Make a medicine or bathroom cabinet

If you need a place to store bathroom essentials, this medicine or bathroom cabinet has about three times as much storage as a typical medicine cabinet. It's also a great project for a woodworking novice, thanks to simple joinery and a readymade louvre doors* that you will find at your local Builders Warehouse or timber merchant.

 

 

 

If you are unable to find louvre doors, substitute with solid panel doors.

 

 

 

 

 

 

YOU WILL NEED:

	A	2	18mm plywood	200	810	sides
	B	3	18mm plywood	200	570	top, base, middle shelf
	C	2	18mm plywood	80	570	cleats
	D	2	18mm plywood	20	570	adjustable shelves
	E	2	18mm plywood	300	810	door
	F	2	18mm plywood	222	610	top, base
	G	3	Pine	cut to fit		top moulding
	H	3	Pine	cut to fit		base moulding

8mm dowels

30mm wood screws

Wood glue

Wood filler

Panel pins

Scrap of pegboard

4 hinges

12 shelf pins

TOOLS:

Drill/Driver plus assorted drill and screw bits

Countersink bit

Hammer

Mitre saw or mitre box and backsaw

Tape measure and pencil

 

 

 

HERE'S HOW:

 

 

 

 

Step 1

Assemble the frame with wood glue, screws and dowels. Drill 3mm pilot holes and countersink for screws and use an 8mm wood bit for the dowels

 

 

Step 2

Using an offcut of pegboard as a template, drill shelf support holes. Wrap masking tape around the drill bit to prevent drilling right through. The holes need to be the same diameter as the shelf pins - normally 6mm - and should be set around 40mm in from the front and back edges of the sides.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Step 3

You may need to cut the doors to size for the cabinet and will need to add a new strip at the bottom to fill in. Alternatively, make your own doors to size using 18mm plywood.

 

 

Step 4

Measure and mark for the hinges on the frame and doors. Measure twice just in case! Position the hinges 80mm from the top and base of the doors. Check that the doors open correctly, if not, you may need to use a bit of wood filler to fill in the wrong holes to try again!

 

 

Step 5

Position the doors and clamp to the frame. Fasten the hinges from the inside for an exact fit, ensuring the gap at the top, sides and between doors is about the thickness of a 50 cent coin.

 

 

Step 6

Measure the top of the cabinet (including doors) to cut the top and base frames. Use a mitre saw set at 45° or mitre box and backsaw to cut the moulding to fit around the top of the frame. Clamp a block to the fence to secure the moulding while cutting.

 

 

Step 7

With the sides in place, add the front top moulding and then the side mouldings with wood glue and panel pins. You may need to do some sanding or filling in for an exact fit. Add the molding to the base frame the same way.

 

Step 8

Fasten the top to the frame with screws from the inside and attach base the same way. Cover dowels, screws and nail heads with wood filler then sand with 220-grit sandpaper.

 

Finishing

Apply primer and two coats of acrylic enamel.