NotchLoading plan…
Loading plan…
This cabinet is built genuinely narrow front-to-back, sized to fit a hallway rather than take up real room depth, and combines two distinct storage functions: mail sorting slots near the top and a flip-down secretary desk surface below. Build the divider area first, before the shelves are attached to the sides — the plan is specific that reaching in to add dividers after the box is closed up is a real problem, so the mail slot dividers get nailed to their shelf before that assembly ever meets the sides.
Once the divider-and-shelf subassembly is ready, attach all the shelves to the sides, using a shelf pin jig specifically for the top shelf and any shelves behind the lower cupboard doors so those stay adjustable. Check the whole case for square before the back goes on — the 1/4" plywood back is what a racked case reveals immediately, since it needs to lie flat across the entire rear opening.
The face frame is built as its own separate flat assembly, then attached to the front of the finished cabinet — keeping this step separate from the divider and shelf work is what makes it possible to build the face frame perfectly flat and square on a bench. Doors come last: the plan's own build used shop-made 1x3 frame-and-panel doors with leftover 1/4" plywood as the panel material, cut to leave about 1/8" clearance on all sides for the hinges, with one set of doors using euro-style hinges specifically for the flip-down secretary desk section.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 1x12, 8 ft, or 3/4" plywood ripped to 11-1/4" strips | 5 each |
| 1/4" plywood, full sheet | 1 each |
| 1x2, 6 ft | 2 each |
| 1x2, 8 ft | 4 each |
| 1x2, 4 ft | 1 each |
| 1x3, 12 ft total, for doors | 12 ft |
| Inset hinges for face-framed cabinets | 2 set |
| Euro-style inset hinges, for flip-down secretary door | 1 set |
| Pocket hole screws, 1-1/4" | 120 each |
| Finish nails, 1-1/4" | 100 each |
| Wood glue | 5 oz |
| Primer and paint, or stain and poly | 1 set |
Overall cost: $$$$. Lumber prices vary by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure we would only be pretending to know.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L |
|---|---|---|
| Mail slot dividers1x12, 8 ft, or 3/4" plywood ripped to 11-1/4" strips | 3 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 5 3/4" |
| Shelves1x12, 8 ft, or 3/4" plywood ripped to 11-1/4" strips | 7 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 28 1/2" |
| Sides1x12, 8 ft, or 3/4" plywood ripped to 11-1/4" strips | 2 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 72" |
| Back panel1/4" plywood, full sheet | 1 | 1/4" × 30" × 68" |
| Face frame sides1x2, 6 ft | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 72" |
| Face frame rails1x2, 8 ft | 5 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 48" |
| Upper door1x12, 8 ft, or 3/4" plywood ripped to 11-1/4" strips | 1 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 26 3/4" |
| Door frame stiles/rails1x3, 12 ft total, for doorsCut to fit each door opening. | 8 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 24" |
| Door panels1/4" plywood, full sheetSized from leftover back panel material. | 2 | 1/4" × 20" × 20" |
Buy 17 boards at 8 ft.
5 boards
3 boards
7 boards
1 board
1 board
Assumes 8 ft stock, a 1/8" saw kerf, and buying each part at its own width. Change the board size or kerf on the full board plan →
Build the divider area first since it's difficult to add dividers after the box is assembled. Nail the divider boards to their shelf. If using pocket holes, drill first on the ends of the shelves.
Attach all shelves, including the divider subassembly, to the sides. Use a shelf pin jig for the top shelf and any shelves behind cupboard doors so they stay adjustable.
Check the whole cabinet for square, then attach the back with 1-1/4" finish nails and glue to all fixed shelves.
Build the face frame separately on a flat surface, then attach the completed face frame to the front of the cabinet.
Build the doors with 1x3 frames and 1/4" plywood panels, cutting each door to fit its opening with about 1/8" clearance on all sides for the hinges.
Install the upper and lower cabinet doors with inset hinges, and the secretary desk door with euro-style inset hinges. Sand all surfaces and apply primer and paint, or stain and poly.
No reviews yet
Sign in to review this plan or share your build.
No reviews yet. Be the first to build this.