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Kitchen Pass-Through Karl transforms a clutter-magnet wall into a cabinet and pass-through loaded with storage. From "Wasted Spaces" episode DWSP-203

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Opening up the wall is just the beginning. To really reclaim this wasted space, Karl and Michael transform two pre-made cabinets into a custom storage unit that will sport a tile countertop.

Karl modifies the cabinets for extra-deep toy storage...

Backed up by a shallow glassware cabinet for the kitchen.

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Modifying Storage Cabinets

For this project, Karl chose two similar – but not identical – pre-made storage cabinets purchased from a home improvement store. One is a regular under-counter cabinet, and the other was originally an overhead cabinet. Karl and Michael join the cabinets to make one unit and add a toe kick to the lower cabinet.

	Figure A
	Figure B

• Remove the cabinet doors and drawers and set aside.

• Starting with the larger cabinet, use a straight edge to run a level line and mark the area of the center backing that will be removed. Don't remove the backing behind the toe kick or the drawers.

• Use a circular saw to cut out the center of the backing section (figure A). Switch to a jigsaw to cut the rest of the way to each edge.

  Safety Alert: Always wear safety glasses and use caution when using any type of power saw.

• Use a paint scraper to clean off the glue from the back of the cabinet. After cleaning up the edges on both sides, pop out the perfectly cut piece.

• Repeat the same process to remove the backing from the smaller cabinet (figure B).

• To retrofit the smaller cabinet as a glassware cabinet, build an internal frame by gluing, then nailing strips of wood to the remaining part of the backing. Then flip the unit over and nail plywood to the strips to form a new back. This design "steals" some of the depth from the smaller cabinet and gives it to the larger cabinet for more toy storage.

• Use plywood and a nail gun to build a plywood box to match the toe kick on the larger base cabinet. The toe kick on the project cabinet is 4 inches high and 9 inches deep, leaving a 3-inch overhang when it's mounted to the bottom of the 12-inch-deep cabinet.
  

  Figure C

• With the toe kick in place, lift both of the modified cabinets into position and check to make sure they're level and even with each other. Attach the two cabinets using screws across the top.

• Cut a wood strip to match the cabinet width and two to match the cabinet height. Apply a bead of glue to each wood strip and nail them into position across the bottom and up the sides of the cabinets.

• Put the entire unit in place, check to make sure it is level and anchor it to the wall by driving screws through the wood strips on the sides (figure C).

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