How to Make A Kitchen Cabinet Door

Change the look of your kitchen with new doors.

Instead of replacing your entire kitchen cabinets when they get worn out or when you want a different look in your kitchen, simply replace the door and reuse the box part of the cabinet. Changing the hinges and knobs also give the kitchen an updated look. If the cabinets have laminate on them, choose a door color that will match the color of the cabinets.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Boards
• Router
• Goggles
• Fine-grit sandpaper
• Ultra-fine-grit sandpaper
• Paint or stain
• Paintbrush
• Hinges
• Knobs
• Drill and drill bits
• Screwdriver
• Level

Instructions

1. Shave the sides of the wood with the router to make a decorative edge to the door. Your router should have instructions on changing the bits and on which bits make which cuts. If you want a design in the center of the door, you can also cut this out with the router. You can make beveled edges, stepped edges or many other decorative edges, depending on which bit you use. If you do not want a decorative edge, skip this step to leave the wood in its natural shape.

2. Sand all the edges of the door with the fine-grit sandpaper. Rub lightly so you don't make the edges uneven. Brush off all the sawdust. Sand the entire door with the ultra-fine-grit sandpaper until the finish is as smooth as you want it. For a more rustic look, don't sand the door at all, other than to sand out any imperfections.

3. Brush off the sawdust and clean the work area --- if you have a wet/dry vacuum to clean the area. The little bits of sawdust will get into the paint or stain and ruin a perfect-looking door or cause a ton of extra work.

4. Paint or stain the door. Follow the instructions on the brand of paint or stain for drying times. With stain, the more coats you put on the wood, the darker the end product will be. You may want to experiment with the number of coats on a scrap piece of wood. If you are using stain, and want a mirror-smooth finish, lightly sand the door between coats of stain with ultra-fine-grit sandpaper. For a rustic look, do not sand the door between coats of stain. Finish off a stained door with the appropriate finishing product, as required by the stain you purchase. Some stains do not require a finishing product.

5. Measure the distance from the top of the door to the first hinge and then from the first hinge to the second hinge and to the third, if you are using three, on all doors. Mark the places for the hinges. This step is especially important if you are making more than one door, and the hinges are not hidden, so that everything looks uniform. Depending on the type of hinge you are using, you may want to put the top hinge close to the top or a few inches down, and the bottom hinge the same distance from the bottom of the door.

6. Position the hinges on the door, then mark the center of the screw holes with a marker. Insert the screws with the screwdriver and tighten them snugly.

7. Measure from the side of the door into where you want the knob. Measure up from the bottom and make a cross mark where the two measurements cross. Repeat for each door. Drill a hole at the cross marks, using the appropriate size drill. Slide the screw for the door knob into the hole from the back of the door, then screw the knob onto the screw until it is snug.

8. Measure the cabinet to center the door over the front of the cabinet hole. If the hinges do not wrap around the side of the cabinet, measure from the top and the left side of the cabinet to where you want to position the left and top of the door. Hold the door in place and check it with the level. Mark the center of the screw holes on the hinges. Have a helper hold the door in place while you screw the hinges to the cabinet box. Recheck the door to ensure that it is still level.

9. Measure the cabinet from the top down to determine where you want the door lined up vertically, if the hinges are outside hinges that wrap around the side of the cabinet. The hinges will position the door horizontally.

Tips & Warnings

• If you can't find the wood in the exact size for the doors, you can cut it to size, or some home improvement stores will cut the wood to size for you. Pine is soft and dents easily. Oak is hard wood, and more expensive, but is more durable. You can also choose from many other types of wood, depending on your tastes.

• Always wear goggles when using power tools.

Resources

• Sawdustmaking.com: Types of Wood