How to build a picture frame medicine cabinet?

chumchurrum

Hi, 

I was hoping to do something like this with a picture frame of this size and colour, but am unsure of which timber products to choose that will roughly match the shade and also be adequate to hold the weight etc. The cabinet is only intended to hold medicines, so nothing particularly heavy.

Thank you!

MitchellMc

Hi @chumchurrum,

For your picture-frame cabinet project, you have a couple of good timber options. You could use 19 mm thick Tasmanian Oak for the frame, which has a pale to straw colour with a hint of pinkish-brown and takes stain well, making it easier to match the colour you want. Alternatively, you could use 19 mm dressed pine and stain it to the desired shade. 

When selecting timber for the cabinet box, it depends on how deep you want the storage space to be; from the guide, it looks like the depth might be around 70–90 mm. Either of the timber options listed will be adequate to hold light items like medicines. You could use 65 x 19mm 2.4m DAR Tasmanian Oak Select, 64 x 19mm 2.4m DAR Pine Premium or 89 x 19mm 2.4m DAR Pine Premium.

After assembly, apply a stain to match your target colour, wipe off the excess, and seal with a clear topcoat such as polyurethane for durability. Choosing Tasmanian Oak will give a more premium finish, while pine offers a budget-friendly alternative that can still achieve a nice result with proper finishing.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell