Week 6 dining room renovations & built-ins

I wanted to show in photos as many stages of my build that I could so that if you wanted to build something similar you can see how I built my project.
So I added the vertical pieces and then I added braces for the shelves attaching them to the studs and to the side panels with pocket holes.

I decided to make the thicker shelves out of 2 pieces of mdf simply glued together...I just clamped them and let them sit for 20 -30 min and then installed them using clamps to help me place and level
the shelves as I installed them. I screwed through from the outside of the side panels but in hind sight I would just drill pocket holes on the bottom of the shelves and attach them from the inside next time and use plugs to hide those holes.

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I then filled holes and added more 3/4" supports to the backs of the shelves so that I had something to nail the wood backing to.

  

I cut 5.5"planks from plywood for backing the shelves.I stained this plywood the same Kona color I love then top coated them with satin clear coat and rubbed them down with a fine steel wool to achieve a nice smooth surface. I used sureplay underlayment because I love the backside the way it looked when stained.

Priming and three coats of paint was much easier with out the face frames...

I cut off 3/4" off of a pices of 12" wide mdf to cover the upper part of the bookcase to hide the bones...

I am getting so anxious to get this project completed to get the wine cooler in place a to have this room furnished and ready for fun...
I am even surprised at how long this is all taking but every step seems to require a step then waiting another step then waiting....I just want it completed already because I am ready to get decorating for Christmas...

I am  hoping to get all the backing installed today and the face frames completed...hopefully things will go smoothly and I will have the built-ins completed today....then I can get to sanding the floors and a couple of days of snading.

Adding upper shelving to built-ins

I decided to keep the uppers shallow as to not block the window..which  meant I could use MDF 12"x 8' boards which are under $6.00 each.... I was going to take a break and not install these uppers at this point but I figured why not just get it done now. 

I really love having 9' ceilings, these built-ins are so tall.

I used 1x3" pine to create these simple boxes I attached them using Kregjig pocket holes.

 Here I am testing out some shelf placement.

As you can see creating these boxes is really simple 4 boards and 2 sides that's it, this will all be hidden. I can use these pieces that lay up against the wall to attach the boxes to studs in the wall.

Today I will work on the shelves which will be thick 2" shelves....I just don't know if they will be painted or stained...I will know when I go shopping for materials.
See you soon.

5 weeks of dining room improvements

I can't believe I have been slowly plugging away at this dining room project for 5 weeks when last year it took me 2 weeks to complete a coffered ceiling and flooring install in my family room , spraining my ankles this summer has really changed how quickly I move...safety first.

 How can installing doors and knobs be the hardest part of a project like this....but it always is...turns out I was given not quite the right screws for the knobs, well that caused a lot of frustration...making a simple jig for the knobs prooved harder than it seemed resulting in the first door having the wrong holes being drilled so that mean a repair...and finding the correct screws to replace the ones that had been broken in my attempts to install the knobs resulted in a very long search for the correct screws...european hardware!!!! So I am relieved the doors are in and the knobs are on and centered...now I can move on to the floor.

 I am loving all this new storage.

Hopefully I will get to the uppers very soon because I can't wait to see how it looks. I am getting excited to get this room put back together, I think the ceiling will have to wait till after the new year...I need to focus on Christmas.