DESIGNING AND BUILDING WOODEN CUPBOARDS & BOOKCASES

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Designing and drawing the cupboards or bookshelves: 

How to measure the available cabinet space and determine the cupboard dimensions.

Take the measurements of the overall cupboard dimensions.
Observe the below rules:
  • If your cupboard is to be built between two walls, take the measurement on three different heights and select the smallest one.
  • The overall cupboard width is to be this distance minus 5 mm.
  • Check if the doors openings are clear of any obstacle.
  • In case of a single leaf door, decide to which direction it will open.
  • If your cupboard is to stand on the floor, do not forget to remove 12 mm from the overall height for later fitting small legs.
  • Or, you might have chosen some specific legs to raise it from the floor. You will then need to substract their length from the cupboard height.
  • If your cupboard is to be hanged to the wall, make sure its bottom does not hit the head or the shoulder. Make it shorter if needed.
  • Do not exaggerate the depth. This is the bulkiest of the three dimension (width, height, depth). It consumes the room space.
  • Do not hesitate to measure the objects that will go inside (books, printer, decorative items, glassware, etc.) to avoid any excess.
  • Increase the depth by no more than 20 mm on top of the the largest object.
Draw the cupboard and show the dimensions.
 Now you need to generate the wooden panels ordering dimensions and information.
1- Start by splitting the cupboard into boxes
As an  example, the above cupboard to the left will be designed in two separate boxes, one for the vertical part and another for the horizontal.
In the picture to the right, each of these cupboards will be designed in a 2-box arrangement, one for each depth.

2- Decide which panels will fit in between the other two:
  • Configuration 1: If the cupboard side is visible, have the side panel length measuring the height of the cupboard. In this configuration, the bottom and top do fit between the sides.
  • Configuration 2: Alternatively, for stronger structures and heavier loads, have the bottom and top length equal the width of the cupboard. In such case, the side panels fit between the top an bottom.
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3- Write down the ordering dimensions as follows. This example is given for a 60 cm high x 100 cm wide x 30 cm deep box using 18 mm thick panels and having a double leaf door 

Configuration 1:
side panel = height x depth = 60 x 35 cm
bottom and top panels = [box width - 2x the panel thickness] x depth = [100-2x1.8cm] x 35 =96.4 x 35 cm
shelves: same as bottom and top = 96.4 x 35 cm
doors = [width - 3 mm] / 2 = 97 cm / 2 = 48.5 cm each (with full overlay hinges, see further below)
back panel (made of 3 mm fiber wood): [width- 1 mm] x [height - 1 mm] = 99.9 cm x 59.9 cm

Configuration 2: 
side panel = [height - 2xthe panel thickness] x depth= [60-2x1.8] x 35 = 56.4 x 35 cm.
bottom and top panels = [box width ] x depth = 100 x 35 cm
shelves no more equal to the top and bottom for being fitted between the side panels: 96.4 x 35 cm
doors = [width - 3 mm] / 2 = 97 cm / 2 = 48.5 cm each (with full overlay hinges, see further below)
back panel (made of 3 mm fiber wood) = 99.9 cm x 59.9 cm
​
4- Write down which edges are to be banded. Follow the below general rule:

band all panels to the front side of the box
do not band them on the back side except if your cupboard has no wooden back
do not band the panels when a wood to wood contact is to happen
band door leafs all around

Edge banding for configuration 1 above:
sides: 60 cm edge: one is banded, one not. 35 cm edge: both banded.
top, bottom and shelves: 96.4 cm edge: one is banded, one is not. 35 cm edge: none is banded.
doors: banded all around

Edge banding for configuration 2 above:
sides: 56.4 cm edge: one is banded, one not. 35 cm edge: none banded.
top and bottom: 100 cm edge: one is banded, one not. 35 cm edge: both banded.
shelves: 96.4 cm edge: one is banded, one not. 35 cm edge: none is banded.
doors: banded all around

Below an order of wooden panels that are ready for assembly. The workshop supplies panels that have been cut and banded as per you order requirements:
You also need to tell the workshop which sides of the doors will receive the hinges if you wish that it punches them for you (left).
Do not forget to order the back cover when needed (picture to the right).

The wooden cabinets, cupboards and bookshelves assembly material:

The below accessory is used to assemble 2 panels perpendicularly (left).
Use the closest color to the wooden panels. Most common are white, beige, brown, black.
You might also need dowel pins (middle) or specific assembly screws (right).
See our cupboard assembly pictorials for their use.
Wood panel screws: 30x4mm and 20x4mm.
Screw covers of the sticker or plug-in type and of a matching color to your wood panels.
From left to right: hinge, hinge screw, door handle, door handle fixing screw.
Three different types of hinges do exist:
  • Full overlay: the door leaf overlaps over the side edge and covers it
  • Half overlay: the door leaf only covers half the edge
  • No overlay: the edge remains visible​
From left to right: pin legs, assembly and wall hanging accessories:
From left to right: shelves cleats to support the shelf and nails with a flat head for fixing the back cover.

See also...