Got myself a project – hallway linen closet.

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22
Location
Los Angeles, CA
Seems like I got myself a project .
My wife asked me the other day if I can do something about the ‘old house’ smell in our hallway linen closet, and that she had wanted me to do something about the closet for a long time.

When we moved in 5 years ago we of course cleaned the closet, but never did anything else to it, and it does have a funny smell.
First I thought of just clean, prime and paint the interior and make new doors and drawers, but I’m not even sure if that will take care of the smell and I’m not even sure I can install drawer glides, so we discussed it a little and I decided it would be better to just replace it with new cabinets.

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Once we decided on that my wife asked if I could make the drawers a little deeper and full width instead, so here is a quick mockup of how I intend to build it.

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Lower cabinet is 42” wide, 36” tall, carcass made of ½” good quality plywood (maybe birch from a local hardwood dealer).
Since the drawers will be 40” wide I think I should use ½” ply. for the bottom

#1 - for a drawer this wide do I need a drawer glide in the middle (bottom of course) of the drawer?
#2 - any issues with making the drawer this wide?

Upper cabinets carcass made of ½” birch plywood.
My idea is to have full length stiles for the face frame and then install the complete face frame after the carcasses are installed. Problem of course is how to attach it. Biscuit and glue of course is fine for alignment, but since I am going to paint the frame before it is installed I would rather not brad nail it, so

#3 - how do I clamp the face frame to the installed carcasses
#4 - am I just making it more difficult for myself, should I just attach the face frame per carcass and live with the seam ?

And finally, with the rough opening 1 – 2” larger than the cabinet
#5 - how would I install and secure the cabinets?

I would think the order is
- Make base, toe-kick, make sure it is level
- Install base cabinet, attach to sides and back using shims to get it firmly secured.
- Install upper cabinets, attach upper cabinets to lower cabinets and attach the 2 upper cabinets to each other.
- #6 Now, obviously I cannot get any shims on the back, so would shim the sides and secure the sides into a stud be sufficient ??

Anything else I have missed ?
Any help is appreciated.

Thanks
Jesper
 

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I see you work on the same schedule I use... we're into this house 4 1/2 years and have a long list of to-do projects... most are in the "I got to start that pretty soon" list.:rofl:
Last summer I finally took out the garden tub in the master bath and put a full sized shower in the room... the little 24x28 shower that was there is now a linen closet and we have a 30x48 inch shower where the garden tub was... only have some trim work to finish and to paint the vanity... if LOML ever decides if she wants it painted or what color... I did the bath last year and still waiting to finish... maybe this summer? :D
 
Jesper one idea that i can contribute is to consider putting bi fold doors on the finished product if you still want to close it up.

I renovated my sons room and took out the door widened the closet to the full width of its inner dimensions and put in shelves etc.

Then put a couple of bi fold doors on either side to cover it up when needed. The doors take up very little external space when open and are a neat solution for closing up.

Just a thought. Here is a link to explain what i mean. You probably could get away with one set.
 
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