How To Resize A Cabinet

June 5, 2012

If you have special space needs when it comes to cabinets, do not waste money on a custom solution. You will save thousands of dollars by resizing inexpensive self-assemble cabinets purchased at a home improvement or cabinet store. Modify these to fit your space needs for a price of about $100, creating a customized result without the high custom price tag.

You will need:

? Ready-to-assemble style cabinets
? ?-inch birch plywood
? ?-inch plywood
? 1?6-inch plywood
? Other plywood pieces
? Drawer slides shorter than original versions
? Small brackets (optional)
? Screws
? Nails
? Wood glue
? Jigsaw
? Circular saw
? Finish blade
? Screw gun
? Nail gun
? Pry bar
? Sandpaper
? Level
? Tape measure
? Pencil

Step 1: Remove the cabinet drawers, doors, shelves, bottom, backing, and hardware from cabinets.

Step 2: Remove unneeded depth from the bottom and rear of the cabinets, as well as the shelves, using a circular saw equipped with a finish blade.

Step 3: Reassemble the cabinets by sliding the shelves and bottom into place and reattaching the backing. Keep the drawers aside.

Step 4: Turn the cabinets upside down and use the tape measure to determine dimensions of the base. You will use these to create a height extension from plywood. The plywood box should be the same size as your cabinet base. Cut the ?-inch plywood to these dimensions with the circular saw. Cut several smaller pieces from the other plywood to anchor this extension.

Step 5: Attach the small pieces of plywood to the inside of the sides and back of each cabinet base using the nail gun and wood glue. Make sure each piece extends from the base to offer a surface for gluing and nailing the extension.

Step 6: Glue and nail the sides and back of the extensions onto the cabinet bases by attaching each one to the plywood pieces installed in Step 5.

Step 7: Remove the front from the cabinet base and cut a front for the extended base from ?-inch plywood. Trace the desired drawer opening shape and use the circular saw to make a plunge cut to begin cutting the opening. Use the jigsaw to complete this cut. Attach the new extended front to the base with wood glue and the nail gun. If necessary, secure it by installing small brackets inside the cabinet extension.

Step 8: Create the extension drawer by measuring and cutting the 1?6-inch plywood and making it into a box. This drawer should fit through the new extension front installed in Step 6. Cut the drawer slides to fit this new drawer and use them to install it. Attach a drawer pull or handle to the drawer.

Step 9: Remove the drawer slides, bottoms, and backs from the original drawers. Cut the bottoms and sides of these drawers with the circular saw so they accommodate the new cabinet size. Use the nail gun and wood glue to reassemble each drawer. Replace original drawer slides with shorter versions and install these in the original spots inside the cabinet and on the drawers. Slide each drawer back in place.

Tags: home improvement tips, home improvements, home remodeling tips, how to, how to DIY

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