at the hole loca tio n.

Heplace the cabinet a nd drive a screw so it catc hes the insert. Then re~leve l the cab inet and screw

the wall clea t to the wa ll at the s tud location. Drill

p il ot ho les in the doors and install door knobs with

screws.

Hang the doors. Use care to position the doors so the outside edges are flush with the outer faces of the cabinets sides. The tops should be about %" below the top edges of the cabinet sides.

13

Hang the cabinet. If you don't have access to two wall studs, use a plastic screw insert or other hanging hardware in addition to fastening the wall cleat to a wall stud.

Balh C(lhil1el • 161

I Kneewall Cabinet

A kneewa ll is a short wa ll that meets the s lope of the rooRine in an upsta irs room. By cutt ing a

hole in a kneev.rall and instcdling a recessed cabinet, YO LI ca n turn the wasted space beh in d it in to a useful storage area.

Because the body (carcase) of a kneewall cab inet is not visi ble, it can be built using ordinary ply\'wod and simple butt joints . T he face frame and drawer faces, however, shou ld be buil t \vith hardwood, and

Anis hed carefull y.


The projec t shown here fits in a space that is 30" wide- the standard width of two adjacent stud

cavities w it h a center stud removed. Before begi nni ng \,vork, c heck the spac ing of studs and the locat ion of e lec trica l or plumbing li nes be hind your kneewa ll. Your kneewa ll may have a remova ble access pa ne l, whi c h makes it easy to c heck behind the wal l.

You can make the cabinet wider or narrower to fit your wall stud spacing, but regardless of size, be sure to leave a few inches of space between the back of the cabinet a nd the rafters.

--

Tools Materials Level D ryv/al\ or deck sc revvs

C ircular saw or jig saw ( 1", 2", 3")

Flat pry bar Finish nails ( 1Ihll, 2" , 3")

Reciprocating saw Wood glue Dril l Finishing materials

Tape measure Drmver hardware

Bar or pipe clamps

Hammer

Nail set

Stud

, Outline of : face frame :

Cripple stud

Header (A)

Rough opening

Stud

~ Cripple stu

Sill (A)

FRAMING FRONT VIEW

Header (A)

Outline of

cabinet_;'----:~--

Pedestals

, .

Voutlme of face frame

Sill

F;:::=;:t:;;lj-- (A)

FRAMING SIDE VIEW; CUTAWAY

Cutting List


A H"der and sill 6 lin'" h. 2 x 4s

B 2 Pedestals 14" xiS" 2 x 4s

C 2 Sides 19" x 28 '/," 'I." plywood

D 2 Top and bottom 19" x 30" W plywood

E 2 Shelves 19" x 28 Y," W plywood

F Bock ponel 30" x 30" '!." plywood

G Face frame II lin'" ft. Ix400k

H Shelf roils 5 lin", h. Ix200k

Drawers see poges 4B to 49

Klleewall Cabillet • 163

KNEEWALL CABINET PROJECT DETAILS

pedestals installed behind the kneewall create a sturdy base for the cabinet Built from 2 x 4s, the pedestals raise the cabinet so it fits above the sill. Raising the cabinet also makes drawers more accessible.

Face frame is 1 x 4 hardwood, which will cover the rough edges of the wall opening The shelf rails are made from 1 x 2 hardwood to maximize the size of the drawer openings.

I How to Build a Kneewall Cabinet

Locate wall studs in area where cabinet will be installed. Mark the cutout on the wall, using a level as a guide. Bottom of cutout should be at least 3" above baseboard, and sides of cutout should follow edges of wall studs. Height of cutout should be 3'/." taller than overall height of cabinet, to allow space for a header and sill. Caution: Check for wiring, pipes, and ductwork before cutting into any wall.


Cut away the center stud at the top and bottom of the opening, using a reciprocating saw Remove the stud . Remaining portions of cut studs are called "cripple" studs.

Measure and cut a 2 x 4 header and sill to fit snugly between side studs. Position in opening, check for level, and shim if necessary. Attach the header and sill to the cripple studs and side studs, using 3" screws.

set the pedestals on the floor inside the wall opening, even with the sides of the framed opening. Check to make sure pedestals are level, and shim between the pedestals and the floor if necessary. Attach pedestals to the floor, using 3" screws.

Measure the distance from the floor behind the opening to the top of the sill, and build two 2 x 4 pedestals to this height {see Project Details, previous pagel. Join pedestal pieces together with glue and 3" screws.

Measure width and height of the rough opening between framing members. Cut side panels 2" shorter than the height of rough opening. Cut top and bottom panels '/," shorter than the width of rough opening. Cut shelves 1 'j," shorter than the width of the opening

Klleell'nll Cnhillel • 165

Attach drawer slide tracks to the center of the bottom panel and the shelves, following manufacturer's directions.

Clamp and glue the shelves to the side panels to form butt Joints. Reinforce the joints with 2" screws driven through the side panels and into the edges of shelves.

Clamp and glue the top and bottom panels to the side panels, then reinforce the joints with 2" screws.

Measure and cut 'f," plywood panel to cover the back of the cabinet. Attach with 1" screws or wire nails driven through the back and into the side, top, and bottom panels.

Measure the width and height between the inside edges of the cabinet. Cut the rails to the width. Cut the stiles to the height plus 7". Clamp and glue rails between stiles, and reinforce joints by toenailing 3" fin ish nails through the rails and into the stiles.


Apply glue to the edges of the cabinet. then position the face frame over the cabinet so the inside edges of the face frame are flush with the top, bottom, and side panels. Attach the face frame by drilling pilot holes and driving 1'/," finish nails into the cabinet every 8". use a nail set to countersink the nail heads.

Anchor the cabinet by drilling pilot holes and driving 3" finish nails through the face frame and into the wall framing members. Also, drive 3" finish nails through the bottom of the cabinet and into the sill.

Slide the cabinet into the opening so it rests on the pedestals and the face frame is against the wall surface.

Sand and finish the cabinet face frame, then build, finish, and install overlay drawers (pages 48 to 49).

Klleell'nll Cnhillel • 167

I Club Bar

Owning your own in-house bar makes a statement

about you. For some, it might say "[ have arrived

<J nd this is my space!" vVhi le fo r others a bar might say "vVelcome, friends, OU f home is you r home." And for ot he rs, we ll , let's just say the possi bil it ies a re fa irly wide-rangi ng. Bu t whatever stol)' you r bar te ll s- be it one of quiet aperi tifs before d ining, casual afternoons watch ing the big game, or raucous evenings of wild

revelry- building you r bar yourself personalizes t he tale and adds a featu re to you r home that wil l have a d irect impact on ho"v well YO LI enjoy yo ur home li fe.

T he bar shown here is sleekly styled and smartly laid out for the effic ient barkeeper. A sma ll refrigerator gives YOll access to cold dri nks and ice \vhi le convenie nt cabinets create excellent storage spots For party favo rs.


Wh ile thi s is a "dry bar" (no plum bing), the design

could be modified in any number of \vays to add runn ing V,lelter if you v,fish. AJI you need to get the party started is a GFC ! electrical outlet and the proper Aoor space.

T his compact corner bar des ign Features glossy black MDF aprons with decorative cherry appliques fo rming a horizontal grid pattern on the aprons. A cherry p lywood bartop sits atop a 2 X 6 L-shapcd knccwall ,

harboring some practica l amen ities o n the bartender side. A Aip-up lift gate in the bartop on one end prO\odes reiss-through access a nd ca n even function as a v,la it stat ion if you \"/ant to get really fancy in your hosting

T he key components- base ca binets, a laminate coun te rtop, the fr idge, and the wood For a sleek Asianinspi red style trim-out-set the stage fo r you r next gathering. Let's party.

C11l1~ Bar • 169

170 • T HE COMPLETE GUIDE TO CUSTOM SHELVES & BUILT-INS

Tools Miter saw

Tab le saw

Circular S3\V

Drill/driver Level

Stud finder Pull S3\'V

Flat bar Pneu matic nai ler/compressor

Combination square

Materials 24" base cabinet

(l0) 2 x 6" x 8 ft. SPF

(I ) % x 4 x 8 cherry plywood for bartop (I ) 3j, x 4 x 8 particleboard

Hefrigerator ( 19w 22d 32-3/'" h) Postform countertop

(mi tered, 6 ft. eac h leg)

16d common nails (2) 6 ft. st ri ps 'h x 16" cemen t board 20 sq . ft. 4 x 4 \·va ll tile Thinset and grout

'1;" thi ck cherry- 2 @8 x 42" (actual ) 3/, x 1 'I," c he rry approx 80 lineal ft. (2) 'I," x 4 x 8 ft. MDP

Panel adhesive [ Ih" wa llboard screH's

Finish nai ls (4d, 6d) Finishing materials

Glue

36" base cabinet~ corner ( 12" \,vide doors) Piano hinge

Cutting List


A 4 Sill/heoder 11/1 x 5111 x 68" 2 x 6

B I I Stud lVl x 5Vl x 38" 2 x 6

c 2 Bartop 0/. x 16 Vl X 80" Cherry plywood

D Bm substrate 3,1. x 16 Vl x 80" Particleboard

E I Bar substrate 0/. x 16Vl x 65 V4' Particleboard

F 2 lift gote 0/. x 16 Vl X 22 1//' Cherry plywood

G Bortop trim 0/. x 1 W' x cut to fit Cherry

H 2 End cop 0/. x 7V. x 41" Cherry

7 Trim stiles l/. x lVl x41" Cherry

J 16 Trim rails 3f4 x lVl x cut to fit Cherry

K (ountertop cleol 1111 x 1111 x 22" 2 x 2

L lift gote stop black % x lVl x 18" Cherry

M Apran Vl x 40 Vl x 68%" MDF

N Apran Vl x 40 Vl x 68%" MDF

Cluh Bar • 171

How to Build a Club Bar

BUILD THE KNEEWALLS The ba r top is supported by a pa ir of heavy-duty 2 x 6 kncc\valls that arc anchored to the wal l and floor unci

meet in an L. This configuration pres umes rhGlt you'll

be in sta lling the bar in the corne r of the room. If that con fi guration does n't work for your space, YO LI ca n use

si m ilar build ing strategies, but redeSign the project as

a stra ight-l ine o r a U-shape bar. Cut the 2 x 6 sill plates to length (68"). Measu re

out from the corner the distance of the sill plates plus Lhe pass-through opening width plus 3// for the thickness of the end panel (923j," here). Mark a refere nce line and lay a sill plate at this di stance, perpendicu lar to the bac k project wa ll. Arra nge the second sill plate so the end

172 • THE COM PLETE CU I DE TO CUSTOM SHELVES & BU l t:l' INS

Anchor the sill plates for the kneewalls to the floor so they form a right angle at the corner where they meet.

use panel adhesive and deck screws to attach the end kneewall stud to the back wall, attaching at a stud location wherever possible.

overlaps the open end of the Rrst si ll plate and the two form a perfect 90 degree angle. Join the corners w ith

screws or a metal connector to keep them from moving

during installat ion, and the n anchor the si ll plates to the fl oor. Use 16d common nails or screws (shown in photo I) and panel adhes ive for a wood floor; use a powderactuated nailer on a concrete floor (photo I).

Once the sills are in place, attach the e nd stud against the back wall. I f you are lucky (or planned well ) the stud will fa ll over a wall stud. If the new kneewall must fall over a stud bay in the room wal l, you'll need

to remove some wa llcovcring and install a nailing cleat

between the closest wall sluds so YO LI have a very sturdy surface to anchor the e nd of the wa ll (photo 2).

3

Next, make the stud wall corner, following th e

diagram on page 170. Use 16d co mmo n nail s to toe

na il the studs to the si ll pla tes (photo 3). Install a stud

at the free end of the return , then fill in wi th evenly

spaced inte rmed iate studs spaced no morc than 16 1t

apart. C ut cap p lates the same size as the si ll plates

and insta ll them with pane l adhesive and three 16d

common Il<:liis driven through the tops of the ca ps and into the end of eac h wall stud (photo 4). C heck eac h

stud with a level before na ili ng.

Toe-nail the corner studs to the sill plates as shown in the diagram on page 170. Use a level to make sure the studs are vertical.

complete the framing for the L-shaped kneewall section. For extra strength, drive a few 3" deck screws through the studs where they meet at the corner.

MAKE THE APRONS AND TRIM The decorative front apro ns for this bar a re made

from 'h"- thic k IV1 DF (medium-density fibe rboard)

panels that have a glossy blac k finish and arc trimmed

\vit h strips of cherry arranged ina staggered ladde r

pattern. If you're feel ing ambitious, app ly a genuine

black lacquer Ilni sh. Or, you ca n co rne close to th e black lacquer look with a q ua lity sa tin or gloss jet

black enamel pai nt . Either way, for the smoothes t

possible fi ni sh, cut a nd prepare the panels and spray

on the blac k lacquer fini s h wi th an HVLP sprayer.

C11l1~ Bar • 173

Rip tvvo sheets of Ill" iVIDF to 42" \,vide a nd then trim th em to length to make the bar fro nt panels. Sand the

edges to re move any saw marks. Then, apply primer to a ll faces and edges. When the primer dries, spray black lacquer or paint onto the fro nt face and edges

(photo 5). I f you do not have access to a good sprayer,

use a pain t ro lle r with a short-nap sleeve. After installa t ion, the black aprons w il l be

decorated with a grid made from strips of che ny. You can use dime nsional 1 X 2 che rry for thi s, but you' ll save a lot of money a nd get better edges if you purchase random widt h cherry, then plane and joint it to thi ckness and rip it to width (photo 6) . For the

projec t sh own here, you'l l need at least 40 l inea l fee t

of stock for the apron t rim, pillS another 40 ft. for the

bar coun tertop edging.

For the smoothest possible finish, spray the front apron panels with an HVLP sprayer Apply the paint or lacquer over primer, in thin coats.

For efficiency, apply a protective finish to the cherry apron trim stock. Dab some finish on the cut ends after you cut each trim piece to length.


Sa nd the edges of th e cherry t rim to remove saw marks and smooth the surfaces. Apply a clear protective wood fi nish, suc h as wipe-on polyurethane varni sh, to half the stock for LI se as apron trim (photo 7). T he

other halF of the stock \,vill be lIsed For edging the countertop . You 'll need to cut an edge profi le in this stoc k and attach it to the cou ntertop befo re fi ni shing it.

INSTALL THE KNEEWALL COVERINGS T he front faces of the L-shaped kneewall are covered

with the aprons and apron trim. T he bac k sides (the bartende r view) can be cove red with just about anythi ng you wish. \;Ve used a ceme nt board bac ker and some wa ll t ile for a nice looking walt covering that's du rable and easy to clea n. It's easier to insta ll these wa llcoveri ngs before the bartop has been in stalled.

prepare at least 80 lineal feet of '/. x 1'(," hardwood stock to trim out the aprons and edges of the bartop.

Apply panel adhesive to the kneewall studs to strengthen the bond with the black aprons. Slip a 'I.-thick spacer beneath each apron to create a gap between the panel and the floor.

Nail the apron panels to the wall studs at 8" to 12" intervals.

11

You don't need to create fu ll toe-kick recesses

<:It the bottoms of the Clpron panels, although you certainly ca ll if YO LI wish. But it is a good idea to in sta ll

the MDF aprons so they arc not in contact \.vith the fl oor, espec ia lly if your installat ion is going into a

base ment or any othe r area that Inay be subject to moistu re problems . The eas iest \·vay to do th is is simply

to cut a p iece of II/I-thick sheet stoc k sc rap and s li p it

up aga inst the sill plate. T he n, test the fit of the apron

panels. Trim if needed , then app ly beads of pa ne l

adhesive to the front edges of the \.va ll frame members (p hoto 8 ) and attac h the ap rons w ith a pneumat ic

na iler and 2'h" finis h nails (photo 9). You can hand-nai l

them at wal l stud locations with 6d finish nai ls if you

p refer. Cover nail heads with wood putty.

Attach cement board strips to the edges of the kneewall framing members as a backer for the backsplash area.

Install the inside wallcovering before you cap the wa ll.

Depending o n \vha t type of cab ine ts you're

insta ll ing, it like ly is not necess<:Iry to fin ish the inside

faces of the kneewa lls lovver than the COlln tertop he ight. For install ing \,vall ti le, we cut 1 61'~wide

strips of 'h "~ t hic k cement board and attached t hem

to the wall studs flus h wi th the top of the cap p late

(p hoto I 0 ). Make sure that scams fa ll over studs.

Insta ll the wall ti le (p hoto I I ) . We used

inexpensive 4 x 4" ceramic \va ll ti le set into a layer

of th inset adhesive that's trowe led onto the cemen t

board . Whichever \va ll covering you use, it shou ld

extend down past the top of the cou nte rtop (in th is

case , t he top of the p reformed backsp lash), and the

edges shou ld be covered by the e nd panel you' ll be

insta ll ing at t he free end of the kneewal l.

C11l1~ Bar • 175

12

Bond the particleboard subbase directly to the top plates of the kneewalls, taking care to achieve even overhangs of 6" in front and 4" on the bartender side of the walls.

13

Drive plenty of 2" deck screws to secure the subbase to the walls. The screw heads must be sunk beneath the wood surface.

Make 4s-degree miter cuts in the bartop top layer using a circular saw and cutting guide.


INSTALL THE BARTOP T he bartop insta lled here is made of a particleboard

subbase that's thoroughly bo nded and screwed to the

top p lates of the !meewal!. A cherry p lywood top layer

then is attached to the narrow particleboard subbase. The subbase is laid out wi th a butt joint at the corner for ease and for st rength, but for a more refined appearance the plywood top is mitered at the corner. When 3// ~thick c herry edging is added on all sides, the barlop grO\vs to a finished width of ISH (a normal

countcrtop, suc h as the bartender's cou ntc rtop on the ca bi nets below, is 25" wide ).

liip the particleboard to 16'/, " wide and the n

crosscut it to le ngth (one piece is longer so they can be butted together). Attac h the strips to the top plates of

the knccwalls using panel adhes ive and countersu nk

deck sc rews (photo 12). Iv lake sure to al ign the

subbase strips carefu ll y. T hey s hou ld overhang the

!meewa lls by roughly 6" in front a nd 4 " in back.

Once you have both subbase parts arranged perfectly, drive 2" deck sc re\vs through the subbase and into th e bar wall (photo 13). Be very generou s

he re. If you can't ge t the screw heads to seat beneath the surface of the subbase, drill cou nter

sun k pilot ho les.

Cut the c he rry plywood sheet into 16 1h" wide str ips, then cut mat ing miter jo ints at the ends

(photo J 4 ). Take care here: most hardwood plywood

has one side that is mllch nicer, so be Slife the cuts are made so the correct faces ,·v iil be facing up when the bartop is insta lled. A c ircular saw \,vith a sharp panel~ cutt ing blade and a straightedge guide may be u sed to

make th ese cuts. Attac h the top layer of cherry plywood to the

subbase v·,Iit h pane l adhesive and J 1/4" wa ll board screws

drive n li p through the subbase a nd into the underside of the plywood layer (photo 15). Make su re the

mite red corner fits together correctly before applyi ng any adhes ive or cutting the p lywood s trips to le ngth

(T ip: Wa it until the plywood layer is attached to the

subbase to cu t the s trip on the free end to length. T hat

\vay, you ca n cut it and the subbase at the same time

and e nsure that they a re exactly Aush ).

C heck to make sure the edges of the glued- up

bartop are smooth and fiat , a nd sand with a belt

sa nde r if they a re out of al ignmen t or there is a lot

of g lue squeeze-ou t (usc n ne grit sandpaper to hclp

prevent any splintering of the veneer layer) . tVlount

a 'h l! to W' rou ndover bit in a router or router table

and cu t rou ndover pron les alo ng one edge of t he

J X 2 stock you dressed to use for bartop edging.

Attac h the edging strips to the countertop with glue,

4d Rnis h nails d riven into pilot holes, and plenty of pipe clamps or bar clamps (photo 16). Make sure the tops of the edging boards a re flu sh \,vith o r s lightly

h igher tha n the plywood surface. If necessary, sand the edging unti l it is flush after you remove the c lamps. At

the open countertop end , extend the edging 3/./ pas t

the end of the glued-up layers. C ut a piece of 1 X 2 edgi ng to fit be t\,veen the

ends of the edging on the open e nd of the counte rtop

and attach it with glue and Rnis h nails (photo 17). Sand a ll wood su rfaces . Apply mu lt ip le coats of very

dura ble, glossy polyu rethane varn is h to achieve a

protective bu ilt-up Rnis h. Also pa in t the unders ide of the bartop blac k where it is visible. Bui ld the lift gate

Laminate the top layer of cherry plywood to the subbase with panel adhesives and 1'/,' screws driven up through the subbase.

Square-cut a piece of 1 x 2 edging to fit exactly between the ends of the roundover edging, and nail and glue it into place.

sectio n of the coun te rtop as \ve ll and fi n ish it the same

v,lay, except make it fro m t\VO layers of cherry plyvvood

and apply a clear finish to bot h faces.

INSTALL TRIM AND HARDWARE Hip-cut a strip of cherry t hat's sl igh tly wider tha n the distance fro m the t il ed wall surface to 3/./ past

t he apro n fro nts (a bo ut 8") and th e n c u t it to fit

be t \A/ee n the fl oor a nd the u ndersi de of the bartop ,

w h ich shou ld overhang the en d wall stud by 3// or

s light ly more (photo 18). Cu t another ident ica l stri p. Attach one strip to the e nd of the kneewa ll

a nd attac h the other to the wall on the oppos ite s ide of the pass-through so the t\vo str ips a re

pe rfec tly aligned .

Cut a roundover profile in one edge of the cherry edging stock and then cut the parts to length and attach them to the edges of the bartop with nails, glue and clamps.

Nail the cherry end panel to the wall end to conceal the stud wall and the edges of the wallcoverings and trim.

C11l1~ Bar • 177

19

Attach a 1 x 2 stop block for the li ft gate to the wall directly above the wall -mounted end panel.

20

Attach the piano hinge to the lift gate section of countertop first, then attach the other leaf to the countertop.

21

Attach the lift gate to the countertop and test to make sure it operates smoothly and correctly


C ut a strip of I x 2 cherry to 18" long a nd attach it to the wa ll , centered over the 9tl-wide end pane l

(photo 19). This st rip wi ll fun c tion as the stop for

the lift ga te sec tion of co unte rtop. For cons istency,

roundovcr the top edges of the I x 2 so it looks like a

section of countc rtop .

Attach a pia no hinge to the square-cut mating edge of the lift gate counte rtop section (photo 20).

The barre l of the piano hinge shou ld be orie nted

upwmd relative to the burtop surface. Attach the ot he r leaf of the piano hinge to the edge of the main counte rtop a nd tes t to see if it opens and closes eas ily an d is level whe n open (photo 2 1).

Cut the c he rry t ri m pieces to size to make the ladder grids that decorate the aprons. Instal l the strips,

following the patterns shown o n page 170 (photo 22).

Make su re the ends of the st rips a re tucked Aus h

again st the inside fa ce o f the che rry e nd pa ne l.

INSTALL THE CABINETS You can a ppoint the bartender's area of the Club Bar just about any way you wish because the bartop and wa ll are freestanding, inde pende nt stru ctures . \Ale c hose to insta ll a cou ple of base ca bin ets, a dorm-s ize refrigerator and an econom ica l, low-maintenance postform cOllntertop. Start by placing the corne r cabinet in the corner. Place the 24" ca binet to the right of the corne r cabinet . Flush up the face frames ( if they have them ; the ones seen here are frameless )

and clamp the cabine ts together wi th ba r clamps. Pre-drill , co untersin k, and sc rew the face frames or cab inets s ides together (see pages 62 to 77 for more information on in stalling cOllntertops).

Add the decorative cherry strips in a ladder grid pattern, using an air nailer. Start with the vertical strips, then cut the horizontals to fit.

Install a cou n tertop for th e barte nder (photo 23 ).

We c hose <:111 inexpensive postform co unte rtop \,vith a pre-c lit mitered corner. If you've left one e nd of the bar open for a refrigera to r, install a wa ll cleat to

support the cou ntc rtop above t he refrigerator. Plug in and s li de in you r refrigerator (photo 2 4 ), add a

cou ple of strands of holid ay lights or any othe r decor

you fancy.

PARTY TIME

Attach a countertop to the base cabinets to create an easy-to-clean work surface for the bartender.

Slide in a refrigerator, keg-o-rator or any appliance you choose.

Invite fri ends and family to gather 'round . As they say in

Latin: Hes Ipso Loquitor: "T he T hing Speaks For Itself.'·

Or, as one of my frien ds might say: "Jt's beer-thirty."

Cllll~ Bar • 179

I .

SHELVING PROJECTS

I"' ,

,

•

• .J

J

'''1

I

I Shelving Basics

W hen making shelves for your Aoor-to-ceil ing

she lves or util ity she lves, choose shelving

materials appropriate for the loads they mlls t support.

T hin glass shelves or particleboard ca n eas il y support

light loads, sllch as decorative glassware, but on ly

the sturdiest she lves can hold a large television set or

heavy re fere nce books without bend ing or breaking.

T he strength of a she lf depends on its span- the di stance between vertica l ri sers. I n general, the span

shou ld be no more than 36" long.

Bui lding yo ur O\vn shelves from fi ni sh-grade

plywood edged with hardvmod st rips is a good choice for most carpentry projects. Edged plyv,'ood shelves

are strong, attrac tive, and much less expens ive than

so lid hardwood shelves.

Tools & Materials ~

Hight-angle drill gu ide Drill with bi ts IViarlGng gauge Router

Ham mer

Nail set Shelvi ng material

Sc rap pegboard Pin -s tyle she lf

supports Metal she lf

standards Shelf clips Fi ni sh nail s

Attaeh hardwood edging or moldings to the front face of plywood shelves, using wood glue and finish nails. Position the edging so the top is slightly above the plywood surface, then drill pilot holes and drive finish nails. Use a nail set to countersink the nail heads. sand the edging so it is smooth with the plywood surface before you finish the shelf For greater strength, edge plywood shelves with 1 x 2 or 1 x 3 hardwood boards.


314" finish-grade plywood edged with 1 x 2 hardwood

• •

Shelf peg • • • • •

Cleats

Cleats are often fastened to shelves with glue and dowels. They are fixed to verticals and the wall with screws.

There are several types of lbrackets available at home centers. Choose the bracket most suitable for the weight load of shelving.

• • • • •

Dado joint

Clip

Track

The tracks sit in grooves in the vertical.

Shelf span is the distance between risers. A shorter span strengthens a shelf.

I Modular Shelving

She lving is not a one-size-fits-all propos ition. You r

bee r ca n co llection has enti re ly diffe rent shelving

needs from your Encyc lopedia Bri ttan ica volum es, which in turn have equ<J lly d iffere nt demands from you r pape rback novels. The bea uty of making your

own she lving is that YO LI ca n eas ily c llstom ize both

the size an d the support mechan ism to you r needs .

One good way to custom ize shelving is to make

modular shelves with adjustab le supports. \tVh ile display shelves can be as narrow as a

couple of inches, typical storage shelves range between I I " (bookcases) and 24" (closet or cabinet depth). In th is section you' l l learn how to make and fini s h custom shelves to any width you choose.

Great for closets and utility storage, modular shelves are supported by adjustable pins or brackets so you can easily increase or decrease the space between shelves to meet your storage needs.

Tips for Making Shelves ~

Rip-cut shelves to the exact width you need from sheet stOCk. Quality plywood offers the most strength, but for ease of cleaning you'll appreciate melamine-coated particleboard.


Heat-activated veneer edge tape can be applied to the edges of plywood or particleboard shelves for a more finished appearance.

I How to Install Pin-style Supports for Adjustable Shelves

Mount a drill and %" bit in a right-angle drill guide, with the drill-stop set for %" cutting depth. Align a pegboard scrap along the inside face of each shelf standard, exactly flush with the end, to use as a template. Drill two rows of parallel holes in each riser, about 1 'h" from the edges of riser, using the pegboard holes as a guide.

When the bookcase or built-in is completed, build shelves that are W' shorter than the distance between standards. To mount each shelf, insert a pair of W' pin-style shelf supports in each riser

I How to Install Metal Standards for Adjustable Shelves

Mark two parallel dado grooves on the inside face of each standard, using a marking gauge. Grooves should be at least 1" from the edges.

After finishing the built-in, cut metal tracks to length to fit into dadoes and attach them using nails or screws provided by the manufacturer. Make sure slots in tracks are aligned properly so shelves will be level.

Cut dadoes to depth and thickness of metal tracks, using a router. Test-fit tracks to make sure they fit, then remove them.

Make shelves so they are W' shorter than the distance between standards, then insert shelf clips into the slots in the metal tracks, and install shelves.

Modular SlleiFillg • 185

I Installing Wire Shelving

W ire shelving provides a quick and easy solution

to a cluttered closet. It lacks adjustability but is

nevertheless an inexpensive option to help o rgclll ize

you r closet. Basic wire shelving is attac hed to \va ll s with support brackets. For e nti re wa ll le ngt hs we

recom me nd fi nd ing a sys te m that also has re tu rn

wall brac kets (often called "s ide wa ll brackets") a nd

support clips. Both drywa ll shclf clips and stud she lf

cl ips are ava ilable at home cen ters. Support brackets p laced at stud locations furt her stab ilize the unit.

A sl ightly adva nced style of wire shelving that is increas ing in popularity is track-mounted . It is available

in more styles tha n stcllldard whi te Vinyl-coated \A/ire

shelving. This type of \·vi re shelving consists of a ho ri zonta l ra il track that supports vertica l ra ils, o r the

I How to Install Wire Shelving

MEASURE WALLS AND MARK FOR SHELVING PLACEMENT Measu re the le ngth of t he back wa ll a nd the side

wa lls. l\ileasure up from the ground to the desired height for the top shelf and drm-v a leve l li ne on eac h side wall. Note: The average miIdmU1H height above ground is 48". Mark a ll stud locations along the back

wall and side walls.

CUT WIRE SHELVING C ut wire shelving to fi t between wa lls, using a hacksm-v. For shelving lengths greater than 8 ft., cut mu lti ple shelves and con nect them with the manufactu rer's co nnectors (whic h are ofte n sold at home centers that carry \,vire shelving) .

ATTACH SIDE-WALL SUPPORTS On a side \va ll , determ ine placement of the side-\va ll support according to man ufacturer instructio ns. If instructions are not provided by the manuFacture r, fi t the su pport in place on the wire shelf and then, \,vhile hold ing the shelf in place along the leve l lines, mark the screw hole placements for the side-wall su pports on the s ide wa lls.

Predri ll ho les at the marked side-wall support

locations. Hold a support in place and insert a toggle bolt through the su pport into the \va ll. Repeat \vith the other side-wall su pport. Note: If YOH can hit a stld,


vert ical may be di rectly fastened to the wall. Shelf

brackets then snap into the verticals and shelves are set on top of the shelf supports. These systems a re viable

closet orga nizers but ca nnot bear as much weight as wood or melamine systems. T he span should be kept to 36" or less and have adequate support- by hitt ing studs where you can and us ing toggle bo lts every 16" .

Tools & Materials ~

Measuri ng tape Level

Hacksaw

She lVing system and ha rdvvare

Dri ll

Measure your closet. and draw a level li ne 48" up from the floor.

Measure and mark the length of the shelving onto the wire. Cut the wire shelving to length, using a hacksaw

Fit the side-wall bracket in place on the wire shelf and then, holding the shelf in place along the level line on back wall, mark the screw hole placements for the support on the side wall.

5

predrill holes for the wall clips to the size and depth recommended by the clip manufacturer

a toggLe bolt is not necessary; i'nstclld, use a standard J 'f, " drpvall screw.

Place the wire shelving into the s ide-wa ll su pports. Simply lower the shelvi ng into place until it

c li cks into the supports. Have a helper hold the she lf

so that the two side-wa ll brackets a re not beari ng the load of the s helf. Check for leve l.

MARK WALL FOR SUPPORT CLIPS 'vVith wire she lving sti ll fit into the side-\val l supports, make a mark approximately every 6 11 a long the \val L

Space the marks even ly be tween studs. Remove the wire she lving. Hold a c lip at each

mark, according to manufactu rer instructions, and

mark the pin-hole location . Note: There is an offset fr01ll the level line on. the wall that must be taken i-l1tO account.

INSERT THE SUPPORT CLIPS IN THE WALL Predrill holes at the support clip marks on the back

wed l for the pin-hole plClcement. In sert the vVC;l lI cl ips

Mark the clip locations centered on spaces in the wire. (Inset) Mark actual Clip-pin hole placement according to manufacturer instructions.

6

Lower the wire shelving into place. Snap the support clips over the wire shelving.

by pressing the manufacturer pi n through the c li p

and into the wall. Use C;I ha rnrner to tap stu bborn pins

into the wal l. Lower \\f ire shelving into the side-v,rall

supports u nt il they snap into place. Gently press the

back of the shelving into the support c lips.

ATTACH SUPPORT BRACKETS Whe re possib le, align support brackets at stud locations. Ma rk screw ho les on \vaJI. Deterrn ine where

the ot her brackets will go on the wa ll for C;I uni for rn

appear<:II1ce. Space brackets approxirnate ly every 16 11

apart a long the bac k wa ll.

Attach wa ll brackets at stud marks, drilling screws

th rough the bracket holes and into the anchors. For

brackets that are not fastened to studs, use toggJe bolts.

Fasten the other end of the brackets to the w ire

shelving accord ing to the rnanufac turer ins tructions.

II/Mal/il1g Wire SlleiFil1g • 187

I Formal Bookcase

Few furnishings add prestige to a space like a form al Aoor-to-ceiling bookcase. Typica lly built from clear

hardvvood, the class ica lly-designed bookcase delivers a reRned, O ld World fee l. The bookcase shown here is made from red oak plywood and red oak I x stock and moldi ngs flnished with a high gloss urethane. V\1hat's also nice about this piece is that it incorporates the wall be hi nd it to ba lance all that clear hardwood with

a spl as h of co lor and depth. Th is is a fixed-shelf design that enables you to bu ild she lves anywhere you like to matc h your needs. And, beca use the she lf bays me


bu ilt in a modular fash ion , you can design it to any

dimensions you wish.

The fo rmal bookcase shown he re is 8 ft . long, 8 ft. high and in stalled on a J 2-ft. long wal l. Because it's

centered in the space, the mold ings and sides return

to the wa ll , creating niches on the left and right that

arc great for decoration . Howeve r, this bookcase can be built wa ll -to-wall if desired . It's a Aexi ble des ign.

Fina ll y, the exact same style shelf ca n be built to take pa int. I nstead of using red oak, though, pop lar is a great choice for a pai nted finis h.

Tools Mi ter saw

Table saw C ircular saw

Router

Drill/driver Level Stud nnder Pull saw Flat bar Step ladder or

work platform Air nailer

Combin<Jtion square

Drywall or deck screws

Finish nails

Glue Finish ing materials

Materials (3) 3/, x 4 x 8 red oak plywood (16) I x 2 X 96 red oak plywood (4) I X 6 X 96 red oak plywood

Cutting List

Part No. Desc. Size

A 2 Upright (outerl '!. x 11 Y, x 96"

B 2 Upright (innerl 3/. x 11 1/1 X 94 W'

C 14 Shelf 3!. X 11'1, x 31

D 11 Shelf nosing J/. x l V2 x3l"

E 4 Upright bocker 3;' x SYl X 96"

F 1 Fascia %X9 Y1 X96"

G 4 Fluted molding % x 3% x 78 112

( I ) I x lO x 96 red oak plywood (4) Plinth Blocks (4) % X 3% X 84 oak pl)'vood I I lineal ft. red oak crown molding

(4) Rosettes (3) 2 X 2 X 96 pine


Red ook plywood H 4 Rosette % x 4 x 4" Red ook molding

Red ook plywood 4 Plinth block % x 4 x 4" Red ook molding

Red ook plywood J 11 Shelf cleot (woll) %xl Vl x31" Red ook

Red oak 1 x 2 K 22 Shelf cleot (sidel % x 1111 x 103// Red ook

Red oak 1 x 6 L 3 Crown molding 112 x 331i6" X cut to fit Red ook

Red ook 1 x 10 M Ceiling cleot (longl J1/zx J1h x94 1h 2 x 2

Red oak molding N Ceiling cleot (short) ]1h x 11/1 x 81/:t 2 x 2

Formal Bookcase • 189

I How to Build a Formal Bookcase

Cut through the base molding at the edges of the project area and remove it so the bookcase can fit tightly up against the wal l.

Carefully mark out the plumb lines for the outside edges of the uprights and continue the mark up onto the ceil ing.

3

use a spacer as a gauge for marking the position of the front edge of the 2 x 2 nailing frame that is attached to the ceiling.


LAY OUT THE PROJECT ON YOUR WALL T hi s bookcase is des igned to be stick-bu ilt at your

insta llation site. T he best place to begin is by drawing layout lines on the wa ll. T he most important lines

mark the locat ions of the fou f uprights, \vhich need to be vert ical a nd para ll e l, and for the shelf cleats that

mu st be horizontal and parallel. Sta rt by locating the

cente rli ne fo r the bookcase installat ion and marking

it on the base board and on the lVa ll. Measu re out 4-ft.

on eac h side of the ce nte rline and make marks for the outside edges of the bookcase. These lines represen t

the outer faces of th e left and right uprights. Us ing

a pull saw (if you have one), c ut and re move the baseboard between the left and right marks. Make

your cuts as squa re as poss ible (photo I ).

Measure and make a mark I 53k" on each side of the centerline, dividing the project area into three equal bays. On eac h s ide of al l three vertica l lines, mark out %" to establish the locations of the 3/./'- thick uprights.

IVleas uri ng up from the Aoor, mark horizonta l shelf

cleat locations on the wa lls a t the back of each bay.

The c leats should stop at the upright locations so the

3/.t" -th ick u prigh ts can fit snugly in betwee n the cleat

end s. [n the drawing, there is one bottom s helf, se t

6'1z" off the Aoo r in al l three bays. The left and right bays have shelves 24", 48", and 72" up from the Aoor.

T he center bay has a Single center she lf set at 36" off

the top of the bottom shelf ledger and a top shelf at

7211 (see Diagmm , page 189). Usi ng a 4 -ft. level, mark

hori zontal reference lines fo r the she lf clea ts in a ll three

bays. Draw a small "X'. below each line as a reminder of

which side of the line to fas te n the c leat. Then , usc the

4-ft. level to extend the outlines for the uprights a ll the

way up from the Aoar to the ceiling (photo 2). T hese

sets of paralle l lines should be %" apart and plumb.

At the ceiling, layout the locat ion for the 2 x 2

frame that c reates na iling s urfaces for the oute r

uprights and the 1 x 6 upright backers tha t a re

centered o n the front edges of the uprights. The 2 x 2

fram e should span from the insi de faces of the outer

up rights and exte nd J J 'Iz" ou t fro m the wa ll (photo 3).

Tip ~

Make an 11 v,' wide spacer to use as a marking gauge.

4

Attach the 2 x 2 nailing frame to the ceiling at the layout lines, making sure to catch a ceiling joist where possible and using appropriate anchors in spots where no joist is present.

If you're insta lling undcrcabinet lights such as

pu ck lights, locate thc cc ntc r of cach bay on thc

ceiling and mark them for lights. Get a qualified

e lectrician to install the wiring, fixtures, a nd svdtc hes.

If yo u're doing the \\fork yo urself, follow loca l bu il di ng codes. Pull the "vire through the dryv.'all or plaster and pigta il (cu rl up) for fixture installation later.

INSTALL THE NAILING FRAME For case of instal lat ion , assemble the 2 X 2 nailing

frame on the ground. Usc 2 112" pne umatic finish

nai ls or wa ll board screws to join the 2 x 2 frame

com ponents. Test to make sure the assembly is

sq uare. Attach the fra me to the ceiling by screwing

up through the members at ce iling joist locations (usc

an elcctronic stu d findcr to idcntify thcsc). Attach the

frame to th e wa ll 's top p late at the wa illcei lingjoint

(photo 4). If the ceiling joists are parallel to the wa ll,

5

Attach all of the shelf cleats to the wall, making sure to preserve an even 'J." gap between cleat ends to make room for the inner uprights.

you may need to usc toggle bo lts or othe r wall anchors

to secu re the frame a long the front edge.

ATTACH THE SHELF CLEATS TO THE WALL Whi le plenty of f<:lsteners, in c luding tr im-head wood

screv,ls or 8d n<:lils , may be dependabl y used to connect

the I X 2 red oak she lf c leats to the walls at stud

locations, a pneumatic or cordless finish nai le r loaded

w ith 2" na ils is ideal for the task. It e liminates the need

to pre-d rill and counte rsink fasteners, as you would

w hen driving sc rews or hand-nai ling into hardwood . A

pneumatic nailer also dispenses fasteners quickly and accurately, malzjng it much easier \vhen you're worlzj ng

a lone. C ut a nd in sta ll the c leats at the layout li nes. A

few dabs of construction <:Idhesive appl ied to the wa ll

behin d the cleats w ill add even more strength to the

connection . Fasten the c leats so the upright returns

can be insta lled around them (photo 5).

Formal Rookcase • 191

INSTALL THE UPRIGHTS Cut the outer uprights ( 1 I lh" wide) to full room

height in length. Rest the bottoms on the fl oor and

nai l the top ends to the ends of the 2 x 2 nailing

frame (photo 6). Also drive Sd finish nails through the

uprights and in to the ends of the she lf cleats in the outer bays (drill pilot holes first ) .

Rout a roundover, bead or c hamfer onto each edge of the upright backer if desired (photo 7). Cut the

inner uprights ( I I 'h" wide ) to length. They should be

11// shorte r than the outer uprights because they butt up against the underside of the 2 x 2 nai ling frame

on the ceiling. Position the inner uprights between

the ends of the s he lf cleats that are attached to the

wu ll in eClch bay. At the cei ling, lise a fmm ing sq uare

to make sure the inner uprights arc perpendicular to

6

Nail the outer uprights to the ends of the nailing frame attached to the ceiling.

Attach the upright backers to the front edges of the inner uprights with pneumatic or hand-driven finish nails.


the \vall and then position a I x 6 upright backer over the upright edge. Center the backer on the upright

edge and nail it to the 2 x 2 nailing frame. Double

c heck that the upright is perpendicular to the wa ll by

measu ring the bays CIt t he \,va ll and at the fro nt of the

upright and making sure th e measurements are the

same. Then drill pilot holes and drive Sd finish nai ls

(or pneumatic nai ls) through the backer and into t he

edge of t he upright at 12" interva ls (photo 8). In sta ll

both inner uprights.

INSTALL THE SHELVES The she lves and she lf cleats help s tabil ize the

st ructure, so install them next . Start by na iling a

shelf to the 2 x 2 cei ling frame a t the top of each

bay (p hoto 9 ).

Routing a bead, round over, or chamfer adds nice detail and shadow lines to the upright backers.

9

Attach a shelf board at the top of each bay to conceal the framework attached to the ceiling.

10

Attach the shelf cleats to the uprights, being careful to drive fasteners straight to prevent blow-outs in the upright returns.

12

Conceal the gap between the top of the bookcase and ceiling with crown molding or sprung cove molding. Installing crown molding can get complicated- consult a trim carpentry book if you are unsure how to work with crown molding.

Attac h the s hort she lf c lea ts to the s ides of the

uprights so each shelf is supported on three sides (photo 10 ). Use a leve l to make sure the cleats a re

level and a ttach the m \vi th 4d fini sh na ils o r 1%,1 brads

and adhesive. C ut the rema ining she lves to length and set them

on the cleats . C ut the I X 2 shel f nosing and a ttac h it

to the front edges of th e exposed shelves, making su re the s he lves are flu sh with th e top edge of the nos ing

(photo II ). Use 4d fini sh na il s driven through p ilot

holes or pn eumatic Ilnish na ils to Cl ttac h th e nosing.

ATTACH THE TRIM C ut the I x 10 red oak fascia board the full width of

th e bookcase and na il it to the top so the ends are Aush

Edge the red oak shelves with 1 x 2 red oak nosing that's bonded to the shelves with glue and finish nails.

Attach the plinth blocks, rosettes and fluted case moldings to compete the trimwork installation.

with the ou te r faces of the outer uprights. Make sure

the fasci <:t board is level before attac hing it with nai ls driven into the tops of the upright backers. O nce the fasc ia board is in place, cut , fit and attach the crown

molding and mold ing retu rn at the top (photo 12).

Insta ll the plinth blocks at the bottom of each

u pright backer, rest ing on the Aoor and ce nte red sid e

to side. The n, a ttach the rosettes a t the top of eac h

upright backer, cente red si de to si de. Measure fro m

the bottom of the rosette to the top of the plinth

bloc k and cut fluted Gise molding to fit. Insta ll with ad hesive and na ils (photo 13). Fill nail ho les, san d

an d apply fini sh . If the insta ll ation room has base s hoe

moldings, yo u may wan t: to add them to you r bookcase

for a cons istent look.

Formal Rookcase • 193

I Utility Shelves

YOU ca n bui ld adjustable u tility shelves in a si ngle afte rnoon using 2 x 45 and plai n 3/4 1\ plywood.

Perfec t for lise in a ga rage Of basement, utility shelves

can be modiAed by adding s ide panels and a face frame to create a fini shed look suitable for a fami ly

room or recreation area.

T he q ui ck-and-easy she lf project shown on the following pages creates two colu mn s of she lves with


a total width of 68 11• You can e nlarge the projec t

eaS il y by adding more 2 X 4 ri se rs and plywood she lves. Do not increase the indi vidua l shelf widths to more than 36". The so le plates for the utility

she lves are installed perpe ndic ular to the wa ll to improve access to the space under the bottom she lves .

Tools Pencil T<:Ipe measure Level Framing square Drill/driver

D I

I

Plumb bob Powder-actuated nai ler

C lamps Router \vith 3// straight bit

C ircular sa,,\, Step lad der

1

D I I

Materials ( 15) 2 x4x8 pine (2) 3/, X 4 x 8 plywood \t\1ood glue Shims

~

Drywall or deck sc rews (21//, 3") Fini shing materials

D

~ ~ ~ L&l L&l

~ ~ (

Cutting List


A Top plotes 68" 2 x 4s

B 3 Sole plotes 24" 2 x 4s

C 8 Shelf risers 93" 2 x 4s

D 4 End risers 93" 2 x 4s

E 12 Shelves 30Y. x 24" 'I." plywood

Utility She/pes • 195

I How to Build utility Shelves

Mark the location of top plates on ceiling. One plate should be flush against wall, and the other should be parallel to first plate, with the front edge 24" from the wall. Cut 2 x 4 top plates to full length of utility shelves, then attach to ceiling joists or blocking, using 3" screws.

2

Mark pOints directly beneath outside corners of the top plates to find outer sole plate locations, using a plumb bob as a guide (topl. Mark sole plate locations by drawing lines perpendicular to the wall connecting each pair of points (bottom).

Prepare the shelf risers by cutting ,,"-wide, ~"'-deep dadoes with a router. Cut dadoes every 4" along the inside face of each 2 x 4 riser, with the top and bottom dadoes cut about 12" from the ends of the 2 x 4. Tip: Gang-cut the risers by laying them flat and clamping them together, then attaching an edge guide (page 41) to align the dado cuts. For each cut, make several passes with the router, gradually extending the bit depth until dadoes are ~ .. ' deep.


Cut outer 2 x 4 sole plates and position them perpendicular to the wall, just inside the outlines. Shim plates to level if needed, then attach to floor with a powder-actuated nailer or 3" screws. Attach a center sole plate midway between the outer sole plates.

Trim the shelf risers to uniform length before unclamping them. Use a circular saw and a straightedge guide.

Build two center shelf supports by positioning pairs of shelf risers back~to~

back and joining them with wood glue and 2'/2" screws.

9

Build four end shelf supports by positioning the back of a dadoed shelf riser against a 2 x 4 of the same length, then Joining the 2 x 4 and the riser with glue and 2'." screws.

10

Position an end shelf support at each corner of the shelving unit, between top and sole plates. Attach the supports by driving 3" screws toena il~

style into the top plate and sole plates.

Position a center shelf support (both faces dadoed) at each end of the center sole plate, then anchor shelf supports to the sole plate using 3" screws driven toenail~style. Use a framing square to align the center shelf supports perpendicular to the top plates, then anchor to top plates.

Measure the distance between the fac ing dado grooves and subtract '/". Cut the plywood shelves to fit and slide the shelves into the grooves.

Uti lit), She/Jles • 197

I Cube Shelves

This shelving project will yie ld some lovely and

distinctive display she lves, but building them

is as m uc h a slzj ll -building advent ure for learni ng

new tech ni ques as it is a carpentry project. If

you're chomping a t the bit to give you r nC\A,I s liding

compound mi ter saw a workollt, th is project "" ill be

vcry sati sfying for you . Yet these cu be-s haped s helves

arc qui te a ttract ive and functiona l in their own right,

constructed as they are with a combi nation of basic

boards, sim ple hardware, and imagination.

YO LI can make the cube-shaped display shelves from solid sawn \\food or sheet goods, depending on the look you' re after, what you'd like to disp lay, and

you r decor. You can make them d ifferent sizes,

squares or rec tangles, deep or sha llow. You can eve n

take one of those squares and flip it on point to make

a diamond. Versatility and fun is the na me of the

game here, along w ith careful assem bl y. In c luded


in the assembly instruc tions a re a few tips for making

square corners so you r handcrafted box is perfectly

mac hined.

The asse mbly and connection deta ils he re are

intended for small she lves and disp laying light ite ms,

but fi nal des ign is up to you. The she lf un it shown

here is a 12" sq uare made from c herry. You can use

othe r spec ies for diffe rent looks, or you can even mix

and match species, paint some and leave others clear,

or stain them to bring out the gra in in the wood. Using

a brad na iler and glue, or fi n ish screv,ls and gl ue, will

provide so lid mec hanica l connections fo r the corners.

Trying to hand-na il this projec t is like ly to resu lt in

frustrat ion. O ther a ttachment choices that work

well for thi s project include a spline joint or using a

plate joiner and biscuits . These ten d to be more in

the domain of the advanced woodworker due to the

precision and tools required, however.

Tools Cordless drill/driver C irc ular savv Stn:tightedge Sander 'h"·wide wood chise l

Tabl e saw

B

A

BACK SIDE

Materials Scrap wood for jig I x 8 ha rdwood (5 ft ., o r so) Keyhole pi cture hangers

Fasteners

, ,

Cutting List


A 4 (ubeside 'I. x IY, x 12" Hardwood

ClIhe She/pes • 199

I How to Build Cube Shelves

Build this simple jig to assist you in making perfectly square miter jOints.

MAKE A FOOLPROOF ASSEMBLY JIG For mak ing square joints, do yourse lf a favor and

build a very si m ple asse mbl y jig. The one s hown

here is easy to rnake frorn scrap stoc k. Al l you need to do is fctsten four pieces of gil- long sc rap stock (poplar is good because it's very straight and easy to

\<\Iark w ith ) to a Aat pi ece of scrap plyv.rood or M DF

to form two L's that meet at a right angle. Before

cu tting your workp icccs, make su re your miter saw is

set up for a perfect perpendicu lar cut. T hen , cut the

four pieces and lay two of them nat on th e plywood (about a 12" square will work) so they butt together and form a 90° joint. Fas te n the two boa rds to the plywood, tak ing ca re to m<Ji nta in an exact 90° jo in t.

Pre-drill the board s so they don't move \.vh ile you sc rew them down. AFter the flat pieces are insta ll ed,

in stall the verti ca l pieces in a similar fash ion,

fas tening th em to the edges of the first workpieces

(photo I ). Coat the outer faces of the j ig w ith wax

or va rni sh to preven t glued wo rkpieces from st icking

to it.

If You're Using a Power Miter Saw ... ~

The easiest way to rnake

the miter cuts in stock that's wider than 3" or 4" is to use a large capacity power miter saw or a radial arm saw. If you have a large capacity power miter saw, such as a 10" compound sliding miter

saw, you need to make sure your miter saw is tuned to cut precise 45 0 miters. You'll also need a stop for your miter saw so you don't have to measure each piece individually. Because it's vital that each of the workpieces be exactly the sarne (even the

smallest difference in the cuts will show up in the miters)' the stop is key for making accurate cuts.

Accuracy is important in this project-especially for the tools. Double check your saw's setting before you begin cutting and adjust as necessary If you're using a 10" saw, you'll be cutting on the bevel, so be sure to check this adjustment.


CUT THE SHELF PARTS You can use a sl iding miter saw or radia l arm S3\>V to make the bevel cuts that form the miters (see "If You're

Using a Power Miter Saw, .. ", page 200). But jf you

don'r own a saw \,vith e no ugh c<:Ipac ity to make a 45°

bevel cut in a 7 Ih"-wide bomd, YO LI can lise an ordinary

c ircular smv. First, ca refully cut the vwrkpieces so

they're a couple of inc hes longer than the fi nished

length ( 12" is the finis hed length we usc here). Then,

clamp the four boards toget he r edge- to-edge usi ng

a bar c lamp or pi pe clam p. Leave plenty of room at

o ne end (the en ds of the boa rds shoul d be Aush). Set

your c ircular $3\'V to Clit a 45 ° bevel. T hen, clamp a

straightedge guide in place so the di stance from the

unclamped ends is slightly more than the offset of the

saw foot. Cut a ll four boards at once (photo 2).

11elocate the clamp near the bevel-cut e nds,

reposition the straightedge gUide and bevel-c ut the

other ends. Re -orient the workpiece so the miters will be fac ing in the correct directions. iV1ake Slire the bevels

both slope inward , and make the second cut so the

outside face of each workpiece is 12" long (photo 3).

Clamp a straightedge guide to the ganged work pieces and make a 450 bevel cut near one end.

Re-orient the workpieces so the bevels wi ll not be para llel and gang them together again. Bevel-cut the other ends.

ClIiJe She/Jles • 201

ASSEMBLE THE SHELF Set two of the bevel-c ut workpi cccs up in the

assemb ly jig. Dry-fit the corne r to see that it fits and

the joint is tight. If it's no t , something is off and an

adjustment is required.

Apply gl ue to both ends a nd re-crea te the jo in t.

Reinforce v,lith fi nish nails driven w ith a pneumatic

brad na ile r (photo 4). Fasten the other two workpieces

in the same fas hion, and then attac h the two L-shapes

to fo rm the fi nis hed square (photo 5). Ma ke sure you

wipe away a ll glue sq ueeze-out with a da mp cloth o r

sponge a nd al low it to dry.

INSTALL HANGING HARDWARE T he cube-s hape boxes look most im press ive if they are mou nted on the wa ll with no visible mea ns of support.

A good method for accompl ishing th is is to ha ng them

After testing the fit. glue the first miter JOint together and reinforce it with an air nailer (if you must hand-nail. carefully drill pilots holes first) . Use the assembly jig to square up the workpieces.

using the jig. assemble both LS with glue and fasteners.


v,lit h keyhole-s tyle pic ture frame hangers that fit in to

recessed cuts in the back edges of the box. To hang

the box with thi s ha rdware, posi tion the box o n the

worksu rface with the back edges up. Then , drill a 1/411

-

deep by '/I6"-dia. ho le that's 3" from eac h e nd a long the

edge you want to be on top. Chisel out a '/sll-deep, 112"\,vide x %"- Iong rno rt ise that's cente red over eac h hole

and stops just shy of the edges of the board (photo 6).

P lace the hanger in the slot over the p re-drilled

hole and rnark the screw holes \v ith a penc il. Pre

dril l the hanger ho les and install the hangers , using a

screwd rive r to prevent overdriving (photo 7).

FINISH & HANG THE SHELF App ly yo ur finis h of choice a nd a ll O\>I/ it to d ry. Treati ng

all faces of the she lf \v ill help p reve nt environ rnental

forces (like hurnidity a nd tern perature chunge) frorn

cut a mortise for the body of the hanger hardware to rest in. Be sure not to cut through to the edge of the shelf so the connection will be invisible once the box is mounted.

opening the joints. Set the cube she lf leve l on the wa ll and mark the locat ions fo r the sc reV,is that will Ilt into the keyho le picture ha ngers. Drill guide holes for plasti c \.va ll anchors at the hanger locations and drive

round-head wood sc rews so they leave a gap of about '/8" between the screw head and th e wal l. Slip the box over the sc rev" heads and tug dovmwmd to sec ure it (photo 8).

Stepback box variation ~

Making cube-shaped shelves can take you further than single layer display shelves, enabling you to add layers and depth to your display boxes and the items in them. In other words, some photos look great in a plain frame while others call out for more detail. The

good news is that adding detail to the shelf doesn't requ ire a major re-tool ing of your set-up. You can still use all kinds of materials, including MDF (shown here), though sizing down to smaller stock for smaller shelves looks more proportional. And, because this version is layered, you can mix and match species to create an eye-catching color contrast.

Since there are 16 pieces in this system (not four) as in the project box- the easiest and fastest way

to make accurate cuts is to cut and shape the stock for both the inner cube and outer cube, and then laminate them together with glue so the front edges are oriented correctly and the back edges are flush. Then, simply cut the workpieces, bevel the ends and assemble the cube as shown in the main sequence.

This 16-piece variation of the cube shelf has the added feature of shadow lines created by the stepped back sides.

Pre-drill the hanger holes and install the hanger hardware using a screwdriver or a drill/driver and a light touch.

Drive roundhead screws into the wall, using sleeves or anchors as needed. Then hang the keyhole hanger hardware mounted to the back of the shelf onto the screwheads.

Cube She/Jles • 203

I Closet Shelves

Thi s si mple p roject wi llmo re than double the

storage potential in a sm a ll linen or pantry c loset.

It is pe rfect for light loads in closets \vith a span of 36" or less. The I x 3 furring str ips are inexpensive

and easy to insta ll , and the she lving seen from the outs ide of the door lends a profess iona l tOllc h. If you don't have a lot of time, but would li ke to try you r

hand a t a n insta llation to maximize )'our sto raoe 0'

sta rt here.


Tools & Materials ~

Stud fi nde r

Tape meas ure Level

Screwdriver

Jig saw Nail gun 6d and 8d finish nai ls

3/4"-thick shelving stoc k (witho ut

predrilled ho les)

X 3 pine

\;Vood screws

L-brackcts (optional )

Finish materia ls

I How to Install Closet Shelves

Measure fro m the floor lip J 5" and mark a level line. Repeat level l ines every 12" Lip fro m original line

(repeat four t imes for an 80"- tall c loset) (photo I ) .

C ut I x 3 strips to fit along the back side of the

wall , flu sh into eac h corner. C ut I x 3 strips to Ilt a lo ng \va lls, flu sh aga inst th e bac k wa ll 1 x 3 strips

and 4" short of the inside wa l l (approximately 6" in

f rom closet door t rack) . Al ign the tops of I x 3 strips

with level lines on \,va ll and Fasten to the \,va ll , hitt ing

stud s where possible (photo 2). Note: If you cannot hit a stud, use a self-driving 1uetal anchor with machine screws every 10",

Cut melamine shelving stoc k (without pre-dril led

holes) to fit along the back side wal l (measure wal l and

subtrac t 4"). Rest shelves on top of the I x 3 st ri ps

(photo 3) .

2

Fasten 1 x 3 strips to back side wall, flush into each corner, and fasten 1 x 3 strips along the side wall (as shown, ending approximately 6" in from door track). Align the tops of the 1 x 3 strips with level lines on wall and fasten to wall with a nail gun at studs. Note: If you cannot hit a stud, use a sel fdriving metal anchor with machine screw every 10".

Measure from the floor up 15" and mark a level line. Repeat level lines every 12" up from original line (repeat four times for an 80"-tall closet).

3

Cut melamine-coated shelving stock (without predrilled holes) to fit along back side wall (measure wall and

subtract 4"). Rest shelves on top of 1 x 3 strips.

Closet She/Jles • 205

I Joist Shelving

If yo u think you have complete ly run out of storage space , but st ill have an unfini s hed ce iling

so mewhere in the house or garage, think agai n. Thi s handy little she lf is built to At and fold lip directly be tween unfi nis hed joists, storing utility items until you need them . It is a good place fo r tools, laundry room supplies, smal ler sporting goods, or oth er items

206 • TH E COMPLETE GUIDE TO CUSTOM SHELVES & BU1LT,l NS

YO LI don't li se eve ry day. If you plan on storing liqu ids

on the she lf, make su re the lids are closed t igh tly before fo lding li p the she lf. The des ign of the shelf is easy to change to m<Jke it stationary or dee per.

\;Vith a mi nimu m of effort and materials, YO LI can

bu ild a si mpl e storage soluti on for utility ite ms.

Turn joist cavities into efficient storage cabinets with these inexpensive, easy,to,build folding shelves.

E A

--

Tools Materials Drill with bits (1 ) I x 6" x 10 ft. pine 'hll spade bit (J) I x 4" x 6 ft. pine C ircular saw ( I) 'I," ~ X 4 X 4 ft. pine plywood Hatchet set (2) 'h"-d ia. X 3" carriage bolts Combination square (2) '/," lock was hers C-cla mps (4) '/," nat was hers Level (2) '/," hex nuts T<Jpe measure ( I) 3/. "-thick plywood scrap

Wood screws (#6 X 1'/," ) \t\1ood glue (2) I/~ x 2" lag sc re\'vs

Cutting List

Key Part

A (21 Side

B (I) Top

C (I) Bottom

D (I) Middle shelf

E (I) Botk

F (21 Shelf roil

'Cut to fit

1

Dimension

'/4 x SVl X 30W pine

0/4 X SVl X 14*" pine

0/4 x 51/2 X 14*" pine

% x SVl X 12 1/1*" pine

'/' x 14' x 32" pine plywood

% x 2V2 X 12 111*" pine

Joist line

Joist SlwiFillg • 207

I How to Make Joist Shelving

Before YOLI begin clitting the pieces for the frame of

the joist she lving, measu re the space be twee n the joists whe re YOLI plan to insta ll the unit . Standard construction shou ld leave a 14 11z 1! space between

ceiling joists . Ho\VCVCf, depending on how old the

wood is and hmv you r house has settled, the space between yo ur jo ists could be anyvvhere from 12!1 to

16" . Make SlIre YO LI know those dimensions so YO LI can plan the rest of the box construction accord ingly.

MAKE THE BOX Measu re and eut th e sides (A), top (B), bottom (C ), and middle shelf (D) of t he box frame to size

from J x 6 pine lumber and san d the edges smooth.

Position the sides, top, and botto m panels with their

back edges on the wo rk surFace, \.vith the perimeter of

the box Rush at the outer edges.

Dril l eou nterbored pilot ho les th rough th e bottom and top pane ls into the si de panels and assem ble the frame, usi ng glue and wood screws driven through the

ends and in to the sides (photo I ).

Using a combination square as a guide, mark a

refere nce line ac ross the interior face of each side

panel, 15 '1)' up from th e top of the bottom panel. T hese lines represent the botto m of the shelf.

S lide the middle she lf into pos ition so the bottom edge is Rush with the reference lines. Drill

coun terbored pilot holes through the sides and into

the shelf. A ttac h the shelf using glue and Sc re\vs.

Cut the shelf ra ils (F) to the proper le ngth and sa nd the edges smooth . rVlark reference lines for the

shelf ra ils 6" up from the top of the bottom panel and 6" up from the top of the middle shelf.

Assemble the frame of the box, using glue and 1 'k " wood screws.

Clamp the shelf in place between the joists and drill holes for the carriage bolts.

Insert a carriage bolt through the shelf walls and joists, then add a washer, lock washer, and hex nut.


Attac h the rails so the ir top edges are Aush with the refere nce lines and the front surface of the ra il is flush w ith the sides. Drill counterbored p ilot holes

through the rails and into the sides and attach the m, using glue and wood sc rews . Cu t the bac k panel (E) to size and attach it to th e back edges of the box frame,

using glue and \\lood sc rews.

DRILL HOLES THROUGH THE JOISTS Hcfer to the top in set of the diagram on page 207 for

spec ifi c instructions on the location of the swinging assembly holes .

Clam p the unit into position betw·een the jo ists so it is leve l and so the to p o f the shelf is

approximately 3" from the subAoor above. When the

shelf is in pos ition and c lamped tightly, drill a Ih" hole on ei the r side of the shelf, through the joists and in to the shelf (photo 2 ).

Variation ~

If you want a deeper shelf (photo 5), use the same

construction method, but alter the dimensions. Install this

larger box by driving four lag screws through the jOists.

The shelf will be stationary, but it will still utilize space near

the ceiling. See the bottom inset diagram on page 207.

Screw plywood cleats into position to act as latches for the shelf.

INSTALL THE SWINGING ASSEMBLY Slide the ca rriage bolts through the hol es fro m the

interior of th e shelf, and thread a fl at washer, lock

\\lasher, and nut onto the carriage bo lt unti l they are snug, using a ratchet set if necessa ry (photo 3). Do not overtigh ten the assembly or the shelf \,vill not rotate.

Test the shelf by rotating it up into the cei ling, making su re it glides eas ily between the joists. vVith a penci l, make a reference mark on both joists, approxi mately 2" in from the bottom edge of the shelf

in the up position .

INSTALL THE CLEATS C ut the sc rClp piece of 1/.,, " plyvvood into tv.'O pieces approxi mately 1/." x I lh X 4". Use two 1/." X 2" lag sc rews to attach the sc ra p pieces of plyv.100d to the bottom edges of the joists so that the edges are Aus h with the inside edges of the joists (photo 4) . T he scrap pieces

shou ld be tight but st ill easy to rotate. Hotate cleats to

hold the shelf in its closed posit ion.

The shelf must be clamped tightly in place; otherwise,

it may fall during installation. Do not place weight on

the shelf until it is completely installed, or you could

risk injury.

TO build a deeper, stationary shelf, bu ild the unit with wider lumber, and drive two 'k x 2" lag bolts through each side of the shelf and into the adjoining Joists.

Joist Sl leiFillg • 209

I Bin & Shelving Unit

This versat ile wa ll accessory offers clever storage space for ro lled hand towels, soaps, and other sma ll

items. The uni t can be custom-des igned to fi t the ava ilable wa ll space and depth for any roo m. In areas

with less wall space, a shorter unit may be buil t by making on ly two V-sections . Or, add more V-sections for a larger wa ll space. For even more versa ti lity, the V-sections may be mounted in stair-s tep fas hion.

store smaller items in the bins of this shelving unit, reducing clutter on your countertop or vanity.


Tools Mi ter saw

Jig saw C lamps Drill with bits 118 adju stable counterbore bit Hamme r

Sma ll hand saw Stud ~nder

D

Materials J x 6" x 4 ft. pine J x 8" x 4 ft. pine 3/8 "~ di a. dO\.vei Cotton s\vabs

, i , • e e-

Wallboard sc rews (/18 x I 'Is") Wood glue Finis hing materia ls Sandpaper

D

Cutting List

Key Part Dimension

A (I) Shelf panel 3/~ x SV1 x 8W' lumber

B (5) Shelf panel V. x SV1 X 7W' lumber

C (I) Bocker board ¥. x IV<' x 3 ft. lumber

D II 5) Dowel pieces %"-dio x Ill" dowel

Bill & Slle illiJ1g U J1il • 211

I How to Make a Bin & Shelving Unit

CUT SHElF PANELS & ASSEMBLE A V-SECTION Cut the longer s helf panel (A) and all five additiona l

she lf panels (8) to size using a miter saw. Sand a ny

rough edges smooth using ISO-grit sa ndpape r.

Position the panels o n the table as they will be

assemb led , checking the fit and layout of each panel.

Make sure the longer she lf panel (A) is fa rthest to the

right of the assembly.

C lamp the longer shelf pane l (A) to one of the

regular shelf panels (8 ) at a right a ngl e so that the

edges are Aush against the works urfaee (photo I ).

Adj ust a #8 counterbore bit to a tota l depth of 2".

Dri ll th ree eq ually spaced counterbored pilot holes

through the longer shelf, 3/.," from the 100,ver edge. Each

hole should have a 1// cOllnterbore. Drive 1%" wallboa rd

screws into each hole of the clamped assembly.

ATTACH THE REMAINING SHELF PANELS Attac h each remaini ng shelf panel at a right <1ngle,

repeating the constru ctio n methods described in the first step. Clamp eac h new shelf to the workpiece so

that the new shelf is flush agains t the worksurfacc,

with the side edges of eac h new panel Rush \,vith the

side edges of the workpiece (p hoto 2 ).

Clamp shelf A to shelf B and drill three equally spaced counterbored pilot holes through shelf A into shelf B.


PREPARE THE BACKER BOARD Lay the completed shelf assembly on the backer

board, so that the top point of each V-sect ion is Aush wit h the backer board's top edge.

Trace the outline of the V-sectio ns on the bclCker

board and cut a lo ng th e lmver cutti ng li nes using a j ig

saw (photo 3).

Draw lines on the Front of the bac ker board

showing the locations of the wa llboa rd sc rews in the

V-sect ion asse mbl y.

Mark the position for three sc rews along each side of the V-sections, avo iding the lines made for

the wallboard screws inside the V-sectio ns. Then

drill holes through the backer board at the p lacement marks, using I/~ !I drill bit .

INSTALL THE BACKER BOARD Place unit o n the table, with the front edge facing

dO\vn. Turn the backer board over, a nd position it on

top of the workpiece, aligni ng the edges.

Keeping the unit a ligned with the backer board,

drill a pi lot hole in the placement mark closest to the

ce nter of the middle V-section with the adjustabl e

eoun te rbore bit. On ly dri ll deep enough with the bit to

create a counters ink for th e head of the screw.

2

Clamp each new shelf to the workpiece so that the new shelf is flush against the worksurface.

Drive a vva ll board sc rew into the coun tersunk pilot hole (photo 4) and recheck the al ignment of the

two pieces. Dril l and cou nte rsink the remai ning pi lot holes

and drive wal lboard sc rews through the holes into the V-sec tions, startjng \vith the ends of the unit and

worki ng your way back to\vard the cen ter.

APPLY THE FINISHING TOUCHES Cut a 3/8" dowel in to Ill " lengths to usc as wood plugs for t he eounterbored holes. Bevel onc end of cae h

p lug by sa nding or fi l ing it sl ightly.

Place a smal l amount of wood glue in t he

counterbored holes using a cotto n swab. Insert a wood plug into eac h hole, beve led e nd first, a nd tap it in place w ith a hammer or a rubber mallet (photo 5).

'v\fipe away any excess gl ue usi ng a da mpened cloth. Allow the glue to dry overn ight.

Sand thc ou ter edgcs of t he backer board and edges

of the shelves . Cut off thc excess of the plugs af ter t he

glue has dried us ing a smal l hand saw. T he p lugs should

only extend sl ightly from the surface. Take care not to

scratch the wood surface vvhe n trimm ing the plugs.

Sand the plugs Rush with the su rfClce, usi ng SO-grit sandpaper on a sandi ng bloc k. Sand the en ti re unit un t il smooth, using fi ne-grit sandpaper.

Paint the uni t or app ly the stain of you r cho ice and a c lear acrylic finish. Let the finis h d ry according

to the manufactu rer's instructions.

To mount the shelving unit, locate studs in the wall to use as mounting points. If no studs are avai lab le, mClke sure to use the proper type of \vall fastener.

Variation ~

Using the same assembly steps, make a diagonal

shelving unit as shown on page 210. Increase the

"step up" effect by cutting the shelf panels to

graduated lengths. Cut the lowest shelf at 8'1,' long,

the second shelf at 7'k" long, the next two at 6'k", and

the last two at 5'k" long. Then hang the shelf on the

wall diagonally The graduated shelves allow you to

place heavier, larger objects on the lower shelves and

lighter more decorative pieces above.

•

Mark lines on the backer board front indicating where the V-sections are screwed together. Then mark reference lines for three screws along each section.

Position the backer board over the workpiece, aligning the edges, and drive screws through countersunk pilot holes starting with the hole closest to the center.

Tap the wood plugs into the counterbored holes. Allow the glue to dry, and trim the wood plugs using a small hand saw.

Rill & SIIe/viJ1g Uuil • 213

I Trimwork Wall Shelves

Here's a nea t trick: Build a she lf that stores, displays and elevates your favo rite collectibles and kni ck

knacks so they're \,vell within sight but safely out of

the way. Building these built-up projects is a fun mix

of rough and finish ca rpe ntry. \t\1e shO\,v you hO\"1 to make (\'vo variations here: one is a mass of step pedback M DF strips that has rcal presence when painted. The other is a more refi ned three-part assembly sim ilar

to cornice mol ding that is made with pine and pine mol di ngs an d boasts a c lear wood fi nish. The feature both shelves share is a bro<:ld, Aat surf<:lce that performs as a handy display shelf.


If you're building the crovm molding version of this project, one skill you may wish to brush up on ahead of t ime is cutting cmd cop ing crovm molding.

Working with crown molding requires some mental

gymnastics, but once YO LI learn the floor rOlltine you 'll

be glad you did . You can hang your new shelves at just about any

he ight, although they natura lly look more comfortable

higher up on the wa ll. At least try and posit ion them at or s lightly above eye leve l. Locating the shelves so the bottom edge rests on top of a door head casing is one good strategy.

I n this proj ect we detai l two basic interpre tations of th e she lving strategy. Both are essent ially bu ilt-up box beams, al though o ne uses crown mold ing as the featured trim while the other is based on stepped-back strips of stock. There are a lso different va riat ions on how the shel f can be installed. For example, you can wrap the e ntire room with it, si mply spa n from one wall to another, or place it on three wa ll s on ly, e tc .

Not on ly is thi s built- in tota lly home-m ade, but the design is Aex ible to suit d iffe re nt needs and tastes .

And by c hoos ing trim types and styles that already are present in your home you ca n e nh ance the builtin look.

The two styles of trimwork shelves seen here are constructed with s imple butt joi nts for ease of building. If you have the woodworki ng eq uipm ent and skill s, cons ider using dado joints instead of butt joints w here it makes sense. \t\lith dado joints, the wood

parts can expand and contract (as they a re pro ne to) withou t: c reat ing se paratio n gaps.

Trimwork H01l She/Jles • 215

Crown Molding Shelf

A

E

B

Stepped Version Shelf

Tools Materials Table saw Drill /d river and bits Drywall or deck screws Mi ter smv Tape iV1easure Finish nails Level or laser level Square Finishing materials

Cutting List: Crown version Cutting List: Stepped Version

Part Desc. No. Size Material Part Desc. No. Size Material

A Shelf top % x 7" x length Pine or oak A Shelf top % x 6111 x length MDF

B Shelf bottom % x 2%" x length Pine or oak B Shelf bottom % x 3111 x length MDF

C Shelf front % x 4W' x length Pine or oak C Shelf front l % x 4111 x length MDF

D (rown I' % x 41/." x length Crown molding D Shelf front M % x 3 x length MDF

E ledger ] 1/2 x 3W' x length 2 x 4 E Shelf front S % x ] 1/1 x length MDF

F Filler (opt.) lor2 % x 2% x 3W Pine or ook F ledger ] Vl x 3Vl x length 2 x 4

• Make mitered return if end of shelf is open G Filler (opt.) lor2 0/4 x 31/1 X 3Vl MDF

216 • T HE COMPLETE GUIDE TO CUSTOM SHELVES & BUILT- tNS

How to Build Trimwork Wall Shelves

MARK LAYOUT LINES AND INSTALL LEDGER While yo u can use a spi rit level to create level lin es at the spec iAed height across the wa ll , use a laser level

instead if you have access to one (photo I ). There are

many types of laser levels on the market a nd eac h is operated different ly from the others, but all w ill do

a nne job of accurately projecting a line arollnd the room quickly so you can mark it on the \vall. Some, suc h as a rotating lase r leve l, al low you to use the light beam cast by the lase r level as the refe rence, so you don't need to ma ke marks on the wa ll s.

If yo u plan to install your shelving Aush with the

tops of yo ur doo r or vvindO\v casing and you find that they are not leve l but are close to level (say, \,vithin 1/4"), use the highest opening as the contro l poi nt for your

layo ut and Jill the gap that' ll be created over the other w indO\,v5 \.vith caulk.

Select a straigh t 2 X 4 and ClIt it to le ngth. Use an electronic stud find e r to locate wa ll studs in the insta llation area, a nd mark the wa ll studs just below the leve l line. C hoose high quality, 41! -long screws for

attaching the ledger: e ithe r use tempered hex-head deck sc rews or square drive multipurpose cabinet screws . Apply panel adhesive to the back of the ledger

and position it so the bottom edge fall s just above the

level line and the e nds are in the correct spot. Drive

a pai r of sc rews through the ledger and into the wal l studs at each stud location (photo 2). These screws

don 't normally require a pilot hole.

How to Build a Crown Molding Shelf

1 ___ r-

2

Use a laser level to create a level reference line for the shelf ledger installation. Mark the location of the bottom edge of the ledger, making sure to allow room for the bottom panel above the door trim and for the full height of the finished project.

Attach the ledger to the wall studs with 4" cabinet screws and panel adhesive. Double-check to make sure the ledger is level after you drive the first screw.


3

BUILD A CROWN-MOLDING SHELF We des igned this crown -molding based shelf to be

proportiona l to the same size and shape molding that already existed at the ceiling in our insta ll ation room

(% " x 4 1/4" crown), Jn stall molding pieces from the

bottom a nd work yo ur \"/a)' lip. If you're wrapp ing a

room , do "laps" with eac h layer of trim. Rip oak stock

for the bottom pane l to width (2W' as seen here) and

cu t it to le ngth. Finish sand all oak parts to 150 grit


• Attach the bottom strip to the ledger board with panel adhesive and wood screws driven into counterbored pil ot holes.

Attach the shelf to the top of the ledger, making sure the ends are flush with the ends of the bottom strip.

before in stalling the parts. O n the botto m strip, drill

a co untcrborcd p ilot hol e every I t', located in a line

3// in from the back edge of the strip . Attac h the

bottom strip to the ledge r with pane l adhesive and 23//'

Rathead wood sc rews (photo 3).

Next, rip and c rossc ut the top pane l to width

and le ngt h and the n attClc h it to the top of the ledge r w ith panel adhesive a nd 6d fi n ish nails (photo 4 ).

Th e end s s hou ld be Rush w ith the bottom str ip ends ,

5

and t he top pu ne l should be butted c lean ly agai nst the wa ll.

Measu re the di stance from the front face of the

ledge r to the front edge of the bottom strip and cu t

a few spacers to this le ngth from sc rap. Attac h th e spacers to the face of the ledger at severa l spots a long the length of th e ledger (photo 5). T hese spacers

will ensu re th<:lt the front p<:tnel is vert ical when it is

pos it ioned aga inst the spacers.

o

Attach wood spacers to the front face of the ledger to align the front panel when it is pressed against the spacers.

Attach the front panel by nailing it to the bottom strip first, and then driving finish nails through the top panel.

Rip a nd crosscut the front panel to v,lidth a nd length , press it against the space rs so the top edge is Rus h agains t the unde rside of the top panel and a ll

e nds a rc aligned . [nsta ll the front panel by driving 6d

finis h nails through the fro nt panel a nd into the edge

of the bottom stri p (photo 6). You a lso may nail at the

s p<:Icer locations if yo u \vish. Also drive na ils thro ugh

the top pa ne l a nd into the top edge of the front panel.

Set the na il heads with a na il set.


Finally, nail the crown molding in place at 12" intervals.

I How to Build a stepped Shelf

1

This variation of the trinnvork wa ll shelf idea lIses facegl ued strips of MDF to create a stepped-down \.vaterfa ll effect . 'vVhi le you can certa in ly build the whole

project piece-by-piece, you'll be able to do faster, more

accu rate \vork if you can preassemble the three stepped

down strips on your worksurface . [f you a re add ing a

re turn on the shelf, as we do here, pre-assem ble the

strips for the long wall o nl y, the n cut each strip for the

mating section to length and butt them up against t he ir

counterpmt on the Il rst section of shelving.

Layout and ins tal l the ledger or ledgers as shown

for the previous crown mo lding project. Make a si m p le

butt joi nt in the corner (photo I). I f t he return shelf

is sho rt, you can strengt hen the ledger by d riving a


Cut the crO\vn molding to length. If your shelf has one or m Of e open ends or occ upies more tha n one wall , see the materia l on making a crovm mold ing

return (pages 42 to 43). Fit the mold ing between the bottom of the top panel and the top of the bottom

str ip, maki ng sure the flat ends of the molding are

fl ush against the surfaces. Dri ll pilot ho les and dr ive nai ls <:It J 2" in terva ls through the molding and in to the top and bottom stri ps (p hoto 7).

Cover na il and screw heads wi th \.vood putty and

the n sand and fi nis h the she lf, matc hing the other

room t ri m if poss ibl e .

Attach the 2 x 4 ledger or ledger to the wall at your installation lines, using cabinet screws and panel adhesive.

couple of sc rev,ls t h rough the lo ng ledger a nd in to the

e nd of the retu rn ledger.

Attach the top and bottom strips as shown in

steps 0 and E of the crown she lf mold ing project.

T hen rip stoc k for the three step strips to \,vidth ( Jlh", 3" and 4 Ih"). Cu t t he stri ps sl igh tly too long and the n

glue them together o n your \vorksurface, maki ng sure the tops are Rush. Drive some 2" wa ll board screws

through the back face of the ta ll stri p and into the two

sho rter stri ps to draw the m toge ther (photo 2).

Afte r the glue-up dries, cut the glue-up assembly to

final length . Trim both ends to make sure the ends are

a ligned. T hen, attach some spacers to the front face of

the ledger and attach the three-st rip glue-u p by d riving

screvvs th rough the assembly und into the front edge of the bottom panel (photo 3) . A lso drive screws through

the top panel and into the tops of the glued-up strips. Attac h th e top and bottom strip for th e return

shelf. Make the top long enough to overhang the end

of the return , if visibl e, by j " . Butt the ends of the

top and bottom strips up aga inst th e top and bottom strips already mounted on the \\lu ll. Th e n, measure for eac h of th e three stepped strips, measuring from th e mating edge of its counterpart on the wa ll to the end of the return (each successive strip will

On a flat worksurface, join the three stepped strips together to create strong joints and simplify assembly of the shelf.

4

Cut each stepped strip individually to butt up against the mating strip in the corner and fasten with wallboard screws.

be approximately 3/./ longe r working from top to bottom). I nstall the tall str ip Rrst , and then attach

th e shorte r ones in success ion using glue and screv/s (photo 4) .

If the return has an exposed e nd, measure the opening between the ledger and the shel f front and

cut a fill e r piece to fit (in thi s project, the piece V,ICl S

2" wide and 31/2 " tal l. G lue and nai l the fille r into the opening. The n, cover nail and sc rev/ heads with wood filler, caulk any gaps between the project and the wa ll (photo 5), and thcn sand, prime and paint thc projcct .

3

Attach the stepped strips to the top and bottom strips mounted on the ledger.

5

Caulk gaps and fill nai l and screw holes before sanding and painting your shelf project.


I Box Beam Shelves

If you' re looking for a basic starter project that you can finish wi th your own Aouri shes and Aai r, you've

come to the right place. This she lf is made from a basic des ign platform that looks great as is, but it can be eas ily al te red with t rim and fini sh options . In addition to its versatility, this she lf has the benefi t that its connection to the wa ll su rface is invisib le. The reason is that the "box" has no back and you can sl ip

it over a ledger board fas tened to the wall. Fastening through the top of the box holds the assemb ly secu re ly in place witho ut brackets or even any visi bl e faste ners, creating a tight, integrated look.

As a des ign e lement in any living spuce YO LI ca n make severa l Box Beam She lves and hang them at differe nt heights in a room to create an accent wa ll. Or, hang several of them at the sa me level and c reate a picture ra il , of sorts. They're perfect for displaying


c he ri shed items and an ideal spot for lo ng, Aowing potted plants. Another possibi lity is to dado in a plate groove fo r di splayi ng plates and china.

I f yo u \V<:IIlt to c hange the size, shape, a nd reveals o n t he basic box you ca n add differe nt moldings a nd trim to make it you r own. T he good news is that the assem bl y tec hni ques for bu ilding the box remain the same . All you need to do is adjust the

measurell1en ts. T he she lf laid out here is fabr icated from MDF

and shown painted , but YO Ll could ll1<1ke it OLl t of hardwood stock a nd matching hardwood ply\vood if you prefer. The basic she lf-box is composed of five pieces: three sides, a bottom , and a top. The shelf is 25 'h" wide, 10'1:' deep, and 3'1:' tall. T he top she lf panel is a single piece of 3// M DF that is 26 1h" wide and I 13// deep. The ledger is a 2x ripped I lh" sq uare .

Tools Materials Cutting List Table saw 3/;" MDF

Part No. Desc. Size Material Miter sav,{ F<:Isteners C ircular saw I) 2 x 4 scrap (at least 24" )

A Top ponel 3/4 X 11 3f4 x 26W MDF

Router I) tube adhesive cau lk B Bottom ponel 'l.xlDx24" MDF

Ladder I ) scrap of 1/./ plywood C Side wrops % x 2Yz x 103// MDF Level D Front wrap %x21h x2SW MDF Cord less drill/driver E Sctnder or pmver planer

[Ieot l V1 x l Y1x 23%" 2 x 4 (or 2 x 21

Box Beam She/pes • 223

How to Build Box Beam Shelves

CUT THE PARTS The first step is to cut all the pieces on the miter and

tab le saw. II' you need to, rough-cut the M DF sheet to size lIsing a circu lar 5a\,V, but make the final cuts

with the miter saw <Jnd table smv. Sta rt by fabri cating

the sheWs bOLtom panel. Then , make the pieces for a

three-s ided (or C-Shaped) shelf box. The pieces wi ll

be assembled aroulld the bottom panel. C ut the top

shelf pane l. Finally, rip the ledger from a piece of 2x

stock . T his asse mbly works best if c utting tolerances are kept tight, so be extra careful with measuring,

marking, and cutting.

224 • T HE COM PLETE CU I DE TO CUSTOM SHELVES & BU l t:l' INS

Most power miter saw s do not have a 10" cutting capacity. To cut the wide stock for this project, you can either make a portion of the cut on the miter saw then turn the board around so you can finish the cut, or use a circular saw and squareguide.

The key to a durable, good-looking assembly is to cut the sides and the front strips that wrap the bottom panel bottom panel accurately. Careful measurement and cutting keeps the miter joints tight and together during assembly.

Cut the bottom panel to size llsing a sliding power

miter smv (or a circu lar saw and straightedge guide

if your miter saw does n't have a 10" cut capac ityphoto I ), or a table saw. Beca use th e sides and front

wrap around the bottom panel, it is the control point

for the rest of the layout. Cutting it accurately is

important. Be careful Lo be as exacL as you ca n while

cutting. Cu t stock for the shell' si des (ca lled the panel

wraps) to 21h" width and sand , joint, or plane out any

saw marks left behind. A lso cut the top panel to size.

Rip the ledger to w idth ( I 'h") and cross-cut it to

length. Cut the panel wraps to length using th e miter

saw (photo 2).

ASSEMBLE THE PARTS Assembl ing the parts squure and tight all starts with the bottom panel-it's the guide for getting the mi ters n ice a nd t ight. For fasten ing, a cordless dri ll and tr im

drive screws (p re·dri ll and coun ters in k a ll holes) is

great. A brad na ile r or ll nis h na ile r \·vill also wo rk

n icely. Should you u se a pneumatic too l like this,

make sure to drive fasteners stra ight into the stock. Na ils driven at a n angle can blO\·v out of the material

<J nd are tough to remove.

A good tr ick fo r add ing shadow lines is to inset

the bottom into the panel wraps aboll t 1// . Do this by nrst screwing a scrap of 1/./ plywood (cut just a little sma ll er t han t he bottom panel's dimens ions) on

Clamp the bottom panel to the bench to keep it stationary while you fasten the panel wraps around it, enabling you to focus your attention on getting the assembly tight.

prior to installing the front panel wrap to the left panel wrap, dab each miter with adhesive caulk.

the be nch then clampi ng the bottom panel over it,

propping it up (photo 3) . Fo llow up by wrapping t he

bottom panel \vith t he pa ne l wraps.

Fasten the left pa ne l wrap to t he bottom panel.

Use the front p<1nei v,lmp to gu ide your exac t placeme nt

of t he left panel v,rrap. I n other words, match up the

miters on the front and left panel wraps, t hen fasten

the left pa nel wrap . App ly ad hesive cau lk to t he le ft

pane l wrap m ite r and the left s ide miter on t he fro nt

panel wrap (photo 4), then insta ll the front panel wrap.

iVIake su re to have a damp cloth or spo nge to vv ipe

away any squeeze-out. Repeat this process fo r t he right

panel \.vrap and insta ll. O nly fasten the bottom edge.

Box Bealll She/Jles • 225

Use a router and proflling bit to shape a decorative

edge " long the fro nt of the top pane l (photo 5). Att"ch

the top piece to the box frame. Before fastening, use a combination square and double~check that all revea ls

are the saille (photo 6).

CAULK & FINISH I t's easier to ca ulk and paint this projec t in the shop

than it is on the wa ll. Caulk, prime, and pain t as

desired. A sma ll paint roller sleeve wi ll give a smooth,

professional fini sh (photo 7) .

cut a decorative profile along the front edge of the top panel, such as the agee profile being routed into the top panel here.

Finishing this BOX Beam Shelf in the shop is much easier than finishing it in location . Prop it up on its back edge during finishing so you can access the top, sides, and bottom with a paint brush. Be careful not to knock it over.


HANG THE SHELF Installing the Box Beam Shelf on the wa ll ledger

provides an invisi bl e connec tion. The open bae k of

the shelf slips over a ledger board you fasten to the

wall studs. You then drive sc rews through the shelf

panel down into the ledger for a very snug, very secure

connection. It may be tempt ing on some wall s to

si mply use hollow~\,va ll anchors in stead of locating and

fastening to two studs, but because all the weight of

the Box Beam She lf is out at the front edge, that is not

a recommended co nnection. Besides, at 24 II long, the

ledger for the Box Beam Shel f shou ld cover at least

6

Before fastening the top panel on top of the box frame, make sure that the reveals are equal all the way around and that the back is flush to the back edge of the box assembly.

8

Make a solid connection with the studs by driving two screws per stud through the ledger. 1f the stud is near the end of the ledger, pre-drill and countersink before fastening.

two vvu ll studs ulmost anY\"lhere you put it (es peciully

if your \"lu ll s have 16 o.c. framing),

D eterm ine the sheWs fin a l locat ion and mark it

on the wall . T ry to locate it so that the ledger fall s over

two wa ll framing members. Strike a leve l li ne. Sc rew

th e ledger to the wa ll studs with 3'h" deck sc rews (photo 8). Use two screws per stud.

Predri ll countersunk pilot holes for at least th ree dec k screws 3// in from the bac k edge of the top panel.

Slip the Box Beam Shelf over the ledger so the back edges are flu sh against the wa ll su rface. Fasten the

shelf to the wa ll by driving t' deck sc rews through the

pilot holes and in to th e top of th e ledger (photo 9).

"Other Ideas" ~

One great feature about this shelf design is the numerous ways you can add your own details to it. You can use your table saw to cut in a plate groove in the top shelf panel or apply a molding detail with casing, chair rail or crown under the top shelf panel to provide lift, create texture and add shadow lines. You can add a second top shelf panel

a littler larger than the first to create a layered effect. And you can wrap the back with a picture-frame molding. The sky is the limit.

You need to alter the sizes of the shelf box and the top shelf to fi t these additions so lay them out carefully before you begin cutting wood. But, because the ledger

board connection is strong but small, there is room to move. Here are some ideas to get you started :

PLATE GROOVE Adding a plate groove is easy and a smart addition if you plan to display plates or other items like framed photos that you intend to lean on the wall. You can cut the grooves in a single pass on your table saw using a dado head cutter, or you can take multiple passes with a

standard saw blade to create the groove. Make the groove %" to %" wide and '/4" deep. You can even use a router and edge guide to plow a dado into the top of the shelf panel. Tip: When cutting the groove, do not cut all the way up to the ends of the board. That way, the groove will be

invisible when viewed from below or straight on. If you cut past the shelf ends you'll be able to see the groove.

MOLDING DETAIL Adding a basic chair rail molding is the easiest add-on option for the Box Beam Shel f. Depending on the chair

9

Hold the shelf tight to the wall and fasten using at least three 2" deck screws driven through pilot holes and into the tops of the ledger.

rail you choose, you may not even have to alter the measurements on the shel f box, and you can apply the chair rail right to the box. However, if you select a molding that is more than W' thick, trim the box size by %" so you can keep the top shelf panel's 1" overhang. If you add a molding that's 1" thick or thicker, make the

sides of the box 1" shorter and 1" thinner to compensate.

LAYERS using two- instead of one- top shelf panels is another simple but interesting way to add detail. Make the second top shelf panel 'h" deeper and 1" longer than

the original shelf panel shown above. Then, instead of routing a bead on the top of the panel, rout a chamfer on the bottom of each shelf panel to make them look like they are stepped and ascending. Routing a cove is also a nice detail.

PICTURE FRAME Whichever shel f you build, you can add a picture frame

molding to the back of the unit to make the unit look like it is an extension of the wall space. The idea is to use 1 x 4 or MDF ripped to width and wrap the back of the Box Beam Shelf with it. Install the shel f box without the top shelf panel and fasten into the ledger board from the sides. Install the picture frame molding before installing the top shelf panel or any other molding combinations. Also be aware that the picture

frame molding adds 'I,' to the overall depth of the shelf so you may want to trim a corresponding 'I,' off your top shelf panels.

Box Bealll She/Jles • 227

I Floor-to-Ceiling Shelves


F loor-to-ce i ling s he lves are sturdier and make better

use of space than freestanding bookcases. Wh e n

fini s hed a nd tri mmed to matc h the surrounding rOOIll ,

Aoor-to-ce iling shelves t urn an ord inary room into an

invit ing den or lib rary.

T hi s projec t llses finis h-grade oak p lywood and a

so lid oak face frame to create t he look of an expensive,

so lid oak s helf unit at a frac t ion of the cost . The

pl ywood pa ne ls are supported a nd st rengthened by a n interna l fram ework of 2 x 4 stud lumbe r.

\;Vhen instu ll ing Aoor-to-ce iling shelves in a corner, as shovvn he re, add 1// ply\,vood spacers to the support s t uds t hat <Jdjoi n the wa ll . Spacers e nsure tha t

face frame stiles of equal w idth can be insta lled at

both she lf ends (see diagram, page opposite) .

Al though it is sim il a r in some fashio ns to t he

formal bookcase project featu red on pages 188 to 193,

this more casua l vers ion u tili zes somewhat differe nt

building tec hn iques and has a more contem porary!

casual <:tppe<:tra nce. The e nd panels a nd stand<:trds

are made from relut ively inexpens ive plyv.:ood vv ith

a rotal)r~cu t red oak veneer t hat has a medi um oak

finis h . If this high ly recogniza ble look doesn 't gu ite lit

in with your decor, simply use plywood with a diffe re nt

oute r veneer, suc h as maple or bi rch or wa ln ut , and

either leave the \'\food u ncolored or give it a da rk

sta in . Or, you ca n bu ild t he project fro m pajn t ~grade

plyv.rood and fi nish it with a lively color.

Tools Materials Cutting List Tape measure ( 12) 2 X 4 X 8 pinc

Part No. Desc. Size Material Penci l (3) 't X 4 x 8 oak plywood Level (2) 3j, x 4 x 8 oak plywood

A 6 Top ond sole plotes 59y," 2 x 4s

Framing square (3) I x 4 x lOft. oak B 6 Support studs 91 ';'" 2 x 4s

Plumb bob ( I ) I x 3 X 10ft. oak C End ponel 950/. x 13" y," ook plywood

Dri ll with drive bits Fin ish nails ( 11/1", 2") D 4 Top. bottom ponels 27 '1. x 13" y," ook plywood Hammer Dr)"vall or deck screws E 8 Risers 44 '1. x 13" ';'" ook plywood C ircular saw ( ]3/-t", 2" , 3") Houter Sh ims

F 2 Permanent shelves 27 '1. x 13" %" ook plywood

3// straight bi t Meta l shelf standards and c lips G 8 Adjustoble shelves 26 '1. x 11'1. %" ook plywood

Fin ish ing materials H Stiles ond bottom roil 28 lineal ft. I x 4 ook

1// plywood scraps Top roil, middle roil 10 lineal ft. I x 3 ook Carpen ter's gl ue J Shelf edging 18 lineal ft. I x 2 ook

Flonr-/o-Ceili l1g She/pes • 229

How to Build Floor-to-Ceiling Shelves

Mark the location for two parallel 2 x 4 top plates on the ceiling, using a framing square as a guide. The front edge of the outer top plate should be 13" from the back wall, and the other top plate should be flush against the wall. Mark the location of the ceiling joists; if necessary, install blocking between joists to provide a surface for anchoring the top plates.

Measure and cut the 2 x 4 top plates. Position each plate, check to make sure it is level, and install shims if necessary. Attach the plates to the ceiling with 3" screws driven into the joists or blocking.

3 ~ -

Cut 2 x 4 sale plates and screw them together to form two doubled sale plates. Use a plumb bob suspended from the outside corners of the top plates to align the sole plates. Shim the plates to level, if needed. Anchor the plates by driving 3" screws toenail-style into the floor

Install 2 x 4 support studs between the ends of the top plates and sole plates. Attach support studs with 3" screws driven toenail-style into the top plates and sole plates.


Install the center support studs midway between the end support studs. Attach them to the bottom plate first, using 3" screws driven toenail-style. Use a level to make sure that each stud is plumb, then attach the studs to the top plate with 3" screws.

Where the shelves fit into a corner, use 1%" screws to attach '." plywood spacers on the inside faces of the support studs, spaced every 4" . Make sure spacers do not extend past the front face of the studs.

Measure and cut lower risers from 'k " plywood, then cut dadoes for metal shelf standards using an edge guide (page 41).

Where the end of the project is exposed, measure and cut a 'h" plywood end panel to floor-to-ceiling height. Attach the panel to the support studs so the front edges are flush, using n ... screws driven through the support studs and into the end panel.

10

Install lower risers on each side of the 2 x 4 support studs so the front edges are flush with the edges of the studs. Attach risers with 1'." finish nails driven into the support studs. For risers that adjoin the wall, drive nails at spacer locations.

Measure and cut 'k " plywood top and bottom panels to fit between the support studs. Attach to the top and sale plates using 1'. " fin ish nails.

Measure and cut permanent shelves from ¥.' plywood to fit between the support studs, just above the lower risers. Set the shelves on the risers and attach them with 1 'k " fin ish nails driven down into the risers.

Floor-to-Ceilil1g She/Jles • 231

Measure and cut upper risers to fit between the permanent shelves and the top panels. Cut dadoes for metal shelf standards, then attach the risers to the support studs with 1 'h"

finish nails.

Measure and cut 1 x 3 top rails to fit between the stiles. Drill pilot holes and attach the rails to the top plate and top panels, using carpenter's glue and 1'k" finish nails.


13

Measure and cut 1 x 3 stiles to reach from floor to ceiling along the front edges of the exposed support studs. Drill pilot holes and attach the stiles to the support studs so they are flush with the risers, using glue and 1'h" finish nails driven at 8" intervals.

15

Measure and cut 1 x 4 bottom rails to fit between the stiles. Drill pilot holes, and attach the rails to the sale plates and bottom panels, using glue and 1 'h" finish nails. The top edge of the rails should be flush with the top surface of the plywood panels.

Fill nail holes, then sand and finish the wood surfaces.

Measure, cut, and install metal shelf standards into the dadoes, using nails or screws provided by the manufacturer.

20

Measure and cut adjustable shelves ,, " shorter than the distance between metal standards. Cut shelf edging, and attach it with glue and 1'h" finish nails. Sand and finish the shelves.

Insert shelf clips into the metal shelf standards and install the adjustable shelves at desired heights.

Cover gaps between the project and walls and floor with molding that has been finished to match the shelf unit.

Floor-fa-Ceilillg She/Jles • 233

I Photo Credits

Aristokraft Cabinetry © Aristokraft Cabinetry; p. 6 www.aristokraft.com

Todd Caverly © Todd Caverly fo r Judy Ostrow, Designer; p. 7 (right) © Todd Caverly fo r G. M. Wild Construction, Inc.; pp.1D, 15 (bottom left) © Todd Caverly; p. 15 (top)

Diamond Cabinets © Diamond Cabinets, a division of MasterBrand Cabinets, Inc.; pp. 5, 9 www.d iamondcabinets.com

Focal point Architectural products © Focal point Archi tectural products; p. 7 (left) www.focalpointap.com

KraftMaid Cabinetry, Inc. © KraftMaid Cabinetry, Inc.; pp.13, 16 (bottom) www kraftma id.com

Omega Cabinetry © Omega Cabinetry; p. 15 (bottom right) wwwomegacab.com

Quality Cabinets © Quality Cabinets; p. 14 www.quali tycabinets.com

Quentin Harriot © Quentin Harriotlwwwewastock.com; p. 17

Brian VandenBrink © Brian VandenBrink for Elliott Elliott Norelius Architects; p. 8 (top) © Brian VandenBrink for Brett Donham Architect; p. 8 (bottom) © Brian VandenBrink for Centerbrook Archi tects; p. 12 (top) © Brian VandenBrink for Lo Yi Chan Architect; p. 12 (bottom)

Wellborn Cabinet, Inc. © Wellborn Cabinet, lnc., pp.11 (both), 16 (top) wwwwellborn.com


Index

A Access space, standard built-in

measurements for, 31

AC plywood, 28

Actual vs. nominal sizes, 32

Adjustable shelves, installing, 185

Adjustments, making small width or height, 32

Angled finish nailers, 26 Assembly jigs, making, 200

B

Bars, building, 168-179

installing bartop, 176-177

installing cabinets, 177-178

installing countertop, 179

instal ling trim & hardware, 177-178

making aprons and trims, 173-174

making kneewall coverings, 174-175

making kneewalls, 172-173

overview of, 168-171

Base cabinets

instal ling, 58-59

installing for window seats, 82-85

standard built-in depth


Basements

bu ilding joist shelves for, 206-209

building shelves for, 194-197

Bevel returns, 42

Biscuit joiners, 25

Block planes, 22, 23

Bookshelves/bookcases

building floor-to-ceiling shelves, 228-233

building formal, 188-193 ideas for, 10-11

for window seats, 80-87

Box beam shelves, building, 222-227 Brad nailers, 26

Brads, 27

Butcher block, 62

C Cabinets

adding doors, 46

carpeting and, 153

door options, 47

installing, 54-59

base, 58-59,82-84,90, 91-93

corner, 54

kneewall,162-167 wall, 55-57,90,91

Chalk lines, 21 Children's rooms

ideas for, 15

making loft beds for, 94-101

Chisels, 22, 23

Chop saws, 24, 25

Base shoe returns, cutting mitered, 43 Circu lar saws, 24 Bathrooms Closet shelves, installing, 204-205

building towel towers, 136-141 Combination squares, 21

building wall cabinets, 156-161 ideas for, 8-9, 14-15

making bin & shelving units, 210-213 Bedrooms

ideas for, 8

making bed surrounds, 88- 93

making loft beds, 94-101

Belt sanders, 25

Benches, building country-style, 104-109

compound power miter saws, 24, 25

Compound power miter saw stops, 200

Compressors, 26

Construction tools, 22-23

Contact cement, 68, 73 coping saws, 22, 23

Cordless drills, 24

Corner cabinets, installing, 54

Corner unit hobby centers,

building, 150-155

Couches, storage under, 12 Countertops

installing laminate, 68-75 installing post-form, 64-67

materials, 62-63

wood edges for, 76-77

Country-style eating nooks,

building, 102-111

benches, 104-109

tables, 108-111

Crown molding wall shelves,

building, 214-220 Crown staples, 27

Cube shelves, building, 198-203 Cutting jOints, 36

o Dado jOints, 215 Diagrams

accurately scaled, 30

for cutting, 33 Display units

building box beam shelves, 222- 227

building cubes, 198-203 building floor-to-ceiling shelves,

228-233

building trimwork wall shelves, 214-221

building V-step bin and shelving

units, 210-213

building wall niches,l12-117 ideas for, 7, 11

step back boxes, 203 Doors

adding, 46

options for, 47

Drawers

building basic overlay, 48-49

measuring for, 48

standard built-in measurements

for, 31

Drawings, making, 30

frub: • 235

Drills, cordless, 24

Dry bars, building, 168-179

installing bartop, 176-177

install ing cabinets, 177-178 install ing countertop, 179

installing trim & hardware, 177-178

Home offices building understairs work

centers, 142-149

ideas for, 12-13

making aprons and trims, 173-174 Inside corners, mitering, 40

making kneewall coverings, 174-175

making kneewalls, 172-173 J overviewof,168-171 Jig saws, 24

Dust masks, 22 JOints, cutting & fitting, 36

E Ear protection, 22, 35

End nippers, 22, 23

Eye protection, 22, 35

F Fasteners, pneumatic, 27

Files, 22, 23

Finishes applying grain fillers, 53

making sanding sealers, 51

for moist areas, 156

preparing wood for, 50-52

using sanding sealers, 53

when to apply, 161

Finish nailers, 26

Finish nails, 27

Finish sanders, 25 Fitting joints, 36

Frameless doors, 47

Framing squares, 21

G Garages, building utility shelves

for, 194-197

Glass doors, 47 Grain fillers, applying, 53

H Hammers, 22, 23

Handsaws, 22, 23 Hardwood veneer plywood, 28

Headless pins, 26, 27

Height adjustments, making small, 32

Hidden shelving, making, 206-209

Hobby centers, building, 150-155

Joist shelving, making, 206-209

K

Kitchens building dividers to separate eating

& cooking areas, 118-127 building eating nooks, 102-111

benches, 104-109 tables, 108- 111

creating islands for, 60-61

ideas for, 8,11, 12, 16

making countertops, 62-77

installing post-form, 64-67

laminate, 68-75

wood edges for, 76-77

Kneewall areas

building work centers, 142-149

ideas, 16-17 installing cabinets in, 162-167

Knives, 22, 23

L

Laminate countertops, building, 68-75

Laser levels, 21

Laundry centers, 128-135

building utility shelves for, 194-197

lighting in, 128, 130, 134-135

making joist shelving for, 206-209

Layout tools, 20-21

Level, establishing, 44-45

Levers, 21

Lighting for bed surrounds, 88

in laundry centers, 128, 130,

134-135

in work area, 34

Loft beds, making, 94-101

Lumber, 29

236 • THE COMPLETE CUIf)E TO CUSTOM SHELVES & BUILT·INS

M Materials

actual vs. nominal sizes, 32

list of, 33

lumber, 29 sheet goods, 28

Measurements, 31-33 Medium density fiberboard (MDF), 28

Medium density overlay (MDO), 28

Metal files, 22, 23

Metals standards for adjustable shelves, installing, 185

Mitered returns, cutting, 42-43

Modular shelves, 184

Moldings, adding, 227

N

Nail guns, 26

Nails, 27

Niches, building, 112-117

Nominal vs. actual sizes, 32

Nooks and crannies storage ideas, 16- 17

o Odd-shaped room seating ideas, 12

Out-of-square outside corners,

mitering, 39

Outside corners, mitering, 38-39

p

Pin nailers, 26 Pin-style supports for adjustable

shelves, installing, 185

Planers, 25

Planning steps, 30-33

Plate grooves, 227 Plumb, establishing, 44-45

Plywood,28 Pneumatic fasteners, 27

Pneumatic tools, 26

portable compressors, 26

Post-form countertops,

installing, 64-67

Power miter saws, 24, 25

Power miter saw stops, 200 Power miter saw techniques, 37-43

mitering inside corners, 40

mitering outside corners, 38-39

Power planers, 25

Power tools, 24-25, 35

Preparation steps jobsite organizing, 34

planning, 30-33

profile gauges, 21

Protective gear, 22, 35

Pry bars, 22

Putty knives, 22, 23

R Random-orbit sanders, 25

Rasps, 22, 23

Ready-made cabinet doors, 47

Reciprocating saws, 24, 25

Room dividers building, 118-127

storage idea, 11

Routers, 25

S Safety gear, 22, 35

Safety issues, 35

Sanders, 25

Sanding sealers

making, 51

using, 53

Sandpaper grit chart, 51

Saws, 22, 23, 24,25, 37

Seating building country-style

benches, 104-109

ideas for, 8, 12


for, 31

Sheet goods, 28

Shelves

attaching cleats to wall, 191

attachment methods, 183

building box beam, 222-227

building cube, 198-203

building floor-to-ceiling, 228-233

building joist, 206-209

building trimwork wall, 214-221

building utility, 194-197

installing adjustable, 185

installing closet, 204-205

installing wire, 186-187

modular, 184


for, 31

strength of, 182, 183

Side cutters, 22, 23

Sliding doors, 47

Sliding miter saws, 37

Sale plates, thickness of, 32

Solvent-base contact cement, 68

Sports equipment storage ideas, 15

Square corners, establishing, 44-45

Square inside corners, mitering, 40

Square outside corners, mitering, 38

Standard built-in measurements, 31

Staplers, 26

Staples, 27

Stepback boxes, 203

Stepped wall shelves,

building, 214-217, 220-221

Stops for miters, 200

Straightedge guides, 41

Stud finders, 21

T Table saws, 25

Tape measures, 20

T-bevels, 21, 45

Tools construction, 22-23

importance of quality, 20

for layout, 20-21

pneumatic, 26

power, 24-25, 35

TOp plates, thickness of, 32

Towel towers, building, 136-141

U Underbed storage ideas, 8

Understairs building kneewall cabinets

for, 162-167

building work centers, 142-149

wine storage ideas for, 16-17

Utility knives, 22, 23

Utility rooms building joist shelves for, 206- 209

building shelves for, 194-197

ideas for, 15

V Veneer edge tapes, 184

V-step bin and shelving units,

making, 210-213

W

wainscoting paneling, 28

Wall cabinets, installing, 55-57

Wall display units

building box beam shelves, 222-227

building cubes, 198- 203

building floor-to-ceiling

shelves, 228- 233

building trimwork wal l shelves,

214-221

building V-step bin and shelving

units, 210-213

building wall niches, 112-117

ideas for, 7, 11

step back boxes, 203

Water-base contact cement, 68

Width adjustments, making small, 32

Window seats, making, 80-87

installing base cabinets, 82-85

making bookcases for sides, 86-87

Wine racks, 16- 17

Wire shelves, installing, 186-187

Wood glues and headless pins for, 27

grain fillers for, 51, 53

lumber, 29

preparing for finishes, 50-52

sheet goods, 28

Work area set-up, 34

Work-surface height, standard built-in


I I/dex • 237

I Conversion Charts Converting Measurements

To Convert: To: Multiply by:

Inches Millimeters 25.4

Inches Centimeters 2.54

Feet Meters 0.305

' YardS Meiers 0.914

Square inches Square centimeters 6.45

[square feet Square meters 0.093

Square yards Square meters 0.836

Cubic inches Cubic centimeters 16.4

Cubic feet Cubic meters 0.0283

Cubic yards Cubic meters 0.765

Ounces Milliliters 30.0

[ Pints (U.S.) Liters 0.473 (Imp. 0.568)

Quarts (U.S.) liters 0.946 (Imp. 1.136)

tGaliOnS (U.S.) Liters 3.785 (Imp. 4.546)

Ounces Grams 28.4

t pounds Kilograms 0.454

Lumber Dimensions

Nominal - U.S. Actual - U.S . METRIC 1 x 2 ¥4 x 11k' 19x 38 mm 1x3 =¥4 x 21h' 19 x 64 mm 1 x 4 =¥4 x 31;2' 19 x 89 mm 1x5 ¥4 x 4112' 19x114mm 1x6 =¥4 x 51;2' 19x 140mm 1 x 7 ¥4 X 6V4' 19x159mm 1 x 8 ¥4 X 7V4' 19 x 184 mm

1 x 10 =¥4 X 9V4' 19x 235 mm 1 x 12 ¥4 X 11V4' 19x 286 mm

1V4 x 4 1 x 31;2' 25x89mm 1V4 x 6 1 x 51;2' 25x140mm 1V4 x 8 1 x 7114' 25x184mm

lV4xlO 1 x 9V4' 25 x 235 mm 1V4 x 12 1 x 111/4' 25 x 286 mm 11k x 4 lV4x31h' 32x89mm H 2x 6 1V4X5112' 32 x 140 mm 11k x 8 1114 x 7114' 32x184mm

11;2 x 10 1114 x 9V4' 32 x 235 mm 11k x 12 1114 X 11114' 32 x 286 mm

2x4 11k x 31;2' 38x89mm 2x6 11k x 51;2' 38x 140mm 2x8 11k x 7114' 38x184mm

2 x 10 11k X 9V4' 38 x 235 mm 2 x 12 11kx 11114' 38 x 286 mm 3x6 2112 x 51;2' 64 x 140 mm 4x4 3112 x 31;2' B9xB9mm 4x6 3112 x 5112' 89x140mm

238 • TH E COMPLETE GUIDE TO CUSTO M SH ELVES & BU1LT·1NS

To Convert: To: Multiply by: Millimeters Inches 0.039

Centimeters Inches 0.394

Meters Feet 3.28

I Meters Yards 1.09

Square centimeters Square inches 0 .155

Ilsquare meters Square feet 10.8

Square meters Square yards 1.2

Cubic centimeters Cubic inches 0.061

Cubic meters Cubic feet 35.3

Cubic meters Cubic yards 1.31

Milliliters Ounces 033

I liters Pints (US.) 2.114 (Imp. 1.76)

liters Quarts (US.) 1.057 (Imp. 0.88)

Liters Gallons (U.S.) 0.264 (Imp. 022)

Grams Ounces 0.035

I Kilograms Pounds 22

Liquid Measurement Equivalents

1 Pint = 16 Fluid Ounces = 2 Cups

1 Quart = 32 Fluid Ounces = 2 Pints

1 Gallon = 128 Fluid Ounces = 4 Quarts

converting Temperatures Convert degrees Fahrenheit (F) to degrees Celsius (C) by following th is simple formula: Subtract 32 from the Fahrenheit temperature reading. Then, multiply that number by &t. For example, nOF - 32 = 45. 45 x % = 25°C.

To convert degrees Celsius to degrees Fahrenheit, multiply the Celsius temperature reading by 9;5. Then, add 32 For example,

25°C x 9;5 = 45. 45 + 32 = n°F.

FAHRENHEIT CELSIUS

Freezing

I

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ISBN 1-58923-302-6

CREATIVE PUBLISHING INTERNATIONAL

Complete Guide to Bathrooms Complete Guide to Ceramic & Stone Tile Complete Guide to Creative Landscapes Complete Guide to Decks Complete Guide to Dream Kitchens Complete Gu ide to Finishing Walls & Ceilings Complete Guide to Flooring Complete Guide to Home Carpentry Complete Guide to Home Plumbing Complete Guide to Home Wiring Complete Guide to Landscape Construction Complete Guide to Masonry & Stonework Complete Guide to Outdoor Wood Projects Complete Guide to Painting & Decorating Complete Guide to Roofing & Siding Complete Guide to Trim & Finish Carpentry Complete Guide to Windows & Doors Complete Guide to Wood Storage Projects Complete Guide to Yard & Garden Features Complete Outdoor Builder Complete Photo Guide to Home Repair Complete Photo Guide to Home Improvement

ISBN: 1-58923-304-2

ISBN: 1-58923-331-X

Documents

The Complete Guide to Custom Shelves & Built-Ins