How to Make a Bath Cabinet

Home-made cabinets can be built to match your decor and save your budget.

A well-designed bath cabinet adds function and storage space to your bathroom. However, store-bought cabinets can be expensive and may not suit your tastes. To build a bath cabinet that opens up your storage possibilities and fits your budget, you can build your own as part of a weekend project. Bath cabinets come in different shapes and sizes and offer the perfect solution for storing medicine and toiletries.

Things You'll Need

• Plywood, 3/4-inch thick
• Molding
• Wood, 5/8-inch thick
• Mirror
• Biscuit joiner
• Shelf pins, 1/4-inch
• Screws
• Hammer
• Nails
• Drill
• Measuring tape
• Jigsaw
• Miter saw
• Hinges
• Level
• Stud Finder
• Mirror adhesive
• Carpenter's glue
• Door knob
• Drywall anchors
• Sandpaper

Instructions

1. Determine the dimensions for your bathroom cabinet. The easiest way is to customize the length and width to fit around the mirror for the door and into the space you have above the sink. Add several inches around the perimeter of the mirror, if possible, for decorative purposes.

2. Assemble the sides of the cabinet. Cut plywood into strips of equal length for the bottom, top, and side pieces. Subtract 1.5 inches from the overall width of the top and bottom of the cabinet to determine the length of the top and bottom pieces, since they will fit inside the side pieces of the cabinet. Join the corners of the cabinet together with wooden biscuits, small pieces of round wood that fit inside slots cut at the intersection of two pieces of wood to form a strong joint. Biscuit pieces are included in a standard biscuit joiner kit.

3. Assemble the shelves and back. Drill rows of 1/4-inch shelf pin holes. Cut a piece of 1/4-inch plywood to the size needed for the back panel of the cabinet. Glue the biscuit slots in place and screw in to add stability. Apply glue to the back of the cabinet, carefully line up the back panel, hold steady, and nail in place. Make sure nails don't penetrate the line of shelf-pin holes.

4. Apply molding of your choice around the sides of the cabinet. Fit molding flush around the inside edges, miter the corners at a 45-degree angle, and glue and nail in place.

5. Install the shelves. Subtract 1/4-inch all around from the outside dimensions of the cabinet, then cut plywood to fit. Secure in place with glue and shelf pins.

6. Assemble the door. Cut a piece of 5/8-inch wood to fit inside the door opening, minus 1/16 of an inch around all sides. Drill holes for the hinges in the sides of the door and the sides of the cabinet. Mount the door in place and install the hinges. To make a latch for the door, cut a one-inch diameter disc of plastic and drill an offset hole into it. Mount the disc right inside the door and rotate it if necessary to adjust the way the door closes.

7. Sand and finish the mirror as desired before installing. Glue the mirror in place on the front of the door, using a level to ensure it is even. Drill a hole for the door knob, and attach the knob.

8. Install the cabinet. Cut a strip of 1/4-inch plywood to the same width as the cabinet. Use a level to tape the strip to the wall where the cabinet will be hung. Use a stud finder to locate studs and mark their positions on the strip of plywood. Mark location for the two drywall anchors evenly spaced from the sides of the cabinet. Drill pilot holes into the strip and tape it up to the wall to drill the holes through into the wall. Then, tape the strip to the back of the cabinet to drill the holes through to the rear panel. Hang the cabinet on the wall to align the holes. Attach securely.

References

• Canadian Home Workshop: Build and Install a Medicine Cabinet
• New Woodworker: Oak Medicine Cabinet with Mirror