Building Garage Cabinets

[meissen]

So I know there's been a lot of threads showing the finished product, but I'm a complete newb to wood working. I have the general idea and have watched a few DIY videos on YouTube, but I'm curious of everyone's opinions here.

Here's what I'd like to do (I got mad Paint skillz, yo' )


Each cabinet on either side of the window will be about 7'. I was planning on building the cabinet out of 2x4s and plywood.

What I had planned to do is build the 2x4 so the 4" side is facing out but then lay a 2x4 flat so there'd be a 2" ring that goes around the cabinet for the plywood shelf to rest on. Do you guys think this will hold weight well?

Tried to draw this in paint but it's not so easy.


I just want it to be uber strong so I don't have to worry about putting too many objects in the cabinet. While I doubt I'll ever throw an engine in there, I would hope the shelf can hold a few hundred pounds.

Would 2x4 be adequate or overkill? I saw other videos on YouTube where they only used 2x2 and the guy was literally sitting on the shelf. I just want to make sure it's built strong.

 

[meissen]

135 views and no one has a comment at all?

 

[On Edge]

I used 2x4's and am in the process of closing it in. I too was like you and building cabinets for the garage is a good way to get your feet wet with doing woodworking. So let me ask, what tools do you have? One big thing that if you are going to use plywood, MDF or Melemane I would have all your measurement before hand and have the big box store cut the sheet goods down for you. Saves you time and easier to transport. One thing too is to plan for what you have to go in there and what future things that you might put in there. I'll try to take some pictures tonight to give you an idea of what I did.

 

[meissen]

Thanks! I didn't think about cutting down the plywood to size - that is a great idea. I have a cordless circular saw and a corded stihl (I think?) circular saw that looks kinda vintage. Figured for most of it I would use the corded since it'll have more "oomph." I'm planning on buying a bigger level - I only have a 2' right now but think a 4' would be better for this project.

I'm planning on going to Home Depot or Lowes tonight to buy some of the materials. I admit I'm winging it - I have the idea in my head and I'm figuring if I build one cabinet 7 foot wide with 5 shelves and using the "ring" system in my picture above, I'd need about 25 2"x4"x8' planks and then the plywood.

 

[gabedad]

You might also want to look on craigslist in the free section for kitchen cabinets

 

[cdrewferd]

Depends on what thickness you're going to use for the plywood. If you put 1/4" it's not going to be very strong. However, if you put down 3/4" then it'll be plenty strong. If you want more strength you could always put some 2x4's front to back on each shelf. 2 of those on a 4' span would add a lot of strength. You could also do 3/4" OSB for the shelves to cut down on cost a little.

 

[mpire]

Use sturdy plywood, and don't use any 2x4s. Thats overkill. If assembled correctly, you don't need them. Use wood glue and nails/screws to hold it together till the glue dries and it will be solid. You can jump up and down on mine and they aren't going anywhere.

Took two 4x8 sheets of plywood each, including shelves to make. Doors are store bought. I can get up there and jump up and down and they don't budge.

I measured some of the 4 foot wide by 6 foot tall cabinets at the hardware store and just copied the design in solid wood rather than the fiberboard the store units are made of.

Here is the cabinet I copied:

http://www.lowes.com/pd_93022-444-ST48V_0__?productId=1112713&Ntt=rsi&pl=1&currentURL=/pl__0__s%3FNtt%3Drsi

Here are the assembly instructions: http://www.estatestorage.com/downloads/R37454-0306.pdf

 

[mpire]

Oh, and it cost me less than half the storebought cabinet price, and you can set an engine and transmission on top of mine.

 

[jakeb]

mpire: So you have no 2x4s or anything in these? Just plywood....screwed and glued together? I like these....

 

[ddawg16]

There are a lot of different ways to do it....here is an example of what I did using melamine...

And my paint storage....melamine in not real strong for shelf use...but I made it work by putting a strip of 16g SS about 3" high along the back edge and a strip 3/4" wide along the front. Plenty stiff.

But for overall strength...3/4" plywood is the best....and you really don't need 2x4's...

What I typically do for tall cabinets is have the middle shelf fixed...as in attached to the sides...It helps keep the sides at the right width and is good for heavy items.....then the rest are floaters...held in place using shelf hangers...I use metal ones that slip into a 1/4" hole you drill in the side...I even have a jig that allows me to drill the holes in 1" increments.

Fixed shelves can be attached in several ways...one of the strongest is to route a 3/4" groove about 1/4" deep in the side...then slid the shelf in and screw it from the end....that shelf is NOT going anywhere. If you need extra strength then make the back of the cabinet with 1/4" gluelam...run screws into the shelf from the back....that will be stronger than 2x4's. It also makes your cabinet very rigid.

 

[meissen]

Thanks for all the replies guys! Seems building it out of plywood and skipping the 2x4s would be a lot better way of doing it! Especially since I was planning on lining it with plywood after I had the 2x4 structure.

 

[Scout Driver]

My cabinets/bench are some old kitchen cabinets that I scored for free. Repairs were made where needed and they were beefed up internally with studs. Here's the thread.

http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=68658

Scott

 

[mpire]

Fiberboard in the garage is a bad idea because of the moisture they will inevitably absorb over time. I used oak plywood at 36 bucks a sheet. Thats what they use in the super expensive cabinets in luxury houses and stuff. Its stronger than just about anything, but ONLY if you glue it together.

Wood glue is some super strong stuff. I got a post somewhere on how I made them. Super easy.

 

[hammlm]

x2 on skipping the 2x4s.

Word of caution about having the big box pre-cut your plywood --- if you go that route, plan, plan and then when you're done, plan some more.

I'd encourage you to cut it yourself. Get to know your skilsaw. You'll run into things you want to change or add, once you get into it. If all your wood is pre-cut, you have less flexibility.

Lots of options for asdjustability of shelves too. Think about that, because your storage needs could be different in the future and you might need a different shelf layout to optimize the space you have.

Good luck, post lots of pics

 

[meissen]

Thanks mpire! I found your thread that you created with more detailed instructions - thank you very much for sharing! I'm amazed that you made the cabinet using only two sheets! Here I was allocating about $250 for the project. No doubt whatever route I go will have plenty of pics to share.

 

[meissen]

Would any plywood work decently? Looks like around me each sheet will be $50 so to build the cabinets it will end up being ~250 afterall (which is still better than $1000+ for buying them)

They have 1/4" 4x8 utility plywood for $10 - if I were to reinforce each shelf do you guys think it'd be pretty solid still? I'm not looking to store engines and transmissions on it, just heavy plastic storage tubs.

 

[PassnThru]

Another word of caution about having the big box store cut your plywood - they probably won't be very precise. Consider it more of a rough cut to make it easier to handle and transport. Plan on making final cuts yourself or better yet all of them.

 

[csp]

Another vote for no 2x4s. Using them as a ring for your shelves means that your shelves are in one fixed position, forever.

I like plywood for shelves and make my sides so that they have adjustable heights, based on what is in each cabinet.

Do not use 1/4" for any component. You want a minimum of 1/2" for shelves, depending on the span and the weight you'll be putting on them. Adding a strip to the leading edge of each shelf, perpendicular to the shelf increases the strength a lot.

 

[rickycobra]

Cabinetry can be fun but it can also be hard. Using prefab or sliding doors is the way to go. Everything else is looking at how other cabinets are made and taking what you like from them.

 

[mpire]

I used 1/4 inch plywood for the backs of the cabinets. Store bought uses cardboard.

I had the big box store rip the sheets lengthwise and then cut the shorter dimensions with my trim saw.

Nail gun and lots of wood glue and a couple hours and they were done.

Use 3/4 if you want them to hold anything heavy. Stay away from low grade plywood because it has a poorly finished surface.

Sandy-ply cabinet grade would probably be fine, as would birch 3/4 plywood for around 30 bucks a sheet. Get something with a finished surface. There are plenty of options. Its going to be dramatically cheaper at a lumber yard, no matter what you get.

You can do cheap 3/4 plywood, it just won't look very good when you get done. It will probably be plenty strong though.

 

[mpire]

I spent more time leveling and adjusting the doors than I did assembling the cabinets.

 

[HoustonPSD]

Would any plywood work decently? Looks like around me each sheet will be $50 so to build the cabinets it will end up being ~250 afterall (which is still better than $1000+ for buying them)

They have 1/4" 4x8 utility plywood for $10 - if I were to reinforce each shelf do you guys think it'd be pretty solid still? I'm not looking to store engines and transmissions on it, just heavy plastic storage tubs.

I would really look around for you plywood. I went to a builder supply (they sell to the public) here and they were having a plywood sale. The showed me a sample of the $20 sheets. It was plugged and patched. I bought enough of those for the sides/top/bottom and used cabinet grade for the doors at $28/sheet. I watched them load them and there were only a couple of sheets that I could even tell weren't the cheap stuff.

These were all sanded/finished 3/4" plywood. My cabinets are still a work in progress, but I'll try to get some pics...maybe give you an idea or two.

 

[csp]

Sandy-ply cabinet grade would probably be fine, as would birch 3/4 plywood for around 30 bucks a sheet.

Has it been a while since you bought 3/4" birch plywood? I haven't seen that size for less than $75/sheet for quite some time.

 

[mpire]

White paint and a roller can make any 3/4 plywood look halfway decent. Hell, guys here put OSB on their walls and I personally do not like that at all.

So its all up to you, however if you are going to put heavy stuff in it like compressors and tools, I would make sure you go with 5/8 at a bare minimum. With 3/4 you don't have to nail/glue in the shelves. I just set my shelves on little metal pegs so I can move them around in the future by repositioning the pegs.

 

[mpire]

Has it been a while since you bought 3/4" birch plywood? I haven't seen that size for less than $75/sheet for quite some time.

Well, birch is cheaper than Oak here at Lowes, so you can look around and get whatever works best for your budget. The crappy cabinets I posted as an example were $200 each and I guarantee they wouldn't last. I actually bought them originally and they disintegrated while I was attempting to stand them up after assembly.

 

[mpire]

Caulk and Paint will make it what it Ain't!

 

[csp]

Well, birch is cheaper than Oak here at Lowes, so you can look around and get whatever works best for your budget

It's cheaper than oak anywhere. The point was it isn't anywhere close to $30 a sheet.

 

[NWphotog]

Here is a link to the cabinet build thread if any one needs it.
http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43023&highlight=cabinets

 

[meissen]

Found a lumber yard near my house and e-mailed them for a quote - it'll be interesting to see how much cheaper they can be compared to Home Depot and Lowes. Both have 4'x8' sheets of Oak for ~ $45-$50 here in the Metro Detroit area. Obviously prices are going to differ based on location. I wanted to have the cabinets built by now but of course the week I decide to get up off my **** and do this my final semester for my undergrad started this week in addition to planning/preparation for my fiance and mine's wedding in 2 months.

 

[meissen]

WOW! Well John's Lumber got back to me and 4x8 3/4" B2 Oak plywood is 70.99/pc here in Metro Detroit. Geeeeeezus! Home Depot's is C3 Oak Plywood for $45.

 

[csp]

Why are you pricing oak? Oak plywood is furniture grade for uses that will be stained. There's absolutely no need for oak in garage cabinets.

 

[BillGalbraith]

I used oak plywood in my garage. It was the same price as birch, and I liked the grain. I was able to do all my doors and drawers with one piece of oak plywood, at $46. I was a bit nervous making that first cut. The cabinets themselves were make from a couple sheets and leftover pieces of 5/8", and some 1/4" for the backs. The shelves inside are 3/4" sanded plywood, birch I think. The countertop sublayer was one sheet of 3/4" BC plywood and some leftovers, and the top is click-lock flooring. No, it's NOT a workbench, just a countertop for thowing stuff on. Two HF rolling toolchests act as the workbench right now.

Haven't had a chance to finish putting all the drawers in, as they are a pain in the ****, and I decided I wanted to play with cars the last day or so instead of drawers.

 

[Ocho]

When I built my benches and cabinets, HD had sanded 23/32? (3/4) for $2 per sheet. This was about a month, six weeks ago.

 

[night4creeper]

When I built my benches and cabinets, HD had sanded 23/32? (3/4) for $2 per sheet. This was about a month, six weeks ago.

seriously? $2 a sheet? What store was this at? I would have bought them out, sold what I didn't need on craigslist @ $4 a sheet' made some $$ and gave someone a smokin' deal too!!

 

[larry4406]

Caulk and Paint will make it what it Ain't!

I always knew this as "Caulk and paint makes a carpenter what he ain't"

 

[Daniel Dudley]

Well a bad painter can make good work look bad as well.

 

[BillGalbraith]

I was at Home Depot in Orlando today and checked prices on sanded plywood

3/4" - oak $45, birch $45, sanded $43
1/2" - oak $45, birch $42
1/4" - oka $26

Prices probably vary a lot around the country. At those prices, if I'm building shelves, I'm using 3/4" everywhere, just for the extra strength.

 

[meissen]

Went to Lowes on Saturday and picked up 4 sheets of 1/2" 4x8 plywood. I didn't get the 3/4" solid oak since that was just too expensive, so I got 1/2" ply which was literally half the price. I'll eventually paint the cabinets so I wasn't worried about the appearance of the wood. Cost about $100 and I got one of the guys at Lowes to cut the ply down to three strips - two 20" strips and one 8" strip. I had to rip the 8" strip down to 5" and 3" myself - the guy at Lowes said they can't go that small or else the saw will spit it out.

One of my buddies came over on Sunday and we got to work. We almost instantly realized we needed an air nailer - hand hammering the nails in just wouldn't work and the nails were bending. We went to Home Depot and rented an air nailer, then got his air compressor and came back and got to work. I loosely followed mpire's instructions on his cabinet building thread - THANK YOU MPIRE!!!!! Still have two 30" wide by 6ft tall cabinets to build and then the 36" x 36" cabinet to build under the window.

Once the cabinet was finished and in place, I realized putting regular hinged doors would DEFINITELY not work with cars - I'm going to get the tracks to use 1/4" thick sliding doors for the cabinets. I also learned the hard way that building a cabinet to make sure that all the shelves are flush only works if your floor is flush... When we put the cabinet against the wall I soon realized my garage slab is very unlevel. The walls are level so we pushed the cabinet against the wall, pried the bottom kick plate out, then nailed it back in place so the bottom kickplate helps hold the cabinet against the wall as well as a couple screws in the rear header board.

 

[mpire]

Looks good. Thats basically exactly what I did, but I put the bottom of the cabinet on top of the kick plate. Shouldn't make a big difference.

I got pre-fab doors for mine, just enough room to open the door with the truck in the garage.

I hope you used plenty of wood glue, because thats what makes them solid. I bet you can jump up and down on top of them and they won't budge.

 

[mpire]

Oh, one more thing!

Get a piece of 4x8 1/4 inch plywood and nail it on the back of the cabinet using short nails. Go all the way around and do the center support too.

This will make it dramatically stronger! Keeps it from wobbling side to side.

I just nailed on the full sheet then took the router around the edges to cut off any excess.