DIY Garage Cabinet

Overview: Cabinet design, cost and materials

We designed this wall cabinet with painting supplies in mind, but you can use it to store just about anything, including hand tools and small boxes of fasteners and hardware. We simplified the construction by using a build-a-box-and-cut-it-in-half technique and then face-mounting a full-length continuous hinge. It couldn't be easier. And the result is a sturdy, practical wall-hung cabinet.

Materials for one of these cabinets cost us about $55, but you could reduce the price per cabinet by buying 4 x 8-ft. sheets of pegboard and plywood and building several cabinets instead.

Step 1: Assemble the box

Start by cutting 8-in. strips of plywood and screwing them together to form a 2-ft. by 4-ft. box. Place screws accurately as shown in Figure A to avoid hitting them when you cut the box in two (Photo 2). Also be sure to orient the pegboard so the good side faces out on the front and in on the back. Be careful to cut the pegboard pieces perfectly square and with straight sides so you can use them as a guide for straightening the box sides and squaring the box as you nail on the pegboard (Photo 1).

Step 2: Cut the box into two parts

To cut the box into two pieces, begin by tacking a straight board to the box sides as a saw guide. Position the guide so the cut runs 3 in. from the front edge of the box and falls between the screws. Set the saw blade to cut 7/8 in. deep. Align the guide carefully on each side so the cuts meet in the corners. Before you make the final cut, use shims and tape to hold the cabinet together, and keep them on until the cut is complete (Photo 2).

Step 3: Install the hinge

Reconnect the boxes with a 48-in. long continuous hinge (Photo 3).

Step 4: Add the trim and shelves

Figure A shows the cabinet dimensions and details as well as the rack we added to hold paint roller covers. Screw two 3-in.-wide strips of 3/4-in. plywood to the back of the cabinet. These provide a stronger hanging surface, and they space the cabinet from the wall to allow the use of pegboard hooks on the cabinet back. Mount the cabinet by driving 1/4-in. by 3-in. lag screws through the hanging strip into wall studs.

Additional Information

• Materials List and Figure A: Cabinet Details