How to Build and Assemble Built-In Cupboards or Wardrobes

Where your bedroom doesn't have any built-in closets or cupboards, building your own built-in cupboards allows you to custom design storage to meet with your needs and with the space available.

07/2023

 

 

 

superiorclosets.com

 

While fitting your own built-in cupboards is a reasonably simple project if you have all your timber and board cut to size at your local Builders Warehouse, if in any doubt about your skills for tackling a project of this size, we have listed some suppliers you can get in touch with at the bottom of this page.

Home-Dzine was asked by a reader to design a basic built-in cupboard for a bedroom. This is a basic built-in cupboard design that can be modified to any size, and additional components added as required.

 

BASE

 

 

All sections are joined together with wood glue and 3.5 x 40mm screws. The base supports aren't one-hundred percent necessary, but do add strength to the design.

 

 

 

FRAME

 

 

Add the sides and top section to the space. Where existing walls or floors aren't straight, you may need to add fillers or shims to keep the frame square. If this is going to be a completely free-standing unit, add horizontal beams along the back to keep the unit square and provide added support.

 

UPRIGHTS

 

 

At this stage you can modify the design for more shelving and less hanging space, or vice-versa. This design has one section for shelves and the remainder for hanging space. Use corner brackets or angle braces to attach the uprights to the base and top of the frame.

 

 

 

 

 

 

TOP SHELF

 

 

SHELVES

 

 

Fit the shelves using corner brackets or braces, or drill to fit adjustable shelf pins.

 

 

 

 

 

 

DOORS

 

 

If you are using 16mm SupaWood for the entire cabinet design, as we have for this project, you don't need to make any allowance for trim or fitted edging. But where you are using MelaWood you will need to allow space for an edging strip between the doors. You have the choice between a 1mm and 3mm edging strip that can be fitted onto doors.

 

 

For built-in cupboards Euro or concealed hinges are the most popular hardware. To drill out holes you will need a 35mm Forstner or MAD bit.

 

 

On this particular design we have added Euro hinges to the first and second doors on the left, and on the last door. The shelf door is 584mm wide and allows a 8mm overlap on both the left and right of the door for flush mounting onto the frame. We have also left an 8mm gap for fitting the second door in line.

 

 

The last two doors are joined together with a piano hinge from top to bottom, before mounting onto the frame with Euro hinges. This allows the door to be folded back out of the way when open. The three doors covering the hanging space can be cut last and any sanding or adjustments made to ensure a perfectly flush fitting.

 

DOOR FINISH

 

thewoodworker.co.za

 

If you are using SupaWood for assembling the built-in cupboards, you have the option to add decorative elements before painting. This can include 6mm SupaWood frames glued onto the front of the doors as I did with my dressing room renovation, or adding moulding and trim.

You will find plenty of tips for working with SupaWood and painting SupaWood on the Home-Dzine website for finishing your new built-in cupboards. And don't forget that Builders Warehouse stocks a wide range of handles, knobs and pulls in various styles.

 

 

http://www.thewoodworker.co.za

http://sahomerenovate.com/