Studio Progress – Cupboards Put in, Countertop Fail, and Countertop Repair

I obtained fairly a bit achieved on the studio this previous weekend, however I additionally had a set again with the countertop. It wasn’t essentially a fail. It might have been simply positive had I stored it the best way it was initially, however I didn’t find it irresistible, so I’m decided to redo it.

However we’ll get to all of that in a minute. First, let’s return to the cupboard set up. After I left y’all on Friday, the cupboards within the workplace part of the studio had been assembled and the ft connected, however the cupboards weren’t truly put in on the wall as a result of I used to be nonetheless making an attempt to resolve learn how to deal with these areas.

I didn’t must take care of these areas on the lengthy wall as a result of the IKEA cupboards had been a significantly better match on that wall (you’ll be able to see how I put in these cupboards right here). However for this shorter wall, so as to get the cupboards centered on the window and symmetrical on either side of the window, there needed to be areas.

Y’all gave me tons of concepts for learn how to use these areas, however in the long run, I made a decision it simply wasn’t price it. The house was solely 4.5 inches broad, so by the point I subtract the width taken up by no matter I constructed for that house (for instance, a pull out would have taken up one inch for the field (two sides of 1/2-inch plywood) plus 1/2-inch for the drawer pulls), the house left for precise use would have been so little as to not make it price it for an workplace house. A kitchen would have made sense since spices or cookie sheets can slot in a tiny house like that, and since kitchen cupboards are 24 inches deep. However for this workplace house with 15-inch-deep cupboards, constructing one thing for these tiny areas simply appeared like a waste of time.

So I ended up simply utilizing spacers. These aren’t the completed look, clearly. The end items will go on prime of those spacers. However I made 4 similar spacers, and used two for every of the 2 areas — on in the back of the house between the cupboards, and one on the entrance of the house with the entrance of the spacer flush with the entrance edges of the cupboard packing containers. Then I’ll connect a completed 5/8-inch-thick piece of lumber to the entrance of the spacer, which implies it will likely be flush with the fronts of my 5/8-inch-thick IKEA Veddinge doorways.

As soon as I get the end items connected to the entrance of these spacers, I would even gown it as much as appear to be pull-out cubbies, type of just like the false drawer entrance on the kitchen sink cupboard or the toilet sink cupboard that I at all times put a drawer pull on as a result of I just like the look. However we’ll see. I could depart them as apparent spacers, which I’m okay with so long as I get my symmetry. 😀

And talking of symmetry, so as to have each side completely symmetrical, I’ll even be including spacers and an finish panel to this finish. That approach after I get my higher cupboards positioned on prime of the countertop and lined up with the underside cupboards, they’ll be trimmed out identically. If that doesn’t make sense to you, I hope it is going to make extra sense as I make extra progress.

Okay, now let’s discuss concerning the countertop. I’m an enormous fan of thick counter tops. And by thick, I imply 1.5 inches. I nearly at all times desire them over skinny counter tops, by which I imply the usual .75-inch counter tops. That’s not a tough and quick rule. In our grasp lavatory, we now have .75-inch counter tops, and I really like them. So it actually depends upon the person room and scenario, however I do are likely to gravitate in the direction of the thicker counter tops in most conditions.

So when it got here time to make my counter tops for the studio, I figured thick is nice. And even when it’s thicker than 1.5 inches, that will be positive. I figured I’d use two layers of three/4-inch MDF for the bottom of the countertop, after which place the flooring boards that I chosen for the countertop on prime of the MDF. That was the plan, so I obtained my two layers of MDF on the cupboards, glued them collectively, and clamped them to dry.

After which I began slicing the flooring boards to go on the entrance fringe of the MDF. I figured it could be simpler to start out on the entrance and work my approach again in the direction of the wall. So I minimize strips to cowl the 1.5 inches of MDF, and mitered the strips on the highest with a 45-degree angle. I connected them with wooden glue and 18-guage end nails.

It’s exhausting to see that mitered prime edge in footage. Hopefully this gives you a greater view of it…

And right here you’ll be able to see it on the nook and the aspect edge…

After these had been put in, I minimize and mitered the highest items that will sit proper towards that entrance mitered piece to appear to be a stable piece. I connected these items in the identical approach…

By the point I obtained up to now, I used to be so pleased with my progress, and I knew the exhausting half was over. Filling in the remaining with straight minimize items can be a breeze, and I’ve have this countertop completed very quickly! However the longer I checked out it, the extra I disliked it.

The thickness, which ended up being a two-inch completed thickness as soon as the flooring boards had been connected, was simply too overpowering and hulking for my style. Plainly my restrict on countertop thickness is 1.5 inches.

I ended engaged on it and figured I’d give myself (and my eyes) a break from the countertop for the night and are available again the subsequent day and see what I assumed. Nicely, the subsequent day, it was nonetheless too thick for my liking. Thank goodness I began with the smaller countertop!

So I obtained busy on the lengthy countertop, however this time, I solely used one piece of three/4-inch MDF as the bottom as a substitute of two.

After which I adopted with the very same course of, besides that this time, the entrance items had been 3/4-inch thinner than the earlier entrance strips for the opposite cupboards.

This regarded so significantly better to my eye.

In order that’s so far as I obtained — second wall of cupboards put in, one countertop fail, and one other countertop underway that I believe is significantly better. I’m not too upset about that different countertop, although. It was a studying expertise, and I realized one thing about my likes and dislikes that I didn’t beforehand know. Now I do know! And fortunately, I’ve loads of additional MDF, so I received’t have to make one other journey to House Depot to purchase extra. Hopefully there received’t be any extra errors, and I can get these counter tops knocked out very quickly!

Addicted 2 Adorning is the place I share my DIY and adorning journey as I rework and embellish the 1948 fixer higher that my husband, Matt, and I purchased in 2013. Matt has M.S. and is unable to do bodily work, so I do the vast majority of the work on the home on my own. You’ll be able to study extra about me right here.