Make your own cabinet from MDF using this step-by-step plan
Are you looking for the perfect cupboard for your home? Make your own cupboard from MDF and let us cut the MDF boards to size. Create space by making a built-in cupboard under a sloping roof or steal the show with a unique wardrobe that turns a useless space into a functional place! Or choose a cupboard from the TOSIZE.se furniture collection that you customise to the dimensions of your home.
Design cupboard MDF
Making your own cabinet from MDF is a rewarding task. This is because MDF is strong and it is easy to work with. It saves a lot of time if you let us cut the MDF to size right away! This leaves you time to think about the design. Look online for inspiration and then give your own twist to the design. Make a nice sketch and determine the exact measurements.
Create a mood board for inspiration
On a mood board, collect images of cabinets that are examples for the cabinet you want to make yourself from MDF. Go out and find inspiration in nice interior design shops and take pictures. You can also create a mood board by cutting out interior design magazines and collecting them on a large piece of paper, or create one online using Pinterest. You can get endless inspiration here. Be careful not to waste all your time on this, because for true fans it is even addictive.
Online, you can sometimes find ready-made construction drawings to make a cupboard from MDF; a PDF that you can use as a basis for your design. TOSIZE.se also has cabinet designs that you can easily adapt to the dimensions you need. You order it as a kit and receive it from your home within a few weeks. Read further in this article how to easily design and order a wardrobe as a kit from TOSIZE.se.
Make your own cupboard or have it made
Have you gathered enough inspiration and know exactly what you want? Then you also immediately know whether you are able to make the MDF cupboard yourself or whether you want to have it made. Every cupboard is different and the degree of difficulty also varies greatly. A built-in MDF cupboard, for example, is a precise job that requires some technical knowledge and job experience. And in addition, a lot of thinking goes into it. The same applies to making a wardrobe or TV cabinet from MDF yourself. We at TOSIZE.se will make it as easy as possible for you!
Start with a sketch
It helps enormously if you make a detailed sketch of your idea in advance. Think about what you want to use the cupboard for and adjust the dimensions accordingly. For example, if you want to store files, it is useful to know the size of these and adjust the compartments accordingly. By making a sketch, you can be sure that you order the right size of material and there will be no surprises during the job. It is important to draw the cupboard to scale. You can also see immediately which construction is needed to make the cupboard strong and which accessories you will need for this.
Did you know that at TOSIZE.se you can also add accessories to your order? paint, screws, wood glue, sandpaper, edge sealer; we have it all! So you can skip a visit to a hardware store altogether and start building the cupboard as soon as the delivery man delivers your order. That's really convenient!
Also read our DIY tip: Helpful measuring tips you'll never forget.
Shapes and finishes for sleek results
For a perfect finish to your cabinet, you can also have the edges of the desired material finished. Have the corners rounded off for a soft look or choose a mitre to connect the edges of the cupboard seamlessly. An edge finish is a detail that really finishes off your cupboard. Look here for an overview of all edge finishes we offer.
Are you going to make a built-in cupboard with specific shapes to make the most of a space? For example, a built-in cupboard under a sloping roof or in a lost corner of your house? Then check out what shapes we offer to take all the sawing work off your hands. To mention a few examples; we cut triangles, rectangles with bevelled edges, a trapezium and much more! We like to make jobs easier!
Choice of material: MDF, plywood or furniture panel
You can make your own cupboard from MDF, but there are other suitable materials available in our webshop. We have researched the prices and listed them for you. Prices vary between €16 and €100 p/m2.
Suitable types of wood for a built-in cupboard/cabinet wall:
(from low to high in price)
MDF Natural
MDF is a popular board material that can be used for countless indoor projects. Natural MDF is a cheap and strong board with high wear resistance and therefore very suitable for making your own cupboard. Natural MDF is the most standard form and is often chosen for its smooth surface and because it is easy to work with. It is also the right choice if you want to finish your project by covering it with wallpaper, for example. Do you want to paint the material? Then you might want to consider the MDF film version.
View Natural MDF View all types of MDF
MDF film carrier
MDF film carrier is the best choice if you want to paint the material of your cabinet. This material has a paint-carrying film on both sides that makes priming the material unnecessary. The foil greatly reduces the material's suction. The film is on both sides, so there is hardly any risk of the material warping. It is therefore very suitable for making, among other things, indoor furniture that you want to lacquer. The end edges still require extra attention. To counteract the absorbing effect of the end edges, there are several options: use diluted wood glue with some water, filler or a special edge sealer.
View MDF film carrier View all types of MDF
Plywood Interior Poplar
Plywood sheets are applicable for countless different projects. Interior Poplar is a plywood variant that is lightweight. Applications for which Plywood Interior Poplar can be used are interior carpentry, such as a built-in wardrobe or a cabinet wall. With plywood, a wood grain can be seen. The pattern of the wood grain always runs lengthwise. When sawing the panel, we assume that the length dimension is also the length direction of the wood grain. So pay close attention when entering the dimensions so that the grain of the wood all runs in the right direction!
Plywood comes in different qualities. This does not mean that the board is more or less strong, it indicates the quality of its appearance. Check the page for this product.
View Plywood Interior Poplar View all types of plywood
MDF Black V313
You choose MDF Black V313 when you want to finish an indoor project in a dark colour or transparent. Finishing in the right colour takes little time, because the board is produced moisture-resistant and already has the right colour. The wood fibres are mixed with a black pigment, so the board is coloured black to the core. However, this does not mean that the board is jet black; the wood fibres create a blended appearance. Painting is still necessary to get the material uniformly opaque black.
Alternative materials for making your own built-in wardrobe or closet wall are Timber panel spruce or pine, Plywood Interior Birch and Scaffoldwood.
View MDF Black V313 View all types of MDF
MDF cupboard with doors and drawers
When making a built-in cupboard/cabinet wall yourself, you have to deal with the fastening of (sliding) doors, shelves and drawers. Assembly requires some precision. Here are a few tips!
- Make sure you have a spirit level handy! That way you will soon know whether you are building the cupboard neatly straight.
- Are you making a built-in cupboard or wardrobe? Be aware that no house is completely straight. Measure in several places between the ceiling and the floor, for example. Especially for a built-in cupboard, this is essential to know in advance, so you can order the shelves in the right size from us.
- Find out that your house is not quite straight? Then choose leveling feet to easily level your cupboard.
- To fix shelves, first determine the location of the drill holes to fix the shelf supports. To avoid drilling through the shelf, you can screw a plug onto the drill bit. Don't have this at home? Then you can simply attach a piece of masking tape to the drill to see howIf you install doors and drawers, the better the quality of the hinges and drawer guides, the longer you will enjoy your cupboard. Research which hinges or drawer guides are best suited to your design. Need inspiration? Then read our DIY tip: What are the 6 most commonly used hinges?
- Are you going to work with drawers? Then the drawer guides you will use are leading for the inner size of the drawer. So research carefully first what sizes you need for making drawers!
Construction drawing pdf
Are you looking for a construction drawing for a cupboard made of MDF? TOSIZE.se has already designed cabinets from different types of sheet material. They are stylish, modern cabinets that complement any interior! Don't have much job experience? Then this is the perfect solution for you!
You can choose from an existing design or design your own TOSIZE cabinet. With our module, you can easily create your own design and calculate the price immediately. This way, your built-in cabinet will not only be functional, but also pleasing to the eye!
