Better Homes and Gardens (Australia)
EASY STEPS TO YOUR BANQUETTE SEATING
Hack kitchen wall cabinets to create seats. Add moulding as a feature and to also hide the screws. A timber top turns the cabinets into benches and castors make them mobile.
Gather your supplies
• 600mm flatpack slimline wall cabinets (2)
• 900mm flatpack slimline cabinets (2)
• 66 x 11mm x 5.4m white primed pine moulding (4)
• Acrylic paint in white
• Castors (16)
• 1800 x 405 x 18mm timber panel (2)
You’ll also need Drill; circular saw; PVA glue; painter’s tape; paint tray and roller; mediumgrit sandpaper; clear polyurethane (optional)
For you to note
• You can buy castors in 4 packs, containing 2 with brakes. Use 2 castors with brakes on each bench.
• The castors and tops raise the 360mm high cabinets to standard bench height, which starts at 420mm.
Here’s how
STEP 1 Assemble all flatpack cabinets following manufacturer’s instructions and using supplied screws.
STEP 2 Mark moulding, then use a saw to cut four 622mm long sides, four 922mm long sides, eight 300mm short sides, and 32 uprights 234mm long.
STEP 3 Apply PVA glue to long sides and attach to
cabinets, then glue and attach short sides in between long sides. Use painter’s tape to hold in place until glue sets.
STEP 4 Apply glue to uprights and position flush with ends of long sides, then add uprights to sides to form a butt joint. Use painter’s tape to hold in place until glue sets.
STEP 5 Apply 2 coats of paint to trim using a roller, leaving to dry after each coat.
STEP 6 Turn cabinets over and secure castors to each corner using supplied screws. Put 2 brake castors on the same side.
STEP 7 Cut timber panels into four 650mm and four 950mm lengths for the benchtops. Sand cut edges smooth. Apply 2-3 coats of polyurethane, if desired, to seal the timber.
STEP 8 Cut 8 lid stoppers to 30mm long from moulding. Test fit to check stoppers fit inside cabinet, trimming if needed. Secure stoppers to underside of lid using PVA glue. Let glue set.