Repurposed Cupboard Door Shelf
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Yay! Fun stuff, especially because I had everything on hand to build this. I must say I am very pleased with the end result.
Besides…chalkboard labels people! Is it ridiculous to love something so much?
It started with these free repurposed cupboard doors and six wire baskets I got at the Restore for $1 each. I didn’t really need these baskets when I picked them up. But I couldn’t resist with that price, can you blame me? Now I am happy I did, I finally found the perfect use for them.
Design Stage
I started by using the wire baskets and some scrap pieces of wood to determine how wide to make my shelves. Then once I figured the right length I did some serious digging/lifting/shifting of my hoard wood and found some 1/2 plywood to use for my shelves. Phew!
I used my Kreg Rip Cut to cut it to size. Then drilled 1/2 pocket holes with my Kreg Jig K5.
Pocket hole construction
I love using my Kreg Right Angle Clamps! They helped hold things together so I could attach the very bottom shelf to the cupboard door with my 1” pocket hole screws and glue. In the second photo you can see I moved to my kitchen to attach the other cupboard door. My shed is so small and I don’t really have a good work table…so my kitchen counter gets the big building jobs. I REALLY need to build a workbench!
Need more details on using a Kreg Jig? See my article How to use a Kreg Jig Pocket Hole System
Next up I attached my divider piece with glue and pocket hole screws (top left). I made sure my baskets fit, then added the second shelf (top right). I only drilled pocket holes into the bottom of my divider pieces. Then I nailed through the shelf into the divider to secure the top (bottom right).
Continue building with plywood
Here is a shot of me adding the top support pieces. I cut my dividers boards a little too short, which left a half inch gap from the top divider to the top of the cupboard doors. To fix it, I just glued and nailed on another 1/2 strip of plywood over the top support pieces (not pictured).
Add brackets for legs
I had some awesome retro legs and mounting plates just waiting for a project so I grabbed them and attached them to the bottom of my shelf. I wanted a slight tilt to my legs and since these plates were not the “tilting” kind I rigged them with some paint stick scraps, lifting up the inside edges. Just like I did on my corner cabinet planter.
Configure boards for top
I took my cupboard door shelf outside so I could figure out what to use for a top. I finally found some boards that worked, I ended up with two 2×6’s, one 2×4 (that I ripped down to 3”), and one 2×2. All totally random boards, with different colors, but I was good with it, it will give the top some character. 😉
Prep for staining
Here is a shot of the legs and my top boards, I pre-conditioned them to prep them for staining. Then I stained them with the same mix that I used on my Shoe Cubby Dresser. Oh, and you can see I popped off the feet on the legs so I didn’t have to tape them while I stained.
Prepare shelf for painting
After filling all the holes with spackle and sanding them smooth, after it dried of course, I was ready for paint! I cut some pieces of chipboard for the back, and opted to paint them first before attaching them.
When I made the kids storage bench for my sister in the fall I bought too much spray paint. In fact, I had two full cans left over, and I kept forgetting to return them. The paint is Rustoleum Light Turquoise. Since I still had them, I decided to put them to good use on this project and finished off both cans. Perfect!
Add backer board
After the paint dried, I added my chipboard pieces to the back, pre drilling and screwing them on. I also attached the top boards with glue and 2” nails (not pictured, nailing into the repurposed cupboard doors and support pieces). To finish, I screwed the legs into the mounting plates. Done! Oh, and I did apply 3 coats of poly to the legs and wood top, sanding with 400 grit between coats 1 and 2.
Make chalkboard tags
Completed Project Repurposed Cupboard Door Shelf
Hi, Mindi! This is ADORABLE. I have a small request: I run a small nonprofit classroom where we teach repair, refinishing, and repurposing. We are getting ready to have teach a class on upcycled cabinets. May I use your photo as an example? I would of course credit you You can read about our classroom here: https://www.habitatanchorage.org/makeitclassroom
Thank you so much for considering it!
Sarah Burtner
Community Engagement Coordinator
Habitat for Humanity Anchorage
I love this!! It looks wonderfu! I wish I had an eye and crafty hand 😉
What is the turquoise blue color you used
I have updated the post to include the color. It is from Rustoleum, Gloss Protective Enamel, light turquoise.
Rustoleum Light TurquoiseVery nice job I like it
I just wanted let you know I just adore your work and your ideas are great for repurposing items. I read some ugly things about people who do this, some are negative and never say anything positive anyway. Oh well enough about that. I love taking something old and changing it into something I can use.Those cabinet doors were great for what you made with them. Thanks Mindi for the fresh ideas you gave me, and thanks for posting. I love it! Keep em coming!
Just wondering how much weight you think something like this would support? We have ten gallon fish tank in storage and would love to actually use it but we have nothing that would support it. This looks adorable and would work well to add more decorating space for our living room. Do you think it would support a tank?
Can you tell me what the dimensions are?! Thanks!
Hey Rebecca, It is 26” wide, 15” deep, and 42 1/2” tall with the legs (without the legs the cabinet is 29 1/2” tall, which includes the top) Hope that helps! Sizes will vary depending on the dimensions of the cupboard doors you use. 🙂
Wow, I love the color and the use of the black wire baskets! It all came together so nicely!
Thank you Florence!!
So cute! Where did you get the legs and what color spray paint is that? Thanks!
Thanks Anne! I got the legs from craig’s list for free, because someone was moving and giving things away, but I think I have seen similar legs at Home Depot. The spray paint color is Rustoleum’s protective enamel in gloss light turquoise.
I love this! It’s a great way to repurpose cabinet doors! You are amazing – great build project!
Thank you so much Karen!
I love it, Mindi! These kinds of projects get me excited because you start looking at your “junk” and scraps in an entirely different way! And it reinforces that you really don’t need to buy anything when you want to be creative! Fabulous job, girl!
Seriously, it is amazing what you can create with the junk you have on hand, and it can force you to think outside the box! 🙂 Thanks so much Serena!
Awesome! I’m looking for some legs like this. I haven’t seen them anywhere yet. I may have to go yardsaling real soon! I’m also going to give building my own little bookshelf a try. This was really inspiring and turned out great.
Thank you Tania! Try searching wood round taper leg at Home Depot, I have seen them there! Good luck, and have fun building your own bookshelf! I would love to see pictures when you finish!
I LOVE everything about this! The Re-store has the best finds dont they? I would have never thought to use cabinet doors in this way. I am pinning this for later, because I would love to build this for our basement guest bathroom. Oh, and the color is my FAVORITE!
Yes, I love the Restore Mary! I hope you make one for your guest bathroom, it would be so perfect! Thanks for pinning! Oh, and the color, I love it too! 🙂
OMG – Love this beauty! When I grow up, I want to make things like this 🙂
Ha ha! Doreen don’t wait til you grow up…do it now! 😉
Mindi,
Great repurposed cupboard door project! Great tip about the hot glue and the sharp edges… I’ll have to remember that one.
I’ve built toy boxes, benches, coat racks and more! When friends give you free doors, you make projects, right?
thanks for a great tutorial and a fabulous project.
gail
Thank you so much Gail! It is amazing how useful those cabinet doors can be, and you are the queen of repurposing them!
She did it again! Amazing repurpose!! Pinned it, I need to grab the supplies so I can make one!
Thanks Debbie, you are so sweet! Yes make you should make one! 🙂