by Shelia West

Created on: August 15, 2008

It's not impossible to build your own kitchen cabinets. In fact, it is a very good solution to getting a new kitchen for a fraction of the cost of store or custom cabinets. Of course, you do have to know how to use a saw and a screwdriver, and be able to measure accurately. But hey, that's not all that hard. You've watched enough home improvement shows on tv to be willing to give it a try. If they can do it on tv, you should be able to, right?

Just in case, I would recommend buying some cheap wood for a trial run. You don't want to spend a fortune on oak and ruin it. So start with the cheapest wood you can get, and get your measurements ready. Standard base cabinets are 36" tall, including the toe kick, or that indented area at the floor. The depth is 24". But if you are building the cabinets yourself, you can adjust the height if you want. Just be careful, don't make them so short or tall, that an average person couldn't use them. You might someday want to sell the house, you know.

If you are building the cabinets yourself, you probably want to save as much money as possible. Why else would you be building them? Okay, maybe you are an excellent wood worker or maybe you're just average, but saw the price of cabinets, and decided to make them yourself. Whatever the reason, keep in mind that the parts of the cabinet that don't show can be done in plywood to save money. Build your basic frame and then add the fronts. That way you can decide where you want doors and drawers. If you are not good at mitering (if you don't know what that means, you probably shouldn't be building cabinets), then you can make straight cuts for the door frames or use solid slabs of wood for the doors. (Another hint: go to your surplus or discount stores and check for cabinet doors. You may be able to find enough doors to do your whole kitchen.)

Keep in mind that any way you go, cabinets are not cheap. The wood and hardware (you know, hinges and handles) alone are expensive. Make sure you have the time and energy to do the details before you commit to building them. It does take time to do a decent job. And there's the finishing or staining after the cabinets are built. Just always keep the end in sight. Two years down the road, you can brag to your friends that you built your own kitchen cabinets. What? Did I hear someone snicker?

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