DIY Kitchen Cabinet Plans + 21 Ideas That are Cheap & Easy to Build

DIY Kitchen Cabinet Plans + 21 Plans & Ideas That are Cheap & Easy to Build — DIY Kitchen Cabinet Plans + 21 Ideas That are Cheap & Easy to Build

Introduction to DIY Kitchen Cabinet Plans

Kitchen cabinets can be purchased built-up or in DIY flatpacks, complete with all the necessary components to assemble them such as door handles, hinges and screws. They are relatively simple to assemble by the average DIY person who can achieve a well finished, professional job.

We begin with measuring the kitchen, drawing a plan of the kitchen and then, using the plan, see where the wall and floor cabinets are best suited to be located.

Planning the Layout

It is beneficial to visit a few local DIY stores to get kitchen cabinet brochures (or download from the website) and select a shortlist of diy kitchen cabinet plans that suit your taste and budget.

The first step is to make a plan by measuring the length and height of the kitchen walls. This will include the size and location of kitchen doors, windows, upright refrigerator and stove hood as the cabinets will have to fit around these, nicely spaced out. This is the most important step. Measure twice.

Below you will find a kitchen planner in excel software which is similar to the one available from the cabinet supplier, but they will produce a computer 3D plan from the dimensions on the plan. Find a view of a kitchen plan at the end of the article as an example.

The bottom kitchen cabinets are fitted vertically below the wall units under the countertops, except where the dishwasher stove, and so on are placed.

Once the plan is complete, calculate the number of cabinets required using the cabinet dimensions from the store brochure; fortunately the width and depth of the wall and floor cabinets are standardized. Then, visit the DIY store and make your final selection from the cabinets in the kitchen display section.

Referenced Webs: B & Q – Planning a Kitchen

Assembly of the Kitchen Cabinets

First, once the cabinets are delivered, check the parts supplied against the parts list. This may take awhile, but will save time in the long run because if parts are missing you can start chasing the supplier right away.

The assembly instructions are usually quite clear and easy to follow with diagrams and sequences, showing the tools required for assembly; flat and cross-cut screwdrivers, small hammer, a mitering box, and wood glue. I wouldn’t recommend the use of a power screwdriver to tighten the special fixing screws.

The only problems I had in assembly was the building up of drawer packs, especially lining up the steel runners on the edge of the drawer, but there are small pinholes to show location of the very small fixing screws.

Once the cabinets are assembled (leave the doors off until the cabinets are fixed in position) it is time to attach them to the walls.

Attaching Cabinets to the Walls

It is very important to attach the cabinet to a stud behind the drywall as some of these cabinets carry a lot of weight, especially if used to store heavy crockery, dinner sets or canned food. Use a stud finder to mark your studs before beginning.

Remember to use a level to make sure the cabinets are level and in place before attaching to the wall. If not, you will need to use shims to level the cabinets.

The doors can now be fitted and adjusted for correct closing and levelness. To give a professional finish, a cornice can be fitted to the front top edge of the wall cabinets, mitering the corner joints with a mitering saw and block. I will show sketches of this in the Image Section.

Attaching Floor Cabinets

The same procedure used for fixing the wall cabinets is applied if you have chosen cabinets with adjustable feet. Adjustable feet are fitted to the bottom of the cabinets to acquire the correct height and levelness. Once the cabinets are all installed the doors can be fitted.

The cabinets can then be secured to the countertop with the brackets provided in the cabinet kit (flatpack).

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Summary of DIY Kitchen Cabinet Plans & Ideas

Easy DIY kitchen cabinet plans are becoming more popular makeovers as we spend a lot of time in the kitchen and this is a reasonably inexpensive project, but can give dramatic results.

The kitchen units can be purchased from most large DIY stores who will provide a brochure of their selection of cabinets and will also offer a planning service, usually in 3D to show what the cabinets will look like on assembly and fitting.

Flatpacked kitchen cabinets are usually easy assembled by the average DIY person, but all the components should be checked against the parts list before assembly starts. The assembly instructions should be closely followed, ensuring the cabinets are correctly built in the right sequence.