DIY Network

Storage Hutch From "From Junky to Funky" episode DFJF-106

In this segment designer Mike Spatafora made use of an old wooden screen to build a storage hutch, which created a beautiful and functional way to organize and display the homeowner's items.

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It's hard to believe that this hutch was made from a set of tri-fold screens; now the homeowner's items are displayed and stored in an organized yet funky way!

Materials:

Tri-fold screens
Metal brackets
1" x 12" pine pieces
2" x 4" boards
Drywall screws
Glue
Table saw
Router
Plug makers
Drill
Screw driver

Note: Two sets of tri-fold screens found at an antique store were used to create this project.

1. Disassemble the tri-fold doors and assign each section of the door to a section of the final cabinet. Save all of the hardware.

   
   

2. In this project, there were two sets of identical doors (one was a pair and one set had three, the other door had already been used in another project).

Back Section of Cabinet:

1. Choose which pieces will make up the back of your cabinet.

   
   

2. Line up the centers of the doors.

   
   

3. Affix the doors together with metal brackets on the backside. Do this on the backside so that the screw holes are not visible. The brackets are only temporary. They will be removed later, once the shelves are added.

   
   Note: This step is done so that you can have a solid surface to take measurements for the side sections and the shelves.

	Figure A
	Figure B

Side Sections of Cabinet:

1. We took one of the three remaining doors and ripped it in half on the table saw (figure A). These two identical pieces will become the sides.

   
   

2. Use the sides to make marks on the back section (figure B) to use as reference lines to take measurements for the shelves.

   
   Note: Don't attach the sides at this point—it's easier to measure without the shelves in the way.

   
   

3. Set the sides aside until final assembly.

Shelves:

1. Make all the measurements for the shelves. For the width, measure from the reference lines. For the depth, measure the side sections, and then subtracte the thickness of the doors that you will be using.

   
   

2. Cut the lumber for the shelves to size using wood that matches your project.

   
   Note: In this project, 1" x 12" pine was used, and then nosing was added which was milled out of 2" x 4" lumber with a routed detail that matched an existing detail in the original tri-fold doors.

   
   

3. Scribe and custom cut back the edge of each shelf so that all of the edges will meet flush and tight. This step was needed because the tri-fold doors had details on the face that the shelves needed to fit around tightly.

   
   

4. Once all of the pieces are cut and fit snugly, it's time for the final assembly.

Final Assembly of the Case:

1. Pre-drill holes for drywall screws. Countersink all the holes to allow for plugs after the screws are installed.

   
   

2. Mark the layout of the shelves—making sure that everything is square.

   
   

3. Attach the side sections to the shelves.

   
   

4. Attach the entire unit to the back section.

   
   

5. Add enough screws to the backside to ensure structural integrity of the unit.

   
   

6. Remove the metal brackets from the backside.

Figure C

Doors:

1. Prepare the doors by cutting off any undesirable sections. Our doors had legs that needed to be removed.

2. Measure the opening where the doors are to go.

3. Cut the material off of the doors as needed to allow them to fit.

4. Use a router to add detailing to the edges that you cut.

5. Hang the doors (figure C) using hinges that were saved from the original tri-fold doors.

6. Once the doors open and close easily, install the hardware.

Note: We used simple cabinet latches to keep the doors closed. We also used ironwork details that were on our original doors as handles.