Making a built-in closet for storage (by Vitod)

Indice

Today, I present to you a project by "Vitod" (nickname of Vito, a user and friend of the forum for many years) who decided to make use of a recess in the corridor behind a door in his home by organizing it as a storage space.
To do this, he built a built-in wardrobe by first constructing and installing a wooden frame, then the internal shelving, and finally the doors to close everything.
If you intend to do something similar or are simply curious to know how he did it, he patiently photographed and described all the steps of the work, from the empty wall to the finished and mounted wardrobe. I can only wish you a good read.

Luciano (Captain Farloc)

Space behind the door used to build a built-in wardrobe

The Project

After long (but very long) reflections, I decided how to realize everything and, to avoid mistakes, I made a sketch with all the measurements.
I calculated the width of the frame by taking measurements at three different points on the wall where the frame would be fixed (at the bottom, in the middle, and at the top), while the height was measured at two points on the left and right.
Of course, what you see is the final version of the sketch, which underwent evolutions and modifications before taking its final form as shown in the photo.

Built-in wardrobe project

Moving the Switch

The first thing I did was to move the switch to the other side of the door, which allowed me to use a depth of about 60 cm for the storage space instead of 45 cm. Additionally, by doing so, I was able to prevent the frame from covering the heating manifold box, which is visible in the lower right part of the previous photo.

Moving the switch

Materials Used

I have already purchased the materials; however, due to the lack of slats, I opted for laminated spruce wood (4x6 cm), and I preferred to make the doors in MDF.
I then marked on the 269.5 cm long side slats the points where to drill holes for the dowels and screws.

Material used for the construction of a built-in wardrobe

Frame Construction

I proceed, with the help of two square clamps, to drill the holes using a 6mm wood drill bit for the dowels and a 4mm drill bit for the screws.

Construction stages of a built-in wardrobe frame

Having drilled all the necessary holes and without gluing the dowels, in case of any modifications, I assembled the frame for an on-site test.

Test assembly of a built-in wardrobe frame

After temporarily assembling the frame, I tested it on site to see if it fit perfectly. Fortunately, I had no problems.

Test the frame on site before gluing it

At this point, I disassembled the frame, applied wood glue to the holes and dowels, and then reassembled everything.

Permanent fixing of the frame of a built-in wardrobe

Door Construction

After the glue dried, I cut out the doors and placed them on the frame to verify that the measurements matched what was calculated. Again, I had no problems.

Testing the doors on the frame

I rounded the outer edges of the four doors, as ordered by the lady-master-wife. ;-)
Then I moved on to the painting phase, which I must admit I don't enjoy very much.
I filled all the sides of the doors with putty and sanded both the frame and the doors with fine-grit sandpaper for wood, then applied the first coat of primer.
Once the first coat had dried well, I sanded again and applied the second coat of primer, another sanding, and finally the white enamel.

Painting the doors of a built-in wardrobe

Final Assembly of the Built-in Wardrobe

I used 60.5 cm long slats to keep the frame in position at the right distance from the back wall.

Using strips to hold the frame in place

After ensuring the frame was level, I marked the points where to drill the holes to fix the frame to the wall.
Then I drilled, inserted the plugs, and screwed the frame to the wall.

Assembling the frame to the wall

I attached the doors to the assembled frame, following the same procedure for installing the snap hinges as "Mastro Mario" kindly published on this site.

NOTE: If you are interested in the guide written by "Mastro Mario" (Mariobrossh) on the topic, you can find it by clicking on the following link: Guide for Installing Snap Hinges (by Mariobrossh)

Fitting the doors of a built-in wardrobe

After attaching the doors, the built-in wardrobe is starting to take shape.

Assembling the doors of a built-in wardrobe

Now let's move on to the interior, nothing exceptional...
I didn't make any more holes in the wall after accidentally hitting the gas pipe; I preferred not to take any more risks, at least in that corner of the house.
The slats I placed in the internal corners were fixed with a bit of silicone.

Assembling the internal shelves of a built-in wardrobe

I must mention that the hooks are temporary; to hang the ironing board, I will install a rail (the ones used for sliding tabletops) which I currently couldn't find either at the DIY store or the hardware shop.

Interior of a built-in wardrobe

Finally, I installed trims to cover the framework and the empty spaces between it and the wall. This is the final effect of the built-in wardrobe with the doors and handles installed.

Built-in wardrobe assembled and finished

Vitod

P.S.
If you have any questions or suggestions (or even if you want to leave a thank you note to Vito for his patience in documenting all the stages of the work), you can do so in the discussion already open on the forum at the following link:
http://www.ilsitodelfaidate.it/FDTForum/viewtopic.php?t=9004

Thank you
Luciano (Capitan Farloc)

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