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Storagein the kitchen andbathroom starts with cabinets and vanities. Here are stylish, inexpensive solutions for each.

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04: 10 DIY Kitchen Solutions

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14: TransformYour Bath forJust $300!

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20 The rooms where you spend the most time demand creativityin their storage solutions. These projects will fill the bill. StackableStorage Cubes StorageLockers Custom Built-in Bookcases Storage on the Side

44 mtft{**&*}mt*}rt#smn"rent Whether you use your rooms for business or pleasure,these options will make sure they look great either way.

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64 garage& utility Your garage is for much more than parking cars. These three great projects will ensure that it can handle both your hobbies and vehicleswith ease. 66: Custom GarageStorage System 70: Recycling Center 76: Laundry Room Makeover

82 If you want to improve your closet without breaking the bank, here are two great options that can work for both standard and walk-in closets. Low-Cost Custom Closet System Reinvent Your Closet

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10 DIYKitchenSolutions Breathe newlife into an oldkitchen with f 0 simple projects you can finish in a weekend. Do them dl, or. pick and chooseyour favorites.

eye.Butlookcloser, and whatyou'llseeisplentyof functional storage spaceto helpyougetorganized.10 Ready-to-Roll KitchenCart Tlnnsform an inexpensivetool cart into a sleekkitchenworkcenter. It ofiers a large worksurface, loads of storage,and high-end loola.

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It 4 EasyStepsto a New Bathroom With just a few dollars and a few simple changes,you can update yourbathroom and createa space that is as stylish asit is functional.

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kitchen remodel doesn'thave to be a life-consuming,budgetbusting endeavor that calls for high skill-level work. By taking advantageofa host ofnew products aimed specificallyat budget-conscious DIYers, you can transform your dark old kitchen into a bright new showplace,regardlessof the budget, skill, or time limits you may be facing. And while this particular kitchen makeover is all-inclusive, nothing says you can't chooseyour projects i la carte basedon your own needsand resources.A list of the changeswe made to modernize this kitchen is at left. We'll take a closerlook at each of them over the next few pages.

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' t;,I11,: r*r*il t:l i t""t*: q.:i' :*, i-.$f't*ilifr,ir'::tf ',r '$n' Don t judge your cabinets by their covers.Despite their ugly, worn exteriors that have been out of fashion for more than a decade,the structure of the cabinets is still likely just as good as new. And that provides you with a solid foundation upon whichyou can quickly, easily, and affordablybuild a new kitchen - simplyby "refacing" your cabinets. Refacingr which is the process of dressing up your old cabinets with new doors, drawer fronts, veneer, and in this case,drawer boxes, certainly isn t a new idea. But it has never been as DfY-friendly as it is today. Thatt because there are now several companies that specialize in kitchen refacing packages specifically designed for the DIYer. One such company, the one we decided to use for this particular project, is Qrality Doors. You'll find everything you need to get started with your project on the company's Web site: QualityDoors.com. There are detailed how-to instructions for the preparation and installation of all the refacing components. You can download the instructions for free, or if you spend $10, you can get a video that walks you through the entire process step by step. A brief overview of the steps involved is shown in the Sidebar at right. - But don t think for a minute that CUSTOMTOUCHES you should limit your kitchen makeover to just new doors, drawers, and veneer. Custom changes can increase both the function and fashion of the finished kitchen. One example of that is a horizontal upper cabinet (Photo, aboveright).The flip-up door and frosted-glasspanel reflect a popular trend in kitchen design.And the shape of the cabinet opens up a lot of usable spacewhere the old cabinet used to be, which we took advantage of by mounting a set of sleek, stainless-steelshelves(PotteryBarn.com) to hold mugs and spices. We made another dramatic, though still easy-to-dg change in one of the lower cabinets. Rather than replace this cabinet, we opted to reconfigure it by removing the center stile. This allowed us to install a bank of wide drawers in place of the original doors and drawers. Qrality Doors also makes a variety of drawer fronts to match their cabinet doors. Not only does this make better use of the space,but it also balances the kitchen with drawers at both ends. The cost of the doors, drawer boxes, drawer fronts, and veneer was about $11300,but costs depend on the size of your kitchen and the number of cabinets you're planning to reface. We purchased the drawer pulls (Atlas Homewares, Modern Centinel Series) from MyKnobs.com. NEw VIEW- One big change that we did not take on ourselveswas the replacement of the window.Instead we hired a local contractor to install a "Renewal" awning windowfromAndersen in place of the existing double-hung window. The old windowwas drafty and inefficient, which the newwindow remedied. And by choosing the awning stIle, we also benefit from an unobstructed view and the ability to have the window open for ventilation, rain or shine. Check out RenewalbyAndersen.com to find a dealer or installer in your area.

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SCHLUTER SYSTEM COUNTERTOP COMPONENTS

Countertops have the power to make or break a kitchen. We've all seen kitchens that have beautiful cabinets and strikingly stylish appliances but unremarkable, or even downright

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break your budget. Marble, granite, and stone leave you with less money to spend on the rest of your kitchen updates, and laminate countertops just may not cut it if you're looking for

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high style. Often, ordinary countertops cost a little. Extraordinary countertops cost a lot.

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COUNTERTOP COMPONENTS-So how do you create an extraordinary effect on an ordinarybudget? Instead of going for real marble or granite countertops, our solution was to

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combine attractive but affordable tile with Schluter System's tile countertop components (Illustration, rrgh) . The porcelain tiles we chose look just as classyas marble, and their dark color flatters and brightens the maple cabinets. But at just under $200 for the entire surface, the tiles cost significantly less than the genuine material. The Schluter countertop components that we used added another $175 to the project bill, but the easyinstallation, tile-protective features, and great looks they bring to the entire kitchen are without a doubt priceless. As you can see in the Illustration at right, there are a few different components to Schlutert countertop system. One feature that you won't be able to see after the countertop is complete is Ditra, a flexible membrane that goes between the layers of thinset beneath the tiles. Ditra acts as an "uncoupling" layer, which means it will eliminate maior cracking and delaminating of the tile layer. Other components of the Schluter system include Kerdi-Band, a waterproof strip that serves the same purpose for the backsplash as Ditra serves for the countertop. Then, a series of interlocking stainless steel pieces help align the tiles and create a high-end look on the finished counter. lfyou're searching for a more in-depth look at the countertop system, including downloadable instructions and a dealer locator, you can visit Schluter.com or call 800-472-4588. THEKITCHEN SINK-We were tempted to savea fewbucks and just drop a stainless steel sink into our newly installed countertop.It certainlywould've matched the shelveswe

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,,.ii;.ti'i :iri! Just becauseyou'reworking around existingarchitectureto keep costs down doesn't mean you have to sacrificevariety in storage solutions.Adding tall, thin cabinetsor drawers between the stove and the refrigerator gives you some extra space to store baking pans and cooking spoons. And pull-out shelveseliminatethe hassleof completely unloading the cabinetsjust to find a specificspice or plasticcontainer.

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ugly, countertops. And because of the contrast, the entire kitchen is rendered quite ordinary at first glance. The problem is, countertops can just as easily make or

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installed and the stainless steel Schluter components nicely, Wing the kitchen together. But after some shopping around we decided to spend a little bit more for a single-bowl composite sink thatt meant to look like granite. We ended up paying just over $350 at Home Depot for this Pegasus model (0+O-tS), which came with a cuttingboard and colander designed to rest on one side of the sink. Once the sink was installed, and we saw how well it integrated with the tile countertop, cabinets, and entire look of the kitchen, we knew it was moneywell spent. Of course, we had to pair up the sinkwith a faucet that's just as attractive and contemporary. And in this case,we did indulge ourselves with a model from Grohe that set us back almost $SOO.But rest assured,itb possible to keep costs down and achieve a look thatt just as attractive. Theret certainly no shortage of similarly sleek models available from the home center or online sourcesfor less than $200. FINISHING TOUCHES- The final ingredients for this "bland-to-grand" kitchen makeover - a newfloor, a fresh coat of paint, and base moldirg - could customize and recreate the area without any of the previous changes.But in our kitchen they helped accent the refaced cabinets, new tile counter, and new appliances.The newtile floorwe laid is actually the very same tile we used for the countertop. And 'Jalapeno the bold walls were painted with Pepper" from Benjamin Moore. Finally, base molding painted with semigloss black created the stunning transition from the dark floors to the bright walls and cabinets.lT-Writtenby

BillLink, illustratedbyMatt Scott,project designed bylamesR.Downing

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Home Storage: Kitchen & Bath

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fficlEN cart Get loadsof storageand workspacein this sleek, rolling,compactpackage. Thiscartis amazingly easy and affordableto build.lt startsasan inexpensive rollingtool cart (right)that getscustomizedwith a butcher-block top, a maple shelf,and uniquehangers for accessories. Buildone in a weekendand get rolling with kitchen organization.

lKi*trfi'?"lffi crowding can be dfficult, not to mention expensive. But it doesn't have to be.

By using a little creativity and starting with a pre-made base,you can cook up a simple recipe for curing kitchen clutter. That's howwe came up with this rolling kitchen cart. It serves up an extra-large portion of storage and work spacewithout eating a big hunk of the room. And it offers a healthyhelping of sryle in the process. We quickly found out that this cart

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works perfectly as a mobile serving center, too. It's just as at home in the family room or out on the deck as it is in the kitchen (ehoto, left).

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Drawersstore kitchen necessitiesout of sight, while the open shelf cradlespots and railskeep utensilscloseat hand.

- The INTERESTING INGREDIENTS secret to our kitchen storage success is that we started this project with a very unusual ingredient: a utility cart designed not for the kitchen, but for the tool shop. Ours came from Craftsman.com, but you'll easily be able to find similar carts everywhere from auto parts retailers to discount stores. Made from heavy steel, the cart comes ready-to-assemble, which means you'll spend a lot less time cooking up your cart than ifyou started from scratch. This way, you'll have more time to accessorizeyour cart to fit your sryle as well as your needs. One of the most important things to keep in mindwhen selecting a cart is that it needs to sit at a comfortable workingheight. Ours stands 36" high, which conveniently matches the standard height of a kitchen countertop. After adding the butcher-block top, our cart is another lVz" tall,but that still leaves the work surface at a height that works well for almost anyone. Transforming the heavy- duty utility cart into a srylish rolling work and serving center couldrt't be much simpler. You can see howit's done in the Construction View at right.

top made byJohn Boos, but you can find butcher-block tops in many more species and sizes. (To learn more about the different models they offer and to find a local or online retailer, you can visitJohnBoos.com.) For this cart, we decided to order a25"x36" top and then cut it down to final size. After cutting the top to the proper

BRINGONTHEBLOCK-The most dramatic change in this cart is also about the easiest to make: Adding a

size using a table saw or circular saw, simply secure it to the cart lid with a

butcher-block top. This feature not only creates the contemporarylook, but also makes the cart kitchen-ready. The top we used is a[Yz"-thickmaple

few screws. Those screws pass through oversize holes, so the solid-wood block can expand and contract freely without the risk of cracking as

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HomeStorage:Kitchen& Bath

humidity levels in your home change (Blo ck Mounting D etail). LOCKDOWNTHELID-It's worth noting that this butcher-block top is very heavy. The cart we used had a storage bin under the lid, but the added weight of the butcher block, nearly 40 pounds, made closing that lid a finger-smashing proposition. Plus, that compartment was only accessibleif there was nothing sitting on top of the cart. To avoid anypotential danger, we decided simplyto screwthe lid shut using some short sheet metal screws once all the construction was done.

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organizing has nothing to do with storage.

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Simply get rid of anything that you no longer use! Once every month, sort the contents of your cabinets and pantry into three piles:to

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keep, to donate, and to throw out (or recycle).

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Give away those cans of soup and boxes of rice that no one in the family eats.And that broken blender that you someday might get around to fixing has no businesssitting in your pantry - it belongs in the trash.This makes

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more room for the useful things you need to store.And the first time you go through and empty that pantry, consider installing cabinet organizers.The home center carriesthese systemsfor all size pantries and cabinets. {Fron lason Baldner,KitchenSolvers}

SLIPlNA SLATTED SHELF-Thelarge open areaat the bottom of the cart offersamplestoragefor pots, pans,and kitchen appliances.To dressit up a bit, we madea shelffrom mapleslats. The shelfis alsoeasyto build.Just pickup a couplelx6 mapleboards at the home center.Then cut two risersand sevenslatsto fit the size of your cart using a table saw.After sandingall the parts smoottl secure the risersto the slatsfrom belowwith screws,making sureto keep equalgaps betweenthe slats. After the shelf is built, you can finish it by applying a couple coats of clearpolyurethane.Then slip the shelfinto placeat the bottom of the cart. Notice that we didn t actually attachthe shelf to the cart. By leaving it this way,you can easilyremovethe shelfto cleanunderneathit whenever necessary. WRAPlT UPWITH RAILS-Eachend of the cart offerssomeadditional, unexpectedstoragethanksto a slick systemof chrome-platedrails and hangerswe added.Thesehanging systemscanbe usedfor pots,pot lids, servingutensils,spiceracks, glassspiceiars,and a variety of other items.All of thesehangerscome from LeeValley.com and aresold asa "Wall-Mount StorageSystem."They're intendedto be installedon the wall abovethe backsplashin kitchens,but our unique useon the mobile cart seemsto suit them quite nicely.

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To best suit your storageneeds,you canpick and choosewhich piecesyou want. Lee Valley evenoffersa "Tubeless Post" systemto mount the hanging storageitems individually insteadof using a chromerail. However,rails allowedus to maximizethe amount of itemswe could storeon the end of the cart. Plus,they looked great. The only problem wasthat we neededsomethingto mount the rails to. Adding a coupleof rail mountingblocks insidethe top compartmentofthe cart took careof that (RailMountingDetail). Then it wasjust a matter of driving screwsthrough the cart sidesand into the blocksto securethe rails.Attaching the hangersto the rail completesthe cart, andyoute readyto roll 1I- WrittenbyD aveStone,illustratedby ErichLage,projectdaignedbyKent Wekh

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Startwith a NewCabinet Madewith paintedpoplar andglassshelving, thisopen "cabinet" issimpleto build andoffersmorespacethan the cabinetit replaced. Full instructions for buildingit beginon page16.

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A WholeNewLight Ourold cabinethadlighting builtin,sowe decidedto replacethat with an inexpensive, contemporary light fixturefromthe homecenter. q '

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Go Roundwith a Mirror Theroundmirroristhe most partof thismakeexpensive over,but it'swellworth it for how nicelyit complements the cabinet.Four"wedges" completethe look(pagel9).

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New Purposefrom Paint That just left the wood-grain vanity,which we quickly refreshedwith a new paint job. Just rough up the surface with sandpaper,and then prime and paint the cabinet.

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bathroomshould offerthe perfect J2! 7l I blendof styleand function.Andwhilethere's no questionthatthe bathroom shownin the"Before" Photo provides plentyof the useful storagespaceyou'relookingfor, let'sbe honest- it'sseriously lackingin the styledepartment. Thewood-grain vanityand "Hollywood" medicine cabinet mighthavecreated an appealing look10yearsago,but they definitelylookdatedtoday. It doesn'ttakebig bucksto giveyourbathroonua boldnew look,though.Withsomepaint, newlighting, a custommirror, anda simplecabinetproject, we gavethisonea complete'Uosyg1"'-allforjust $300. ftl

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CONSTRUCTION VIEW TOP ------\ (3/+"x43/q" xllz")

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n o = Getting a custom,one-of-a-kind look in the bathroom doesn'thaveto be 'tabinet" difficult. In fact, this is made from lxpoplar materialthat you can pickup at the home center. Most of the parts (the casesides, backs,and tops) aremadefrom 1x6s that you just crosscutto length with a miter sawor circularsaw.The only table sawcut you'll needto makeis on the long shelfthat alsoservesasthe casebottoms.It's madefrom a poplar lx8 that getsripped to width. Once you haveall of the parts ready, all you really needto do to complete this project is drill a few holes and drive a few screws.Eventhose large holesfor the decorativepint glasseson the baseshelf are simple to create.The cabinetis just assembled with pocket screws,and the shelvesare simplyheld up by shelfpins. Thoseshelves,by the way,aremade fromr/+"glassthat we orderedfrom the samelocal glasssupplierasthe round mirror. And the pint glassesadd a whimsicaltouch. If you look closely, you'll seetheret a small chalkboardon the front of eachglass,so membersof the family canpersonalizetheir own.

B U ILD& C ON N E C TTH C E ASES 1l Pickup your lx6 and 1x8poplar stockfor making the cases,aswell as the other suppliesand hardware.Note that you'll needto havethe mirror and glassshelvescut at a local glassshop. 2] Once that'sdone,cut the casesides, backs,and tops to length out of the 1x6 stockusing a miter or circularsaw. 3l After that, cut the casebottom to width out of the poplar lx8 using a table saw.Then crosscutit to length. 4l Beforeassembly,you needto drill holesfor the shelfpins you'll add later on. To makesurethe holes clamp "ligr, all four sidestogether,and then usea framing squareto markthe hole locations acrossall four pieces(fig. e). 5l Measureand drill the shelfpin holes. But beforeyou do, put tape aroundthe drill bit to establishthe depth of the holes (fig.n). Sandthe parts smooth. 6l Now, drill the pocket holesthat will be usedto assemble the cases. Lay out the holesasshownin the PartsViewsat left. Then align eachhole location in a pocket-holejig, and drill the hole. 7l Clamp the casesides,back,and top together,and assembleeachcaseby driving in the pocket screws(fig. C).

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8l Beforescrewingthe shelfto the bottom of the casesides,you needto drill holesfor the pint glasses. Measure and mark the holes,and then drill them using a drill equippedwith a 23/+"hole saw(seeFig.Donpage18).

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9l After drilling the holes in the shelf, we softened the top edgesby routing

Then, just a few touches (the glass shelves, the mirror, and the decora-

chamfers around them. This is an optional detail, but ifyoud like to add it, just equip a router with a chamfer bit, adjust the depth of the bit to 3/8",

tive pint glasses) complete your new bathroom cabinet. Heret how it all

and rout clockwise around each hole. 'l0l Nowyou can attach the shelf that

1I Start by laying out the position of the cabinet on the wall with a tape . measure and a pencil. Also determine the location of the wall studs. 2l Next, pre-drill two countersunk

connects the cases.First, you need to lay out the position of the caseson the shelfwith a square and a pencil. Then set the cases (with their backs facing down) on a flat surface and roughly positioned as theywillbe on the shelf. 1 1l Next, move the shelf into the proper position, and clamp it to the cases.Countersink screw holes through

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pilot holes in each casefor mounting the cabinet to the wall, one at the top and one at the bottom. Where you can, align these holes with wall studs. 3l If the pilot holes can t align with

the shelf and into the casesides, and then drive in screws (Fig n).

wall studs, install heavy-duty drywall anchors in the wall at these locations. 4l Wittr someone to assistyou, lift the

12l Atl that's left is to do any final spotsanding, and then you're ready to prime and paint the cabinet.

cabinet into position. Place a level on the shelf, and adjust it until the case is level. Now install it by driving screws

I N S T A L LT H E C A B I N E T

through the holes in the case and into the wall behind it (Fig. F). 5l Now that you have the cabinet

Theret a reason these caseshave thick back panels. They make installation simple, as all you have to do is drive screws into the wall to secure them.

installed, mount the mirror between the cases.Carefully lay out its position first. Then place strips of mirror tape on the wall near the top, bottom, and sides of the mirror, and run beads of mirror mastic (a product similar to construction adhesivethatt made for mirrors) every 3" between these strips of tape. Now press the mirror firmly in position, and hold it for about a minute. The tape will hold the mirror in place while the mastic dries. 7l Add the glass shelves using the shelf pins, and slide the pint glassesinto the holes in the shelf.

MAKEMIRROR'WEDGES' To reallydressup thesimpleround mirror and enhancethe contemporary style,we addedfourwedge-shaped piecesaroundits perimeter.These WWWWORKBENCHSPECIALs.COM

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wedges presented a couple construction challenges, though. First, you have to cut a 10'taper on the edge ofeach

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A level helps align the wedges on the top and bottom of the mirror (er1.D.

wedge. And second, a LL/+"lip needs to be added to part ofthe back ofeach wedge, so there won't be a gap where

D E S I G NO P T I O N S The bathroom featured has a 48"-wide vanity, which is a little larger than your

the wedge meets the wall.

averagebathroom vanity. However, it's easyto modifythe design of this cabinet for a smaller vanity, as well.

To make the wedges in awaythat solved both of these problems, we started with a longer blank of poplar. Then we glued a long piece of hardboard to one face of the blank. These hardboard pieces will form the lips on the wedge s (Illustrations, above). Now it's just a matter of cutting out the wedges, which is easy to do on a miter saw.Justrotate the saw to l0', and make the cut (fig. C).Then flip the glued-up blank over, and make another cut (Fig.H).By doing that you'll create one wedge, as well as the first edge of the next wedge. Continue flipping the stock and cutting (five times in total) to create the four wedges. After painting the wedges to match the cases,we installed them on the top, bottom, and sides of the mirror by applying strips of mirror tape to the backerswhere theymeet the wall.

For a more common 42" vanlty, you could easily shorten the shelf a few inches. A 36" vanitywould require

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shortening the shelf further, which might demand a different mirror. (We found that a rectangular mirror looks good with this shorter shelf.) A24'vanity is too narrow for this project as it is shown here (featuring two cases),but by pairing just one case with a shelf and a rectangular mirror, you can get an interesting asymmetrical look. To seebuildert drawings of all these design options, be sure to check out the "Online Extras" on ourWeb ]Usite : WorkbenchSp ecials.com. -

Written by Wyatt IvIyers, illustr ated by ErichLage,project designedbyMike

Donovan

F o rt h e i n s t a l l i o no f t h e c a s e m . irror. a n d s h e l fa , l e v e lc o m e si n h a n d yt o e n s u r ea c c u r a t ea l i g n m e n ta n d a c l e a n l o o k .S i m p l i c i t yg i v e st h i s c a b i n e ti t s c o n t e m p o r a r yv i b e ,b u t d e t a i l sl i k et h e d e c o r a t i v ep i n t g l a s sh o l d e r sa n d m i r r o r wedges(above)give it personality.

WorkbenchSpecia ls.com

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living& dining is important, Storage but soareconvenience Andthesefour andstyle. optionsfillthe storage b i l lb y l o o k i n g o o dw h i l e workinghard.Though they

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StackableStorageCubes A shelvingunit that changes as quicklyasyourneedsdo?It'snow possible with thesestackable cubes.

appear high-end,they're inexpensive to build y o u r s e laf n , dt h es i m p l e p l a n si n c l u d e h d e r em a k e thatparteasy.

Storage Lockers Theselockersbring order to the entry$'ay.They're easyto build and cost lessthan $60 each.

HHHsi rlElI;tI. i

{:T;IEI ItrgII Gr{

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JU Custom Built-in Baokcases Makebeautifulcustomized bookcases to fit anyroomin yourhome.The secretis in theirmodulardesign.

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Jt) Storageon the Side Accessorize andstylizeanordinary kitchencabinetto createa stunning pieceof diningroomfurniture.

WorkbenchSpecia ls.com

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&dinins I ,,u,nn

reUR STORAGE :

he more things change,the

more they stay the same. Or, to be more specific to the majority S t o ra g ei s a of homeowners, the more your decorady r r ar ni p c ro b l e i rr, tions, electronics, and other possessions

so why nr:t bLrilcJ a change,the more the shelving that holds these components staysthe same. Thankfully, there's an easyway to

s c llr : t iot[ra n tc a rr

c har r gea sq r-ri c k l y break free from this rut of static storage shelves.The solution is to create a new system of organization, one thatt easily customizable to fill any spaceand hold

a sy o u rn e e d sd o i Thissystenrof

s i n r p l es,t a c k a b l e any items that you desire. That necesc ube sl e tsy o l r c r . eatceu s to n .ri z o d

sary flexibility is precisely what these stackable storage "cubes" offer you. The system consists of two sizesof

s t or allef o r v i rtu a i l v cubes: One is square, and the other is any s p a c eJ. u s t rectangular and twice the length of the i: uilda s n ra n y

square. That means two squares match the width, or height, of a rectangle,

c ubesasy o L rn e e d , depending on howyou stackthem. Besidesbeing versatile, these units are also made with just a few I t ol, , ev er y o u d e s i re l parts -melamine, strips of oak, hardboard, and screws. This not only makes

ar r car l r a n g eth e n r

them easyto build, but the contrast of the white melamine with the natural oak also createsa clean, contemporarylook.

22

HomeStorage:Living& Dining

MIX & MATCH

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VIEW CONSTRUCTION CUBETOP (3/"melamine x 11%"x 15") BACK (/c"hardboardx 16Vq" x 161/q") Tc"Paneling Nail

\.-.,/ CORNER STRIP (3/+" x3/q" x11Y4"1

CUBE SIDE (7+" melamine x 117c"x 15")

CO RNE RDE T A I L NOTE: Square unitshown. unit,thelength Onrectangular ofthetopandbottompanels is31Tz", andthelengthofthe backis327+". Allother dimensions areidentical.

CO RNE RS T R IPD E T AIL

melamine NOTE: Purchase witha shelfpanels prefinished edge bullnose

-x

I \

2"stainless SteelDeckScrew

Sandslight bevelon ends of cornerstrips

,- i'.. Before you can begin building these storage cubes, you first need to figure

panels that are precut to LLr/+"wide. That means you don't have to make any

out a few things, such as where you plan to put them, howyou would like to arrange them, and how many squares

rip cuts for these parts. Plus, these shelf panels have a finished bullnose edge, so you dort't have to spend any time

and rectanglesyou'll need to accommodate your storage needs. The best way

painting or applyingbanding to the edges.Each shelfpanel is 96" long, so

order to fit each cube.

to do this is to create a rough sketch of the area, and simply draw in boxes. Take your time, and try a number of different arrangements until you come

you can decide whether you want to cut each panel into six shorter box sides or

together, we came up with a solution thatt as stylish as it is simple. We chose stainless steel screws, and left the screw

up with a look that suits the area well.

wood in the corners, we used oak,

Once you've figured out howmany ofeach type ofcube you need, you can

which meant we had to rip the strips to width and crosscut them to length

we decided to use for the back is simply

head to the home center for supplies. We kept things simple to make the construc-

on the table saw. Ifyou don't have a table saw, the home centers we visited also had 3/+"x3/+" strips available that

sides,and then nailed in place. All told, the cubes are easy to build

tion as straightforward as possible. For starters, we made the cube tops, bottoms, and sides from melamine shelf

24

HomeStorage:Living& Dining

three longer sides for rectangles. As for the3/+"x 7+"strips of hard-

were made from eitherpine or anAsian hardwood. These strips would then

only need to be crosscut to length in To put all these parts of the cubes

heads exposed to give the cubes a clean and contemporary flair. The hardboard cut to size, painted to match the cube

and would be a good project for even a beginner DfYer.Just follow these steps to build your own:

ic 1;r"event thern l r o i ns h i f t i n g , y c u ncecito .ittacli I n e { L i l l e s l oo n e another.Arrers;r

Storagefor childrens rooms a n d c l o s e t sc a n p o s ea p r o b l e m ,e s p e c i a l l yi n the safetydepartment. However,you can create designated"kid areas"at a lower height to introd u c e c h i l d r e nt o o r g a n i z i n ga n d c l e a n i n gT. h i s will give them easyaccessto their own clothes and toys without the need to climb on shelves to reacha toy on a top rack.This is not only safer, but it shows kids that organizationcan be fun.

; Crosscut all the melamine top, bottom, and side panels to length. (Note: To learn how to get clean edges when cutting melamine, you can visit Workb enchSpecials.com. ) -:' Now you can cut the corner strips to size.An efficient way to do this is to start by crosscutting oak boards into 25" sections. Then rip those into narrow strips. (trrtakesure the width of the strips matches the thickness of the board.) Finally, crosscut these longer strips to match the width of the melamine panels. -', Sand the corner strips using 120-grit paper on a sanding block. Also easethe sharp edgeson the ends of each strip. ,'i Now cut a back for each cube from r/+"hardboard, making it about Y+" smaller in width and length than the cube itself. This smaller size will keep the back from being visible when itt installed on the cube. Paint each back panel, and set it aside. .' Before putting the cubes together, drill pilot holes for screws using a countersink bit for easyassembly.(For more information on using a countersink bit, check out our free article at WorkbenchSpecials.com.) Holes on adjacent sides of the corner strips are offset from one another (Corner Strip Detail). This way, the screwswon't run into each other when you assemblethe cubes (AssemblyDetail).

\,\,.)y lo do this is to drivea cou;;leof

t, With the pilot holes drilled, it's time to apply a clear finish to the corner

ttuss-head-qcrevirS throughr:ne:

strips. Only the two faces of the strips that have the

adjarceni cube..

c.i;bearrCinto iiie

countersunk screw holes and the ends of the strips need a coat applied. ,i i Nowyou can assemble the cubes.Apply glue to the ends of the top and bottom panels, and align and securethe strips to the ends using clamps or masking tape. Next, use ^nVs" twist bit to drill through the holes in the oak strips and continue the pilot holes into the melamine. Drive in screws.

11/q"

Truss-head SheetMetal Screws

",, Now add the side panels.Justput glue on the ends of the side panels,and securethem underneath the top panel using clamps or tape. Continue the pilot holes, and drive in screws to secure the sides. ; Flip the assemblyover, and repeat the step above to attach the bottom to the sides.Then clean up any glue residue on the cube before proceeding. '; i.i; Set the cube face-down, and align the back panel. Check it for square,and then nail the back to the cube. i "l.iOnce all your cubes are complete, you can arrange them howeveryou desire.You'll want to prevent them from shifting, so connect the cubes to one another with l7+" truss-head sheet metal screws (seelllustration, above). 1.r.! If you plan to stack the cubes more than two high, you'll also want to use flat picture hangers to secure the uppermost cubes to the wall, as shown in the Photo andlllustration atright. E-Written

by Wyatt IvIyers,illustrated by Erich Lage,project designedby lames R. Downing

k'icturehairqerspr"ovicle an easyway to preventyo*r r iibe asserrblyfrom ti5:pir^rq. Ji-is1 securethr:mio the backof the uppermostcube.s an':lto the';v;rllvilithscrews.

WorkbenchSpecials.com

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living& dining I

Needmorestorage spaceinyour entrywayT Lookingto add a fittle sgle too?Wantto do both without havingto spendmuchmoney? Lookno further.This versatile, stunning storagesystemoffers seatingspace,hooksfor clothes,and cubbiesto corrallife's clutter.

clutter-busting

StorageLockers unders200!

his locker systemproves thatyou don't needa lot of tools, complicated constructiontechniques, or expensivehardwareand materialsto build a great-lookingproject. For starters,the lockersaremadefrom medium-densityfiberboard(MDF), which costsonly about$20 per sheet. And you cancut all the partsfor one lockerunit from two sheets. Second dl the parts arecut with two sawsyou probably alreadyown: a circularsawand a jigsaw.Wealso useda router equippedwith a %" roundoverbit to easethe edgeson a few of the locker'spieces. Aside from those tools, all you'll really need is a drill and a device called a pocket-holejig (which you can pick up at the home center for about $45). Thejig lets you drill angled

holes for specialscrewsthat allowyou to attachmost of the pieceswithout ending up with visible screws.You can learn more about pocket-holejigs at Workb enchSpecials.com. Thoogh theret nothing complicated about building with MDR the sheets areprettyheavy.That meansa complete Iockerwill weighin at closeto 150 pounds.For that reason,this project is built asthree separateunits, asshownin the Construc.tionViuv on page28. Ifyoute building multiple units that you plan to join together,aswe did here,there is one more thingyou'll needto note. Look at the Construction View again,andyou'll seethat the seat and top panelson the locker unit, as well asthe top ofthe cubbies,overhang on eachside.That makesfor an interesting designdetail. But ifyou plan to join two or more units, these overhangs will prevent them from fitting tightly together.The solution, though, is quite simple.Just trim the overhangsso that thesepanelsareflush on the sides where the units meet.

WorkbenchSpecials.com

27

VIEW CONSTRUCTION

trir4

CubbyUnit positioned atthe top provides storage accessible for smallitems

p R g V [ f { T D A M A G E , W h i l e f i n d i n g a p l a c ef o r

Beadboard providesan easy, economicalway to dressup the locker LockerUnit h a sa m p l e roomfor hanging sweaters,hats, and backpacks

ModularConstruction it easier makes to buildthe in sections lockers andtheninstall them in your home /

a l l o f y o u r i t e m st o f i t i s t h e g o a l o f g o o d o r g a n i z a t i o n ,i t ' sa l s o i m p o r t a t l tt o m a k e s u r et h a t y o u r s t o r a g es y s t e mp r o t e c t sy o u r b e l o n g i n g s . Unbuffered,acid-freetissue paper is great for l i n e n s t o r a g eb e c a u s ei t w o n ' t d i s c o l o rf a b r i c s . Y o u c a n l a y s o m e o v e r s l r e l v e so r w r a p a n t i q u e l i n e n st o p r e v e n ty e l l o w i n g .T h e p a p e r c a n b e p u r c h a s e da t a r t s u p p l y s t o r e s .

-"t

Medium-Density Fiberboard (MDF)panels keepconstruction costssurprisingly low-about S60 per locker

As you'll see here, building your own set of storagelockers isn t difficult. The lllustration at left gives you an overview of the construction process,but you'll notice that it doesn t include any of the individual part names or dimensions. Don t fear, though - all of this information is available in the builder's plans, which are available for free at WorkbenchSpecials.com.You can use those plans with the information included here to build your own set of

BaseUnit offerssturdy support, seating, plusa place underneath for storage baskets

Pocket Screws makeassembly easyand are hiddenfrom view for a clean appearance

storagelockers. _ ThCbASC iS WITHTHEBASE BEGIN the logical unit to build first, as it serves as the project's foundation. Built with two curved end panels and a curved divider, the base forms the "legs" of the locker. The ends and divider are attached to a back panel, and two stretchers span between the ends and divider to add rigidiry. To make the base,start by cutting the base ends. Cut them into rectangular pieces first, and then make the arc on the front of each piece with a jigsaw. You can make the divider the same way, but be sure to note that it's 3/+"narrower than the ends to account for the thicknessof the back panel. Nowyou can cut the back and two

/ l - r -a-s s e m b i et l r e b a s e 5 , t a r tb y c l a r l p i n gt h e e n d st c l h e b a c kp a n e ! .l l a k e s u r et h e b a c k1 ; a r r esii t sc o n r p l e t e l fyl u s hi + i t nt i i e r e a re d g e o f e a c l "br a s ee r ^ ' dT"h e nr J r i v ei n t i r r . r . , - r r L + 1 ' , a i o r , ' . i( f n ( t r , a { t t r

28

1i}a,rii.rpq

Home Storage: Living & Dining

stretchers that span between the ends and dividers to size,and drill pocket holes in all the pieces.Exact locations for the holes are shown on the downloadable builder's drawings. That done, you can rout 7g"roundovers on

=-

3' (o R9 the curved edgesof the endsand the divider, aswell ason the outsidelower edgeof eachstretcher.Then glue and pocket-screwall the partstogether,as shownin the Photo,belowleft. BUttDTHELOCKER-Thoughthe locker assemblyis larger than the base,itt evensimplerto build. It has just six parts: a seatpanel,top, back, two sides,and a back overlay.All the parts are made out of MDF, exceptfor the back overlay,which is madefrom beadedplywood. Just like the baseends,the sides of the locker unit start asrectangles. To cut the curvedprofile this time, however,you'll want to useboth a circularsawand a jigsaw. After that, the b".k, back overlay, top, and seatpanel cansimplybe cut to size.You'll recallthat if you'll be joining units side-by-side, you need to determineif the seatpanel and top piecesneedto fit flush at one or both ends.Then trim offthe overhangs. Now lay out and drill pocketholes aroundthe perimeterof the lockerback. Thesehold screwsto attachthe sides, seatpanel,and top to the lockerback.

ONLINEEXTRAS >>Builder'sPlans & Cutting Diagram v,FreeArticle: Cutting Sheet Goads

1] Set the base in place,and mark where it hits the baseboard.Then cut out the baseboardin that area,so the locker can fit tightly againstthe wall.

a. =.

Also drill holesin the seatpanelfor screwsthatwill securethe sides. For a sturdy assembly,usespecial *connector screws"here.(You canlearn more aboutthesescrewson page73.) Now drill mounting holesin the top panel.The outermostholes (for attachingthe locker top) needto be countersunkfrom the upperfaceof the locker top. The inner holes (for attachingthe cubby unit) get countersunk from the lower face. Softenthe edgesof the panelsby routing %" roundoverson the exposed edgesof the locker parts,including the leadingedgesof the sides,seat,and top. Then assemblethe locker unit by gluing and screwingthe parts together.Once you havethe basiccaseassembled,you canattachthe beadboardoverlaywith glueandbrads. CAPITWITH CUBBIESTheone remainingpart of the locker assembly to build is the cubbyunit that goeson top.It's madeof sixpieces:two ends, two dividers,aback, and a top. After cutting thesepiecesto size,simply round over the front edgesof the dividers and top. Then drill pocket holes,applyglue,and drive in screwsto assemblethe cubbies. INSTALLTHE LOCKERS-Withall the piecesbuilt, you'rejust about ready to move on to installation.But before

- WrittenbyD aveStone,illustratedby ErichLage,projectdesignbyMilct,D onovan

2l With the baseawayfromthe wall,set the lockerunit on top.Alignthe seat panel,andthen drivepocketscrewsto securethe lockerunitto the base.

3JDriveconnectingscrewsthrough holesin the lockertop to securethe cubbydividers.Then drivepocket screwsin throughthe backpanel.

5 (o

4l Makesurethe lockerassemb'y sits levelfromfrontto backandsideto side. Thenscrewit to the wall studs. you do, it's a good ideato prime and paint everything.It's a lot easierto do this now,beforeall the piecesare assembledand installed. Once the lockersarepainted you caninstall them in your home.You'll want to recruit a helperto assist you with carryingrsteadying,and attachingthe pieces.Thenjust follow the sequencedescribedin thesePhotos to install your storagelockersand put them to use. ]f

WorkbenchSpecia ls.com

29

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any bookcasesand display shelvesare placed in a room wherever they fit - with little thought as to how they might actually

is built using butt joints and screws. And the adjustable shelvesrest on shelf pins that snap right into metal standards. To keep the size of the project manageable,the bookcase is built in

impact the room. With this particular

easy-to-handlesections that are fas-

project, however, the bookcase is the room - or at least one wall of it. The nice thing about a project like

tened together as each one is installed.

this is that it takes advantage of an enormous amount of wall space that would typically go unused.Just look

a touch of solid-wood trim around the base,and a fresh coat of paint, you

at the number of books, vases,baskets, and knick-knacks kept on these shelves,yet nothing seems crowded or squeezedin. Aless obvious advantageof this bookcase is how incredibly simple it is to build and install. All of the casework

The finishing touches are equally simple. With a bit of crown molding,

complete the picture. Of course, the simple style and construction of these bookcasesdoes more than just keep down the complexity and cost ofthe project. It also ensures that the items you decide to place on these shelves- not the shelvesthemselves- are on display.

mfrr*x+*Pt"tn'gCr*t''**T$rais!*

WorkbenchSpecia ls.com

31

DoorSurround

CrownMolding

TopTrimStrip Fixed Shelf CaseTrim Strips

CaseTrim Strips coverseam betweencases

\

I HardwoodEdging preventsshelves from sagging

CaseShelves reston adjustable

ShelfStandards fit into groovescut in sidesof case

5ub-Base nailsto baseasthefirstpart of thetwo-piece basetrim Baseboard matchesroom'sexisting baseboard and nails to sub-base Wide Base screwsto wall and providessupportfor long run of bookcases

32

Home Storage: Living & Dining

MAKINGITMODULAR

=:

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TRIMDETAILS BOOKCASES

Tomakeit easyto adapt thisprojectto fit rooms of anysizeor shape, these bookcases aredesigned to be builtandinstalled asa groupof individual "modulesi'They're also designed for simplicity, so youcantakeon asmuch or aslittleasyouthinkyou Therearethree canhandle. the typesof components: (inour case, bookcases threewideunitsanda narrowone),basesto supportthe bookcases, anda Thensoliddoorsurround. woodtrim pieces tie all theseelements togetherfor look. a trulyintegrated

Thebookcases aresimplytallboxes madeof 3/+" medium-densityfiberForthisroom,webuilt board(MDF). casesandan 18"-wide three3O'Lwide with butt unit.Afterbeingassembled jointsandscrews, the casesareset sideby Sideandscrewedtogether, lineasa visual creatinga thickvertical elementbetweenunits.Adjustable shelves, alsomadeof MDE,areedged with wide bandsof hardwoodin orderto preventsagging.

DOOR SURROUND Thedoor surroundis an invertedUthe door shapedunit that straddles opening.Hereagain,the sidesof the door surroundbutt againstthe

It'sthe hardwoodtrim that distin=. a guishesthis project,visuallyWing (o allthe elementstogether.Madeof poplar,the trim pieces economical arenailedin placeasshown,then paintedalongwith the bookcases.

S I Z I NG U I D E L I N E S

Built-infurnitureisjust that - furniturethat'sbuiltto fit an existing room.Tocustomizethesebookcases, consultthe"SizingGuidelines" below.In addition,be sureto check Materials out our online"lnteractive AlI List"at WorkbenchSpecials.com. you needto do isplugin the dimensionsof yourwall,andour exclusive programcreatesa materialslistthat's customized to fit yourspace.

whichcarries thevertical bookcases, lcompletely across I I p 1 designetement 'J A singlefixed the rowof bookcases. shelfaddsrigidity.

BASES Simplebaseunitselevatethe cases offthe floor.Madeof MDFand with butt jointsand assembled screws,the basesaresecuredto the wall.Thebookcases arefastenedto the baseswith nails.

DIVIDEAND CONQUER.Shelvesareoften clutclothingor towels. teredwith pilesof disarrayed Youcansolvethis problemby addingbracketsto to closetshelvesand spacingthem appropriately act asdividersfor neat stacksof folded clothing, bedding,or towels.Thelong sideof the bracket just lessthanthe heightof your shouldmeasure shelf,andthe shortsideshouldbe equalto or lessthanthe depth. {From AllisonMezzafonte,AOL Home}

S I Z I N GG U I D E L I N E S NARROWCASEWIDTH WIDECASEWIDTHS: Shouldbeequaltoeachother, anddividedproportionally basedon ttretengtitof wallto fill

DOOR SURROUNDWIDTH: Wdth of dooropening, plus5"(to allowspace

:

,4L .!6"gap atwall (forfittingcase to unevenwalls)

BOOKCASE HEIGHT Heightofwall, minuscrown height,minus baseheight

'h" gbpatwall (forfittingcase to unevenwalls)

WorkbenchSpecials.com

33

Buildingthe Cases & Bases Building the casesand basesfor this project is about as simple as it gets. They're just boxesjoined together with butt joints, glue, and screws.I chose to use 3/+"-thickMDF becauseof its smooth surface and easypaintability.

Later on, these grooveswill accept shelf standardsto make the bookcase shelvesadjustable. You're now ready to assemblethe cases.MDF has a tendency to "blow out" when screwed together, so I used connector screws to help prevent this problem. You can find more informa-

Shop-r'r'rade assembly blocksrryitlr i n t e r s e c t i nggr o o v e ss q u a r eL r l lt h e l r o o k ca s e sd u r i n ga s s e m b l ya,s s u r i r r q s t r a i g i r ts, q u a r ec o r n e r s .

Begin by cutting all the casesides (A, G, M), tops, and bottoms (B, H, N) to

tion about connector screws in the

size on the table saw.As you seehere, we built three separateunits (three

square as I drove in the connector screws,I used some simple, shop-made

wide cases,a narrow case,and a door surround). The dimensions of the

assemblyblocks like you see in the Photo at left. Once the caseis assembled,a mounting cleat (C, I, O) is screwed

parts you need to cut are different for each one. (You can find dimensions by checking out the "Materials List" online at WorkbenchSpecials.com.) The next thing you need to do is cut two grooves in each bookcase side.

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MOUNTING CLEAT (7a"MDFx 2" x33Yz"l

SURROUNDTOP (7q" MDFx 11"x 35")

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Sidebaron page73.To keep the corners

in place at the top of each case.Later on, this cleat allows you to fasten the bookcase to the wall. At this point, you can also cut a Y+"plywood back (D,J, P) to fit flush in back, and then glue and nail it in place. SHELVES-Theshelves(8, K, Q) for each caseare also made from 3/+"-thick MDF. To prevent sagging,each shelf has a strip of hardwood edging (R I,, R) attached to the front and back edges (seeShelfEdgingDetail). Note that the shelf for the door surround is screwed in place, while the shelvesfor the other

BACKPANEL (1/e" ply.x 1 1 %x"3 5 " )

/

casesare adjustable.

SHELFEDGING (3/c"x 11/2" x33Tz")

l I

zmmi 5omm Connector Screw

NOTE:Edging gluedto both edgesof shelf

SURROUND SHELF (7+"MDFx'101/a" x33lz")

BACKPANEL SURROUND SIDES (3/+"MDFx11"x867+")

34

Home Storage: Living & Dining

I %" Shelf Standard, 72" long (additional piececut 13tl2"long)

14"

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table saw.Then assemblingthe two base units you've created is as easyas gluing and screwing them together. But

When installed on the wall, the bookcasessit off the floor on a pair of bases.

casesthat mount above them, note that their length is slightly different. They're eachz/+"longer than the total span of the

The purpose of thesebasesis simple:

bookcasesthat will eventually come to

first, be sure to position the inner sup-

Itk a lot easierto plumb and level these

rest above them. By creating this extra

basesthan the larger cases.The bases are made from3/+"MDF just like the

length, you leavea3/+"lip on the edges

ports so they sit underneath the joint between two cases.

that will support the bottom end of the door surround once you've installed it (BaseDetail below).

Once you have the frames completely assembledr/ou can position, level, and then permanently install

BASEASSEMBLY-Tomake the

them in the room you've chosen for

cases.Later on, they get covered up with baseboard and molding pieces for a finished look. -While SlzlNGCONSIDERATIONS both basesmatch the depth of the book-

NOTE: Place innersupport underjointbetween cases

bases,start by cutting the fronts, backs (S, T), and supports (U) to size on the

the bookcasesby following the three simple steps shown above.

@

SUPPORT (3/q"MDF x51/2"

x93/c")

11Y4"

BASE FRONT NARROW (7+"MDFx51/2" x183/+")

Narrow Case

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WideBase

3/+"lip left f o ri n s t a l l i n g door surrouno

WorkbenchSoecia Is.com

35

to Ro o=' (o

lnstalling the Cases With the baseunits firmly in place againstthe wall, you cannowbegin installingthe bookcasesthemselvesby attachingthem to thesebases. ALIGN, THENNAIL- Beforerunning any nails or screws,it's best to setthe first bookcasein placeand get it alignedjust howyouwant it on the baseunit.In this instance,the narrow casewasthe first to be installed.Be sureto align the caseflush with the basewhere it meetsthe wall, leavinga Vr" g p betweenthe caseand the wall. This gapallowsfor anyunavoidable irregularitiesin the wall. Later ory a trim strip will coverthe gap. Then, drive finish nails through the bottom of the bookcaseand into the front of the baseunit (seeFig. 1). POSITION THECASES-Next,set a few more of the casesin place,line them up, and clamp them together, asshowninFigure2below.In the assemblyshownhere,the next two units arethe door surround and a wide case.Adjust and align the front edges of eachcasebeforeactuallyfixing it in place.Then clamp the casestogetherto hold them in position. -After securing SECURE THECASES the bottom of the next bookcaseto the baseunit with nails,drill pilot holes, and drive woodscrewsthrough the side of one caseand into the sideof the adjoiningcase(Frg.2).Jwtnote that theret no needto go overboardhere - four or five screwsought to do the trick. And don t worry about the screw holes.They'llbe filled and sanded beforepainting the cases. ATTACH TOWALI- Once the cases areattachedto one another,the last stepin securingthe bookcasesis to attachthem to the wall. This is accomplishedby drilling pilot holesand then driving woodscrewsthrough the mounting cleaton eachcaseand into the wall (fig. S). Be sureto hit the wall studsto ensurea solid installation.

36

HomeStorage:Living& Dining

Temporary

1 I L

The first step in installingthe bookcasesis to align the first casewith its base unit and attach it by driving 1yr"finish nailsthrough the bottom of "lip" of the the bookcaseand into the front of the base unit. Noticethat a 3/q"

baseunit extends beyond the bookcase.This is built in to acceptthe side of the door surroundand provide support for it.

After aligningand clampingtwo m o r eo f t h e i n d i v i d u a l c a s e s , fasten them to each other by screwingthrough the side of one case and into the adjoiningcase.

Finally,you can attach each bookcaseto the wall by driving woodscrewsthrough the mounting cleatand into the wall studsbehind it. Shim if necessary.

-1

iI TOPTRIM (3/q"x 1Y2" x 144")

Tyinglt Togetherwith Trim A few trim pieces are what ultimately transform the bookcasesinto a greatlooking finished project. First, a built-

coatsof paint,andinstallthe shelfstandards(Rockler.com). You'llbe filling thoseshelvesin no time. m-

up baseboardlends a nice look to the bottom of the case(figs. 1 dl 2).Then, top trim and crown molding are a perfect finish on top (fig.3).And finally,

-Writtenby WyattAlyers,illustratedby ErichLage,projectdesigned bylamesR. Downing

trim strips cover the joint between each case,giving the bookcasesa solid, thick appearance(rig +).

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There'snothing complicated about the baseboard.It's just two boards that get nailed face to face to the front of the bases.The piecesall get mitered at the corners for a clean look. You'll also note

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that the baseboard is narrower than the sub-baseto createan interesting "reveal" at the top of the trim (Ftg.2). As for the crown molding, itt an optional detail. But if you feel like going the extra step and installing it around the room, it can really add a lot - not

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only to the overall look and feel of the bookcaseproject, but the entire room. One final thing to note is that the case trim strips at eachend ofthe bookcases maynot rest squareand flush with the wall. This will require you to scribe and cut to fit. To scribe a trim strip, first set it plumb with the wall. Hold a pencil against the wa[ and run it along the stip. Then you onlyneed to cut or sandthe strip to thelineyou've drawn. Once everything is together and installed, finish off the project with a few

rip6 K E E Pl T S A F E . M o s t h o m e sj u s t d o n ' t l r a v ea good place to store a safeand keep it out of sight. lf yor-rfirrd one that'sjust the right size, t h o u g h ,y o u c a n p u t i t i n p l a i nv i e w ,a n d n o b o d y w i l l e v e n k n o w i t l C o v e ri t u p w i t h a n u p h o l steredor decorativewood box, and suddenly that safe becomesan ottoman or end table in t h e l i v i n g r o o m ,J u s t r e m o v et h e b o x w h e n y o u need to accessthe safe.

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F i n a l l yr ,r a i cl a s et r i r ns t r i p si n p l a c e T h e ya r ec e n t e r e do r rt l r es i d e s betu"reen eaclrpairof cases. The c a s et r i r ns t r i p sm a y n e e dt o b e s c r i b e c l a n d c u t w i r e r et h e , vn r e e t h e o u t e rw a l l s .

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ecently, it occurred to me that one of mybiggest storageproblems wasn t necessarilya matter of "how much," but rather, "how fsy" as in, how far I have to travel from the dining room to get what I need. After about a dozen trips between

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the dining room and the kitchen to gather all the trappings of a typical family dinner, I wondered whywe don't just store all those things in the dining room, where we use them. Thatt what traditional sideboardswere all about. In fact, I can still picture the grand old sideboard that sat in my grandmother's dining room. What I couldn t picture, though, was such a traditional-looking piece of furniture crowding my contemporary dining room. I had just as much trouble seeing myself shelling out big bucks for something I could easily create myself. Which isn't to say I wanted to start from scratch. Far from it. Rather, I started with an ordinary kitchen pantry cabinet, the kind you can get at any home center for under $200 (Photo, abouerigh).With

a touch of paint, a couple pieces of acrylic, and some offthe-rack cabinet organizers,I turned the bland pantry into a more modern version of a sidebo ard (Main Photo).

WorkbenchSpecials.com

39

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H o m e S t o r a g e :L i v i n g & D i n i n g

The first thing you need to do to make this cabinet look morehkea piece of furniture is to make it look /esslike a cabinet.And that means cutting offthe toekick. But that affectsmore than just the aesthetic of the cabinet - it affects the structure, too. Weakens it, in fact. So to reinforce the cabinet before you start altering it, you need to drive a few screws through the cabinet sides and into the bottom shelf (Construcfion

CAP ( 1 "x 1 8 "x 2 3 7 / s " )

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FILLER (1" x cut to fit)

UNFINISH OEAD K PANTRY CABINET (18"x 24"X84")---...-

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#6 x1/q" -.

FhWoodscrew

ACRYLICPANELS (7e"x cut to fit)

View). Be very careful when laying out the location of the screws.The shelf is only Vz" thick, so there's not a lot of room for error here. While you're at it, add some screws in the top shelf, as well. You're not cutting anything offhere, but the cap that gets added later is quite heavy. A bit of bolstering in this area can't hurt.

Doors (panels removed)

Once the cabinet is reinforced, you can cut the toekick free (Fig.1). One cut acrosseachside, then one more acrossthe back, should do it. A shop-made cutting guide helps align the cuts around the cabinet. Now that you have the toekick out of the way, you can cover up the exposed chipboard of the cabinet sides (and the headsof those reinforcing screws). Pre-cut, unfinished panels for this very purpose are sold right alongside the cabinets.Apply the panels with aerosolcontactcement (I used 3M Super 77). Spraythe back of the panel and the side of the cabinet, and then

I

7u" rabbet,7s" deep a l o n gb a c ki n s i d e edgeof door frames

FILLER (1" x cut to fit)

UNFINISHED OAKSIDEPANEL (/a"x24" x84", cut to fit)

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use aJ-roller to pressthe panel in place.

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existing panel groove. Rout all the way around the openingr and then square up the corners with a chisel (et1 A). Nowyou can measure inside the opening (between the rabbets) and cut the acrylic panels to fit. Then you're ready to frost the inside face of each panel (Stdebar,pagefi). Finally, mount the frosted panels in the doors with a bead of clear silicone caulk/adhesive. You cut offa piece of the cabinet earlier to make it look less like a cabinet. But it still doesn t look much like furniture. These next pieces will help with that. These are the cap and base.They're identical assemblies,the only difference being one goes at the top of the cabinet and the other goes at the bottom. They're made from l"-thick MDF, which you will not find in the sheet goods aisle.Instead, try looking for

.\ ft.

MDF stair treads.You'll need four of them to create the caps. Start by ripping the bullnose edge off eachtread (er1.Z).Then crosscut

Now the frame-and-panel doors of the pantry cabinet need a little jazzing up. Namely, that plywood panel has got to go. For this sideboard, we decided to replace it with a "frosted" acrylic panel. But first, it's out with the wood. That's easy enough - just cut most of it out with a jigsaw. Then you can use a pair of pliers to remove anything that's left (Fig.2).

Next, if your door has nylon inserts for the hinge screws,remove them for the time being (fig. +). Theseneed to be out of the way, so you can run a router along this edge of the frame to cut a rabbet for the acrylic panels to easily drop into. The panel is gone, the nails are pulled, and the inserts are

Be sure to find any nails or staples that were holding the panel in place and remove those, aswell (Fig. S).They

out of the way. That means it's time to rout. Pretty simple stuff, to be honest. Use a handheld router with aVz" rabbeting bit (F8. 5). Set the bit depth

will only causeproblems later.

to just remove the back lip from the

42

HomeStorage:Living& Dining

each tread in half. The treads are 48" long, so that will leaveyou eight pieces that are just a hair under 24" Iong. Now you'll need to glue those pieces into four panels. Each will be approximately 237/8"long by 22" wide (fig. S). Designate one panel as the cap, one as the base,and the last two as fillers. After the glue dries, you can cut the panels to size.The fillers will need to fit inside the shallow openings on the top and bottom of the cabinet, so measure those and cut the panels accordingly. Now cut the cap/base pieces to size.They are barely long enough to match the cabinet depth, so just shave

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such as fans or lamps are needed on a fairly regular basis.However,they tend to be awkward to store.Don't just leavethem in the corner for convenience,where they'll only look out of place and waste your space.Instead,try keeping

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them under skirted end tables,providing you with easyaccesswhenever you need the item b u t a l s oa l l o w i n gq u i c k c l e a n - u pw h e n t h e room needs to be tidy. Not only does this offer a unique storageopportunity, but it also provides great style,as a variety of skirtsfor end tables are a v a i l a b l et o r n a t c ha n y c o l o r s c h e m e Y . o uc o u l d even make your own skirt.

point out on the legs aligns with the edge of the cabinet face frame. You can use a leg as a guide for a self-centering bit, and then drill pilot holes for the mounting screws. Now mount the cap and base assemblies to the cabinet. Start by applying construction adhesiveto the cabinet, and then set the assemblyin place (Frg. 9). Run a couple of woodscrews into the assembliesfrom inside the cabinet, just to hold everything together the front edge to true it up, and leave the back edge alone. No need to worry

the filler onto the cap, so when it comes time to put everything together, you'll

becauseno one will seeit anyway.Next, cut the panels to the same width as the cabinet (measured from the outside

be able to easily reposition it. Remove the filler just long enough to spread glue between the two pieces. Then put the filler piece back in place, and attach it with woodscrews.

edgesof the face frame).

temporarily. You'll be able to remove the woodscrews in about 24 hours when the adhesivehas had plenty of time to set up. These final few details of the sideboard are where you get to flexyour personal taste a bit - paint and door pulls. We went

The simplest way to attach all these panels to the cabinet is to attach them to each other first. Start by laying the cap panel face down on the bench. Then position

Nowyou can move on to build your base sub-assemblyin the same manner. Once you're done with that, you can then flip it over and lay out the

with a bold turquoise color and a set of whimsically wavy pulls. m-

the filler, so it is set back from the front edge of the cap by 3/+"and centered

locations of the furniture legs. These are inset from the edgesof the base

- Written by Bill Link, illustrated by Kim D owning, proj ect designedby Mike

along the width. Trace the perimeter of

panel approximately3To",so the furthest

Donovan

WorkbenchSpecials.com

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clutter and fill the needs of c a r n eu p w i t h t h e s ec l u t t e r - Avoid the entire family with

e l i r n i n a t i nsgo l u t i o nf so r

these simple solutions for a tight workspace.

y o u rc c n n p u t earr e aa n d e n t e r t anim e n tc e n t e rT. h e y p u t e v e r y t h i nygo u n e e d w i t h i ne a s yr e a c ha, l l w h i l e No room for a home office? Put an closet to use as a fully

b e i n ge a s yo n t h e e y e s . underutilized

td This fold-up hub will quickly becomethe centerof your familyt fast-paced, portableworld.

Use pre-fab cabinets to assemble a modern media center that holds all your audio/visual gear.

WorkbenchSpecia ls.com

45

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office& entertainmentI

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ONE FITS S i m p l es h e l v i n ga n d storagesolutionsturn a crampedand cluttered home officeinto an activitycenterthat suits the needsof the whole family- without taking up a lot of space.

BEFORE

ramped,crowded,and A FTER cluttered, Dave and Wendyt home officewas stuffedinto a room that had onceservedasa nursery.At just seethe officesideofthis still tinybut over 55 squarefeet,it wasdefinitely now tidy activity centerin the Photott undersizedand overburdened. left. The equallycompactyet convenient Thatt becausethe room had to craftcenterisshownonpage50. serveasan office,a craft center,and a Sohow did theypull it off? With homeworkhome basefor two working simple shelvespickedup at the home parentsand apair of growingboys. center.Shelvesalone,thougfu didn't Unfortunately,it didn't accomplishany makethis amazingmakeoverpossible. of thosethingsverywell. _Urirg them in creativewaysdid. The "Before"floorplan aboveshows On the next few pages,we'llwalk that one sideof the roomwashome you through the stepsit takesto turn to an outdatedcomputerdesk,and those ordinary melamineshelves, the other to a smallfolding table.But which were designedfor organizing storagespacewasnowhereto be found. closetsand pantries,into a wallThat meantthe deslgtable,and floor hoggrg corner desk,a roomy craft all becamestackedwith piles of stuff, table,and of course,simple adjustable which left little usablespacefor actually wall shelvesthat hold a handful of doing anything. organizingaccessories. 5|MPLESOLUTION 5- Surprisingly, Takea look at what wasaccomplished thougtr,turningthis roominto a in this room, andyou'll seehowwith functional family workspacewaseasy. ingenuity,a fewhundred dollars,and a After aweekendofwork, this small weekend'sworth ofwork, you too can spaceeffectivelyserves the needsof this createa workspacethat trulyworks in family ('After"Jloorplary aboue).Youcan your own home.It's a project that proves sometimesone size- evena very small size- really canfit all.

WorkbenchSpecials.com

47

-l

ONE OFFICE If theret one thing an officehasto have, it's a desk.This officehad one,but as you seein the "Before"Photoabove,it wasn'tvery functional. Thoughbig, the deskdidn t offer much practicalstorage space.And asfar asstyle is concerned, it left a lot to be desired(unless,of course,fakeoak on particleboardis a trend I'm not in tune with). DTSK_ThCfirSt A SLEEK, SIMPLE order of businessfor revampingthis officewasto ditch that big old desk in favor of somethingmore practical. Inspiration camefrom commercial officesystems,with their space-efficient corner desksfor computersand easyto-clearlwide-opensurfaces.

With its mix of modern and classic features, this desk emulates that style without the budget-busting cost that goes hand-in-hand with commercial office furniture.Itt made, believe it or not, entirely from inexpensive 16"-deep melamine shelves mounted on shelf standards and brackets. To make the deskwrap around the corner, we simply cut one short section that spans across the corner at 45 degrees. Itt easy to do with a circular saw and a straightedge. And we'llmake it even simplerwith complete buildert drawings you can download for free at Workb enchSpecials.com. Flanking this section are two longer pieces - one against each wall - that are simply cut at 9O-degreeangles where theymeet the corner section. (We clipped the corner offone end to make the room more child safe.) Cleats underneath the work surfacesspan the joints, and screws hold it all together.

The deskis mountedusingtwo simplecomponents:shelfstandardsand shelfbrackets.Both itemscamefrom the closetorganizationaisle,just like the shelves.Theyhangon a horizontal rail that getsscrewedinto the wall studs.Thatmakesit easyto position the standardsanywhereon the wall. The shelvessit on bracketsthat slip into the standards(Photo,belownearleft). With the standardsin place,all you haveto do is position 16"bracketsat a comfortabledeskheight.We placed them 28" abovethe floor. That takes careof one wall of the work center. On the adjoiningwall,we didn't usethe shelfstandardsand brackets. Instead we decidedto mount a wall cabinetfrom PotteryBarn (PotteryBarn.com).It holds a variety of smalloffice and craftitemsand even offersa placeto chargecell phones and other smallelectronics(Photo,far ,rgh). Of course,you couldjust aseasily mount a differentcabinetor organizer of your choosingin this space. Without the standardson this wall, we neededanotherwaytomount this sideof the desk.Sowe simply drew a levelline aroundthe cornerfrom the standard-mountedbrackets,and screwedwall-mountedshelfbracketsin place(Photo,abovertgh). A RTSER CONTROLSCORDS- TO

completethe desk,we cut a simple wedgethat fits into the corner on cleats (Photo,far left). Motlullteda few inches the it elevates abovethe desksurface,

48

HomeStorage:Office& Entertainment

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computermonitor and providesa convenient gap for wires to passthror-rgh. To completethe olhce area,12"-deep shelveswent on the stanclarcls. A lor,r. shelf housesthe printer, r,r'hi1e hishr.r shelvesprovide storagear-rcl rlispli'ry.

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Thoseshelvesare ioadedu.ith expandingfiles and storageboxes made by Real Sirnplethat we picked up at Target (Target.corn).You'll find that they not only provide an easyway to organize,but they aisolook great.

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CENTER To makethis room into more than just an office,we incorporateda complete craftcenteron the wall oppositethe desk.It offersa big work surfaceandlots of storage,but still fits the confinesof the room.And it surebeatsthe folding tablethat onceoccupiedthe samespace ("Before"Photo,above). - Puttingtogether SIMPLER SHELVTNG the craft centerwaseveneasierthan building the officearea.We startedwith a setof shelfstandardsmountedto the wall. They'repositionedwith a long shelfup top and shortershelvesthat run down eachside (Photo,left).However,

thatt certainlynot the only possible setup.You canrearrangeand reorganize the shelvesand bracketsalongthe standardsto find what works best for your area.Again, we simply cut all the I2"-deepshelvesto length. The craft table is alsomelamine,but it's not actuallya shelf.The piecewe usedhere is actuallysold asa 2O"-wide cabinetsideand comesfrom the home center.The shelfstandardsand brackets we usedhaveplenty of strengthto support this largerwork surface. CABINETS ONA ROLL_TwofiIe cabinets(orderedfrom CB2.com)sit

O N L I N EE X T R A S , Cornplet,e Builders Drawings under the table and help prevent any of the previous clutter from returning. Also, they're on wheels, so they can easilybe rolled out to enlarge the work surface wheneveryou find it necessary (Photo,belowleft). * One AN ATTRACTIVE OPTION interesting part of this craft area is the dry-erase board on the wall. Whatt unique is that this one is magnetic, so a set of magnetic clips and a magnetic tool bar can add a lot of versatility to an inexpensive piece. The board and clips came from an office supply store, and we found the magnetic tool holder at a scrapbook supply store. As fantastic additions to an already transformed and compact space,these accessories really complete the top-notch makeover of this tinyhome office.1T -

Written by D aue Stone,illustrated by Matt Scott,project designedbyJames R. Downing

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! reflects your unique sryle while keeping an eye on organization and productivity. Most of all, a home office should say that this is your home first and your office second. This closet-to-office conversion meets all of those priorites using mostly off-the-shelf items. Only a handful of the items we used had to be purchased online or special-ordered. Whatt more, you dont need to be an advanced DfYer to complete this transformation. The cabinets and counter come complete from the home center and just need to be installed. Plus, pre-finished cabinets can be found in a variety of sizes, so you're guaranteed to find the perfect fit. The carpet comes in individual squares, making installation easy and replacements even easier.Then a newpaint job and the simple installation of bright under-cabinet and track lighting create a ready and welcoming office. Over the next fewpages, we highlight our favorite features, which you can pick and choose from to create a unique and convenient workspace.

With personalizeddetails,a closetoffice makesbetter useof the spaceboth i n s i d ea n d o u t s i d et h e c l o s e t .

52

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Closet Office Setup Tips: outletsin closetsis rare.5o the firststepin yourcloset Al Findingelectrical Thisway, routepowerto the space. maybe to havean electrician conversion Besure you'llhaveadequateoutletsboth aboveand belowthe worksurface. that partof the planincludespowerfor the new lightingyou install,aswell. of lighting,you mayfind that the one starklightbulbtypicalin most BI Speaking lighting closetswon'tbe enoughto workby.Sowe usedeasy-to-installtrack lightsto illuminatethisclosetoffice, abovethe dooralongwith under-cabinet makingit welcomingfor thoselonghoursat the computer. thinkoutsidethe office.Thecabinetswe CI Whenshoppingfor storagesolutions, and brackets can usedareintendedfor the kitchen.Andthoseshelfstandards roundcorkboards or closetorganizers.The be foundamonggarage,basement, page 53)areactuallytrivets,and the magneticbaskets, on the backwall (Photo, store. whichworkasconvenientpen holders,arefrom a bed-and-bath item. Butany Dl Theplasticlaminatecountertopisn'texactlyan"off-the-shelf" homecenterwill buildyou a worksurfacelikethisone,includinga "bump-in"so you cantuckthe chairintothe officewhenyou'rereadyto closethe door. they'reattracoverregularcarpetbecause E] Forflooring,we chosecarpetsquares andjust aseasyto replaceif theyget wornor stained. tive,easy-to-install, that you mayspendhoursfacinginto thispoorlyventilatedcloset Fl Considering space,a smallair purifieror,at a minimum,a fanwill helpcirculatethe airand keepyou feelingyourbestwhileworkingin youroffice.

54

HomeStorage:Office& Entertainment

ONE-OF.A.KINDCLOSETOFFICE As the "Closet Office SetupTips" at left makeclear,a closetoffice (or any office, for that matter) requireswall-to-wall and floor-to-ceilingplanning.And while the bulleted list and lllustration provide a nice overviewfor designing your own officein a closet,there are somespecificqualitiesabout this makeoverthat bear closerexamination. So many,in fact, thatwe had to narrow it down to our four favorite traits to highlight in this article. For instance,when comparingthe "Before"and ".After"Photoson the previouspages,you mayhavenoticed that we changedthe carpet.There may havebeen a litde life left in the existing carpet,but by replacingit with short-napcarpetsquares[1] we created a floor that an officechairwill roll on much more easily.And installing the

squarescouldn t be any simpler - just line them up and press them into place. Best of all, as the chair causesa wear

Another unique feature of our closet office is that the whole thing fits behind the closed doors when it's not in

pattern, or if a dropped pen leavesa stain, itt only neccessaryto replace one

use. To accomplish that, we ordered a plastic laminate countertop with a small "bump-in" for the chair to tuck into during the offhours. But rather than

or two squares to fix the problem. An important goal for this office was to include as many storage options as possible without making the small spaceseem cramped. In lieu of the typical drawers, cabinets, bulletin boards, and desk sets,we used creative arrangements of adjustable shelves, decorative boxes, and even cork trivets (meant to set hot pans on) to meet those needs. Our favorite, though, is this metal "basket backer" I2l. Itt simply a sheet of galvanized metal that we glued to a piece of 7+"-thick plywood. It's an ideal mounting surface for magnetic baskets,which workwell as pen holders. We mounted it on the wall with screws and hollowwall anchors. We slipped finish washers on

sacrifice that work surface, we installed a slide-out keyboard tray that we made from a maple board and mounted with keyboard tray slides [3]. Finally, having packed all of this ingenuity and creativity into the closet office, we wanted to be sure to have full accessto the space. To accomplish that, we installed special hinges on the bi-fold doors [4]. These hinges allow the doors to pivot completely out of the closet opening and sit flat against the walls. E - Written by Bill Link, illustrated by Erich Lage, designedby lames R. Downing

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Johnson Hardware 800.837.5664 JohnsonHardware.com Full-access bi-fold door hinqes

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AC(FSSORtrS Bed, Bath, & Beyond 800.462.3966 BedBathandBeyond.com Cork trivets,magnetic baskets,air purifier Target 800.440.0680 Target.com Manhattanoffice chair,ball vase,expandable file,pencil holder,rolling computer stand PAINT Benjamin Moore 800.344.0400 BenjaminMoore.com BackWall:Fruity CocktailOrange (#147) SideWalls:Monroe Bisque(#HC-26)

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simply fold up the hub with all your wires and cords (Photos,below). But on those occasionswhen you do need

tffi*i*: is, you need to think of it as the natural evolution of the desk.As cell phones get

to stand still long enough to pay a bill, answer an email, or just grab the latesthead-

smaller, laptop computers replacedesktop models, and iPods take the place of CD

lines from the Internet, the front of the hub folds down

players,why do we need a full-size desk to dock all this stuffwhen we finally

to offer you the compact workspace that you need. And by mounting the hub at bar height, you can use it

slow down long enough to recharge their batteries and ours? The answer,in many

comfortably whether you decide to stand or sit down on a stool (Photo,righ).

cases,is that we don't. So the digital hub is a perfectly compact solution. Considering those electronic devicesI just

day, the hub provides the perfect cubby to store and recharge all your gadgets.A

Then, at the end ofeach

listed, what do they all have

power strip hidden behind the frosted doors provides

in common? Portability. So when you're on the go,

plenty of plug-ins.And a removable corkboard in the back of the hub hides all of the inevitable wires. We'lItake a closerlook at the features and construction of the digital hub over the next couple pages. And you can go online to WorkbenchSpecials.comto download complete plans and more in-depth instructions when you're ready to build your very own hub.

56

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OuterCase

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Tips& Tricksto BuildYourOwn Hub If this digital hub fits yourbusy lifestyle, then slowing down to build a complicated proj ect probably doesn't. So we kept things as simple as possible

Mounting Cleat

Bulletin Board Cleat

without sacrificing form or function. The most challenging part of this

You'll also be glad to know that this project is built almost entirelywith 'bff-the-shelf" materi als (ConstructionView),which will saveyou a lot

project is making the S-shapedsides. It's worth the effort, though, because

of searching.The outer case,inner case,and pivoting work surface are all

the hub literally hinges on these parts. A special hinge, called a "roto" hinge, joins the two curved pieces and allows the front of the hub to pivot down and

constructed from 7+"-thick maple. Itt available at anyhome center, as is the r/+"plryood that serves as the backer for the corkbulletin board and the clear

serve as a work surface. With the work surface down, it bears on the bottom of

acrylic for the doors and shelves.You

the inner caseto provide a sturdy, stable platform (Side View). Strong magnetic catches on the S-shaped sides hold the hub closed when it's not in use. Clearly, these parts fill several important roles. And with a bit of jigsawwork and some template

58

routingr you can make them quickly and accurately (Photo,page S9).

HomeStorage:Office& Entertainment

can find the cork at office-supply stores. However, to complete the project, you'll need a few special-order items that give the digital hub its versatile capabilities. These include the "roto" hinges and magnetic catches, as well as the acrylic shelf support pins and sliding-door tracks (Construction View).

absolute accuracywhen you're making the S-shapedsides of the digital hub's work surface (nhoto, left). Likewise, we'll walkyou step-bystep through the process of aligning and installing the roto hinges for flawless operation. Otherwise, the

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Along with the maple and hardware, you'll also need a modest collection of power tools to complete this project. Most notably, a table saw and a router table are required (benchtop models will do nicely). You'll also need a jigsaw 8-lUqUtFS-!4il'_qgq, , -,,, _ _-!1ry,ry_'lq9EK O N L I N EE X T R A S ., ( r:n r i <:i e f:i.ti lti Qr "' Pia :' < " Free Artii-ie: Tr:ir;Di:iit:iit': tlir,t:) :te i., i-,),-Stegir i!,.it ii.ir:,: In st a i !i r g it rtr':: t i i r, i : :

and a drill/driver. Finally, a randomorbit sander and a fewbar clamps,while not essential,would certainlybe handy. A complete list of the tools you should have for this project, including drill bits and router bits, is included with the downloadable plans. The building processis no more advanced than the tool list. Standard board sizesfrom the home center keep cutting to a minimum. And template routing (which is explained in greater detail in the online plans) ensures

washers for a dressierlook. Finally, a clear satin finish is applied to highlight the maple. Krylon and Deft both offer versions of this in spray cans. From there, all that you have left to do is install the hub in the virtual, if not literal, center of your home. Place a power strip in the upper compartment to power electronics, hide the wiring behind the removable bulletin board, and let your world begin revolving around your digital hub. EWritten by Bill Link, illustratedby

Matt Scott,project designedbyMike Donovan

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in a relatively audio-visual system smallspace. T h i sm e d i ac e n t e e r c h o e st h o s et r e n d sw i t h n l e n l v o f s n a . e fr \n- /rr \e_ n Y Lt rtr ivn r mI e r \ _nr tr L vnr l\ -tl tJ s JsLt\ o - / rrua y \c_ r efr \o- /f vr\_r rL/ \Jr JvLr\-\_

a l lo f y o u rC D sa n d D V D si n a s l e e kc,o m p a c t p a c k a g eA n dt h e b e s tp a r ti sy o u c a nb u i l do n e c u s t o m i z etdo s u i ty o u rn e e d si n a w e e k e n d . When we saythis media center is a weekendproject, we mean it. The building plans are as straightforward as the projectt contemporary design.And we kept the construction simple to ensurethat you could finish it in a couple days,ready to use the next time you have a party or just want to relax. ' :,, The secretto that simplicity is starting with pre-finishedkitchen wall cabinetsthat you can pick up at the home center (ConstructionView,page62). Using pre-finished cabinetsmakesit easyto adapt the center to the size and style you need to fit your home. For this center,we went with three 15"-tallby 30"-wide upper cabinets. For style,we chose clear-finishedmaple cabinets.They're "flat-pack"units from the home center that go together with a few screws(Buyer'sGuide,pagefi). You'll also find these cabinetsin oak, cherry,and other species.For doors (sold separately),we chose a frame-and-paneldesign,but there are a variety of options availableat the home center. The cabinets are first screwedtogether, then sandwiched between top and bottom capsmade from medium-density fiberboard (MDF) for a sleek,flat surface. The capsareset on spacersmade from /+"-thickhardboard that createan attractive shadow line. Both the capsand the spacersget painted for a nice finished look.

60

Home Storaqe:Office & Entertainment

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VIEW CONSTRUCTION

TOPCAP (7+"MDFx123A"x90")

NOTE:Drivescrewsthroughcabinettop and bottom to attachspacerand cap (AttochmentDetail,below) (7+"hardboardx 12"x 8872")

M a o l eW a l lC a b i n e t ( 15 " x 3 0 " )

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DVD 0rganizer

NOTE:Levelmountingcleat on wall,andthen attachto wall studs (CleotDetail, below)

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Raised-Panel CabinetDoor ( 1 5 "x 1 5 " )

D V D O R GA N IZE R C ON S TR U C TION TOP (7c"hardboard x 6Ts"x 25s/s" )

WALL CLEAT (3/q"x11h" x78")

Pop-ln DVD Storage Racks END PANEL (lz"x6le"

NOTE:Selectthe quantity and sizeofcabinetsfirst,and then sizethe top and bottom capsand spacers to fit

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NOTE: Sizeorganizer to fit cabinets and DVDor CDracks according to manufacturer instructions

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Sizespacers to fit flush with front edge of cabinet

62

Connect cabinets with #6x1Tc" trimhead SCrews

Home Storage:Office & Entertainment

Wall Stud

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ripS DOUBTE DUTY. Searchfor furniture that can double as storageto make the best use of your spaceas well as your money. For example,a decorativetrunk used to storethrow pillows and blanketscould also double as a coffeetable or foot rest in a family room. lt could even hold towels,sheets,linens,and clothing at the foot of a bed or act as a bench that opens to store shoes in the entryway of your home. {FrornBarrylzsal,.Arrangingir Alll

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even simpler than building it. First mount a cleat to the wall studs, making sure itt level, for the center to rest on (Cleat

the base of the entire project. Then drill pilot holes, and attach them end-to-end. I used trimhead screws designed for use with cabin ets (AttachmentD etail) .

FILLITWITHFUNCTION-Togive the center more than just great looks, you can add shelves,dividers, or pull-out baskets to the cabinets. But we chose

CAPlT OFF-Next, make the MDF top and bottom caps.To do that, start by measuringthe total depth of the cabinets, including the doors, and rip two pieces

to create our own simple organizer to hold DVD or CD cases(Photo,below). Here, we started with pre-made plastic holders from a mail-order supplier (Buyer'sGuide). The holders fit into

the spacers froml/+" hardboard. Next, subtract Llz" fromthe length of the cap, so the spacerwill remain hiddenwhen the cap is added creating the shadow line. Then cut the spacersto that length.

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cap, and attach them. Then flip the cabinets over, and add the others. HANGlT UP*Installingthe centeris

Detail, belowleft,and Photo,right).Have someone help you lift the center onto

cut the MDF capsto match. To make the spacers,just subtract 3/+"fromthe width of a cap, and rip

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on a topcoat of clear satin polyurethane to achievea sleekerlook. That done, position one spacerand

GETITTOGETHERKeeping those basic steps in mind, you can begin to buildyour custom media center. The first thingyou need to do is carefully align your cabinets, as they are

ofMDF to thatwidth. Thenyou can measurethe length of the cabinets,and

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You'll want to paint the spacersand capsbefore installing them. I sprayedon two coats of flat blac( and then I sprayed

the cleat and hold it steady asyou drive screwsthrough the mountingrails in the cabinets and into the studs.

a casemade of maple and leftover hardboard ( OrganizerConstruction). To make the case,just cut the pieces to size, scre\Mthem together, and attach the plastic holders. E - Written by D ave Stone,illustrated by Matt Scott,project designedbylames R. Downing

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A cleatthat'smounted to the wall and screwedto the studshelpssupport the weightof the mediacenterandTV.

FtjYi,ir'li C,{.J iLi[ : iF"BtN [T::, Mill's Pride Cabinetry Cabinets:NaturalMaple(W3015M), Doors:"Faiffield" (DRPiMFD) 800-441-0037;M illsPride.com (Availableat HomeDepot.com.) Atlas Housewares Pulls:Euro-TechHook Knob; BrushedNickel (#4808) 800-799-6755 AtlasHousewares.com r.r'i.iil:, l i..r!t;-iGE lfJ:;IF"i Rockler Hardware Pop-ln DVD Holder (#53872), (Alsoavailable:Pop-ln CD Holder #92908) 800-279-4441 Rockler.com i1i) i;iiili\Ji 3,irA t coM pfi N i:f,lT5 Dell 42" PlasmaTV (WD4200) 800-999-3355 Dell.com Bose 3 - 2 - 1G SS e r i e sl l H o m e EntertainmentSystem 800-999-2673 Bose.com A{-{.f:55ilRigi Hobby Lobby RecordAlbum Frames 800-888-0321, ext. 1275 Hobbylobby.com or CraftsEtc.com Pier One lmports Wood Statue 800-245-4595 Pierl .com Floor Lamp Homemade,using photographer's light stand and umbrellareflector, plus a track-lightfixture.

KeepDVDsorganizedand out of the way,but easyto get to, with this handyorganizer.lt slipsinto a cabinetin the mediacenterand holds48 DVDsin their protectivecases.

WorkbenchSpecia ls.com

63

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HomeStorage:Garage& Utility

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garage& utility Theutilityroomandgarage aren't themostglamorous spotsinthehome,but there's no reason they shouldn't beorganized and

66 CustornGarage StorageSystem Transform off-the-rack steel

from the home loaded withconvenientshelving center into great-looking enclosed storage cabinets and for your garage.

features.Thesestorage a workcenter systems willhelpyouget Ei\

the mostoutof yourspace andworkmoreefficiently. 7n /tl Recycling Center Cut the clutter with this roll-around recyclingcenter.It holds four bins for sorting items, and its simple designmakesit a greatproject to build with your kids.

Laundry Room Makeover Still considerlaundry a chore? After adding these cabinetsand accessories to your laundry room, you may think otherwise.

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WORKCENTER STURDY

HomeStorage:Garage & Utility

PANELS & DOORS

STORAGE SYSTEM

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One choice is to check out the many available' garagestoragesystems." These look great and add plenty of storage space,but they also quickly subtract a lot of money from your pocket book. Another option is to build your own shelving system.You won't spend nearly as much money, but you will have to invest a lot more time. Luckily, there is a third option: Create a hybrid system by starting with ready-to-assemblesteel shelvesand then creating simple enclosuresto turn them into custom cabinets. Thatt how we created the storagesystem at left. It starts with three sets of steel shelves (made byMuscle Rack, in our case) that we picked up at a local home center for less than $200. Then, turning these open shelvesinto enclosed cabinets is really quite easy (Diagram,Ieft). Just wrap the shelveswith pegboard panels and add plywood doors. We even built in a workbench that's surrounded by more pegboard panels and has an overhead light. The result is a great-looking storage and work center that fits in a relatively compact space.

_FiTst, START WITHTHESHELVES you'll need to decide just how big you want your storagesystem to be. Then buyyour shelvesaccordingly.We used three sets of shelves:a 48"-wide by 24" -deep set flanked by two 36"-wide by l8"-deep units. This arrangement makes extra room for storing large items and provides enough depth to create a good-sized work space. Assembling the shelvesis easy thanks to pins that lock into keyhole slots in the legs.You can arrange all the shelves as we have or configure them to better suit your storageneeds. Be sure to assemblethe shelvesnear where they'll be installed, so that you don t have to move them far after you add the panels and doors. Now just follow the simple steps on the next two pages,as well as the free builder's drawings you can find on Wo rkb enchSpecials.com.

WorkbenchSpecials.com

67

THE ENCLOSE WITH SHELVES PANELS PEGBOARD

Adding pegboardpanelsand bi-fold doors (left)totheseeasilyassembled shelvesmaximizesstorage,The simple a workbenchand baskets(above)create convenientwork centerwithout takinq up a lot of space.

rip9

Startby enclosingthe shelves.We usedperforated hardboardpanels,commonlyknown as"pegboard" (Illustration,below). Thesepanelskeepout most of the dust, and offer a good amount of space for hangingstorage(Photo,aboveleft). We appliedpegboardto both ends of the centersection.On the flanking sections,the panelsjust go on the outer ends.By the way,we didn t enclosethe backsof the shelfunits becauseours sit againstthe wall. But if your storagesystemwill sit awayfrom the wall, you could addbackpanels. Just cut the pegboardpanelsto fit betweenthe shelflegs.Then attach them by driving self-tappingsheet metal screwsthrough existingholes and into the endsof the shelves. panels Cutpegboard to fit between shelflegs

FIVE STEPSTO GARAGE ORGAilIZATION. tl Sort through everything in your garage. Make four piles: Donate, Sell, Keep,and Toss. lf it's broken. pitch (or recycle) itl lf you don't use it, donate it or sell it on the Web. 2l Divide your"Keep" pile into specific groups: tools, cleaning supplies, kids'toys, etc. 3l Once everything is out of the way, sweep and vacuum.The floor is the first thing a person notices in a room, so cleaning it is a simple way to improve your garage. 4l Create"zones"for each specific"Keep" pile, so every item will have a designated spot. 5l Keep your organization system simple. Otherwise,you'll have clutter issuesin the future. To keep your garage tidy, adapt a system that the entire family can continue to use.

L] [: rom RickChamberlain, storeV/AL

68

HomeStorage:Garage& Utility

self-tappingsheetmetal screwsthroughholesin

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The benchtopcomes next (Photo,far left). It's just cut from a pieceof medium densityfiberboard(MDF). You'll notice that the bench overhangs the front of the shelf.This brings the bench out farther,so you canwork more comfortably.And the overhang providesa handyplacefor clamping Stopholds items to the front of the bench.To doorsin strengthenthis edgefor heavy-duty position Cleatsprovide | -l whenclosed work, it getsa lip madefrom another mountingsurface---/ narrowpieceofMDF. for doors To makethe benc[ cut a pieceof CREATETHE MDF to match the insidewidth of the CABINET DOORS shelf(Illustration,below).Then add Doors turn theseordinary 3s/e"to the shelfdepth (to accountfor shelvesinto something the overhang),and cut the bench to more. They'resimply cut that size.You'll alsoneedto be sure to fit from 3/+"plryood and mounted that you notch eachfront corner using to simple cleatsthat get bolted to the a jigsaw(you may alsoneedto round shelflegs(Illustration,above).Allthe off the backcorners),so the benchtop dimensionsand detailsare online. fits nicely aroundthe shelflegs. The bi-fold designwe chosefor the Once that'sdone,you're readyto doorsmeanstwice asmuch cutting and slip the bench into place.Then cut the twice asmanyhingesto mount, but the front lip to size,and glue it on. extraeffort is worthwhile becausethe The benchtopsimplyrestson the doors openwide and tuck neatly out of shelfit sits on. The pegboardpanels the way (Photo,middleleft). addednext will hold it in place. First, you'll needcleatsthat the doorsmount to, aswell asstopsthat hold the doorsinpositionwhen they're closed.To makethe cleats,cut them to matchthe height betweenthe shelves. Then temporarilyposition the cleats. Cut doorstopsto match the shelf width. Clamp them in, drill mounting holes,then bolt in the cleatsand stops. Now cut the doorpanelsto fit the opening,and allow %" betweeneach door to makespacefor hinges.Install the hingesand doorpulls, then add magneticcatcheson the door stops. Notchcornerto fit aroundleg ONLIhIETXTRAS ,,i{rL rn p lct t' [* t i ld t r',, { )r n,u i r rq:,

baskets belowbench

NOTE: You'llfinddetaileddrawings panelsandframes forthe pegboard atWorkbenchSpecials.com

COMPLETE THE WORKSPACE The benchby itself comes in handy,but you can do

For starters,line the areaabovethe benchtopwith evenmore pegboard panelsto hold tools, accessories, and hlardwarebins (Photo,abow left). These panelsarea bit differentfrom the ones you madeearlier (Illustration,above). Th"yget mounted to simpleframes that provide clearancebehind for pegboardhooks to poke through. Startby cutting a pegboardpanel to fit into the back of the opening.Then glue and nail on a frame.Now attachthis assemblybydririrg screwsthrough the shelflegsand into the frame. Next, cut sidepanelsand frames to fit, and attachthem the sameway. Finally,finish it offbyinstalling a fluorescentlight.lT - WrittenbyD aue Stone,illustrated byErichLage,projectdesigned bylames R. Downing

WorkbenchSpecials.com

69

I

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I garage& utility

Center

savethe planet(andsomespace) lmost everyonehasgotten ot board with recycling Jl I g e n e r a t i o nt w o these days.Many commuJ],I I J nities offer curbsidepickup v a l u a b l es k i l l s , recyclables, suchascans, of common c o n s e r v a t i oann d glass,plastics,and paper,or they at leastprovideconvenientdrop-off c o n s t r u c t i o nb,y points for thesematerials. That makesit easyto properly b u i l d i n gt h i s disposeof recyclablematerials.The r o l l i n gr e c y c l i n g tough part is finding a placeto keep centertogether. them until itt time to turn them iry especiallyif they don t get collected weeklywith the rest ofyour trash.And recyclablesusuallyhaveto be sorted, which meansadditionalspaceis necessaryto divide up everything.

Teachthe next l^

I

This recycling center solves each of those issues.In a compact space,it holds four l2.S-gallon recycling bins that let you keep everything separated. The bins slide out, so they're easy to access.And the whole center sits on casters to make it easy to move around. The center is built mainly from white melamine panels, which are good-looking, inexpensive, and easy to clean. On top, there's a solid-pine panel that makes a great worksurface. One of the best features of this center, though, is how easy it is to build. The whole thing goes together without any fancy joinery and all the work is accomplished using fairlybasic tools. In fact, if you have a budding builder around, it's a great project to

do together(left).

With its basicconstruction, this centeris a great project f o r a p a r e n ta n d c h i l dt o build together.

70

HomeStorage:Garage& Utility

WorkbenchSpecials.com

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TOPPANEL (3/c" x44") x161A" /2" hole

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ffia*{$d c.tu* flmh*r*st To support a frrll load of recyclables,this center has to be sturdy. But it doesn t have to be difficult to build. The main cabinet consistsofsixpanels: two ends,abottom, divider, top, and back (ConstructionView). They're connected by stretchersand a couple of cleats,and the whole assembly goestogether with screws. Even getting the suppliesyou need is simple. Most ofthem are availableatyour local home center.The melamine pieces

72

HomeStorage:Garage& Utility

are just cut from 16"-wide shelf panels, and the pine top actually comes preglued. The jig for the pocket-hole joinery is available at the home center, aswell. You will have to special-order the 'tonnecting screws" that join the cabinet panels, though. You can learn more about these screwson page 73. Once you have all your supplies on hand, you can get started building the recycling center cabinet:

I I Cut two cabinetends(A) and one cabinetbottom (n) to length. ?.iArrangethe pieceson the floor,front edgedown,andclampthem in a"U" shape.Thefront edgesshouldbeeven, andthe bottom panelshouldsit flush with the endof eachendpanel.Usethe steppeddrill bit from the connecting screwkitto borethroughthe cabinetend andinto the bottom (ConstructionView). Then drive in the connectingscrews.

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3] Cut three sketchers (C, D, E) from 1x4 pine. Mark one as the upper back stretcher, and then drill pocket holes in it (ConstructionViw).Later, these are used to attach the top panel. (See page 75 for more about working with pocket screws.) 4l Mark another one of the pieces as the front stretcher. Then drill four r/2"-diarrteter holes for mounting the top panel. 5] Now attach the two back stretchers. Note that they don t sit flush with the back edge. They're set in 1/+",so the back panel fits into the cabinet later. To account for this inset, make a couple of spacers froml+" hardboard to position the stretchers as you drill holes for the connecting screws (Photo, righ).After drilling the holes, drive in screws to secure the back stretchers. Now attach the front stretcher with two connecting screws in each end (Photo, page 70). 6] To make a sturdymounting surface for the back, cut a pair of cleats (f) to width and length from3/+" pine. Attach them between the back stretchers. 7l Now cut a divider (C). Rip 7+"from the back (unfinished) edge so it will fit flush with the inset stretchers. Then use a jigsaw to cut three notches that allow the divider to fit around the stretchers. 8] Stand the divider in positiory and then drill holes and drive in the connecting screws that attach it to the stretchers and the cabinet bottom. 9l Cut a hardboard back panel (H), and screw it to the stretchers and cleats. 101Attach the castersto the cabinet. The center gets heavy, so the casters sit under the end panels (Rear Caster Detail). That way, weight is borne by the cabinet ends, not just the bottom panel. Each rear caster gets mounted with two screws driven into the cabinet end, one into the lower back stretcher, and one bolt through the bottom. Each front caster is mounted with two screws driven into the cabinet ends, and two bolts throtigh the bottom.

Usespacersto positionthe upper rearstretcher,and haveyour helper hold one end of the stretcherin placeas you align the other end and drill screwholes.

11l Nowadd the top panel(l). ttt made from a pre-gluedpine panelcut to sizeso it overhangs3/+" infront andat eachend. 121Beforeinstallingthe top, applya coat of water-basedpolyurethaneto both facesand all edges.This prevents the panelfrom absorbingand shedding moisturethroughout the year,which can causeit to swell.The finish sealsthe wood to minimize this swelling. 131Of course,someswellingmay still occur.To accommodatethat, the top getsmounted tightly only to the back stretcherusingpocket screws(Top PanelDetail).Atthe front, the top needsto be ableto move if it shrinks and swells.The oversizeholesin the front stretchermakethat possible.

rip10 HIGHERTHINKING. Garagesoften end up as a cluttered storage space for rarely used items. Insteadof leaving bikes and toys lying around on the garage floor, you can hang them from the ceiling when they aren't being used.Not only does this open up the floor space for more storage options, there! enough room left to actually park your car in the garage and designatea spot for your lawnmower and power tools.

&-ffi CONNECTING SCREWS We built this projectusingmelamine panels.Theywork great,but they have a particleboardcorethat tendsto split when fastenedwith ordinarywood screws.Evenif it doesn'tsplit,the screws stillmay not grabfirmly. The solutionisto use'tonnecting" screws(Phoro).They havestraightshanks to preventsplitting,and deep threads that grabfirmly.A steppeddrill bit is usedto borethe pilot holq shankhole, and countersinkin one operation. Youcan purchasea starterkit {#7050CSP-A) at McFeelys.com. lt comeswith 1007mm x 50mm screws,caps,and the steppeddrill bit for about $35.

WorkbenchSpecials.com

73

J"l"rerr of the trali [rottorn(r"ibove). tJsea pocket-holejic;to l;cre lrolesin the i-rnck.rsiclo (riqht). tlrtt siclq:s s(rcr\^ls t':.ratt;ir-h posil:ir;n i,l)d(-er,.lrtd rjrive irotl<.rrrr iisiri!].., the tray

Then attach the frame pieces with pocket screws (Photo,above). 5JFinish assemblingthe trays by reinforcing the corners of each frame

Makethe Trays

with connecting screws. 6] Nextyou can mount the drawer slides. Installation techniques vary

Making a cabinet to store reryclables is a fine idea, but making that storage easy to accessmakes this centerreallywork. That's accomplished with slide-out trays. Each tray consists of a melamine bottom surrounded by a frame made from 1x3 pine. The tray connects to the frame with pocket screws, and the frame goes together with connecting screws (f*y Construction View). The trays ride on full-extension drawer slides, so they'll slide out for easy accesseven when weighed down with loaded recycling tubs. Here's how the trays are built: 1l Start by cutting the tray bottoms (J) to size from3/+"melamine panels. Then drill pocket holes in one face of each tray bottom (Photo,aboveleft). 2l Cut frame fronts (K), backs (L),

sides are identical on each tray, but the front and back are different. The fronts are longer so that they overhang the sides and conceal the drawer slides. 3lNow sand the frame parts and brush on two coats ofwater-based polyurethane finish. It's easierto do this now

depending on the manufacturer. Just follow the provided instructions to position the trays as shown in the CabinetConstructionView on page7 2. After you install the trays, drop in four recycling tubs. With convenient organization for all your recyclables,

than after the trays are assembled. 4] You can assemblethe trays in just two steps: First, set a %" thick spacer on your worktable. Lay atraybottom on the

you're set to savethe planet.lE

spacerwith the pocket holes facing up.

R. Downing

-

Written by Dave Stone,illustrated

by Erich Lage,project designedbyJames

V IE W T R A YC ON S TR U C TION Attach FIRST: frameto tray bottomwith pocketscrews (lnsetPhoto,above)

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and sides (Vt) to length from lx3 pine. Note as you cut these pieces that the 6/

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74

HomeStorage:Garage& Utility

frame SECOND: Secure screws withconnecting corners

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drillbit.Thatensuresthe bit will borethe correctdepth pocket,

cabinetmakingto deck building(Photos, above). The pocketjoint is easyto understand.Ttrere's an angledhole (thepocket)in one workpiecethat hasa smallerscrewshankhore

Afterdrillinqthe pockets, alignthe two marinqpiecesand then drivein the screws. Thescrewshankissnraller than the hole it fits into,so the screwwon't grab the workpiecethat hasthe pocket"Thethreadsbite into the nratingpieceonly.The"washer-

and it locatesthe screwholecenteredon the stockthickness. t r a y sw , e r e l i e do n p o c k e t - h o l jeo i n e r y T . h e r e a s o n sa r e s i m p l e : To usethe R3,clampthe jig to one of the workpieces to be pocket-holejoinery is fast,easy,and sturdy. joined,slipthe drillbit into the sleeve, and then drilluntilthe stop lf you'renot farniliarwith pocket-holejoinery,you'llwant tcr collarbottoms out (lllustratiott, be-lowleft).Yor-t don't haveto <Jrill be.lt'sa versatilemetllod tlrat can be usedin everythinqfrom into the rnatingworkpiece.

at the bottom. 8y drivinga screwinto this hole,it piercesthe mat, ing workpieceand drawsthe two tightlytogether. joineryhasbeenarouncifor manyyears,but one Pocket-hole company,KreqTools,hasmadeit easywith theirwell-designed pocket-holejigs.Thecompany'.s latestmodel,the R3(photo, above), is ainredat DlYers and isavailable at Lowes. To usethe jig,firstadjustthe legsto matchthe thickness of the materialyou'reusing.Thenset a stop collaron tlre steppect

Pocket-HoleJig positionsbit at

style"screwheadseatsinto the bottom of the pocketand pulls the two piecestogether (lllustration, belowright). Oncetlre screwsaretiqht,the joint is veryunlikelyto come apart,evenwithout glue(thoLrgh glue can be irsed).The pockets can usuallybe hidden,or they can be filledwith a specialplug. For more informationon the R3,as well as other pockethcllejiqs made by KregTools,visit KregTools.com.

DriverBit isextralongto provideclearance for drillwhendrivingscrew

Smooth Shank allowsmating pieces ScrewTip to slidetogetheras borespilot screwdrawstight holeto prevent

splittingwood

SteppedBit drillspocketandshankhole 1l After positioningthe pocket-holejig on the workpieceand setting the stop collaron the bit, drill until the bit bottoms out.

Screw Head bottomsout in pocket

2l To complete the joint, drive a screwinto the mating workpiece. Thisdrawsthe two piecestightly together.

WorkbenchSpecia Is.com

75

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maKeover Comfortable. Cozy. Inviting. These words describe manyrooms in the home, but theyrarelyget mentioned in reference to the lowly laundry room. When you consider how much time you spend in the laundryroom, thougl5 shouldn t it be more than just a utilitarian space?Shouldn t it be, dare we say it, comfortable aswell? We designed this laundrysystem with exactly that in mind. As comfortable as this spaceis, though, it! practicaf too. That cheery exterior hides a massive amount ofbuilt-in storage and other organizational feafures. It all starts with the storage cabinets that surround the washer and dryer - a large tower on one side, a lower cabinet with a counter on the other side, and cabinets with flip-up doors above. Inside these cabinets, you'll find five handy accessoriesthat make doing the laundry a breeze. We'll highlight some of the unique features of this system on the following pages.Also, check out WorkbenchSpecials.comfor complete plans to build this laundry center.

WorkbenchSpecia ls.com

77

Spacebehindcabinet accommodates

17Y!" dryerventpipe

Tower Door SeeWorkbenchSpecials.com NOTE: plans, cutting instructions, builder's forcomplete listsforalltheseprojects andmaterials diagrams, Clothes Hamper on NOTE: Seethe"BuyertGuide" arebuiltfrom NOTE: Allthecabinets page81forallthehardware, appliances, panels. Formoretipsonworking melamine shownin thisarticle withmelamine, seeWorkbenchSpecials.com andfixtures

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plt'.Jfttf izf YCrIJRp!LHS. Some things you just can't part with. But you can keep those rarely used but still-neededitems organizedby storing them together: The "Some Day" Pile: This includesthings you'll need "some day"- incentiveor amusing clothing that you no longer fit into. souvenirs from a honeymoon that don't quite match your home decor but bring back beautiful memories, and college mementos that recallyour hobbies of days gone by. The"Can't Live Without lt" Pile: This is the collection of treasuresyou've never had a placefor, but would never dream of giving away-your

mother'swedding dress,the

elephant lamp, or that collection of baseball cardsthat could fill a room. The"Next Season" Pile: Unlessyou plan to do some winter gardeningor go downhill skiing on water skis,get your summer gear out of your coat closettoday. Rotateyour seasonalclothesand equipment to make spacefor what you need.

Your laundry room can be a better place to work, and it all starts with the center shown above.As you can see,itt made up of two basic tower structures that go on either side of a washer and dryer. The towers are connected in the middle by an upper cabinet and a shelf. Look a little deeper,and you'll notice that the laundry center holds five unique features beyond its tremendous amount of shelving and storage: a built-in hamper, a fold-out ironing board, a swing-out hanging rack, a flip-up work table, and a utiliry sink and faucet. You'll find each of these features

HomeStorage:Garage& Utility

a cutting diagram, and a complete materials list that includes all the parts and pieces of the center. Also be sure to check out page 81, where you'll find a "Buyer's Guide" for all the specialty items included in this center. In this article, we'll highlight some of the unique features of the laundry center and provide an overview of what it

highlighted in the photos and captions

takes to build it. TOWER CONSTRUCTIONFor our center, construction began on the large

on the next three pages. Another nice thing about this center is how simple it is to build. All the case

storage tower on the right side of the dryer. With three large shelves, this tower is a great way to clear the clutter

parts are made from melamine, a sheet material with smooth white faces that you can find at anyhome center.All

in a typical laundry room. Inside the tower are two additional features that will come in handy: a flip-up worktable and a drying rack(Photos,page81).

the tips you need for working with

78

this material are available online at Workb enchSpecials.com. While you're there, you can download a full set of builder's plans,

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We wantedthe towert construction to be assimpleaspossible.At the sametime, it had to be sturdy enoughto last. To that end, the tall tower sideshaverabbetsin the ends that hold the top and bottom panels. Another rabbetin the back edgeof eachsideacceptsthe backpanel.(You canfind an article on cutting rabbets at WorkbenchSpecials.com. ) The tower sides,top, and bottom areassembledwith glue and screws. The next part thatt addedto the case is a mounting cleatthat getsinstalled befweenthe casesideswith pocket screws.Later ory this cleatis usedto anchorthe tower to the wall. At this point, you can add the three shelves.Eachshelfgetsscrewedto a pair of shelfsupportsattachedto the casesides.Later ory the work tablewill be positionedat the sameheightasthe middle shelf,so the supportsfor that shelfare a little shorterthan the others. ADDA BASE-Thetower sitson a basethat elevatesthe cabinet.This keepsit offthe potentially d*p laundryroom floor.Thebasehas levelersthat provide an easyway to levelthe cabineton unevenfloors. Thebaseis madeup of four pieces of 7+"-thickstockthat get cut to size and paintedwhite to match the tower. The parts arejoined with pocket screws.Another setof pocketholes drilled nearthe top edgesof all the base partslets you attachthe baseto the tower from below. PUTONTHEDOOR-The toweris enclosedwith a door, which is a large melaminepanelsizedto overlaythe front edgesof the tower.After cutting it to size,hinge the door to the tower. WORKTABLTTheflip-up work table is madefrom a melaminepanel that'scut to fit betweenthe tower sides. The table is supportedby a pair of foldingL-brackets. The L-brackets are attachedto a pair of mounting blocks.Theseblocks are cut from a 2x4 and screwedin placebelow the middle shelf.After you do that, just attachthe L-brackets to the cleats,and then screwthe work tableto the brackets.

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BUILT.I N CLOTHES HAMPER What lookslikean ordinarycabinetdoor beneaththe sinkpullsout to reveala handy clotheshampermountedon full-extension drawerslides.Thehamperconsistsof two fabric sorting bagsthat are suspendedon dowels.Plansfor creatingthis simple feature are available at WorkbenchSpecia Is.com.

DRYING RACK-At the top of the tower is the drymg rack. It consists of two hardwoodarmswith dowels betweenthem to createa placeto hang clothes.A slot at the end of eacharm acceptsa bolt that connectsthe rack to the tower.If you swingthe rack up and push it in toward the cabinet,the slot allowsyou to slide the arm back and "lock" it in place. The rounded endsof the armsare cut with a jig saw,asarethe slotsin the arms.Then all thatb left is to drill holes in the armsto acceptthe rails,which get installedwith glue and screws. To attachthe rack,first drill holes in the tower sidesfor carriagebolts to passthrough. Next, a nylon sleevegets insertedin the slot in eachhardwood arm to protect it from the bolt threads. The bolt then passesthrough this sleeve and getssecuredwith a washerand a lock nut on the inside of the tower.

FOLD-OUTIRONINGBOARD This ironing board from Rev-A-Shelf pullsout from under the counterand swings up for use.Everythingyou need comestogether in a kit. After installing i t , a l l y o u n e e dt o d o i s a d d a m e l a m i n e drawerfront to concealthe ironing board from view.

WorkbenchSpecia ls.com

79

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Sink& UpperCabinsts

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This laundry center's other storage cabinets, a lower sink cabinet and two

laundrybin. This bin is a three-sided boxwith dowels at the top for hanging

upper cabinets, are built similarly to the tower shown on page 78. In addition

laundrybags. It slides in and out of

iJp At':n AWAY. An ideal area for storing camp-

the cabinet on a pair of full-extension

ing equipment, seasonaldecorations,or other

to more storage, they provide room to add a fold-out ironing board, a pull-out

drawer slides. IRONING BOARD- The easiest accessoryto add to the laundry center is the flip-up ironingboard (shownon

laundry bin, and a utility sink. SINKCABINET- Like the storage tower, the sink cabinet is a basic melamine box. It also sits on a base similar to the one on the storage tower. One difference you'll notice is that this cabinet has a divider panel that separatesthe cabinet into two compartments: One to accommodate the plumbing for the sink, and one for the ironing board and laundry bin. Another thing thatt different is that this cabinet doesn t have a top. Instead, it has two cleats used to attach a plastic laminate countertop, complete with a sink. To make your own laminate counter, seeWorkbenchSpecials.com. LAUNDRY BIN- One of this centert most useful features is the pull-out

IX"iii;t li

page79). Thatt becausethe board drawer slides, and hardware come in

f items that won't be used for months at a time is the empty spaceabove your garage door. You can easilyinstallout-of-the-wayshelvingthere using plywood and 2x lumber.01 if your garage doesn't have an attic,there should be plently of room for you to build a loft spacethat suspends from the ceiling or the rafters.

one handykit.

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UPPER CABINETS*The final elements of this laundry center are the upper cabinets. There are two cabinets in our setup: a narrow cabinet that's mounted above the sinkbetween two tall melamine end panels, and a doublewide cabinet that mounts above the washer and dryer. The two upper cabinets are quite similar, but you'll notice that the wider cabinet has an added middle divider to separate it into two compartments. This requires cutting dadoes in the top and bottom panels to accept this divider. Also, the wide upper cabinet isn't as deep as the narrow one. As you can see on page 78, this allows you to mount the cabinet with a gap behind it in case you have water pipes, wiringr or a dryer

vent running up the wall behind your washerand dryer. The upper cabinetsfeaturefrosted doorsthat hide their glass-paneled contentsfrom view. Thesedoors are madewith hardwoodrails and stiles joined togetherwith pocketscrews.To acceptthe glasspanels,rout a rabbet aroundthe frame openings.Then, installthe doorswith hinges.Adding gasspringsallowsthe doorsto open and closeeasilyandlock securelyin placewhen open. ]E- Writtenby Wyatt IvIyers,illustratedby ErichLage,projectdesigned bylamesR. Downing

-t

S U R R O U N D ESDY 5 ! ' O R A G L Oneof the keysto an efficientlaundrycenteris having everythingyou needon hand.Here,we helpyou accomplishthat by surrounding the washeranddryerwith usefulstorageon all sides. Thesizeof thesecomponents, of course, will depend on the sizeof yourwasheranddryer,aswellasthe sizeof 82" the room.Ourlaundrycenterendedup a littleover10-ft. longoverall. lf thatworksfor you,allthe dimensions for this centerarein the plansavailable at WorkbenchSpecials.com. at rightto seehowto modifuthe Or referto the lllustration centerto fit yourspace. projects Theseprojectsworkjust aswellasstand-alone astheydo in a set.Sofeelfreeto buildasmanyof the lcabinetsasyourstorageneedsrequire.

80

HomeStorage:Garage& Utility

ofwasher& dryer,plus 6"

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WASHER & DRYER WhirlpoolDuetWasherand Dryer 866.698.2538 Whirlpool.com

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SINK& FAUCET AmericanStandardSilhouetteSink 800342.1902 AmericanStanda rd-U5.com PegasusSide-ActionFaucet/Sprayer 800.553.31 99 HomeDepot.com IRONINGBOARD Rev-A-Shelf Fold-Outlroning Board 502.499.5835 Rev-A-Shelf.com LAUNDRY BAGS (2)LaundryBagsfor BaggerOrg.System 877.631.2922 Skyburst.com

SWING-OUTDRYINGRACK Thisingeniousracktucks insidethe tower when not in use.But when you need it, it simplyswingsout thanksto a pair of bolts installedon eithersideof the tower. Then,pushingthe rackslightlyback in toward the tower"locks"itin placeand createsa perfect spacefor hanging clothesto dry.

PROJECT HARDWARE (8)26mmBlumClip-onHinges(#38411) (6)Lift-O-Mat GasSprings(#34373) (#5837 FoldingL-Brackets 7) WhiteSurface-Mount PuckLights(#25315) 22"Full-Extension DrawerSlides(#30230) 800.279.4441 Rockler.com (7)5" Polished (BBK-03592) ChromeHandles 866.695.6627 MyKnobs.com

U T I L I T YS I N K & FAUCET A smallutility sink, completewith a flexiblesprayer faucet, mounted above one ofthe cabinetsgivesyou the perfect work

;.

areafor removing

!',:

stubbornspots and stainsthat

H

the washercan't

t$

handle.

I

ry

FLIP-UPWORKTABLE Another unique featureof this storage tower, locatedjust beneath the swingout drying rack,is this handy work table.Likethe drying rack,it folds down insidethe tower when not in use,thanks to a pair of heavy-duty"lJ' brackets.Then when you need it, it just flips up and locksin placefor folding or storing stacksof clothes.

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81

fl

bedroom& closet A rowof disarrayed hangers abovea moundof shoes, - it's hats,andhandbags ('\ 4

timeto tamethatcloset t\* mess. Herearetwo DIY

Low-CostCustom Closet System A great-looking, well-organized

closetdoesn'thaveto cost a fortune. options. Withdrawers,Full of functional, high-capacity

shelves, andaccessories built

towers of drawers and shelves,this walk-in closet systemis not only fit forluxury but also affordableand easyto build.

fromaffordable materials, you'llbeamazed howmuch spaceandmoneyyou'llsave.

a) ReinventYourCloset Clutteredclosetsdrivingyou crazy? Here are a few quick alterations that will take your closetfrom out-ofcontrol to manageable.Then you can add frosted-glassdoors,so it looks good both inside and outside.

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83

I I

I bedroom& closet

BEFORE

W a n tt h e l o o k o f a h i g h - e n d closetwithout payingthe t h o u s a n d so f d o l l a r si t t a k e s to get it? Lookno furtherthan this organizer- an affordable, easy-to-build systemthat puts a n i m m e d i a t ee n d t o a l l o f

yourclosetclutter.

CLOSETORGANIZER walk-in closet seems like it should be large enough to swallow up almost any wardrobe with ease.But most walk-in closets are set up like the "Before" Photo above,with just a couple of shelvesand hanging rods. Even though they are large in size, this setup makes sure that they come nowhere near the goal of utilizing all their useful space. Ifyou want to do a better job of organizing a walk-in closet, you're usually faced with one of two options. The first is a system ofwire shelves and baskets.These are a great low-cost solutiory but the look doesn t work for everyone. The other option is to outfit your closet with a high-end custom closet system. Unfortunately, not only are these high-end, but they're high-dollar, too.

HomeStorage:Bedroom& Closet

Luckily, there's now a third option for closets that combines the low cost of the wire systems and the great looks of the custom systems- and thatk to build your own closet system like the one shown at right. Itt based on simple towers that you outfit with shelves, drawers, and even a hamper.Just build the number of towers you need, arrange them to suit your closet space,and then connect them with closet rods to hold your hanging clothes. What you end up with is a closet system that has a high-end look but can be built for a fraction of the cost. Best of all, you can do it with nothing more than MDF, standard lumber, basic wood stain to give the wood its rich, dark look, and simple tools. We'lI show you how to build the system step by step over the next fewpages.

WorkbenchSpecials.com

*6f"*:' ilJ

-

,

If your closet resemblesthe cluttered mess in the "Before" Photo on page 84, then it may be time to explore closet organizer options. One option is to install ventilatedwire rods and shelves that are sold in home centers. That's what we did for the closet system shown in the article on page 92,batwe were going for a more sophisticated look here. The fauxwood organizers that are sold alongside the wire systemslookbetter, but they cost more, too. Of course,you also can opt to spend more - way more - and have a high-end closet system installed. Or you could buy a decent used car or save for college tuition. LOW-COST CUSTOM- If you have basic DfY skills and tools, though, you can build a customized closet like this one. And you can do it for a fraction of the cost. FEATURES ATA GLANCE-Look at the storage and high-end style this system offers, and itt easy to see why we think this is the best option of them all. For starters, there are enough shelves to hold every folded sweater and shirt you own, with space left over for shoes,blankets, and more. In addition, this closet has two banks of drawers where you can stash all those small items that can t be stored adequately on open shelves. It's even easy to add a hamper for dirty clothes, a full-length mirror, and

tip13 TRY THIS ON FOR SIZE. Shoe space is often forgotten when organizing,which is why it's important to considerwhen installinga new closet storage system.Make the two or three pairs of shoes you wear most often easilyaccessibleby designating a low shelf as their spot or, better yet, by storingthem in a hanging caddy.Thenkeep those specialoccasionshoesin boxeson higher shelvesto avoid floor clutter. {From LisaEngel,ClosetMaid}

86

HomeStorage:Bedroom& Closet

lighting-

all options you may not

even find on high-end, high-dollar organizers. SIMPIEASSEMBLY-So you're thinking that building your own system will be too challenging, right? Nope. It's easy. Thatt because the towers and shelves are built from ordinaryMDF that's easy to cut with a circular saw. The face frames and drawer fronts are just lx2 and 1x6 poplar boards. The drawer boxes are ordered as ready-toassemble kits. And what about that rich, vibrant color? It's added easily using ordinary wood stains.

cr

a o. o o

R9 n

5' {,n o

A CLOSETFULLOF FUNCTIONALFEATURES Lights add atmosphereand aresimpleto install

lendsa finishedlookand provides additionalshelfspace

Mirrored Door enclosestower to easilycreate a cabinet

Drawers offerstorage options andareeasyto build thanks to pre-made boxes

Hamper keeps dirtyclothes out of sightandopenswide foreasyemptying

startoffasbasicstructures andthen getcustomized to meetyourneeds

WorkbenchSpecia ls.com

TOWER ASSEMBLY TOWER CLEAT (3/c" MDFx4" x 18"*)

e - -

7+"shelf-pin h o l e ss p a c e d every6" for adjustable shelves

ClosetRod (installedafter towersare m o u n t e di n closet)

TOWER SIDE (3/+" MDFx 14" x 84")

FIXED SHELF ( 7 aM " D Fx 1 4 " x 18"*)

D r i l lt h e s h e l f - p i nh o l e sw i t h a s e l f c e n t e r i n gb i t ( R o c k l e#r 2 2 5 6 7 )A. s i m p l e jig of 1/q" hardboardwith holesspaced e v e r y6 " m a k e si t e a s yt o a l i g nt h e h o l e s .

FIXED-5HELF EDGING (3A"x 11/2" x 18"*)

7 m mx 5 0 m m Connector Screw

:*g*

t --"t

The towers are the heart of this system. They're all 14" deep and 84" tall. We made them in two widths (given asthe

er-

inside dimensions): 18" and24". Each

CLEATDETAIL TOWER EDGING

Cleat.--t.-

TowerSide

F

(3/+" x 11/2" x84") NOTE:*Cleatand fixedshelf are 18"long for narrowtower and 24" longfor wide tower

WallStud

t\

' fittacr, towerto ' . ' ' II studswith Nlt

Drywall t--------

-J

#rox3"

Here'show the 18" tower goes -Ihe24" tower is identical, except the cleats and shelvesare wider. 'i.i Cut the tower sides (A) to size.

together.

The fixed shelf is 14" wide and the same length as the cleats. .il.:Now cut the adjustableshelves(D) to

Shelf Pin ..-.

ADJUSTABLE SHELF (7c"MDFx 14"x 177/e"*)

* A d j u s t a b lseh e l f& e d g i n g are237/e" longfor wide tower

Home Storage: Bedroom & Closet

cleats,and a fixed shelf helps stiffen the strucfure. To dressup the towers, each has edging made from 1x2 poplar.

.!li Cut a pair of cleats(B) to size.These are4" wide and either 18" or 24" Iong. ,: i Cut a fixed shelf (C) to size,aswell.

S H E L FD E T A I L

88

consistsof two side panels made of MDF. The sidesarejoined inbackbyMDF

size.Note that they're also 14" wide but %" shorter than the fixed shelf. ii r Before assemblingthe case,drill two rows of stopped holes that will receive shelf pins. This is done using a shopmade jig and a specialdrill bit (Photos, above).

(t o

I

6l After drilling the shelf-pin holes, also drill holes for connector screws that attach the cleats and fixed shelf. (You

a o ( o r.+

on page 73.) 7l To drill these holes, first find the shelf-pin holes that are located 42" from the top end of the tower sides. Now use the bit that comes with the connector screws to extend these holes. 8l Next, use this same bit to drill holes for the upper and lower cleats.

shelves, and then drive in the screws to

GETTHELOOK:STAINORDINARY MDFAND POPLARBOARDS -WITHOUTTHE TO LOOKLIKE EXPENSIVE WOOD COST.

temporarily assemblethe tower. 101 Once everythingfits, disassemblethe

The deep,rich color of this closetsystemis achieved u s i n go r d i n a r yw o o d s t a i n s .

case.It's much easierto stain all the parts individually (Photo, aboue rigltt). I 1l After the stain dries, reassemblethe

On the MDF,we rolledon a coat of Minwax Polyshades (Minwax.com)in "Bombay

tower sides, cleats, and fixed shelf. 121 Now cut all the lx2 poplar edging to size (E,4 G).

Mahogany."Thisfinish is a mix of stainand polyurethane,so all you haveto do

1 3] Once again,it's easierto stain these parts before gluing them to the towers. When the stain dries, brush on a couple coats of water-basedpolyurethane.

is roll it on, and then wipe off the excess. Forthe poplat we found a perfect match with General "GeorgianCherry"gel Finishes stain(General Finishes.com).

14lAfter the polyurethane dries,you can glue the edgng onto the tower, aswell as onto the adjustableshelves.Justtape the edgng in place until the glue dries. BUILDDRAWERS-With the towers assembled,our first step in customizing them was adding drawers.We ordered drawer boxes from Rockler.com and added poplar fronts (Drawer Assembly). 1l Cut the drawer fronts (U) to length. Then stain and finish them. 2] Now mount the drawers using 12" full-extension slides. 3] After mounting the boxes, it's time to install the drawer fronts. Start at

Oncethis finishdried,we protectedit with two coatsof water-basedpolyurethane.

DRAWER ASSEMBLY

@

DRAWER FRONT (3/+" x5Vz"x233/c")

DRAWER BOX (custom-ordered fromRockler.com; 4lz"highx 23"widex 137+" deep)

the bottom, position the drawer front, and adhere it to the drawer box with double-faced tape. Then tape on the rest of the fronts, leaving a consistent gap (stacking two nickels works great) between each front. When the fronts are all positioned, screw them to the boxes. 4lLay out and drill holes for the drawer pulls, and then install the pulls.

I

R9

can read more about connector screws

9l Clamp the tower assemblytogether with the fixed shelf and cleats in position. Drill into the cleats and

o. o o

SatinNickel51/'ro" CCBarPull (#227444,Lowes.com)

WorkbenchSpecials.com

89

Another great touch for this closet system is a door with a full-length mirror. Here's how it goes together: 1l Cut a door backer (I) to size,and stain its front, back, and edges. 2] Cut the rails and stiles (J, K) that frame the mirror from lx2 poplar. Stain and finish the frame, and then glue it onto the backer (nhoto,left).

DOORCONSTRUCTION 1 % oC" o n t i n u o u s Hinge,73T2" long

3l To reinforce the hinge side of the tower, cut a frame backer (L) to size, stain it, and glue and screw it behind the face frame (Door Hinge Detail).

Mirror AOnestve

4]Mount

a continuous hinge to the door. Then prop the door in place,

and mount the hinge to the tower by drilling holes and driving screws though the face frame and into the

MountVz"-dia. rare-earth magnets behind thedoorhandle mounting screws to holddoorshut

frame backer. 5l Have a mirror cut to fit inside the frame, and then adhere it to the door with mirror tape or mirror adhesive. HAVEA HAMPER-The last storage option for this closet system is a tilt-out hamper built to look like another bank of drawers. Here's how it's made: 1] Cut a hamper backer (M) and stain the back face, edges,and ends (Hamper Construction). 2] Cuthamperfronts (N) tolengthfrom lx6 polar, and stain and finish them. 3J Mount the fronts to the backer (Photc',

below rigfut). 4l Mountahingeto thebottomedgeof the hamper front (Hamper Hinge).

DOORHINGEDETAIL

DOOR BACKER (%"MDFx21"x73lz")

FRAME STILE (3/+" x11/2" x731h")

90

HomeStorage:Bedroom& Closet

FRAME RAIL (3/c" x1Yz"x18") #6x1Tq" Fh Screw

tipI4

HAMPERCATCH

different wardrobe for each season.To bring a senseof order to your closet,you must begin by deciding what you actuallyneed to accesson

Tz"'dia, r Rare-,- >L Earth 4 Magnets

an everydaybasis.Once you've figured out what those items are, be sure to place them in an easy to reacharea,so you're not constantlysearching

4

r

5J Cut a hamperbase (O) to size,and stain the upperface. Slip it into the tower, and attach itwith connector screws. 6l Cut base edging (P) to length, and stain and finish the front face and edges. Glue the edging to the hamper base. 7lLay the hamper door in the tower

l

-

affi ilR il K-'.'.

the position of the hamper cleat. 101 Drill holes through the tower sides where needed for connector screws. Position the cleat, extend the holes into

3

HAMPER CLEAT (3/c" MDFx4" x 18")

@ HAMPER BACKER (3/+" MDFx177/s" x27")

fl ffizo'tong HAMPER HINGE

CLEAT EDGING (3/c" x 1Y2" x 18")

Stainless

Steel BarPull vt" gap 11/to"

Continous Hinge, 17T2" long

opening, and securethe hinge. 8l Cut a hamper cleat (Q) to size from MDR and stain it. Then cut, stain, and glue on cleat edging (R). 9l Close the hamper door, and mark

CATCH PLATE (3/q" x 1Vz" x'18")

Catch plate

HK chain,

in the back of the closet. iFromLisoEngel,(losetMoidJ

o

HamperCleat

PR|ORITIZE. Most of us wear only about 200kof our clothes 80o/o of the time and have an entirely

(t o oo o

HAMPER CONSTRUCTION

HAMPER FRONT (3/c" x5Y2" x177/e"\

BASE BASE EDGING (7+"MDF (3/c" x11h"x18") x 1 3 7 + " x 1 8 " )

CAPCONSTRUCTION

TOWER CAP (3/c'MDFx 18"x cutto fit)

the cleat, and screw it in place. 1 1l Add a catch plate (S) to hold the hamper closed and a chain to keep it from opening too far (Hamper Catch). - Once you've INSTALL THESYSTEM completed your towers, here'show to install the system in the closet: 1] Move eachtower into position, and make sure it's level. Then screw it in place, hittingwall studs or using anchors. 2l Once you've installed the towers, add a cap (Cap Construction).tt adds

CAPEDGING (3/+" x1Tz" x cutto fit)

a custom touch. PIus, it provides shelf spaceand a place to mount pucklights. 3l Cut caps (T) to size from MDF, and

A coupleof tricksmake

then stain the top and bottom faces. 4] Screw the caps to the towers. Where

mounting the hamperfronts easy.First,use double-faced tape to temporarilyposition

they meet, add cap cleats (U). 5lMake cap edging (V), and stain and

the fronts on the backer. Also,stacka coupleof nickels

finish it. Then glue it in place. 6lLay out and install the lights on the underside of the caps. 7l Finish by adding closet rods. ffi

on top of eachfront to positionthe next one.Then securethem by driving in screwsfrom behind.

-

Written by D aveStone,illustrated by Matt Scott,project designedbyMike Donouan

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91

eo

a o w o .+

I bedroom& closet

Dr' t r f r--SlnuenL

YOUr

yourclosetfromout of controlto Transform organized by addinga customclosetsystem anda stylishnewsetof doors. l^I

etting organized is a

f I I 5l t--I

goal everyone has, but itt one that often gets pushed aside in favor

of higher-impact projects. Yet itt easy to argue that fewhome improvements have as great an impact on everyday life as organizing your closets.Plus, it presents a perfect opportunity to integrate the style of the entire room. Thatt what we did with the bland bedroom shown above. At right, you can seethat the transformation started with installing a new closet system. We'll showyou how easyit is. Then we stepped up the style with new closet doors (below) that you can easily assemble and install yourself (pogr 96), a fresh coat of paint, and a newhardwood floor.

92

HomeStorage:Bedroom& Closet

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K E E PT R A C KO F V O U R5 H E [ T s " M a t c h i n g sheet setscan be hard to keep together.They a r e o f t e n n r i x e du p a n d j u m b l e d i n t h e w a s h , sometimeslost,and they rarelymake it back to

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f,ll$*, .' width, and depth. Also mark the location of the door. Nowyou need to answer a few questions about the items you'll be storing in

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the closet. Think about how much space you need for the items you'llstore. Start with hanging clothes like dressesand coats.Those require a closet rod, which usually is suspendedbelow a long shelf that spans the width of the closet. Write

i i s i. i i-tr,:,J(.(-1:t1;:-.f,iir':' !i)i.) \viitl

i , . r , , l ii.l . l

down how many linear feet of hanging spaceyou'll need for these long items. To store shorter hanging items like shirts, you can use the same high-

Havea System

mounted rod and then mount another

When organizing a closet, the first

went with the slightly more expensive

thing to decide is whether you'll use a cabinet-style organizer or a ventilated

track-mount version.

rod below it to better utilize the space. That done, fill any rem"irirg space

wire version. For this closet,we chose wire. The biggest reasonfor the choice

DRAWUPA PLAN-Though installing an organizer is easy,figuring out what components you need isn't. You'll find

with shelvesfor clothes, drawers orbins for small items, shoe racks, and other accessories.Add those to your sketch.

was economy. The setup in this closet costs$300, far lessthan outfrtting it with

theret a dizzyingselection of shelving, brackets, and hardware.

a cabinet-style system.In fact, itwould have been possible to spend even less, asthere are both fixed- and track-mount wire systems (below).For versatility, we

To determine which ones to buy, you need to measureyour closet and make a sketch (above).Asyou

Withyourplan complete, you can add up how many linear feet of shelving andhangingrodyou ll need plus the number of standards, brackets, and other hardware.Decide on accessories(upper

measure,record the inside height,

,igh),and then you're ready to shop.

S R G A h J * UH R C I P T I O T $ 5 't.\i it,.tir.',,()ii t lt i )l) | i:r i r:i'ti,ii;i i.,.',_i',.,, i l r: i : i { i r . r - c' i r g . ) i i i ; ' c i s , ; , o u ' i i i i l r i i t t , .r , i ' r I r : . , . l ; ' i t ' . 1' , ! { r ( t j ! ;. l ! ; r l i i . f . l .

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i ; i . . ' . r : r 1i i i i . ] t . l ij 1 ; i : ' , ' i r k- i . ' i . \ l l i i e l

94

HomeStorage:Bedroom& Closet

ACCESSORIES ABOUND

cr

Ventilated wire shelvingsystems, no matter rvhich style or brand you

CL o o =

o

choose,are basedirround two basic components: the sheivesand sheif. support Lrrackets. With some systems,thatis about asfar asit goes.But most manufacturers offer accessoriesthat let you rnake the systems more versatileand fit them to your closet spaceand storageneeds.In adclition, you'll find that sotxe accessories designed for standardclosetrods can be usedwith the wire systems,too. At fur IeJi,the basicshelving is augmentedby closetrods suspendeclon bracketsthat hang frorn the shelves.'Ihat tnakesit easyto slide clothesin and out of the closet.A stackof basket-styledrawers mounted betr,veenthe rods keepssmaller itenrsunder control. At ncarleft,wehung a soft-sidedslrelf at one end, added encloseddrawers, anclinstalledan angledshoe shelfand slicle-outtie rack. See"l?r:ojectat il Glance"or-rpage96 for information about tlreseaccessories.

3-StepInstall Compared with all the work involved in selecting your organizer components, you'll be pleased to know that installing them is easy. Start with the hanging track. If necessary, cut it to length with a hacksaw. Then position the track on the wa[ at least as high as your highest shelf, and make sure it's level. Nort, locate the wall studs along the length ofthe track, and drive screws

through the track and into the studs (or the wall top plate if mounting at ceiling height). The trackbears a lot ofweight,

Now that they're in position, you need to install a stabilizing screw in each standard.Just pivot the standard out of

so be sure it's mounted securely. With the track in place, just hang the standards on the track (fig. l).

the way, drill a small pilot hole, and then install awall anchor (if needed) and a screw (rig.z).

Once the standards are in, slide them side-to-side to position them. Refer to the instructions that come with your components to figure out where the

At this point, you can cut shelving to length as necessaryand then clip it to the shelf standards (fig. S).Mount closet rods and your other components, and

standards should be placed.

you are readyto load up the closet.

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,{i

n.FD

1JAfter screwingthe track to the studs, just insertthe standards. Slidethe standardseitherdirectionto positionthem.

2]Once you'vepositionedeachstandard,you need to stabilizeit by driving a screwinto a stud or a wall anchor.

3l All that'sleft to do is slipthe brackets into the wall standards, and then mount the shelvesand accessories to them.

WorkbenchSpecials.com

95

ee g o ( o FT

DoorsDresslt Up Abig source of style in this room comes from replacing the plain old slab doors with a greatJooking set of new doors (Photos,page 92).In fact, finding these doors is what pushed this project beyond a simple exercise in organization to a reinvention of an entire room. 2 l N o w a p p l yg l u et o t h e d o o rj o i n t , s l i d et h e s t i l ei n t o p l a c ea, n d t h e n u s e the wrenchincludedwith the door kit to t i g h t e nt h e c a m sa n d s e c u r et h e j o i n t s .

Whatt unique about these doors is that they come as a ready-to-assemble kit. That might sound complicated but itt not. Two of the three panels in each door are already assembled.So all you

1 l T o a t t a c ht h e s t i l e si,n s e r tl o c k i n g c a m si n t h e p r e - d r i l l e dl r o l e sT. h e ns l i d e the stileinto positionto test the fit.

have to do is insert the vertical stiles and the glassthat fits in between. That process starts with installing the hardware (fig. l).Though the hardware

Projectat a Glance:

does most of the holding, you need to add glue to the joints asyou install the stiles (Frg.2). After that, itt just a matter

CLOSETORGANIZERSYSTEM ShelfTrackSystemwith SuperSlideShelves ClosetMaid 800.874.0008; ClosetMaid.com

of slipping in the glassand attaching the otherpanel (fig. S).

CLOSETACCESSORIES BasketDrawers,Tie/BeltRack,Shoe Brackets ClosetMaid (above)

While the glue sets up on the doors, you can mount the rail the doors ride

Hanging 5ix-ShelfOrganizerwith Drawers Real Organized Series from Lowe's 804.445.6937;Lowes.com DOORS NuPorte5implicity #1220,EspressoFinish Aura Home Design 800.647.8i 45; AuraHomeDesign.com WALL PAINT HarbourTown #493 Benjamin Moore Paints 888.236.6667;Benjam i n Moore.com

DOORS THAT DO MORE '1hese closetdoor.slook like expensive ctrstompieces,but they canreright ofFthe raclrat the l"rornecenter. lflrey'rernarle -lire byAura Home Design. doors are availablein sever;rlr.r'oocltones or n ith a pirintetJsurface.\tru can alsoqet thenr u'ith eithersillid- or fiosted-gla.ss panels 'lhoueh (Phokts,risltt). they'rern;rdeof colted particlel"roard, the high-endlooli is eltriteconvincing. Wbat reall,r'ntal<es thesedoors unique, tlrough,is thatyou canget them eitirer luliy assembledor asthe kits that rve '[re installed. ;rdvant;rge ol tlre kits is that they'rc casyto haul in any vehicle,and they uo togethcr in no tinre,reqarciless of vour levclof DiY skill.

96

HomeStorage:Bedroom& Closet

on to the top of the door opening. Rollers go onto the doors with just a few screws.These allowyou to adjust 3 l S l i d et h e g l a s sp a n e li n t o t h e g r o o v e si n t h e s t i l e sT. h e n a l l t h a t ' s l e f t i s a t t a c h i n gt h e l a s tp a n e lt o t h e a s s e m b l yt o c o m p l e t ee a c hd o o r .

the doors, so they hang properly and slide smoothly. E -

Written by D ave Stone,illustrated

by Matt Scott

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