DIY Garage Cabinet
Updated: Jul. 24, 2019Get hanging storage and shelving with this two-hour project
- Time
- Complexity
- Cost
- A full day
- Beginner
- $51–100
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.
Figure A: Cabinet Details
Build the cabinet from a 4×4 sheet of plywood and a 4×4 sheet of pegboard. Find the Materials
Note: Figure A and a Materials List are available in pdf format in Additional Information below.
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
Required Tools for this Project
Have the necessary tools for this DIY project lined up before you start—you’ll save time and frustration.
- Brad nail gun
- Circular saw
- Drill bit set
- Drill/driver - cordless
- Miter saw
- One-handed bar clamps
- Safety glasses
- Self-centering drill bit
- Table saw
- Tape measure
Required Materials for this Project
Avoid last-minute shopping trips by having all your materials ready ahead of time. Here’s a list.
- Masking tape
- See Materials List in "Additional Information"
- Shims
- Wood glue
