Three Simple Steps To Building Your Own Kitchen Cabinets

It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that you need to settle for ready-made kitchen designs. Heading straight to a showroom and taking your pick is certainly the fastest way to find a new kitchen, but that’s not to say it’s always best.

After all, when you’re creating a carbon-copy kitchen, there’s always a risk of poor fits and general functionality setbacks. Yet, designing a kitchen from scratch with the help of the pros can cost a small fortune.

Luckily, there is a comfortable middle ground, and it comes in the form of DIY options. Making your own kitchen cabinets ensures fully customized, perfectly suited kitchen solutions at an affordable price point. Unfortunately, you might not even know where to start. That’s why we’re here to talk you through the entire process in three simple steps.

# 1 – Don’t Skip the Design Stage

Taking plenty of time to design your kitchen cabinets is key to ensuring a finish you can fall in love with. When planning these designs, you should always start with logistics. Take detailed measurements of every corner in your kitchen, as well as considering everything from wall length to ceiling height.

Once you know these essentials, you can start on actual cabinet designs, which should consider everything from size to internal considerations, such as shelving. It’s also vital to consider your chosen materials right about now. The materials you use will impact everything from project costs to overall appearances, and might include common options like oak for a lasting premium finish, or MDF for a more affordable, but less sturdy, finished cabinet.

# 2 – Organize Your Tools

If you’re adept at DIY or are a total newbie, you’ll find yourself tied in knots and potentially unable to finish this project if you don’t organize your tools in advance. Your toolbox will need to include measuring tools, cutting tools such as a table saw, and drilling tools like a cordless drill. Ideally, you’ll want to practice using each of these pieces in advance, especially if you’ve opted for premium materials that you can’t afford to ruin.

Bear in mind, too, that you’ll be dealing in small parts, such as different drill bits and all-important screws and bolts throughout this project. Make sure they’re in easy reach with a proper storage solution, such as a Systainer toolbox system, and all of the Systainer accessories required to keep everything separate, safe, and within arm’s reach while you’re working.

# 3 – Master the Making

Now you’re ready to start building your cabinets. This can seem daunting, but remember, these are effectively quite simple wooden structures. Begin by cutting the panels for your cabinet boxes using the exact measurements you took while designing. You can use screws or dowels to hold these together, and once that’s done, you can sort your shelves and attach your doors. Sanding and treatment are both key for kitchen cabinet hygiene and longevity, but after that, it’s time to install your cabinets and finally start enjoying the kitchen of your dreams.