DIY Plans to Build a Tall Cabinet Base

A Tall Cabinet with Hutch, Part One

This tall cabinet with a hutch is perfect for storing, organizing, and displaying a collection of any time. The plans will be offered in two parts because the base piece is perfect on its own! The DIY plans to build a Tall Cabinet Base feature a drawer with two doors and a shelf. The doors have a wood frame with glass or Plexiglas (or even punched aluminum) as the center panel. The center panel for the top is constructed out of plywood with solid wood edges. This is a super-easy project that can be completed in a weekend!

Materials:

• 1″ pocket hole screws
• 1-1/4″ pocket hole screws
• 1-1/4″ brad nails
• 1 set of 16″ Drawer slides (<– affiliate link!)
• 1/4″ Plexiglas or glass for door panels
• Cabinet pulls
• 2 sets of hinges
• Wood glue
• Sandpaper (100, 150, 220 grits)
• Finishing supplies (primer & paint, or stain, sealer)

Lumber:

• 1 – 1/2″ x 2″ craft boards at 2′
• 5 – 1×2 at 8′
• 1 – 1×6 at 8′
• 2 – 2×2 at 6′
• 1 – 4′ x 4′ sheet of 1/4″ plywood
• 1 – 4′ x 8′ sheet of 3/4″ plywood

Cut List:

• 4 – 2×2 at 35-1/4″ – Legs
• 4 – 1×2 at 15″ – Side Framing
• 2 – 3/4″ plywood at 15″ x 29-3/4″ – Side Panels
• 8 – 1×2 at 22″ – Front & Back Stretchers
• 1 – 3/4″ plywood at 15″ x 22″ – Bottom
• 1 – 3/4″ plywood at 14″ x 22″ – Center Shelf
• 1 – 3/4″ plywood at 17″ x 23″ – Top Panel
• 2 – 1×2 at 17″ – Top Side Trim
• 1 – 1×2 at 26″ – Top Front Trim
• 1 – 1/4″ plywood at 23-1/2″ x 31-1/4″ – Back
• 4 – 1×2 at 23″ – Door Stiles
• 4 – 1×2 at 7-13/16″ – Door Rails
• 2 – 1/2″ x 2″ craft boards at 7-13/16″ – Center Door Rail
• 2 – 1×6 (ripped to 4-1/2″ wide) at 19-1/2″ – Drawer Box Front & Back
• 2 – 1×6 (ripped to 4-1/2″ wide) at 16″ – Drawer Box Sides
• 1 – 1/4″ plywood at 15″ x 20″ – Drawer Bottom
• 1 – 1×6 at 21-3/4″ – Drawer Front

Click on the drawings for a larger view!

Step One

Cut the pieces for the legs. Cut the angle in the lower edge of the legs using a jigsaw, a bandsaw, or a tapering jig on a table saw.

Step Two

Cut the pieces for the side framing and panels. With the pocket hole jig set for 3/4″ material, drill pocket holes in each end of the framing pieces as well as all four edges of the panels. Secure the framing pieces to the panels using glue and 1-1/4″ pocket hole screws. The back face of the panels will be flush with the back edge of the framing pieces.

Secure the side panel assembly to the legs using glue and 1-1/4″ pocket hole screws.

Step Three

Cut the pieces for the front and back stretchers, and drill pocket holes in each end. Secure two of the stretchers to the lower end of the legs just above the taper (4″ from the bottom) using glue and 1-1/4″ pocket hole screws.

Step Four

Cut the piece for the bottom and drill pocket holes in all four edges. Secure the bottom to the stretchers and the side framing using glue and 1-1/4″ pocket hole screws.

Step Five

Secure the remaining stretchers to the front and back, as shown in the drawings, using glue and 1-1/4″ pocket hole screws. Note that the center shelf stretcher is located 1″ back from the front faces of the legs.

Step Six

Cut the piece for the center shelf and drill pocket holes in all four edges. Secure the shelf to the side panels and center shelf stretcher using glue and 1-1/4″ pocket hole screws.

Step Seven

Cut the pieces for the top panel and the top trim. Drill pocket holes in the side and front edges of the top panel, and the top edge only of the side trim pieces. Secure the side trim pieces to the panel first, using glue and 1-1/4″ pocket hole screws, then secure the front trim.

Position the top so that the back is flush with the back face of the legs which will make the front of the top overhang by 1/2″. The sides will also overhang by 1/2″. Secure the top in place using glue and 1-1/4″ brad nails.

Step Eight

Cut the piece for the back. Secure the back using glue and 1-1/4″ brad nails through the panel into the legs, top, bottom stretcher, and center shelf stretcher.

Step Nine

Cut the pieces for the doors. Drill pocket holes in each end of the rails (except for the center rail) locating them so that the rabbeting router bit (for the Plexiglas or glass panel) will not interfere. Assemble the frame using glue and 1-1/4″ pocket hole screws. Use a router and a 1/4″ rabbeting bit to cut a 1/4″ deep rabbet along the inside of the frame. Use a chisel and a hammer to square the corners of the rabbet.

Set the pocket hole jig for 1/2″ material, and drill pocket holes in each end of the center rail. Secure the center rail to the frame using glue and 1″ pocket hole screws. The front face of the center rail will be flush with the front face of the door frames.

Install the hinges on the doors, then install the doors in the cabinet. There will be a 1/8″ gap around all sides of the doors in the opening as well as in between them.

Step Ten

Cut the pieces for the drawer box sides, front, and back. Cut the groove in the bottom edge of each piece at 1/4″ wide by 1/4″ deep using a table saw or a router and a straight bit. Set the pocket hole jig for 3/4″ material and drill pocket holes in each end of the drawer box front and back pieces on the opposite side as the groove. Make sure that the pocket holes will not interfere with the groove. Secure the sides to the back using glue and 1-1/2″ pocket hole screws.

 

 

Step Eleven

Cut the piece for the drawer bottom. Slide the bottom into the grooves in the sides and back. The piece should fit snugly but not too tight.

Step Twelve

Insert the front edge of the drawer box bottom into the groove on the drawer box front. Secure the drawer box front to the drawer box sides using glue and 1-1/2″ pocket hole screws. Install the drawer slides according to the manufacturer’s installation instructions locating them ¾” back from the front face of the legs.

Step Thirteen

Cut the pieces for the drawer fronts. Mark the position for the drawer pulls and drill the holes. Shim the drawer front in the opening – there will be a 1/8” gap around all sides – then drive screws through the holes for the drawer pulls into the drawer box. Open the drawer, and secure the drawer front using countersunk 1-1/4” screws from the inside. Remove the screws from the holes for the drawer pull then finish drilling the holes. Install the drawer pull. For an easy tutorial on installing drawer fronts, click here.

Finish as desired.

The Tall Cabinet Base alone would be a great addition to an entryway or in any other room. Stay tuned for the plans to build the hutch to attach to the cabinet making it the ultimate in storage! Have any questions about the DIY plans to build a Tall Cabinet Base? Leave a comment below!

Originally posted 2015-10-20 08:00:54.