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The center divider does double duty: it's what turns one wide plywood box into a console with two distinct personalities — an open shelf bay sized for baskets on one side, and a closed cabinet bay behind a pair of doors on the other. Building the face frame as its own flat assembly first, then gluing and nailing it onto the finished box, is easier than trying to build the frame in place and is the same technique cabinetmakers use for exactly this reason: a flat assembly on the bench is simple to keep square, and a box you're reaching into is not.
The doors are the one place this build rewards patience. Cut them to the plan dimensions as a starting point, but fit them to your actual door openings before committing — plywood box assemblies drift by a fraction of an inch from the numbers on paper, and a door cut to the letter of the plan can end up binding on an opening that came out slightly different in practice.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| Plywood, 3/4", 4x8 sheetOr 3 - 1x12 boards @ 8 ft as a substitute for the case parts. | 1 each |
| Pine, 1x4, 6 ft | 1 each |
| Pine, 1x2, 8 ft | 2 each |
| Pine, 1x3, 6 ft | 2 each |
| Plywood, 1/4", 4x8 sheetBack panel and door panels. | 1 each |
| Pocket hole screws, 1-1/4" | 1 box |
| Brad nails, 1" and 1-1/4" | 1 box |
| Concealed cabinet hinges | 2 pair |
| Cabinet knobs | 2 each |
| Wood glue | 6 oz |
| Sandpaper, assorted grit | 5 sheet |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| SidesPlywood | 2 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 39 1/4" |
| TopPlywood | 1 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 39 1/2" |
| Bottom shelfPlywoodPositioned so its top is 7-3/4" from the top of the cabinet. | 1 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 36" |
| Center dividerPlywood | 1 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 35 3/4" |
| Basket-bay shelvesPlywood | 2 | 3/4" × 11 1/4" × 17 5/8" |
| Footer frontPine | 1 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 39" |
| Footer sidesPine | 2 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 11 1/4" |
| Face frame stilesPine | 3 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 35 3/4" |
| Face frame top railPine | 1 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 39 1/2" |
| Door frame topsPineCut to fit the actual opening. | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 16 1/4" |
| Door frame sidesPineCut to fit the actual opening. | 4 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 21 1/4" |
| Door panels1/4" plywood | 2 | 1/4" × 16" × 26" |
| Back panel1/4" plywood | 1 | 1/4" × 37 1/2" × 39" |
Buy 10 boards at 8 ft.
3 boards
1 board
Assemble the sides, top, bottom shelf, and center divider with 3/4" pocket holes, 1-1/4" pocket hole screws, and glue. Check the box for square before the glue sets — a wide case with a center divider will hold whatever shape it's in when it dries.
Attach the back with glue and finish nails — it's what locks the box square permanently. Attach the basket-bay shelves and secure them to both the center divider and the sides.
Attach the footer sides and front with finish nails and glue, wrapping the bottom edge of the console.
Build the face frame as its own flat assembly on the bench, joined with pocket holes — this is far easier to keep square than framing in place on the box. Once it's square and dry, glue and nail the completed frame onto the front of the cabinet.
Cut the door frame stiles and rails to the plan dimensions as a starting point, then fit each door to its actual opening before final assembly — a plywood box assembly drifts a little from the numbers on paper, and a door cut to the letter of the plan can end up binding. Assemble each frame around its 1/4" plywood panel, then hang with concealed hinges. Keep an even 1/8" gap around each door before adding knobs.
Sand all surfaces, fill any visible nail holes, and finish.
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2 boards
2 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 →