DIY Built In Cabinet – Coffee Bar:

DIY Built In Cabinet – Coffee Bar:

It’s day number…I can’t even recall…of working from home and I can finally say that I have a morning routine that actually works for me. I used to be ambitious about how I should spend my mornings: wake up at 5, meditate, go for a walk, workout, make a full breakfast…all things beyond my mental capacity first thing in the morning. I have accepted the simplicity in a morning routine that will actually work for me…wake up, drink a glass of water, take my vitamins and turn on the coffee machine. The smell of coffee aids in the process of waking my body up. So it’s only right that I create an environment in my kitchen surrounding the staple of my mornings…a coffee bar. 

The only difficulty with this great idea was that I wanted something I could build quickly that could fit in an awkward tight space in my kitchen. So when I came across LivePrettyonaPenny’s post, where she used kitchen wall cabinets to create a sideboard for her living room, I decided to take a similar approach. Kitchen wall cabinets are narrower in depth than a regular kitchen base cabinet and would pair seamlessly with the rest of my kitchen. 

Supplies:

Step 1: Evaluate your space

Measure your space and determine how many wall stock cabinets you will need. I decided to use wall kitchen cabinets because they are shorter and shallower in depth, which would work perfectly for my small space, but if space is not an issue, you can use the kitchen base cabinets instead. The cabinets come in multiple sizes: the depth is typically 12 inches but the width varies from 18in to 36 inches. I decided to use two 24 inch cabinets. 

Step 2: Prep you space

Once you have measured out your space and mapped out where your cabinets will go, it’s time to prep your space. Remove the baseboards along the wall where your cabinets will be sitting so they can sit flush against the walls. I don’t enjoy this step, but it has to be done. Then, using a stud finder, locate the studs in the wall and mark along the wall with a pencil. Make sure to remove all doors or drawers so that you have open access to the inside of the cabinets.

Step 3: Build your foundation

Unlike base cabinets, wall cabinets do not come with a built-in kickstand. To create the custom build-in look, you can build the base on which the wall cabinets will sit. I used 2x4s cut to the width and depth of your cabinets but you can use whatever boards you like or have handy, just bear in mind that you will be adding baseboards to the base. Adding the base, not only gave the cabinets a built-in look, but also added height which made them more consistent with my other kitchen cabinets. 

Now that you’ve built your base, check to make sure the base is leveled. Find the highest point along the base and use shims to level the other side of the base. 

Step 4: Install cabinets

Starting with the corner cabinets, place the cabinets on top of the base and screw to the base. Check to make sure the cabinets are level in all directions: front to back and left to right. Use wood shims below the base and behind the cabinets where necessary to level the cabinets and ensure they are flush with the back wall. When the cabinet is level and sits flush with the back wall, screw the cabinet to the wall by drilling into the studs using 2 ½ inch screws. For my 24inch cabinets, I secured the cabinets to at least one stud in three places (top, middle and bottom). For larger cabinets, you can use more studs to secure the cabinet to the wall.  

When the first cabinet is installed, lift, and place your second cabinet on the base and check to make sure the cabinet is level and flush with the wall. Use clamps to attach the second cabinet to the first then again, check to make sure the cabinets are both level in all directions. Secure the second cabinets to the studs in the wall using 2 ½ inch screws. Then screw the cabinets together using a countersink drill bit and 1 ½ inch screws. The benefit of using the countersink drill bit is that it creates a sunken hole for screws so that the screw head is flush along the wood surface. 

I ended up putting a piece of 2×4 scrap lumber between the two cabinets before screwing them together because I wanted a couple more inches in width to fit my space. This is an option for you if the dimensions of the cabinets don’t quite fit your space.

Step 5: Fill gaps

Now that your cabinet is installed, you need to fill any gaps left between the cabinets and wall. Cabinet filler strips, which you can purchase from any big box hardware store, are strips of wood that are made to fill gaps in between cabinets and other objects. I used these. 

To install, measure the gap between the wall and the cabinet at the bottom and bottom of the cabinet. Purchase filler strips that best fits your gap or cut down the strip using a table or jigsaw. Ensure that the filler strip fits in the gap exactly, it should be a tight fit. Apply a bead of silicone caulk along the edges of the filler strip, place the strip in the gap at an angle then gently tap until the strip fits into place.

Step 6: Add countertop

Now it is time to install your countertop. I used this laminate countertop from IKEA. Measure the width and depth of the cabinets and allow for a 1-1 ½ inch overhang along each side. Cut the countertop down to size using painters tape along the cutline to prevent chipping of the laminate as you cut. 

If your walls are like mine, and are not completely straight, it will require some extra work to get the countertops to sit flush with the wall. You will need to scribe the countertops. First, fit the countertops as close as possible against the wall. Using a compass and pencil, adjust the distance between the compass point and pencil tip to equal the widest gap between the wall and the countertop. Without changing the distance of the compass, slide the compass point against the wall so that the pencil marks along the countertop. The pencil line on the countertop marks the edge that the countertop needs to be to ensure a flush fit. Sand the countertop to the pencil line using a fine grit sandpaper. Check the countertop against the wall to see if the fit is now flush, if not repeat the process. 

When your countertop fits flush against the wall, secure it to the cabinets using 1 inch screws. Screw upwards through the top corners of the cabinet and into the countertop. Caulk all corners where the countertop meets the wall to give a seamless finish. 

Side note: save yourself the trouble and absolutely fill all the gaps around your cabinets before moving to the countertops. I cut and started installing my countertops before I realized the error of my ways and had to remove.

Step 7: Finishing touches

Now that your countertop is in place, add the base boards to the base frame then install the cabinet doors and hardware. You can add some floating shelves to complete the look. Here is an easy DIY floating shelf tutorial that I did to complete my coffee bar corner. 

Now that all the hard work is done, sit back and enjoy that cup of coffee!