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Resize Cabinets Save a bundle by customizing discount cabinets. From "Wasted Spaces" episode DWSP-312

Pre-fab cabinets become a posh party station.

Wine aficionados Eric and Megan love to entertain, but their wine, serving areas and party storage are scattered throughout their kitchen and adjacent rooms. Host Karl Champley clears out a never-used breakfast nook to create a functional party center complete with custom cabinetry and a massive, wall-mounted wine rack.

To save on the budget, Karl modifies inexpensive, store-bought cabinets to add storage and fit the space. He then pulls the cabinets together to create a fabulous serving area that really gets the party started.

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Resize Cabinets

Tools: measuring tape level nail gun screw gun safety glasses pencil circular saw finish blade jigsaw sandpaper pry bar

Materials: 1/2" birch plywood nails screws wood glue pre-fab cabinets drawer slides & hardware 1x6 plywood

	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D

• Plan the project. The final serving area will center around Eric's beloved wine fridge, which will be flanked by two cabinets and topped with a custom granite counter. To make everything fit, the cabinets need to become shallower and taller (figure A). Carefully measure and sketch out how the dimensions need to change. To add storage space, Karl creates a new drawer in the bottom of each cabinet.

• Remove drawers, doors and hardware. Before getting started, remove the cabinet doors, drawers and all hardware. Also remove the backing, bottom and any shelves from both cabinets.

• Cut from the back. Use a circular saw with a finish blade to cut the excess depth from the back of the cabinets (figure B). Also cut away the excess depth from the bottom and any shelves.

• Reassemble the cabinets. Slide the bottom and any shelves back into place and re-attach the cabinet backing (figure C). Leave the drawers aside until later; they still need to be shortened.

• Measure and cut plywood for height extension. Flip the cabinets upside down and measure the cabinet base. The height extension will consist of a plywood box the same size as the base. Use a circular saw to cut 1/2" birch plywood to the correct dimensions. Also cut slightly smaller pieces of plywood, which will be used to hold the extension in place.

• Attach the smaller pieces. Use wood glue and nails to attach the smaller pieces of plywood around the inside of the back and sides of the cabinet base. These pieces should extend above the base to provide a surface to glue and nail the extension.

• Attach the back and side pieces. Glue and nail the back and sides of the base extension in place, attaching to the plywood added in the previous step (figure D).

• Cut the extension front. Remove the front of the original cabinet base and cut a piece of 3/4" plywood to cover the front of the extended base. Trace the desired shape for the drawer opening and make a plunge cut with a circular saw to begin cutting the hole. Complete the cut with a jigsaw.

• Finish the extension. Use wood glue and nails to attach the extension front. Use small brackets inside the extension to secure the front if needed.

• Build the extension drawer. Measure and cut 1" x 6" plywood to build a simple box to serve as a drawer to fit through the extension front. Install using standard drawer slides cut to fit the new drawer. Attach a handle or drawer pull to the front.

• Resize existing drawers. Remove the backs, bottoms and drawer slides from the drawers that came with the cabinet. Use a circular saw to cut the sides and bottoms of the drawers to the new size. Reassemble using wood glue and a nail gun. Replace the drawer slides on the drawers and inside the cabinet with shorter slides. Slide the drawers back into place.

With the cabinets resized, it's time to transform them into a new wine serving station