Retrofitting an Armoire

Make the Armoire into a Wardrobe

• 1

  Take out the doors on the armoire by unscrewing the hinges.

• 2

  Remove any drawers, shelves and dividers inside the armoire. The only piece you should leave is the bottom of the armoire’s frame. You may need to use a screwdriver or a circular saw to remove components within the armoire.

• 3

  Measure the face of the armoire so you can create new doors, using the same material as the furniture.

• 4

  Make a simple door with a 1/2-inch-thick sheet of wood. The wood type should be the same as that on the armoire. Cut the sheet to fit over the face of the wardrobe you are creating or divide the width in half to create a double door.

• 5

  Sand down the armoire and door with a 220-grit foam sanding block.

• 6

  Paint or stain the wood pieces in the color of your choice and allow them to dry.

• 7

  Reattach the door or double door with the same type of hinges you removed and attach knobs to the front of the new wardrobe doors.

Make the Armoire into a Desk

• 8

  Measure the inside of the armoire and record the width and depth. When measuring the depth, measure from the back wall of the armoire to the inside edge of the front frame.

• 9

  Use the measurements to cut two sheets of 3/4-inch-thick plywood. The cut sheets should fit inside the armoire in a manner that does not prevent the doors from closing. One sheet of wood will serve as a shelf, and the other will be a pullout desk.

• 10

  Paint or stain the sheets of wood in the color of your choice.

• 11

  Measure 6 inches up from the bottom of the armoire’s hutch or the space where you would set a television. Mark the measurement with a pencil on the inside and outside of the armoire.

• 12

  Install one of the cut sheets of wood at the 6-inch mark to create a shelf. Secure the shelf with screws spaced 3 inches apart.

• 13

  Center glider tracks on the side walls on the bottom of the hutch. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions to secure them in place. Attach the glider wheels to the sides of the shelf you cut and fit the wheels into the tracks so the sheet of wood glides in and out of the armoire.