how to make cupboard doors from mdfstuart weitzman returns

Harder woods can be more challenging. Our own kitchen cabinets were outdated, but I could not bring myself to rip out these solid wood cabinets.

Thats a very good tip! We are loving the new look of our kitchen and I am loving the price.

These 4 shaker style cabinet doors were built for the laundry room for only $8 and some left over beadboard. To build our DIY shaker cabinet doors, I used some of my favorite beginner woodworking tools: This may seem like a lot, but if you want to get into woodworking, these would be the tools I would recommend starting with. Attach a straight 24-inch-long hardwood 1x3 for more accuracy and to avoid splintering out the end of the cut. Make a list of the parts of your DIY shaker cabinet doors before you begin.

I used your cabinet door idea to create a door to cover the electric panel in the basement. Click here to read my full disclosure policy. Hi Cindy!

Hey there, Im Megan!

Using a putty knife (or finger, yes it works!

Cut the 1x3 boards according to the sizes you need with the following formula. Can I just add a piece of beadboard to the recessed area of the door?

Measure the distance between the tenons to determine the panels length. Use the miter gauge that came with your table saw.

Apply glue to both sides of the groove in one stile and one rail. They are still a softer wood so they could more easily dent and ding.

Adjust the saws fence to 1/16 inch less than the distance you measured.

Slide the rail into place, again making sure its even with the end of the stile.

But if you want stained cabinet doors, you will need to use 1/4 plywood for the center panel. Draw the four sides of a cabinet makers triangle to identify which part goes where. We recommend our users to update the browser. Thanks for stopping by! Im a little confused about what the caulking is for and where it goes.

Here is where I talk about painting the cabinets. Nice job.

document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. I used a paint brush to get in all the grooves of the doors and beadboard and then a foam roller to get a smooth surface.

Furring strips are the cheapest but you will have to pick through the boards to find straight ones. Im in the same position I have wonderfully solid cabinets that just need a facelift. We are no longer supporting IE (Internet Explorer) as we strive to provide site experiences for browsers that support new web standards and security practices. I think this might be what we do. I dont have a nail gun.

Take the MDF trim pieces off the cabinet door and place them right next to the side they will be installed on, putting them front side down.

These boards are usually straighter and have square corners (unlike the furring strips). Your kitchen looks great. And for our mission style open shelf bathroom vanity I used knotty alder. Move the saws fence so the distance from the blade matches the length of the doors rail. What Wood Do You Need to Build Cheap Cabinet Doors? You will want to take multiple passes, increasing the depth of the cut as you go.

Join us as we share everything we learn, while hoping to inspire you to tackle your own DIYs and creating your dream home on a budget too! I wanted to accomplish a lot in this room (new flooring, new paint, stackable laundry basket storage, new cabinet doors, shelving, tile and more) so I had to get creative. The first step is to prep the MDF strips. Paint the kitchen doors with primer and paint. Best of luck and I would love to see the finished project! But in my honest opinion, I am very happy with how the MDF is holding up. Great job!

I like the decorative antique brass exposed hinges. A couple questions: It looks like you replaced the hinges as well, from the before and after photo. Or would that make the door too heavy over time?

I am gong to do this to my sons house for him. Here is where you can see that process: https://www.twofeetfirst.net/2015/10/painting-the-cabinet-base.html. Determine the size of the cabinet doors you need, I go into detail on how to measure for cabinet doors here. Dribble glue in the grooves of all four sides of the frame. Hello. I cant believe the before and after. All projects are attempted at the readers own risk. I used poplar to build the cabinets and doors in my DIY kitchen remodel and they are holding up great. Hi Amanda!

Why did you spend so much on wood?

Do not assume the sides will be the same length because almost all of mine were not.

For the best results, use the wood in the widths it comes in. I truly love our new laundry room and am still amazed we were able to build cabinet doors so cheap!

All I would need to do to give it a water-proof coat is to paint it, Intrigued, I had him cut the 4x8 sheet of 1/4 MDF into strips of 3 for the cabinet doors and 2 for the cabinet drawers. Place nails on both sides of the trim piece I like to have at least five nails on one side. This challenge always tests my creativity. Anyway, there is a lot of cheap hardwood out there that has some great and straight wood.

If you want to avoid painting the cabinet doors, choose a different material. Assemble the doors stiles and rails, with the best side facing up. Cut about 1/4 inch off the parts right end to square it up. Now, its time to fill in all the holes and gaps with wood filler (or spackling paste). What Tools Do You Need for Easy DIY Cabinet Doors?

Is packed full of tips and breaks down what you need to know when you buy your next power tool. Will I get the same results just using a hammer? Lay a straightedge across it to make sure its flat. Place the part on the left side of the fence. ?

I actually talked about my cabinets one year later here, this way you can see pictures. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. :). Clamp and secure with 2 pocket holes screws.

Set your fence (the straight line behind the router bit) so the bit will go through the center of the edge of your 1x3. If you are replacing current cabinets with new doors, and using the same hinges, you can just measure the old doors. Are you someone that does better with visuals? I have been wanting to try the Annie Sloan Paint so I cannot wait to see how it turned out! If you want to finish off the inside of the cabinet doors, fill the pocket holes with plugs or wood filler. Put the miter gauge back on the saw and clamp a block 1/4-inch away from the slot in the saws fence. They would not be my first choice for a room that was being used more often (like a kitchen). Repeat with the other rail on the other side of the same stile. Yes we did replace the hinges, I would suggest trying to find a hing as close to the old type (how it wraps around the door). TIP: Make sure all your trim edges and sides are level with the cabinet door to make sure you have no trouble with your doors closing when they are reassembled to the cabinets. For each door cut: Cut your center panel piece from the 1/4" beadboard, MDF or plywood. Also, poplar and knotty alder are soft enough to be easy to work with for a beginner woodworker. Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest, Posted on Last updated: February 23, 2022, Categories DIY Tutorials, Remodeling, Remodeling Tips, Woodworking How To's, Woodworking Plans. Store-bought wood has very straight and square edges.

I found them on Overstock.com and I believe they are the 8 pulls: here is a link.

They add a little style to the laundry room. twofeetfirst@gmail.com. Now, you are ready to attach the trim to the door. To figure out the panels length, assemble three sides of your door. You can finally cross another item off your home improvement list! Use a router with a 1/4 straight bit set at 1/4 depth. Neither did I want to spend the money or time to build new ones. When you moved into your home, you had an ambitious list of all the renovations you would tackle in the first year. To figure the length of the stiles, take the height of the door and add 1/8 inch. The longest part is painting, I would recommend a paint sprayer: https://www.twofeetfirst.net/tips-on-painting-kitchen-cabinet-doors-with-a-paint-sprayer/ .

It is a way for this site to earn advertising commissions by advertising or linking to certain products and/or services, click here to read my full disclosure policy.

I find most people want the process to have as few steps as possible and may not have the time or the places available to hunt for bargains. And be aware that you only want to move the wood over the router in one direction (based on the way the router bit rotates). Back at the miter saw, cut the MDF strip right next to the markings.

COST: 1/4 MDF sheet = $26 liquid nails = $3 5/8 finishing nails = $3 wood filler = $6 caulk = $4TOTAL = $42, If you add paint & primer = about $120 (thats 2 gallons of paint & 1 gallon of primer). And theyre surprisingly easy to make at home with just a table saw and intermediate-level carpentry skills. I think if you only did some doors it would look funny. This will remove dust to help the liquid nails or wood glue adhere. Sand the cabinet doors with #220 grit sandpaper then wipe with a clean cloth. Some stores may charge you for the cuts (Lowes does this in my area and they do not like to make these little cuts) but if you are nice and sweet, they normally are more willing to help you!

how much were the new pulls? But how do you know if a board is straight? I would wonder about having the back be MDF too, have you priced out the option of a cabinet grade 1/2 plywood to give it more strength? It was old and I was amazed someone would buy this oak to make this ugly table. PS I love seeing finished projects!! Yes, these are the same old kitchen cabinets! So far they have held up well to installation and all the other banging around I did to get the rest of the laundry room ready in only 1 month. Make sure you avoid the groove when placing the nail by nailing 3/4 to an 1 away from the edge or you will have a nail sticking through both sides. Let me know if you have any other questions and good luck with your project! Add wood glue to the edge of one rail, then secure it to the edge of one of the stiles. Using a second miter gauge, tie the two miter gauges together with the fence so that the pair functions as a table saw sled. Cut your panel pieces (from 1/4 beadboard, MDF or plywood). Fill the groove with a bit of wood glue. I love all your posts. This is not the most high-end router table, but with some strong clamps holding everything in place, it has served me well for the last year (hopefully this year a router table will be in my budget). I found this process to be simple and fun! Then use a circular saw with a guide track (I cannot say enough good things about the Kreg AccuCut, my table saw is getting a lot less use these days). Use a miter gauge to steady the wood when you cut it. We used your directions as a guide and couldnt be happier with our results! Heres a classic way to put together a strong, good-looking door without making any unsightly holes. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Your idea to add the trim is incredible! Finally! Have you wanted to update your old cabinets, but dont have lots of money? I found a way to build cabinet doors for only $2 a piece by using inexpensive wood and beadboard I had leftover from our closet sliding barn doors. Now you have transformed a part of your kitchen with a simple, updated design. The most important part of building your own cabinet doors is to make sure you are working with straight lumber. Drill pocket holes set for 3/4" thick material (the thickness of the 1x3 board) in both ends of the rail boards. Now we are tackling our second home, with 5 acres of land to DIY as well! TIP: Be gentle when handling the 1/4 strips because the corners can dent if you are not careful. Before adding the MDF trim to the cabinet doors and drawer fronts, you need to prep the doors so they are ready for paint. Also, mark which side is top or bottom to know where they will go after cutting. For my cabinets, the trim piece looks amazing one year later (with kids too). Precut your stiles and rails an extra 1 inch long so theyre easier to handle. The most important thing, is to make sure the wood you used is super straight! Also what would you ballpark is your time spent per-cabinet-door on this?

Im wondering doe the extra 1/4 make the cabinets seem to stick out more than they should? White wood or common board are cheap alternatives that tend to be straighter. how the kitchen cabinets are one year later, how to paint kitchen cabinets with a paint sprayer, DIY painted backsplash to look like subway tile, https://www.twofeetfirst.net/2015/10/painting-the-cabinet-base.html, https://www.twofeetfirst.net/adding-some-new-hardware-the-easy-way/, https://www.twofeetfirst.net/tips-on-painting-kitchen-cabinet-doors-with-a-paint-sprayer/, https://www.twofeetfirst.net/build-shaker-style-drawer-front/, 1/4 MDF sheet or Cabinet Grade Plywood (, 1/4 MDF sheet or Cabinet Grade Plywood (I used one cut to 3 for the doors & 2 for the drawers).

Plus, youll have a hard time making the new ripped edge smooth, square and crisp, which youll need for tight joints. Remove all cabinet doors, clean, and lightly sand.

Also, a paint sprayer will be your best friend for this project. Sign up for our newsletter! Hey Christine, you could use a hammer it would just take longer. Hi Alexiss, that was my worry too but it has been three years and I have had NO issues. As for Home Depot, I know every store is different but they should be able to cut the wood. If desired, fill the pocket holes with plugs or wood filler. To do this, take an MDF strip and place the edge against the newly added trim piece. That is so nice of you to redo your sons cabinets!!! Let me give you the cost breakdown of this project without the paint. Are you still happy with how the mdf is holding up? Ready to do this in my butlers pantry. Because I was on a tight budget, I used 13 furring strips to make my cabinet doors. Good luck!!

Be picky when you choose your wood. Now it is time to assemble the cabinet doors!

For added style, use beadboard.

1/4 MDF, plywood, or beadboard for the inside panel, Cut 2 stiles the height of the cabinet doors. I would want to hang a photo of the before cabinets in the kitchen for everyone to see the difference. These DIY cabinet doors are easy to build and look amazing.

TwoFeetFirst, LLC participates in various affiliate programs, including the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Wow. Even with expensive hardwood boards, you need to look through the stock and check each board for straightness. Once the pieces fit perfectly, wipe everything with a dry cloth, and attach the trim pieces the same way as the side pieces (liquid nails & finishing nails). I love your idea for updating your cabinet doors too. A budget of only $100 means you do not have a lot of money for each project. SIDE NOTE: Please follow the method of using the cabinet door as the guide to get the same look as the doors shown. I bought a large coffee table at Value Village for $4.95. I am all for taking advantage of local opportunities.

I would love to see the before and after, can you email it to me! LOVE the results of this!! Check the grooves depth and adjust your blade up or down if necessary. Thanks for sharing!! Not surprisingly, he had the same concerns I did about using plywood. Thanks!! As a side note: I am working on building drawer fronts for a closet system I am building, I am planning on using MDF again for this project because I am happy with the previous project. Use liquid nails (or wood glue) to apply strips around the cabinet door. Ive been considering the same thing but Im worried about the cabinets, especially those around the sink! Can you clarify? Yes, you will need your router in a table. SIDE NOTE: This cabinet door was made using the same method, but I actually used only MDF to make cabinet drawers from scratch. How did you talk the guy at Home Depot into cutting the mdf? When you made the cuts with the router did you slide the 1x3 through? Okay I am going to be making cabinet doors soon. If you have a little more room in your budget for your new cabinet doors, you can also use 13 whitewood or common board. I actually have that on my to do list because I think you are completely right!!! You can use MDF on cabinet doors as long as you are painting the doors.

To figure the length of the rails, measure the total width of two stiles placed side by side.

For help sizing your doors to fit your cabinets, along with tips for selecting and installing Euro hinges read our. I am here to inspire you to makeover your home into something you can love by sharing do-it-yourself home projects and woodworking builds. At first, the thought of using MDF instantly brought up a mental image of water-logged trim pieces, sagging and eventually disintegrating onto my kitchen floors. Then mounted it on a portable workstation with clamps. Now complete all other cabinets doors and drawer fronts in the same way. Their sad, rusted knobs and badly-scratched surfaces beg for your attention.

Great job! ?this! So far (has been about 10 months) the cabinet doors are holding up amazing! See the picture below for the before and after sanding.

Good luck on all your remodeling projects!!!

From how I understand it the router would go down into the hole and I push the wood through and it makes the cut. Now you just need to repeat to build cabinet doors for the rest of your cabinets. TIP: Do one door at a time. This post may contain affiliate links. What paint colors did you use for your cabinets?

To even up the ends of the door, cut 1/16 inch from each end using the table saw. MDF is easy to work with and you wont need as much prep work to achieve a smooth surface. It is amazing. Click the links below to download the construction drawings for this building shaker cabinet doors project. Not sure that they will hold up well to the abuse from a young family. Ive covered wood paneling with it, and old pine cabinet doors. I already have shaker doors. When you have the fence setting just right, cut grooves in all the rails and stiles. Fantastic Thank you for this tutorial! Makes sure your panel grooves line up and the rails are flush to the edge of the stiles. Any tips/info on that? But if you do not have leftover, beadboard can cost up to 3 time more than using 1/4 MDF (medium density fiberboard). After cutting both long trim pieces, place them on the top of the cabinet door (front side up this time) to check the fit.

Wish I could post before and after pics for you to see! I teach you how to select straight boards in the beginners guide to buying lumber (with pictures). TIP: Cut next to the line to make sure there will always be enough trim on the door (the extra will be sanded down).

Hi Andrew! Great job and thanks for the idea. I wish you the best of luck! Thanks!!! In the end, we decided to update the kitchen cabinets, without replacing them, by adding MDF trim to create DIY shaker cabinet doors. Do this for both long sides of the door, placing an H on the MDF strip that will be on the handle side. You can see the colorful farmhouse laundry room reveal here. Once both side pieces are attached, you can add the inside trim pieces. And I use a scrap of 1/3 cut with a notch for my router guide. Wipe up the excess glue with a putty knife and a damp rag. You can always trim the strip down later, as I did with each piece. Wait at least an hour before removing the clamps. You must be so proud! Your directions are clear and easy to follow. Because of this, I put off buying the plywood for a month, while I considered my options. Saw a groove as shown in the photo below. Cut the grooves that receive the plywood panels and tenon tongues along the inside edges of all the pieces.

I made my grooves slightly toward the back of the board (not exactly centered). We have always loved the look of the classic shaker style furniture it complements any design aesthetic with its simple elegance and clean lines. Furring strips are known for lots of twisting, curving and warping.

For the panel, look for 1/4-inch plywood that lies flat. Flip the board end for end and make a second cut to widen the groove. For the rails & stiles select straight 1x3 boards. I have had wonderful success with Zinsser BIN Interior Shellac Primer. I made my own router table with a scrap piece of 1/2 plywood cut with an opening for my router bit to come through.

You might also want to caulk around the edges of the bead board to make it look more connected to the outside of the cabinet doors. Apply glue to the remaining stile and nudge it into place. Hope this helps!! MDF, by itself, is not water-proof. Cut 2 rails the width of the cabinet doors minus 2x the width of the boards (13 boards are typically 2 1/2 but it is always a good idea to double check). I find no comparison.

Hi, that is a great question.

At this point, the MDF is cut, and the doors and drawer fronts are removed, cleaned and sanded.

TIP: Only apply to one trim piece at a time. I truly do not know the best paint and primer to use for cupboards because this is my first time painting cabinets. As for the time per cabinet, I would say it takes about 20-30 minutes to add the trim (includes sanding/filling in holes).

We recently purchased a 1950s homeowner built home in the country with kitchen cabinets that were handmade by the Amish here in PA. Now I am ready to tackle cabinet doors in all the rooms, Google Web Story: Budget-friendly DIY Cabinet Doors. Still, he calmed my fears and assured me it would work. Push the rail into the stile, making sure the top edge of the rail is even with the end of the stile. Your goal is to have this piece fit perfectly with a minimal gap. Best of luck to you!!! Start by drawing a center line on the end of one of your test pieces. How has the MDF stood up against water? Take the nail gun (I would suggest using an 18-gauge brad nailer) and place a 5/8 nail in one corner of the MDF trim.

2022 TwoFeetFirst - WordPress Theme by Kadence WP, How to update kitchen cabinets without replacing them | DIY Shaker Cabinet Doors. Add a bit of wood glue to the edge of the rail, then secure it to the edge of the stiles. You would have to do some prep work to the plywood before you could use it to make cabinet doors.