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How to Build An Open Kitchen Cabinet

Friends, today I’m sharing How to Build an Open Kitchen Cabinet with no doors made from pine boards for a budget-friendly tiny 1940s beach cottage kitchen renovation.

The beach cottage kitchen is only 84 sq. ft. and I wanted to open the space to create a larger feel for the tiny room.

The existing kitchen cabinet and countertop were only 79 inches long. Therefore, an open kitchen cabinet with no doors would be a budget friendly option.

Warning Note: Disclaimer: We are not professional cabinet builders. These instructions are our amateur attempt at saving money by building our kitchen cabinet. The cabinet feels very sturdy. However, it may need to be built to building codes in your area. If you are involved in a kitchen renovation, you should check with your city or county building codes before attempting a project of this nature.


1940’s Beach Cottage Kitchen Before

Beach cottage renovations before kitchen cabinet.  with outdated and damaged materials.  Budget-Friendly Remodel

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Materials for an Open Kitchen Cabinet

We decided to use simple pine boards to build the new kitchen cabinet on a limited budget.

We initially used 2-inch thick pine boards when we built our DIY Kitchen Island for our farmhouse and loved the durability of the wooden top.

We purchased a combination of 2-inch thick pine boards in various widths for this project.

Materials for Open Kitchen cabinets with money saving options and creative DIY Remodeling ideas.

To construct the countertop, we used a combination of two 10-inch and one 8-inch wide board to make the countertop the appropriate depth.

Next, the legs and shelving support boards were made from basic 2 x 4 boards. Each end leg had two adjoining boards, and the two center legs were just one board each.

Then one board, the depth of the cabinet, was attached to each leg and to the back wall to serve as shelving support.

In addition, we used four 12-inch wide boards for the shelving to be placed under the countertop. There were two boards for each shelf, which were not connected. They were placed side by side and rested on the support 2 x 4 board.

Finally, you will need three 2 x 3 boards the length of your open cabinet, which will be attached to the back wall for the cabinet side shelving support boards to be attached to.

Pre-construction pieces were assembled for the open kitchen cabinet. DIY Kitchen Renovation

Wood screws and 2-inch L brackets were used to assemble the legs and secure the cabinet to the floor.


Additional Tools and Materials for Assembly

How to Assemble the Open Kitchen Cabinet

My husband assembled most of the components for the Open Kitchen Cabinet in his workshop at home because the beach cottage has minimal space.

To begin, he assembled the 79-inch wooden countertop. He used a biscuit joiner, wooden biscuits, wood glue, and clamps to connect the 10 and 8-inch boards.

In addition, we stained all the pieces before transporting them to the beach. I wanted an old wood feel, so we used this technique to make the wood look like reclaimed barn wood.

We had carefully measured the space for the cabinet on our last beach trip, which allowed most of the construction to take place off-site.

We built the cabinet with four front legs and a countertop with two lower shelves.

All pieces were assembled and ready to install once we transported them to the beach cottage.

Pre-assembly of open kitchen cabinets with no doors for Budget-friendly kitchen remodel. DIY Project

Installation begins

You can see more details if you missed the sneak peek of the kitchen renovation.

Here is a little recap to get you caught up. As you can see, at the point of installation, the windows, walls, and flooring had already been replaced.

In addition, we had painted the walls and trim work before we installed the open kitchen cabinet.

Begin the installation of the Open Kitchen Cabinet.  Budget Friendly DIY Kitchen Remodel in tiny house.

We couldn’t assemble the back support pieces before arriving at the beach cottage.

Instead of building back legs, we directly attached the side support pieces to the wall via three 2 x 3 support boards. We temporally put the two end-leg pieces in position to ensure they’re correctly placed.

The shelving support side pieces rest upon the support beams and are attached securely with L brackets screwed into both pieces.

Back support beams are installed for new kitchen cabinet.  Budget Friendly DIY Kitchen Remodel in tiny house.

Sink Installation

Brad cut the countertop using a Ryobi Cordless Jig Saw to install the farmhouse-style stainless steel apron front sink. It was a simple process to follow the template provided with the sink.

We then installed the sink following the simple manufacturer’s instructions. We choose a budget-minded sink from Amazon.

New Sink is installed in the open kitchen cabinets with no doors.  Money saving DIY Beach Cottage remodel

Next, the countertop was secured to the support legs with wood screws. The screws were counter-sunk, and the Ryobi rotary tool was used to smooth the ruffed edges.

Then the holes were filled using wood filler and sanded smooth with a 220-grit sanding block when the wood filler was dry.

Finally, a touch of stain was added to conceal the holes.

Filling in the counter sunk holes on the countertop during DIY Budget-friendly handmade kitchen cabinets.

Secure Cabinet in place

To secure the cabinet to the floor, 2 Inch long L brackets were attached to the backside of each leg and the floor.

Once all the legs were attached, we had to adjust the shelving. We didn’t realize how close the sink would be to the shelf, so we cut a section from the middle of the shelving to allow for the sink.

In addition, some adjustments to the lower shelves were made to allow for the plumbing pipes.

Safety precautions while cutting the shelving for handmade kitchen cabinets in tiny house beach cottage.

Faucet Installation

After drilling a hole in the countertop for the Pfister Faucet, it was easily installed within approx. 5 minutes.

Finally, the new Open Kitchen Cabinet with no doors was almost finished.

Drilling a hole for the faucet installation in the kitchen countertop.  Budget DIY Kitchen Renovations

The final step was the seal the cabinet countertop with a food-grade sealer.

You can begin by applying a thin coat of sealer with a sponge roller. Then lightly sand with 220 grit sanding block once it is dry.

Then apply a second light coat, and a third coat may be applied within the next few weeks.

Be extra careful to apply a good coat of the sealer around the edge of the sink, up against the sealant applied to the sink during installation.

Seal countertops for added protection to DIY Kitchen Countertops and inexpensive remodel ideas.

You may also want to reapply the sealer approx. once a year if needed.


Open Kitchen Cabinet No Doors

The new open kitchen cabinet with no doors makes the room feel much larger, and I love seeing all the bowls and kitchen tools. The white backdrop makes everything very visible and easy to find.

New Open Kitchen cabinet with no doors.  Inexpensive, Budget-friendly DIY Kitchen remodel in tiny house.

Since the cottage is for vacation purposes only, minimal kitchen supplies are needed, and the open cabinet is a perfect choice.

In addition, if you missed the kitchen’s faucet installation and in-process demo, you can see it here.

I’m beginning to start decorating and have added a few touches already. I added the rug by Boutique Rugs, and these Copper Measuring Scoops are so fun.

Don’t miss How To Decorate with Open Shelves and Ideas for Decorating Above Kitchen Cabinets for more kitchen decorating ideas.

New DIY Open Kitchen Cabinet with no doors completed.  DIY Kitchen Renovation in Tiny house beach cottage.

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We also transformed the wall across from the new kitchen cabinet, and I will reveal that area soon.

More Kitchen Ideas

Looking for more Kitchen inspiration? Here are some other articles you may enjoy.

More Beach Cottage Remodeling Ideas

Small Bedroom with repurposed old door as barn door with blue and white bedding in Tiny house beach cottage.

Thanks so much for stopping by today. I look forward to sharing more adventures with you soon.

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Open Kitchen Cabinets DIY Kitchen Renovation in Tiny house beach cottage. Inexpensive DIY project

Kim | Shiplap and Shells

Monday 14th of February 2022

This was such a great idea Rachel. You have done such an amazing job!

Rachel

Tuesday 15th of February 2022

Kim, Thanks for stopping by.

Bricks 'n Blooms Weekly 67 - Stacy Ling

Sunday 13th of February 2022

[…] good friend Rachel from the Ponds Farmhouse is working on the kitchen at her beach house and shared a great post about how to make an open […]

Rachel

Sunday 13th of February 2022

Stacy, I appreciate you for sharing my kitchen cabinet

Renae

Thursday 10th of February 2022

Your kitchen is really coming along. What a transformation.

Rachel

Thursday 10th of February 2022

Renae, I really appreciate this.

Briana from Texas

Tuesday 8th of February 2022

I am loving this kitchen renovation!

Rachel

Tuesday 8th of February 2022

Briana, I'm so glad you like it. Thanks so much for stopping by.

stacy

Tuesday 8th of February 2022

The open cabinets look great! I love how the kitchen is coming along!

Rachel

Tuesday 8th of February 2022

Stacy, Thanks so much.