This Old House...

So we did all our little fix-it projects last summer when we were going to try to sell the house. I had one more project in mind... we have a peninsula in our kitchen that has cabinets under it and one is cornered with the dishwasher, so it's a huge space...that is pretty unusable. My mom has a very similar set up but since my dad built hers, she was able to request a door into that space. So I decided I wanted one too.

THE space where I was envisioning a cabinet.

This is the other side, see that corner?

look at all that space back there! I wanted it!


I started off at Home Depot where I learned such a door would put me out $114 including hinges and I'd have to wait 3-5 weeks. Well anyone who knows me knows... I'm cheap and I'm impatient. So I headed home to think about things and have some lunch and looked online and found Re-Store in Seattle which is a non-profit that takes usable remodeling materials and resells them.  Cabinet doors there are $5. Mine was in excellent condition and solid oak and unfinished, so I got it for $7.  In fact, I picked up a couple to try because at $5 and the fact I could return them for store credit, I could well afford to try a few. I also found some other treasures there, but I'll post about them when I use them. Let's just say it is a pinterest person's haven.

By the time I stained it with $6 of stain and heavy duty hinges for $13 from McClendon's hardware, I'd already saved myself about 3-5 weeks of wait time and $90 (if you don't count the 3 doors I bought to try that didn't work out that I plan on exchanging).

So first off, I drew a line around where I wanted the door to go. I then made a few mistakes. I started by trying to cut right on the line when I should have gone about 1/2 inch at least, esp on the top, bottom and right sides (my hinges were to be on the left). Also, I started cutting with drilled holes in the corners, which was correct to do because I then used a jigsaw, however, I used a 3/4 inch drill and promptly drilled in places that weren't really ideal. My top left was not even into the cabinet and also into a cabinet square holder, my bottom left was almost below the cabinet. Note to those wanting to try this... drill tiny pilot holes where you think you want the corners of your hole to be and then have someone shine a light in them while you peer into the cabinet and make sure that these are indeed proper places for the corners. THEN you can cut bigger holes if you like.

So then I used my jigsaw to cut my hole out.  I evened things up and went looking for my iron-on stainable veneer from my laundry room project, but couldn't find it. You'll see in the picture the outter cap of the cabinet and the inner back cabinet wall which make the inside of my hole (that no one can see) a little rough. As soon as I find the veneer, I plan on installing it (cut it down to the width with scissors, Iron it on flat, then stain. It will look much nicer-it's really easy)

look at all that space!

Then I took scrap lumber I got from McClendon's (they also gave Carter a free birdhouse kit!) and cut it down to about 4 inches by 26 inches and used 3 drywall screws to screw it into the cabinet wall

I then installed my hinges per directions in the package. I did also find hinges for about $1 a pair at Re-store, but since the cabinet door already had holes drilled in it for the regular hinges, I sprung for the $13 ones as then I won't have exposed hinge. I also, very classily took a minute to open a bottle of wine to try to solve my hole problem and wouldn't you know, the cork fit right in there (Paul is hoping I'll put a strip of veneer over that as well, I probably will punch a 3/4 inch hole out with my hole punch in my craft room and put it over the cork :) ) you can't see it in the picture, I think because the drill cord is in the way...

That's it! All in all, with all our bungling and not the driving around time to get supplies, I'd say it's a 2-3 hour project.

How the final product turned out from the outside

I know it looks a little wierd because it's darker than the back of the cabinet, the back plate has been in the sun side of the house for 15 years, it's a bit bleached, but look at the other side and you'll see it fits well with the rest of the kitchen...

Updated to add the final touches:

I found the veneer!  You can just cut with scissors or exacto knife or box cutter to cover the edges, I did have to remove the door to do this because my hinges were covering one edge.

Then use an iron to heat set it. The iron activates the glue on the back. Be very careful as you are ironing in a tight corner and can burn yourself as I did, ouch!

I was wondering what to put in this space.  My neighbor girl came over this morning for carpool and says, "oh, yeah, we have a place like that at my house, that's where we keep the art supplies."  BINGO! I've stored them in the pantry & the lazy susan in the corner because I need the supplies over the more washable flooring (not carpet) and where I can keep an eye on my little buggers, but both places had a large flaw.  They were right where I'm trying to cook. 4-5 pm is insane in my house. All 3 are home, I'm trying to make dinner, they are hungry and getting a second wind and trying to get in their art stuff while I'm tired, cranky and hungry and inevitably I step on a marker and use profanity.  Now, it can be on the other side, still in the kitchen, but not where I'm trying to cook :)

Then varnish (I just took a rag and rubbed some on)

Put the door back on and look how nice that looks!

I also added a few screw hooks (make sure they aren't too long that they go through your door) to add some art bibs for painting.