DIY Network

Entertainer's Kitchen From "Wasted Spaces" episode DWSP-106

(Continued from page 1)

Taking out a wall leaves scars on the ceiling and walls. You will need to repair them.

Drywall Repair

1. For the ceiling, measure the gaps to be filled and custom cut strips of drywall to fit into the space.

2. Secure the strips into place by driving drywall screws through them up into beams in the ceiling, just until the screws are flush with the surface of the drywall strip. This will fill the major gap and give you a flat surface to "mud" over.

3. Use two inch drywall tape to securely and smoothly cover all of the joints where the new drywall strip and old drywall meet. This will ensure you don't see any joints later; the aim is to not be able to tell there was a wall there.

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4. The quickest and easiest way to patch this is to cover the entire area with "20 minute mud." You will likely need to do several coats of this to get even coverage. Don't worry if it dries cakey, you'll be sanding it down.

5. While you are waiting for the ceiling to dry, go ahead and start your wall repairs. You will go about it the same way, cut a strip of drywall to fit, tape the joints, cover with drywall mud and allow to dry.

6. When all of your wall and ceiling repairs are dry, sand them down evenly. There are specific drywall sandpapers, but any should work.

Tips:

• To give your repair area a smoother finish, purchase drywall joint compound and after drying and sanding your mud layer, spread a layer of the compound over the area of repair.

• If you have popcorn-style ceilings, you will have to take extra care when taping up the joints around the drywall strip. The tape will not adhere to that existing popcorn surface (on the ceiling around the repair) and you will likely have to scrape down the edges surrounding the repair area. It is important that the drywall tape makes good contact and covers up the joints.

• Again, for popcorn-style ceilings, you will have to apply the popcorn texture yourself after sanding the repairs. You can buy it at hardware stores; it comes in a can.

When altering the depth of a cabinet, cut off the back. To create a new back, simply measure, mark and cut from a sheet of 1/4" inch plywood, then adhere the new back to the cabinet. Be careful to glue and nail it down tightly.

Customized Cabinetry

The cabinets used were originally 24", and they were cut down to 16" deep.

1. All four of the rear sides (top and bottom, left and right) were cut to reduce the depth to create enough room for an overhanging countertop. If the cabinets you are working on are too deep, you can cut them down by measuring and marking, then cutting them one side at a time using a circular saw.

2. Next, if you have lessened the depth of your cabinets, you will need to create and install a small strip brace beneath the interior base of the cabinet. This is because cutting the back and sides will lessen the support and it needs to be reinforced. If the base is not strong enough, anything you put in there will make it sag. For this, simply measure the width of the cabinets and cut a small piece of plywood to fit under the base and between the sides. Glue first and then nail it into place on the sides and down lengthwise.

3. You will also have to consider the length of the drawers. If you alter the depth of your cabinets, the length of your drawers will also have to be cut to fit.

4. It is very important that you cut the correct side of the drawers off, the back.

5. Using a jigsaw to cut off the excess length of the drawers, start the saw before you ever make contact with the wood. Once saw is running, cut cleanly one side at a time, making sure to stay on the correct side of the lines.

Cabinet Installation

1. Once the cabinet(s) is/are inside, use a level to make sure the place where you want them to be installed is level. They need to be uneven for a countertop to sit level on them.

2. If you have multiple cabinets that you want to connect together, first remove the cabinet doors that border each side of the cabinets you want to connect. Then, use a furniture clamp to clamp the neighboring stiles of the cabinet together. Sometimes cabinets have "face frames" that make the front façade wider than the back, so before affixing your cabinets together, make sure the rear ends are lined up as well. If the space between the two is different in the front than in the back, measure the difference and cut a small strip of wood and place between the cabinets in the rear.

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