Don’t you want to make something out of your own hard work? Isn’t it fulfilling to have built something out of your own hands? Not many people have the passion for planning something out, and the patience to actually endure the long process to complete it.
Woodworking takes both passion and patience to build one masterpiece successfully. Making cabinets is one of the most in demand woodwork in the market recently. More and more people have taken an interest in making use of furniture and other home decors that are of wood. It is even quite surprising how the price of a single woodwork cost a lot more than what one expects.
At present, having wood furniture and other woodwork pieces in your home is already considered a luxury. Since not all people can afford such luxury, some opted to do it on their own and cut the cost in the process.
What Are the Benefits in Making Cabinets?
Below are some of the benefits that you can get when making cabinets on your own.
Budget-friendly
Don’t you want to save more than spend more? Going DIY in making your furniture pieces is a wise idea. You can save up to 50% of the market price. If you got money to buy your favorite dessert every weekend, I’m sure you also got some of useful things at home like cabinets. It’s just a matter of budgeting and knowing your priorities.
Time Productive
If you’ve got time to spare for watching television, shouldn’t you have time for something worthwhile like building cabinets and such? It makes your day more productive rather than just lounging in your bed or being a couch potato whole day. If there is one thing that people cannot replace, it is time.
Healthy Mind
Making cabinets sure requires a lot of physical strength, and in return, it trains your body in doing physical labor. Aside from the physical benefits, you can also get a healthy mind out of it. How? It is actually through planning and designing your own woodwork. In order to build an exquisite piece, you have to think and squeeze your brain for ideas. Now, this could train your mind and makes it healthy.
Potential Source of Revenue
If you get lucky, and people like your works, they might want to have one for themselves. Of course, they might ask your services in exchange for monetary value. This could be your potential business endeavor. I mean, wouldn’t you want to do something and generate revenue out from it?
Unlimited Creativity
Since you are making it for your own home, you can experiment some ideas and designs that others have not thought of making yet. How many times have you cringed just by looking at those hideous cabinet designs in department stores with their ridiculously high price? Every time you have the chance probably. It is completely understandable, though. Many people feel the same way; that the total appearance and design of the furniture does not justify its price.
Customized to Maximize
Customizing your own cabinets allows you to maximize the available space in your house. Many people have felt frustrated buying the wrong furniture size for the available space in the house. They usually end up spending more for asking an expert’s help to make the furniture fit. Now, you can actually avoid all that hassle just doing the cabinets yourself. You can work on the space without compromising the design.
What Are the Tools Needed?
Since making your own cabinets depend on your own personal style, the tools needed also depend on how intricate and difficult the design is. However, I have provided the basic must-have tools in cabinet-making.
Claw hammer– it is one of the basic tools that every household must have. It is used in constructions and minor repairs at home. It is quite small, but don’t let its size fool you as it may weigh a little bit heavier than it actually looks.
Chisel– Wouldn’t you want to have the edges of your cabinets smoothen out and free from dangerous cuts? Well, you must secure a chisel to work on that problem.
Screwdrivers– You might want to consider buying a whole set as screwdrivers come in different sizes. It is used to shank screws and the likes that are too deep to reach. In building big cabinets, you need to have screwdrivers with a square-shaped blade. These are considered heavy duty and fit for big furniture pieces.
Tape measure– Of course, you want to ensure the right measurement of your work. This is why you need a tape measure to get the exact figures to work on.
Layout Square– In cabinet-making, you might deal with edges and angles. It is recommended to use the metal one though for the one made from plastic is too fragile to use.
Nails– What do you use a hammer for without the nails? Secure a nail set when making cabinets. You also need to have its several sizes, especially if you have not decided what design you want to follow.
Block Plane– Have you ever wonder how those planes and curves of cabinets are made? Well, you can thank the block plane for that. It is used to flatten or add a curve to the wood. If you want to make a cabinet with curvy edges, then this is the right tool to use.
Hand Saw– Cutting those pieces of plywood into the right sizes? A high-quality saw might be of great help. Even though hand saw is tiring to use, this is a vital tool in every woodwork pieces you plan to make.
Clamp– Every woodworker would agree that a cabinet wouldn’t be complete without the clamp. Every woodworker must have one. This is a little bit expensive, though, but totally worth the price.
Bench- I am talking about the work bench where you do most of the work. Imagine this as a study table for students and the operation table for doctors. Work benches are considered to be your working table where you perform most of the process.
What Are the Challenging Parts to Make?
Every piece of art is a challenge. Even though cabinet-making is not at the same scale as sculpting and painting; it can still be considered a work of art. Like most arts, it has its own share of challenges especially in perfecting its parts.
Hinges
One important aspect of cabinets is its doors. Hinges are used to make your cabinet doors movable and easy to open or close. Poorly-installed hinges may result to low-quality looking cabinets.
Drawers
Drawer box is one of the challenges in cabinet-making. Most woodworkers find it difficult to fit one drawer in just a single measurement. To achieve the right size, you have to check constantly if you got the right measurement.
Final Touches
You might think that since you are already on the last part, the final touch is just a piece of cake. However, in reality, many woodworkers find the last part the most challenging one because it would be frustrating to repair the whole cabinet once you made a single mistake. Others might even have to start from the start.
You may have the right size and the perfect design, but then you have the wrong color etc. Well, isn’t it frustrating having to redo your work all over again?
