NotchLoading plan…
Loading plan…
This is a straightforward plywood box — sides, top, bottom shelf, and a plywood back — dressed up with a face-framed front, a jigsaw-cut decorative footer, and a pair of full doors so the contents (a TV, or bins of toys) stay hidden rather than on display. The side frames get built flat, off the cabinet, and then attached as complete units; that's both faster and gives you a cleaner result than trying to fit individual trim pieces onto a standing box.
The doors are the one part you build last and to your own measurements, not the plan's: dry-fit the cabinet opening first, then size each door to leave about a 1/8" gap on every side. That gap is what keeps a plywood door from binding as humidity swells it slightly through the seasons — cut doors dead-tight to the opening and they'll stick within a year.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| 3/4" plywood, 4x8 sheetRip into 21-3/4"-wide strips for the sides, top, and shelves. | 2 each |
| 1/4" plywood, 4x8 sheetCabinet back and both door back panels. | 2 each |
| 1x3 board, 8 ft | 8 each |
| 1x4 board, 8 ft | 2 each |
| 2x2 board, 8 ft | 1 each |
| 1x2 board, 8 ft | 1 each |
| Pocket-hole screws, 1-1/4" and 1-1/2" | 120 each |
| Finish nails, 1-1/4" and 2" | 80 each |
| Cabinet door hinges | 6 each |
| Magnetic door clasps | 2 each |
| Door knobs | 2 each |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Sides3/4" plywoodShortened 1" from the original diagram to fit efficiently on a single sheet — does not change shelf placement. | 2 | 3/4" × 21 3/4" × 59" |
| Top3/4" plywood | 1 | 3/4" × 21 3/4" × 42" |
| Bottom shelf3/4" plywood | 1 | 3/4" × 21 3/4" × 36 1/2" |
| Additional shelf (optional)3/4" plywood | 1 | 3/4" × 21 3/4" × 36 1/2" |
| Side frame verticals1x3Shortened 1" to match the sides. | 4 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 59" |
| Side frame horizontals, long1x4 | 4 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 18 1/4" |
| Side frame horizontals, short1x3 | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 18 1/4" |
| Back panel1/4" plywoodShortened 1" to match the sides. | 1 | 1/4" × 59 3/4" × 38 1/2" |
| Top/bottom supports2x2 | 2 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 38" |
| Top front trim1x3 | 1 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 42" |
| Footer front, mitered1x4Long point to long point, both ends cut at a 45° bevel, NOT parallel. | 1 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 41" |
| Footer sides, mitered1x4Long point measurement, one end cut at 45° bevel. | 2 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 24" |
| Footer top trim front1x2Long point to long point, both ends cut at 45°, NOT parallel. | 1 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 42 1/2" |
| Footer top trim sides1x2Long point measurement, one end cut at 45°. | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 24 3/4" |
| Door frame stiles1x3Shortened 1" to match cabinet height. | 4 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 52 1/4" |
| Door frame rails1x3Trim to fit — 1x3 widths vary; overall door width should be roughly 18-3/4" or half the opening minus 1/4". | 6 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 13 3/4" |
| Door back panels1/4" plywood | 2 | 1/4" × 18 3/4" × 52 1/4" |
Buy 19 boards at 8 ft.
1 board
4 boards
2 boards
Cut the two sides, top, and bottom shelf from 3/4" plywood ripped to 21-3/4" wide. Attach the sides to the top and bottom shelf with 3/4" pocket holes and 1-1/4" pocket screws, noting and marking any overhangs before you attach anything — it's easier to fix a mislabeled edge than a misattached panel.
Build each side frame flat, off the cabinet — the four verticals and horizontals joined into a rectangle — then attach the completed frames to the plywood sides, with the back edge flush to the back of the plywood so the front overhangs 1-1/2".
Glue and nail the 1/4" plywood back panel on, keeping it square — this is what keeps the whole cabinet from racking once it's loaded with a TV or toy bins.
Attach the top and bottom shelf with 3/4" pocket holes and 1-1/2" pocket screws, hiding the pocket holes on the underside of the bottom and the top side of the top where they won't show. Then attach the 2x2 top/bottom supports and the base assembly.
Miter the footer front and side pieces at 45° and cut the decorative scroll profile along the bottom edge with a jigsaw before attaching — it's much easier to cut a clean curve on a flat mitered frame than after it's glued to the cabinet. Nail and glue the footer top trim in place over it.
Add any additional interior shelves at whatever height suits what you're storing — a TV console needs different clearances than toy bins.
Dry-fit the cabinet opening and size the two doors to leave about a 1/8" gap on every side — this plan intentionally doesn't give a fixed door size because that gap has to be measured off your actual, built cabinet. Build each door as a mitered or butt-jointed 1x3 frame around a 1/4" plywood panel, then hang with the hinges, and add the magnetic clasps and knobs.
No reviews yet
Sign in to review this plan or share your build.
No reviews yet. Be the first to build this.
8 boards
1 board
1 board
2 boards
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 →