Part 3 – Building My Walk-In Closet Island (And A Pretty Big Setback)

So let me again up a bit. After I final shared my progress, the island appeared like this…

The essential construct appeared completed at that time, however I nonetheless wanted to take away the highest and add a number of extra items to the bottom construction. I lower items of 1×2’s to suit on the high of every opening. I drilled pocket holes in every finish of every piece utilizing my Kreg pocket gap jig, after which used these pocket holes to screw the items into the perimeters of every part.

Right here’s a have a look at the place each items screw into the center divider piece of plywood.

And right here’s a better have a look at the place it’s screwed into the tip piece, lined up with the plywood.

With all of these 1×2’s hooked up, it appeared like this…

Right here’s one other look from the facet of the island…

I had already created a body for the doorways and drawer entrance on the perimeters with the facet trim, and on the underside with the underside trim, so now I wanted to create a body on the highest in order that the doorways and drawer fronts would look inset on all sides as soon as they’re hooked up. So I lower one other strip of three/4″ sq. trim by ripping down a 1×3 utilizing my desk noticed, and I hooked up it going all the way in which throughout the highest of the 1×2 stretchers I had simply hooked up.

And with that piece hooked up, now you can see that the doorways and drawer fronts will sit inside that body giving them an inset look as soon as they’re on.

With that achieved, I may truly connect the highest. After measuring rigorously to ensure it was even all the way in which round, I simply nailed proper by way of the highest and into the body of the bottom to safe the highest. You’ll be able to see the place I used wooden filler to fill these nail holes.

I additionally added wooden filler the place the facet trim met the plywood high in order that when it’s sanded, it’ll be as completely clean as potential with no little cracks between these items.

Right here’s a have a look at it with the highest on. You’ll be able to see that that high body piece is about 1/4″ under the countertop.

Then I used to be able to construct the drawer bins. I began by measuring the width of the opening, which was 34 7/8 inches.

These are the drawer slides I exploit. I’m not explicit in regards to the model so long as they’re ball bearing drawer slides with gentle shut. You will get them at House Depot and Lowe’s, and so they’re all just about the identical, no matter model.

The drawer slides are 1/2 inch thick.

That ought to make it simple, proper? You are taking the width of the opening, subtract an inch, and that’s the width you construct the drawer field. Simple peasy. Or a minimum of, it needs to be.

So I spent hours slicing and sanding all the items for the drawer bins. For these, I made a decision to maintain it simple and construct absolutely the easiest type of drawer field potential. I lower one backside piece for every drawer. Then I lower two items to go on the back and front, lower to the identical width as the underside piece. After which I lower two items for the ends, lower to 1 inch greater than the underside piece in order that the facet items would cowl the underside piece plus the perimeters of the back and front items. Nail all of them collectively, and you’ve got probably the most fundamental drawer field potential. No fancy cuts or fancy instruments wanted.

So I received all the pieces lower, received the primary drawer field nailed collectively, after which realized that I had forgotten to subtract that inch for the drawer slides when slicing all the backside, entrance, and again items. UGH!!!! Such a rookie mistake!!!

Y’all, I used to be so annoyed. Thank goodness I had solely put collectively one drawer field and determined to check it for match earlier than placing the remaining collectively. I’d have ugly cried had I gotten all ten drawer bins put collectively earlier than realizing that I had lower all of them the flawed measurement.

It’s no huge deal. I simply need to spend time right this moment recutting all of these items (all aside from the facet items) to the fitting lengths (one inch shorter than they’re) and doing somewhat extra sanding, after which I can get them constructed. At the very least I lower them too lengthy as a substitute of too brief! Had I lower them too brief, all of that plywood would have been wasted. So this can be a very easy repair, but it surely’s nonetheless a ache.

By the point I spotted my mistake, I didn’t have it in me to return out and repair these items. So as a substitute, I received all the wooden filler on the bottom and received it prepared for sanding in order that I can get it primed and painted.

I additionally tried to determine simply precisely how I’m going to make the drawer fronts and doorways. I used to be waffling between two totally different designs, however I believe I’m going to maintain it easy. I purchased these pulls from Lowe’s.

So I believe I’m simply going to chop the drawer fronts out of 1/2″ plywood after which put some fairly trim across the edges. I’m nonetheless undecided if I’m going to make use of one pull per drawer…

Or two pulls per drawer like this…

I’m leaning in direction of two for the reason that drawers are so large (nearly 36 inches large). And as soon as the trim is hooked up, I’ll simply end up the sides with some wooden veneer edge banding.