Hello everyone! I hope everyone has shaken off the winter weather, and is ready to dive right into summer. While we are just past our first full year back in Michigan, I tried a few times to sell LMB on moving back to the NC, especially when the forecast had flurries and inches of accumulation in April. Well needless to say, no plans on moving, at least back to NC, but we are definitely looking forward to the warmer months ahead. We have a few projects in the on-deck circle getting ready to hit the blog, and the one I am going to share today is very similar to my previous post, DIY Window Cabinet, but this one is much larger and is meant to fit in those little nooks or that small walls that transitions between rooms. Here is how it turned out.
In order to build this DIY, you will need a much larger window to be used as a door. We found this one on one of our picking trips last fall, and couldn’t really find a good place for it by itself, so we decided to use it for this project. The door is a major aspect to the size of DIY Window Floor Cabinet, as you want the shell of the cabinet to be proportional to the door.
The Overall Measurements:
The Materials.
(1) Large window to be used for the door
(2) 1×10 @6ft Common Board
(1) 1×10 @10ft Common Board
(1) 1×12 @6ft Common Board
(5) 1×4 @6ft Common Board
1/4 inch 4′ x 8′ sanded plywood
2 inch GRK Finishing Screws
Mid-Grade Hinges
Knob (optional)
Wood Filler
Paint
The Build.
You are going to want to have the measurements of the door you are going to want to use as it will dictate the overall dimensions of the entire Floor Cabinet. The measurements of our door is 22″ x 60 3/4″.
Build a bookshelf. Essentially this piece is a bookshelf with a door on it, so it makes sense to start here. Measure the distance from the bottom or top of the door to the muntin (the strip of wood between each window pane). The reason you measure this out, is when you put the shelf in place you want it to be one the same plane as the muntin, so when the door is closed, you do not see the front side of the shelf. The best way to make this measurement accurate is to lay the door flat on the ground and place one 1×10 board that is going to be one of the sides of the “bookshelf” next to the door. You want to ensure you leave about 3 3/4 inches from the top and each side to allow for framing of the door plus a gap to allow the door to swing freely without rubbing. With the door and the 1×10 next to one another, mark out where the muntins are located (both the top and bottom of each muntin) as this is where you are going to want to place your shelf. Take the marked 1×10 and place it next the unmarked 1×10, ensuring the top and bottom are flush across. With a level, draw a strait line across both boards, this mark is going to be used to help pre-drill all pilot holes for the shelves.
With the shelf placement marked out, pre-drill two holes on each of the side of the 1×10, this will prevent any unwanted cracks or splits in the wood when screwing.
With all the holes drilled it is time to attach the shelves. The shelves are 1×10’s cut to 28 inches. While screwing in each shelf use a layout square to ensure the shelf is accurately perpendicular on all sides. With a hollow bookshelf frame created, the next step is to frame in the door. Lay the door, center, on the bookshelf frame. With the door in place screw the 1×4 (cut to 69 inches) sides along the 1×10’s, ensuring they are flush. Remove the door from the bookshelf, and screw the 1×4 to the shelf boards.
The next step is install the header of the door frame. Something to keep in mind is this is going to be the bottom portion of the frame, I will be adding another set of 1×4’s on top of these (sides and top) that I am installing at this step. The bottom portion of the door frame is going to be used primarily for structural reinforcement, and the top portion of the door frame is going to be used for a finishing fit and also to compensate for the 1 1/2 inch thick door. The first header is cut to 29 3/8 inches and install flush across the top and sides.
With the bottom portion of the door frame installed, it is now time to had the upper portion. You will want to alternate the boards to better hide seams. To elaborate on what I mean in regards to alternate the boards, as you can see the side boards in the previous step where cut to 69 inches to account for the 1×4 header on top. In this step we are not going to cut the 1×4 as they are already at 6ft, and we will be cutting the header to 22 1/4 inches which is the space the two vertical 1×4’s.
Now that all of the framing is complete it is time to install the door. Using mid-grade hinges, install the hinges on the door and attach it to the door frame. This is best to be done, with the bookshelf laying down. Once installed, stand up and open the door a few times to ensure it is not rubbing again any of the sides.
Next, install the top board to the entire Window Floor Cabinet. The board is a 1×12 cut to 32 1/2 inches. This allows for 1 inch overhand on the front, and 1 3/8 inch overhand on the sides.
The next two steps are to install the backing of the Floor Cabinet, using 1/4 inch sanded plywood, screwed around the entire back of the cabinet. I would recommend drilling pilot holes to mitigate unwanted splits in the plywood. After that is done, install trim along the bottom. The trim is what is left over from the fifth 1×4 board. The cuts for the trim are 10 1/2 inches (along the outside), 5 inches (front side), 1 1/2 inch (inside cove).
The vertical boards that is located underneath the door, was some scrap tongue and groove boards that I had from a previous project. This is completely optional, and any type of wood that find in the space could be installed if you wanted. I installed the piece by drilling from inside the cabinet down, and horizontally from the sides. I also installed a cheap door swivel lock to keep the door from swinging outwards. All this is, is a scrap piece of wood that is screwed to the front of the frame, opposite side of the hinges obviously. A lock could be purchased from the local hardware store also, but this was much cheaper.
LMB had at it once it was done, and she painted it with Miss Mustard Seed Milk Pain, click here for her post on this piece. The inside backing is Rifle Paper Co.. This piece replaced the DIY Kitchen Bookshelf that I built a few months back. We enjoyed that piece, but wanted something a little more slimmer, to help open our our walkway from the kitchen to the rest of the house, and this fit perfect. Well that was it please let me know what you think and share some of your builds with us on our Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Thanks.
The Tools Used.
Level
Putty Knife
Layout Square
Screw Driver
Pencil
Here you will follow Mr. and Mrs. LMB on their journey with redoing their 1800's farmhouse, taking on new hobbies, and sharing their day to day adventures.
Thank you for stopping by and we hope you come back very soon. 
Omg this is awesome!! Now ill be on the hunt for a long window.
Thanks Bonnie, its the season for flea markets and antique shows. Good Luck!