DIY Sideboard with Kitchen Cabinets-Part One

DIY Sideboard with Kitchen Cabinets Series

Part 1: Building the Sideboard (Currently Reading)
Part 2: Finishing Touches

Part One

This sideboard made with stock kitchen cabinets is a DIY project that makes me so proud. I have been eyeing several sideboards for quite some time. However, they were either too big for my entryway or outside of my price point. Talk about frustrating.

After many Google searches, I finally found a 12″ in-depth cabinet, and much to my surprise, they were stock kitchen cabinets. That was all I needed to know because I was determined to make a sideboard using kitchen cabinets. Though the Hubster didn’t think that using kitchen cabinets would be a great hack. It’s like he forgot he used Billy Bookcases from IKEA for the office…

Supplies You’ll Need:

Two Wall Stock Cabinets (I used 36-in W. x 30 in H. x 12 in D.)
One 1-in x 3-in x 8-ft Square Unfinished Poplar Board
One 1-in x 8-in x 8-ft Square Unfinished Whitewood Board
One 3/4-in x 12-in x 6-ft Square Unfinished Spruce Pine Fir Board
Four 3/4-in x 12-in x 4-ft Square Unfinished Spruce Pine Fir Board
One box 1-5/8-in Interior Wood Screws
One box 1-1/4-in Interior Wood Screws
Nine 1/4-in x 2-in x 4-ft Square Unfinished Poplar Board
Stainable Wood Filler
Level
Orbital 60 grit sanding pads
Liquid Nails adhesive
DAP 30 Second Rapid Glue
Clamps
Putty Knife
Orbital Sander
Caulk Gun
Miter Saw
Screwdriver
Furniture legs of choice (I used these and did 6 legs on my sideboard)
Furniture hardware (I used these and bought two packages)

Join the Cabinets to Begin Sideboard

The first thing that you will want to do is join the cabinets together. You will cut two boards out of the 1-in. x 3-inch board the height of the cabinets. Placing these two boards in between the cabinets, you will want to secure the cabinets to the boards using 1 5/8 inch screws. I used the holes designed for the shelves to do this because I did not care about adjusting the shelves. Securing the boards to the cabinets allows for the cabinets to be joined as one solid piece.

I used clamps to make sure that the cabinets did not move when securing the cabinets together. You will want to use a level throughout the process to make sure that the cabinets are level.

Prepare the Bottom

At this point, you will flip over the bottom of the cabinets. After failing to secure the furniture legs to the bottom, I went a different direction. I cut two boards of the 1-in x 8-in board the depth of the cabinets. I then cut a board of the 1-in x 3-in board the length of the gap between the two boards. That way I could secure the bottom boards to the cabinets. I put a strip of Liquid nails on the back of each board and then secured the 1-in x 8-in boards on the back of the cabinets with 1 5/8 inch screws.

Prepare the Sides

Next, you will take the eight 1/4-in. X 2-in. boards and glue them to the corners on both sides of the cabinets using the DAP 30 Second Rapid glue. While those are curing, you will measure the distance on both sides from the bottom of the cabinets to the top, adding the additional measurement of the top 3/4-in x 12-in x 6-ft Square Unfinished Spruce Pine Fir Board. Taking two of the four 3/4 in x 12-in x 4-ft Square Unfinished Spruce Pine Fir Boards, you will make the according side cuts.

I wanted the least amount of screws on the sides of the sideboard. So I applied strips of Liquid Nails to the 1/4-in. x 2-in. boards before attaching the 3/4 in x 12-in boards to the cabinet sides. I used 1 1/4 in. screws in the four corners of the cabinet, making sure to hit the 1/4 in. x 2-in. boards to fully secure the side boards.

Attach the Bottom Board

Once the sides are secured, you will measure the bottom of the cabinets from end to end. You will want to split this measurement in half, making sure that your remaining two of the four 3/4 in x 12-in x 4-ft Square Unfinished Spruce Pine Fir Boards will meet in the middle of the sideboard.

Using my miter saw I cut the appropriate measurements. I applied Liquid nails to the bottom of the cabinets, laid the spruce pine fir boards on top, and then used 1 1/4 in. screws in the middle of the boards that I previously laid.

Attach the Legs

You will attach the hardware for the legs into the four corners of the sideboard and then two in the middle. You will then twist the furniture legs into the attached hardware. You will flip over the sideboard and now complete the top.

Creating the pilot hole for the furniture hardware

Add the Top

I didn’t want any sagging on the top of the sideboard. So I repeated the same process as I did to the bottom; I cut two boards of the 1-in x 8-in board the depth of the cabinets. I then cut a board of the 1-in x 3-in board the length of the gap between the two boards to secure the bottom boards to the cabinets. I put a strip of Liquid Nails on each board’s back and then secured the 1-in x 8-in boards on the back of the cabinets with 1 5/8 in. screws.

To attach the top board to the sideboard, I applied several Liquid Nails strips on the boards that I had just secured and along the edge of the sideboard. I placed the top board in place and added weights to the top to secure it in place. Because of the small gap, I cut a 1/4-in x 2-in x 4-ft Square Unfinished Poplar Board down to size, placed and secured with DAP 30 Second Adhesive to the top.

Wood Fill

Using stainable wood filler, you will take your putty knife and apply the filler to any gaps or holes on the sideboard.

After the wood filler has dried, you will take your orbital sander with a 60 grit sanding pad and sand down the entire sideboard making sure the top and sides are even and smooth.

Let’s Add those Finishing Touches…

Which you can read about next week… We are always working on new things at the Farmhouse. If you want to see snippets of these projects or to see my everyday ~~life~~ craziness, head on over to the 1776 Faux Farmhouse Instagram account. I’ll see you there!