Clutter-busting storage

Make the most of the space by your front door with a good looking storage unit

2021-03-04 -

finding a piece of furniture to keep your front entry zone organised can be a challenge, so why not build your own? This custom unit has storage sitting high and low for everyone’s bits and pieces, coat hooks for jackets and handbags, and even a bench where you can sit down to take o your shoes and enjoy a little breather before heading into the mayhem.

KEEPYOUR HOME SORTED RIGHT FROM THE FRONT DOOR

For you to note

• Sand, undercoat and paint inside of storage units and whole side panel prior to installation as it’ll be easier.

• Cut sheet materials using a circular saw and timber using a mitre saw.

Here’s how

STEP 1 Use a pocket hole jig to drill 3 pocket holes in each of the 420mm long sides of the bench uprights (A). Use clamps to hold jig and components on bench.

STEP 2 Glue and screw uprights to bench base (B), using 30mm screws through pocket holes. Place 2 uprights at ends of base and space other 2 evenly between these to act as dividers. Make uprights flush with 1 long side of base, leaving 18mm from other end of uprights to the other long edge of base. Use combination square to align dividers square to long edges of base.

STEP 3 Spread glue on top edges of uprights then turn over and sit on bench top (C). Where uprights are flush with long edge of base, overhang top here by 10mm, making other long edge of top flush with uprights. Screw through pocket holes to join.

STEP 4 Glue and nail long bench trim (D) to front face of bench. Make long edge of trim flush with top of bench.

STEP 5 Nail vertical bench trims (E) to front edges of ends and divider. On ends, make edge of trim flush with outside face of end. On dividers, centre trim over them.

STEP 6 Glue and nail back (F) to bench.

STEP 7 Along walls where bench will sit, carefully remove skirting boards and keep. Place bench in position and make level, packing underneath if required. Cut and refit skirting along walls so it bus into bench. Cut and fit bench skirting (G) to go along bench at floor.

STEP 8 Predrill and screw through back of bench into timber studs behind plaster in wall. Use 50mm screws. STEP 9 Use pocket hole jig to drill 3 pocket holes along long edges of shelf ends (H) and shelf divider (I). Spread glue on edges of these ends and place on shelf base (J). Make ends flush with one long edge of base so it overhangs other edge by 18mm. Screw together using 30mm screws. Aach the divider, which does not overhang, in the same way. STEP 10 Spread glue along top edges of ends and divider, then turn over and sit on shelf top (J) so ends overhang same long edge of the top as they do on the base. Screw together.

WHAT A TIDY LITTLE PROJECT!

STEP 11 Glue and nail shelf top trim (K) to front edge of shelf so long edge of trim is flush with top. Also a ach shelf base trim (L) to front of shelf so long edge of trim is flush with inside face of shelf base. Make 1 end of base trim flush with the end of the shelf that will go in the corner of the room, to overhang other end by 18mm.

STEP 12 Cut and fit shelf vertical trims (M) to run between shelf top and base trims and cover edges of ends and divider. Make trim on ends flush with outside faces of ends and centre trim piece on divider. Also a ach shelf side trim (N) to the end where shelf base trim overhangs.

STEP 13 Spread glue on back edges of shelf then sit back (O) on top. Nail back into shelf.

STEP 14 Cut top and side cornice moulding (P, Q) to run around top of shelf unit. Cut ends where they meet to form a mitre in corner. Glue and nail to top of unit.

STEP 15 Cut split ba ens (R) with a 45° angle along 1 long edge. Screw 2 of these to back of shelf unit so angled edge is facing towards unit and is the bo om edge of the ba en. Make bo om ba en about 50mm from base of unit.

STEP 16 Spread glue on rear of back board (S) and press against wall above bench. Nail through board into wall studs to secure.

STEP 17 A ach remaining split ba ens to wall, screwing into wall studs with 75mm screws. Make bo om ba en sit on top of backboard to hide gap at back of shelf unit. Work out position of top ba en so it will interlock with ba en on shelf unit. Make angled cuts on ba ens face the wall and be the top edges of the ba ens.

STEP 18 Li shelf unit onto wall so ba ens on back of unit interlock with those on wall. Ensure unit is securely held before le ing go.

STEP 19 Measure and then cut side panel (T) to fit between bench and underside of shelf unit. Drill pocket holes in the bo om edge of panel. Sit in position on bench and screw through pocket holes into bench. At top, glue and nail panel into base side trim where it overhangs base of shelving.

STEP 20 Cut and nail corner moulding (U) to cover gap where bench, side panel and shelf unit meet wall.

STEP 21 Spread construction adhesive on back of hook board (V) and place against backboard. Screw through hook board into backboard.

STEP 22 Fill other gaps between components using acrylic gap filler and nail and screw holes with wood pu y. Pocket holes can be filled using epoxy filler. Let dry and sand smooth. Remove dust, then apply undercoat and 2 top coats of enamel paint as needed. Let dry between coats.

STEP 23 Screw coat hooks into hook board, spacing them evenly.

STEP 24 Have a cushion cut and upholstered in desired fabric for seat. Add storage baskets and cubes, and decorative cushions.