How to Make Garage Cabinet Frames

Clear out and measure the space in which you intend to install your garage cabinet frames. Use a measuring tape to determine the ideal length, depth and height of your cabinets, and record these measurements on a piece of paper. You may choose to build your cabinets across the entire length of one wall in the garage or install a few individual cabinets in certain areas.

Draw a sketch of your desired cabinets in pencil, using the measurements you took. Use graph paper to draw the sketch to scale to make it easier to determine the sizes to which you need to cut your pieces of lumber.

Use a stud finder to locate the studs in the wall on which you intend to install your cabinets. Mark the position of the studs in pencil directly on the wall.

Cut two equal-sized pieces of 3/4-inch pine or plywood, using a table saw, to the length and depth measurements of your cabinets, to serve as the top and bottom of your cabinet.

Use the height and depth measurements of your cabinet to cut two pieces of 3/4-inch pine or plywood for the side panels. Use these same measurements to cut the dividers for your cabinets. Consult your sketch regarding the total number of individual cabinets to determine how many dividers you need to cut.

Set two of the side panels upright opposite each other with the narrow edge of their longest sides flat against the ground. Position the top and bottom panels between the two side panels, sandwiching the side panels between them and aligning the outside edges. Drive 1 1/2-inch wood screws through the top and bottom panels into the thickness of the side panels to secure them in place.

Measure and mark the position of the cabinet dividers in pencil along the length of the top and bottom panels. When measuring, be sure to account for the 3/4-inch thickness of the side panels and the dividers themselves.

Slide the dividers between the top and bottom panels in the desired positions and secure them in place by driving 1 1/2-inch wood screws through the top and bottom panels into the thickness of the dividers.

Cut a piece of 1/2-inch plywood using the length and height dimensions of the entire cabinet, and lay it flat on top of the cabinet frame. Secure the plywood to the cabinet frame along the outside edges and along each divider using 1 1/2-inch wood screws. This piece of plywood will serve as the back panel for your cabinet.

Have someone help you lift the cabinet frame into position on the garage wall, pressing the back panel flat against the wall. Secure the frame in place by driving 1 1/2-inch wood screws through the back panel into the studs in the wall. Place screws in every corner and approximately every 6 inches along the wall studs.