How to Make a Cabinet Layout & Cut-Out

Adding a cabinet to a kitchen, bathroom or work area provides additional storage to keep your living or work space clutter-free and help you organize items for easy retrieval. Although you can purchase ready-made cabinets from home improvement stores and online retailers, you can also build your own custom cabinet to fit your work space or living area. Creating the layout and cutting your own custom cabinet is a straightforward process that requires only basic carpentry and drafting supplies.

Measuring tape
Graph paper
1/2-inch-thick pine or hardwood
Table saw

Instructions

- 1
  Measure the available space in the desired cabinet location using a measuring tape to determine the width, depth and height of the cabinet.
- 2
  Sketch the cabinet layout on graph paper. One graph square can equal 6 inches of cabinet layout to keep measurements simple. Note the cabinet measurements on the sketch. Also, mark the door widths and shelf positions on the sketch.
- 3
  Transfer the width and height measurements to two pieces of 1/2-inch-thick pine or hardwood. Using a table saw, cut these sections to size. One of these sections forms the back of the cabinet. Measure the horizontal center of the other section and cut the pine or hardwood in half at this measurement to form the cabinet doors.
- 4
  Measure and mark two sections of 1/2-inch hardwood or plywood to the height and depth of the cabinet. Cut these sections to size to form the sides of the cabinet. Measure and cut two additional sections to the width and depth of the cabinet to form the top and bottom.
- 5
  Cut sections to 1/2 inch shorter than the cabinet depth, and to 1-inch shorter than the cabinet width as needed to form the shelves.

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