A loungeroom entertainment unit makeover with Flatpax cupboards covered in Spotted Gum offcuts.
The project
We finally decided on a colour for our lounge (Dulux Te Aroha) paint. Here is the room painted, with 6 x 900mm Flatpax Utility Cupboards installed (the last of which was cut down to 635mm to fit the space).
The next step took a long time to resolve. We wanted to cover the doors, preferably with Spotted Gum veneer to match the TV unit I built earlier in the year. This proved to be a very difficult product to find and after a couple of failed attempts of cutting 3mm veneers from decking boards, I decided to throw money at the problem and remake all twelve doors from Spotted Gum floorboards.
I purchased 53m of 75 x 14mm floorboards. I cut all the boards slightly oversize to allow for any slip or misalignment during the glue up.
Here are some of the boards cut to length.
I made a simple jig for the drill press to accurately drill the holes needed for hinge installation. Here are the hinge boards.
The tongues cut from the hinge side slat were used to cap the last board on each panel, with six boards required for each door (five full-size boards and one slat made from two offcuts) and left the panel 4 - 5mm oversize. Here are the tongue offcuts which were used to cap the groove of the last board.
Next came the big glue up. I used every clamp in the workshop to have all twelve doors done in the same day.
The original doors were used to keep the glued-up panels flat while drying (the glue doesn't stick to melamine). I used the original doors during the glue up to keep the panels flat.
Braces were required to prevent the doors warping over time.
There were so many holes to drill and countersink.
Then I measured, drilled, glued and screwed ... over and over. Here are the braces glued and screwed.
Then I trimmed the panels to their final size on the table saw and then sanded and sanded.
Here they are with the first coat of Penetrol wood oil on.
More offcuts of the tongues were trimmed down and used for the handles.
I completely neglected to take photos while making the counter top, which is made from 125 x 12mm floorboards. Here it is, finished.
Timewise, there's probably thirty or so hours in this. I got a good rhythm going, having to do everything twelve times and setting up a few jigs, so no measuring was required for drill positioning, which saved a bunch of time. Thrilled with the result. Now to rest my aching back.
