Wall Kitchen Corner Cabinet

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Free plans to build a wall corner kitchen cabinet from ana-white.com

We've been working hard up at the Momplex, really trying to get to the point of kitchens up there soon!  But in the meantime, I want to keep the plans coming for you as well!  

Upon much requests from you, today's plan (see below) is a corner wall kitchen cabinet that works with these wall kitchen cabinets.  It's important to note that this plan specifically works with a wall cabinet with 11 3/4" width plywood rips to get face frames to match up perfectly.  

I also recommend beg/borrow/steal/rent whatever you have to do to get a good table saw for building this cabinet.  The cabinet requires 45 bevel cuts - there's no way around it.  If you can't get your hands on a table saw, I will also be posting a blind corner wall cabinet that will not require any bevel rips.

I hope when you look at this plan, you think, wow, that's actually pretty simple!  This plan proved to be one of the toughest for me on my end ... not because it's complicated, but because I wanted to simplify it as much as possible.

Dimensions
Dimensions shown above.

Preparation

Shopping List

1 - sheet 3/4" hardwood cabinet grade plywood (shown in PureBond Oak)
1/2 - sheet 1/4" hardwood cabinet grade plywood for backs and door panel
8' - 1x2s in matching hardwood veneer
6' - 1x3s in matching hardwood veneers (you'll need another 8' for doors if doing doors)
Edge banding in matching veneer for finishing off shelf fronts
Shelf pins and shelf pin jig for attaching adjustable shelf
1 1/4" pocket hole screws
wood glue
1" finish nails for attaching back
1/2" Overlay Face Frame Concealed Euro Style Hinges (2) - get the ones that attach to the face frame

Cut List

CARCASS CUT LIST
2 - 3/4" plywood @ 12 1/2" x 30" (one edge beveled at 45 degrees, widest width is 12 1/2")
2 - 3/4" plywood @ 32 1/8" x 18 3/4"
1 - 3/4" plywood @ 12 1/4" x 30" (both edges beveled at 45 degrees, widest width is 12 1/4" - cut this from 12 1/2" wide strip - see step 1)
4 - 1x2 @ 14 3/4" (longest point measurement, one end cut at 45 degrees bevel)
2 - 1/4" plywood @ 30" x 15 7/8"

FACE FRAME CUT LIST
2 - 1x3 @ 30", ripped down at a 45 degree bevel to shortest side width of 1 1/2", longest side width of 2 1/4"
2 - 1x2 @ 12 7/8"

DOOR MADE TO FIT - Overall Dimensions 29" x 13 7/8" x 3/4"

Tools
Tape Measure
Speed Square
Pencil
Safety Glasses
Hearing Protection
Kreg Jig
Drill
Miter Saw
Table Saw
Brad Nailer
Power Sander
Level
General Instructions

Please read through the entire plan and all comments before beginning this project. It is also advisable to review the Getting Started Section. Take all necessary precautions to build safely and smartly. Work on a clean level surface, free of imperfections or debris. Always use straight boards. Check for square after each step. Always predrill holes before attaching with screws. Use glue with finish nails for a stronger hold. Wipe excess glue off bare wood for stained projects, as dried glue will not take stain. Be safe, have fun, and ask for help if you need it. Good luck!

Instructions

Step 1

For this cabinet, I highly recommend a high quality table saw. But you could use a circular saw that cuts a beveled edge at 45 degrees off square. If you do this, you'll need to clamp a board to the plywood and follow it to get straight cuts like I do in this video.

For table saw, set bevel to 45 degrees and rip plywood to a 12 1/2" width, with the 12 1/2" being the longest width on the beveled edge.  I highly recommend taking a second to test cut on scrap before committing to cutting the full sheet.  The short beveled edge width is 11 3/4".

Once you have these cuts, you can cut the remaining strip 18 3/4" wide for the top, bottom, and shelf.  The center is scrap, but you may wish to use it for additional shelves.

Step 2

From the 18 3/4" wide strips, cut two pieces 32 1/8" long. Then from those pieces, mark as shown in this diagram, and cut out top and bottom. Use this also as a pattern to cut remaining shelf - it can be a little smaller, especially on the pointed corner ends, as it's just the shelf.

For tops and bottoms, drill 3/4" pocket holes as shown in diagram.

Step 3

Next attach the sides to tops and bottoms. Drill the 3/4" pocket holes first facing forward for attaching face frames in later steps. The adjacent cabinet will cover the pocket holes, and if this is an end cabinet, you will put 1/4" plywood over the end to finish it out.

For bottom shelf, place pocket holes on bottom where they will be hidden. For top shelf, place pocket holes on top where they will be hidden.

Step 4

Now add the back. You'll need to rip the back down so both edges are beveled from the plywood ripped for the sides. Then attach at top and bottom to the top and bottom of the carcass.

Step 5

Step 6

Now let's finish off the back with 1/4" plywood. Just nail and glue in place.

Step 7

Next, build the face frame.

To keep the look consistent, you'll need to rip the 1x3 boards down to 1 1/2" reveal on the short side of the rip, beveling the edge at 45 degrees. Do some testing first to make sure your cuts are accurate. Then build your face frame with glue and pocket holes (3/4" and 1 1/4" screws). Attach to face of cabinet, with overhangs approximately 1/2" on each side.

Step 8

For a full overlay door, you'll need room for the door to swing open without hitting and adjacent cabinet. Build or purchase doors as shown sized above. To attach, you must use 1/2" Overlay Face Frame Concealed Euro Style hinges, at least two for 30" tall cabinets.

Step 9

To install, you always start with the corner first and then work your way around. Corners need to be screwed to a stud in the wall and properly hung. I know these cabinets can get heavy, so make sure you have adequate support. There will be a 1/2" gap between cabinets to give you some "wiggle" room in case your walls aren't perfectly square. Just make sure the face frames line up perfectly. Shim the gap and screw cabinets together from insides. We also like to hide a few screws to connect face frame to face frame for a seamless look.

Finishing Instructions
Preparation Instructions
Fill all holes with wood filler and let dry. Apply additional coats of wood filler as needed. When wood filler is completely dry, sand the project in the direction of the wood grain with 120 grit sandpaper. Vacuum sanded project to remove sanding residue. Remove all sanding residue on work surfaces as well. Wipe project clean with damp cloth.

It is always recommended to apply a test coat on a hidden area or scrap piece to ensure color evenness and adhesion. Use primer or wood conditioner as needed.

Comments

trailsingr

Fri, 02/01/2013 - 16:16

Ana, if I don't build my own cabinets I sure won't be able to blame it on you - I can't believe you got this plan posted so quickly after the upper cabinet plans! Thank you!

whitney_smith

Mon, 02/04/2013 - 04:30

You really did make it easy. The face framing is probably the only really tricky part. Can't wait to see Momplex cabinets!

jsh2001

Mon, 02/04/2013 - 11:24

Can't thank you enough for all of the cabinet plans. Now if I can build a trial cabinet to meet the wife's demands we may be on our way to a new kitchen.

Growler48

Sun, 03/10/2013 - 08:08

Ana,
Can you please share what wood grain pattern you used on this project? Learning Sketchup now and would like to use the same on my projects.

Dsturtevant

Thu, 01/08/2015 - 13:13

Ana i have constructed some modular lockers from your plans that i plan to connect and now that i have them in the space i want to make use of the corner by building a diagonal wall cabine with an open face that is 7 ft tall. How do I adjust your plans to accomodate the build...help!

JimmyLJ1970

Sat, 01/02/2016 - 07:20

Hello Ana, I was doing my layout and noticed the top measurements don't equal, 9-7/8 + 12-1/4" + 9-7/8" only equals 32 and diagram shows 32-1/8.....the bottom 3 measurements equal 32-1/8, so I can either change front by 1/8" or when adding back make it 12-3/8 instead of 12-1/4

xanderman

Mon, 02/08/2016 - 09:49

I hope you don't mind me asking, but why is the top of the cabinet always set inside the carcass, beside the side front and back, rather than on top.

Wouldn't it provide a lot more strength by having the top set on a ledge?

Grandmawoodworker

Sun, 03/01/2020 - 18:40

Why is there so much of the back corner cut off?  I'm sure all walls don't have perfect corners but is this a lot of wasted storage space or is it really necessary to cut this much off the corner?