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Currently, furniture panels are used for the manufacture of furniture in the middle price segment. They are more expensive than conventional laminated chipboards and cheaper than solid wood. In terms of their operational parameters, they fully meet the requirements of most consumers.
Making your own kitchen set is not very easy; these are quite complex designs. To do this, you need to have a full set of carpentry tools, a workshop, basic furniture making skills and a great desire.
In this article we will give step-by-step instructions for making one of the simplest options for kitchen furniture; the work requires only a minimum set of special tools, and practical skills may be limited to the experience of making a bench for a suburban area.
But before this, it is necessary to obtain initial theoretical knowledge, without it it is impossible to understand certain features of the technology. And in each production process you have to make your own decisions, for which you need to understand the characteristics of wood, the characteristics of furniture panels, and the rules of working on woodworking equipment.
DIY kitchen from furniture panels
- What are furniture panels
- General tips for calculations
- Kitchen furniture layout options
- Step-by-step instructions for making Video - DIY kitchen from furniture panels
How to choose the right furniture panel for the kitchen
Before you start developing a design or drawing up a diagram, you need to decide how to choose the optimal wood. Today, manufacturers offer a wide range of tree species used in the manufacturing process of furniture panels. In most cases, property owners prefer pine, oak, cherry, beech, poplar, and yew.
Most people mistakenly assume that furniture board is made from waste wood products or pressed wood.
IMPORTANT! Softer material is intended for creating interior elements that will not be subject to heavy loads, for example, facades, decor, top cabinet lids. Hardwoods (yew, beech, oak) are intended for the construction of frames.
Its production is based on the process of gluing wood lamellas, which subsequently undergo several stages of surface polishing.
The selection of furniture panels based on the type of wood depends on the required functions, financial capabilities and purpose of the finished product. In addition to these characteristics, it is important to pay attention to the following parameters:
- absence of knots, cracks, chips on the surface of the workpiece;
- uniform distribution of annual rings.
Furniture made from furniture panels belongs to the category of deep-processed products.
An equally important parameter is the grade of furniture panels, which is determined depending on the number of defects on their surface. Traditionally, products are divided into varieties such as Extra, A, B, C. Sometimes the sides of the shield are represented by two varieties, in which case a double meaning is used. According to the requirements for the quality of furniture, the use of class “C” products is prohibited, so we suggest considering the features of only the first three types.
The final product is not inferior in density even to solid wood.
"Extra"
These furniture panels are characterized by the absence of visible defects and damage. They are made from a single lamella. Property owners can select products based on appearance and texture, which significantly affects the overall appearance of the room.
A rich assortment will allow you to choose the material that best fits into your existing interior.
"A/B"
This designation indicates that one side of the product is represented by grade “A”, and the other “B”. A shield with such characteristics in terms of the number of damages, on the one hand, is practically not inferior to the “Extra” category. When choosing, you must remember that solid or spliced lamellas can be used. The second side of the product may be represented by small defects, knots and minimal cracks.
Furniture made from this material is considered durable and of high quality, its service life is very long.
"IN"
This type of material can be made from spliced or solid lamellas. The presence of minor errors is allowed, for example, knots, cracks and other types of defects that do not significantly affect the quality of the board. The selection of products is made exclusively by color.
Wooden furniture panels are extremely resistant to moisture, while the surface structure is completely preserved.
Benefits of use
The kitchen frames created from furniture panels are original in appearance, practical, highly functional and cheap decor for a city apartment or country cottage. Such operational parameters of a furniture set are ensured by the high characteristics of furniture panels. This is a very popular material today that can be found in almost every building materials store.
Such a wide prevalence of such material can be explained by the large list of advantages that are inherent in it:
- environmental friendliness, naturalness, absence of substances hazardous to human health, does not provoke the development of allergic reactions, has a pleasant natural smell;
- when laminating, furniture panels become resistant to moisture and deformation under mechanical stress, unlike natural wood;
- high strength, durability, practicality;
- low weight;
- hold fasteners well;
- screws, nails and other materials have a surprisingly attractive aesthetic. The laminated surface of the material is made in a variety of color shades of tree species, so you can make a furniture set that matches the color of the room’s decoration;
- affordable price. Furniture can be conveniently made from such materials because its cost ends up being very affordable. In addition, kitchen doors are also made from furniture-type panels.
Furniture panels from which it is worth making a kitchen are practically free of drawbacks. Therefore, experienced craftsmen recommend that consumers concentrate their attention on this material. And how to make a kitchen on your own using furniture panels, we will tell you further.
Kitchen drawings and diagrams with dimensions
Creating kitchen drawings from furniture panels with your own hands is an important process that can subsequently become a lifesaver for any craftsman. The plan of the kitchen space must be created taking into account the dimensions of the furniture. The document displays information about the size of the room, communication diagram, ventilation system, electrical wiring, and the presence of sockets.
To draw up a drawing, you need to take measurements of the kitchen.
It is also important to indicate in the drawing the location of the entire furniture set, indicating their sizes, for example, a table, a wardrobe with shelves for storing food, chests of drawers and bedside tables, a refrigerator, a gas or electric stove, a sink and other components.
You should always start from these initial data when developing the sizes and names of furniture.
Dresser
This type of furnishing item can be ideal for the kitchen area. For this reason, it is necessary to consider its location in the room, design features, size and number of shelves, compartments, and dimensions of the upper surface. All these parameters are indicated in the diagram in order to avoid problems and troubles later.
When choosing a specific option, consider all factors.
Closet
Many craftsmen believe that creating a wooden cabinet is difficult and time-consuming. But with sufficient experience and carpentry skills, its production will take very little time. The drawing must indicate the type of structure and its dimensions (height, width). It is very important to include in the diagram information about each element that makes up the cabinet - depth, width, height of shelves, doors, partitions and other components. This approach will allow you to clearly calculate the amount of material needed, as well as correctly carry out all planned work so that the product fits harmoniously into the room.
You immediately need to make a list of elements indicating their quantity and material of manufacture.
Table
A DIY table made from furniture panels or any other material is one of the most important elements of the kitchen. It can be made in the form of a square, rectangle, circle, corner shape, as well as folding or sliding. A prerequisite for this piece of furniture is a flat tabletop. On the kitchen diagram, it is necessary to indicate the shape and dimensions of the table; for example, in most cases, rectangular structures have dimensions of 270x60 centimeters.
Not only the list of items, but also the comfort of use also largely depends on the location of the furniture.
Finishing process
After assembly, kitchen structures made from furniture panels can be opened with varnish, which will significantly increase the resistance of the surfaces to wear and give them an attractive appearance. To do this, the furniture is sanded, varnished, and dried indoors. Do not forget that drafts will only spoil the process. Lacquered cabinets and cabinets look classic, laconic, and stylish.
Almost the same technology is used when painting furniture made from panels. Only after sanding should the surfaces be coated with primer, and only after that should they be painted. Then the paint will stick better. If you want to apply some original idea, then it is better to refuse varnish and paint.
We will describe the simplest, but at the same time very interesting ways of decorating kitchen furniture that was made independently, without the help of professional furniture makers and expensive equipment, namely:
- using photo wallpaper - cover parts of the cabinet with newspaper and secure it with tape. Photo wallpaper will subsequently be pasted in these areas, and the remaining parts can be painted;
- we create the effect of antiquity - for this decoration technique you will need to use foam baguettes with curls. They are cut and fixed to the cabinet doors using liquid nails. Next, the entire structure is painted, and after the paint has dried, some abrasions are left in the corners and on the curls with sandpaper. If you want gloss, then you can use a sponge to apply golden strokes to the curls of the baguette.
The following video details design options for DIY kitchen furniture made from panels.
Preparation of all materials and tools
An equally important step is creating a work plan. This document specifies such important parameters as:
- the type and composition of the future furniture set;
- list of fittings and accessories;
- necessary tools and materials.
You need to have a full set of carpentry tools, a workshop, basic furniture making skills and a great desire.
In most cases, the following components may be required:
- furniture panels in the required quantity to create all planned interior items;
- special impregnation, varnish, stain, paint;
- plywood sheets;
- fittings, doors, handles and other decorative details;
- sandpaper or grinder;
- electric or conventional drill;
- wood saw or electric saw;
- screwdriver;
- boards;
- screws, nails;
- measuring instruments (large ruler, centimeter);
- a pen or pencil for recording measurements;
- screwdrivers, hammer.
It is possible that other adaptations may be required. The final list depends on the preferences of the master, the planned design of the kitchen and the assembly features of the furniture set.
Kitchen MDF
MDF boards
MDF is a board made from natural wood. The smallest sawdust is glued together using paraffin and lingin - both compositions are created from natural ingredients and are environmentally friendly materials.
Advantages of MDF
- All components that are used in the manufacture of MDF boards are natural, environmentally friendly products and components that do not cause allergies and do not emit any toxic substances. Despite its artificial origin, MDF is the most environmentally friendly material of all available options; The design of a kitchen set made from MDF can be varied.
Note! Boards made using modern technology have such parameters as environmental friendliness and moisture resistance - earlier analogues cannot boast of these qualities.
Fine grain MDF structure
- The structure of MDF is closest to natural wood - it is a fairly soft material that can be processed without much difficulty. This quality is especially important in the manufacture of various carved facade patterns;
- This is the closest imitation to the original, which has all the necessary parameters to the highest degree and at the same time its price is several orders of magnitude lower than the cost of natural wood;
Cutting panels to required sizes
Cutting must be carried out taking into account safety precautions in order to prevent injuries and other troubles. When buying furniture panels, it is important to remember that they can be available in different thicknesses. In most cases, manufacturers offer 15, 20 and 25 millimeters.
Products that are 15 mm thick are used to decorate the back wall of a furniture set. Products with parameters of 25 millimeters are intended for creating more complex design structures; other types are used for other elements of a rack or cabinet.
Cut the furniture board to size. You can work with an electric circular saw, but it is better to do this operation on a circular saw.
The wood is cut according to the created drawing. It is important to carry out cutting very carefully and carefully, because even a slight inaccuracy can lead to deformation of the entire furniture. An electric jigsaw is used for this.
INTERESTING! There are construction stores that offer their clients an additional service - cutting the board into the necessary components. This option is ideal for beginners who have not worked with a jigsaw or have not carried out such work.
After completing this procedure, the master must have all the components for each cabinet and shelf, as well as doors, countertops, fittings, and sink.
If you do not have the opportunity to do the cutting yourself, then do it in the store.
Manufacturing of components
MDF cutting
A kitchen set made of wood, naturally, is beyond competition, but MDF is also a good material for making furniture. It is not possible to manufacture front façade elements yourself, since without specialized tools and the necessary skills you will hardly be able to produce products of the required quality - the most rational option would be to manufacture them to order according to your drawings and wishes. This must be done first and only then, on the already finished façade, the remaining elements must be adjusted.
The cutting of all other components is also best done at the enterprise, since in this case accuracy and precision are the determining parameters. Due to the laboriousness and complexity of the sawing process, it is undesirable to carry it out with your own hands. Also, after cutting, specialists will carry out high-quality edging, without which the slabs will not acquire their final shape (read another article about making a kitchen set with your own hands).
Note! If for some reason it is not possible to carry out edging at the enterprise, this can be done at home using a hot iron. After the edge has cooled, the excess is removed with a stationery knife, and the corners are sanded with sandpaper.
We assemble the kitchen and install it
Now you can assemble the kitchen furniture set. Before you begin this important event, you need to make sure that all additional components are present: handles and door hinges, guides, legs and other elements.
The cabinets can be coated with wax or varnish; painting is not recommended so as not to hide the beautiful structure.
Next, each detail of all modules is laid out step by step. Be sure to do this in the order in which the connection will occur. This approach will avoid confusion and troubles with the loss of elements. The process should be carried out from below, from the base, and then proceed to creating a frame and filling it with components.
Now that you have a little furniture making experience of your own, you can begin making more complex base cabinets with drawers, desks and tabletops.
A kitchen made from furniture board is a great opportunity to add a creative touch to the room. The creation and assembly of such a furniture set can be implemented in any living space. The quality of the material contributes to the durability of the kitchen, functionality and compliance with any interior design style.
The main thing is not to be afraid of work and carefully calculate the consequences of each step.
Why is it better to make a kitchen yourself?
Objective reasons for making your own kitchen according to your own sketches and drawings are the following:
- It is possible to create furniture cabinets and shelves that are ideal for a specific room in terms of its parameters and configuration. In addition, when creating a kitchen sketch, you can immediately determine the convenient location of all kitchen accessories, the number and shape of furniture pieces.
Self-made kitchen furniture will definitely become a source of pride for the owner.
- Considerable cost savings are achieved, since a ready-made set will cost significantly more, although it can be made from the same material, which you can choose yourself. Everything is understandable - in addition to the material, you have to pay for the work of the craftsmen, transportation costs, and a whole list of all sorts of other taxes and deductions known only to accountants. All this is included to one degree or another in the selling price of the kit.
- The exclusivity of the design of the furniture set is ensured.
- It will probably not be an exaggeration to say that for the majority of real owners (let’s not take into account pathological lazy people) such independent furniture making becomes a very exciting activity, an opportunity to show their skills and creativity. Well, the finished kitchen furniture, made with one’s own hands, is an indisputable source of pride.
As you can see, there are quite enough reasons to make a kitchen set with your own hands. Well, their totality should generally dispel all doubts. Naturally, if the owner is not a complete layman in these matters.
Assembly of the structure
See also
Moisture-resistant countertop for the kitchen: which one to buy, customer reviews
I will say right away that it is almost impossible to describe in detail the entire process of creating a kitchen based on furniture panels.
Each element should be considered separately here. Namely:
- dinner table;
- chairs or stools;
- wall cabinets;
- countertop under the sink;
- cabinet under the hob;
- cabinets for dishwasher, washing machine;
- work surfaces;
- drawers;
- hanging open shelves;
- installation of accessories.
This will take a lot of time, and still it will not be possible to cover everything.
But we have a solution. Our website contains a large amount of materials. They tell and show how to make certain elements of kitchen furniture, what is required for their manufacture and assembly, for example, how to make a countertop from plywood with your own hands.
To make furniture cabinets, you need:
- clean the panels, sand them, and cover them with at least 2 layers of varnish;
- guides for drawers are installed on the side walls;
- holes are made for installing stationary shelves;
- using corner clamps, the side walls are fixed to the bottom panel;
- A cover to the size of the plywood cabinet is installed at the back;
- doors are cut out;
- door fittings are installed;
- doors are hung;
- the rest of the fittings are installed;
- Drawers, grids, and shelves are inserted into cabinets.
Having made all the necessary facades, all that remains is to assemble all the sets into a single composition.
Features of the material
Today we’ll talk about how homemade furniture based on panels is created, what its advantages and disadvantages are.
By creating a frame based on furniture panels, it is possible to obtain outwardly original, practical and functional furniture. The material is characterized by approximately the same disadvantages as in the case of chipboard. The board is generally considered an improved alternative to chipboard.
If we talk about strengths, then it is important to highlight the following points:
- high environmental performance;
- the material is completely natural;
- has a pleasant natural smell;
- after lamination, it is not afraid of moisture and mechanical stress;
- lasting;
- durable;
- practical;
- light in weight;
- holds fastening elements well;
- variety of colors and shades;
- adequate low cost.
There is no need to talk about any significant disadvantages here. Yes, this is not a solid wood kitchen, but the material is not much inferior to the vaunted MDF. Therefore, it’s better to pay attention to how to make a full-fledged kitchen set based on furniture panels. Read more about furniture panels here, following the link.
Bottom line
Assembling a furniture set with your own hands will help you significantly save money on the work of a professional, while the result of your efforts will be practically no different from branded analogues. It should be noted that this manual assumes some applied knowledge in working with wood and its derivatives.
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Let's get started on the kitchen cabinets
- We develop a kitchen cabinet design in order to avoid errors and other errors.
- We make the walls of our future cabinet from furniture panels, reducing the width of each panel by about 70 mm. As a result, the depth of our kitchen cabinet should reach 530 mm.
- In the lower corner of the wall we make a recess measuring 50 x 50 mm for the strip.
- We design the bottom and top parts for the drawers. To do this, we measure the width of the boards - 775 mm, 200 mm is the height of the boxes, and the interval that should be equal between them is approximately 20 mm. We leave 800 mm for the top of the cabinet.
- Using self-tapping screws, we attach the lower part of the cabinet to the walls, so that the height is 50 mm from the floor, and the central part is 420 mm.
- We make the walls of the kitchen cabinet from hardboard sheets, after which we fasten them with self-tapping screws and as a result we get a frame.
- We make the components for making boxes from plywood.
- Carefully cut out the next 100 mm and make special slots. Do not forget to ensure that the plywood sheet maintains its integrity.
- Now we insert the drawers into the closet. It is best to install the external panel elements after you have completely assembled the cabinet.
- We make doors 400 mm wide.
- Decide on the color spectrum of your kitchen set.
- To give an attractive appearance, it is recommended to cover the cabinet with several layers of varnish. After it is completely dry, you can begin to assemble all its parts.
- We install handles on drawers and doors. At the final stage, we check the reliability of the fastenings.
Now our kitchen cabinet is ready.
kitchen furniture with your own hands is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance. The most important thing is to have good perseverance and, of course, patience, especially if you are doing this for the first time. Well, once you understand the principle of operation, you will perform subsequent work much faster and easier.
In addition, there are many alternative ideas that allow you to create an exclusive kitchen cabinet. For example, it can be restored, and at minimal cost.