Making Cabinet Doors for Particle-Board Wooden Shelves

Measure the height and width of the shelving unit with a tape measure. Write both measurements down on a piece of paper.

Draw the cabinet door on the plywood sheet with a pencil and ruler. If you want a single door, use the full height and length measurements for your pencil-drawn rectangle. If you want a two-door design on the shelving unit, divide the width dimension in two and use this new measurement with the height to draw two door pieces on the plywood piece.

Cut the doors out with a table saw. Lightly sand the edges with the medium-grit sandpaper; do not sand too much, or you will change the angles of the cuts.

Measure two inches inward from all four sides of the door piece, using the measuring tape, to create a smaller pencil-drawn rectangle on the door. Repeat this step for each door. This will be the guidelines for the cabinet molding.

Place four pieces of molding on the pencil line so the corners overlap. Use the protractor to create 45-degree-angle pencil lines on each of the molding piece, so they come together at 45 degrees in each corner. Cut the 45-degree angles using the table saw.

Add a layer of wood glue on the back side of the molding pieces and place them on the door front, following the pencil lines as your guide. Use the level to ensure the molding panels are evenly placed. Insert half-inch screws into the molding, using the screwdriver, to secure the pieces on the cabinet door.

Paint the cabinet door or doors; add several layers for bolder color. For a lighter shade, simply add one layer of paint or stain, so the wood’s texture shows through the color.

Install the semi-concealed hinges on the door so that you have two hinges spaced evenly apart. Install the hinges using the 1/4-inch-long screws and a screwdriver. Install the flat surface of the hinge on the backside of the door, leaving the base part available.

Line the door up to the shelving unit so the hinges fall outside the unit. Install the hinges to the side panel of the unit using additional 1/4-inch-long screws and the handheld screwdriver.

Install a knob or a handle on the front side of each cabinet door, using 1/4-inch-long screws and the handheld screwdriver. The hardware must be placed on the opposite side from the hinges, on the front of the cabinet door.