Projects at the new house are in full swing and creating a mudroom space is one I have been looking forward to most. While this house doesn’t have a designated drop zone, this built-in desk in our kitchen quickly became one. It only made sense to use this outdated spot to make something more functional for our family so we ripped out the desk and I got to work on these DIY mudroom lockers. This was my most challenging build to date but I am so proud of how it turned out!
I didn’t take many detailed photos so make sure to check out my Instagram highlights for more!
DIY Mudroom Locker Framing
Because I was using this existing nook where the desk was, I wanted to preserve every square inch I could. Using the wall studs as my framing was the simplest way to do this so I started nailing 1/2 inch sanded plywood to the wall to create my bottom bench and drawer boxes. *Note: I would have preferred 3/4 inch plywood for this project but it was more expensive.
I also used 1/4 inch plywood for areas like the back panel of the built-ins, the drawer bottoms, and cabinet door faces. All the sheet material was cut with my Hart circular saw. I also used 1x2s as my facial boards, nailed into the plywood. Scroll down to see the material list and cost breakdown.
DIY Mudroom Locker Drawers
To make these mudroom locker drawers I simply built a box out of the same 1/2 inch plywood. I also used my router to create a groove to slide in a 1/4 inch plywood bottom. They don’t have to be pretty if you’re going to add drawer fronts! This was my very first time building drawers and probably the most intimidating part of the project. It took me a full day of adjusting the drawer slides to get them to open and close smoothly. *Make sure everything is square and level from front to back, left to right, as well as up and down.
DIY Mudroom Locker Cabinet Doors
For the mudroom locker doors and drawer fronts I used 1/3 primed pine. I cut the rails and stiles to size, and then ran them through my table saw to create the groove to glue in 1/4″ plywood faces. They we’re assembled using pocket holes with my Kreg jig.
Check out the cute little ventilation detail I added with a 5/8 spade bit!
I wood filled every seam, sanded the whole thing down, caulked, and finally primed and painted with my favorite Behr Cabinet and Trim Enamel in the color “Jojoba”.
Lastly, I added European hidden soft close hinges by using a jig.
DIY Mudroom Lockers- Cost Breakdown
(4) 1/2″ Sanded Plywood Sheet: $200
(1) 1/4″ Sanded Plywood Sheet $35
(8) Primed Pine 1x2s: $60
(8) Primed Pine 1x3s: $95
(1) Fluted Trim: $17
(1) Quart Bin Primer: $25
(1) Gallon Behr Cabinet and Trim Enamel (Color: Jojoba): $50
(8) Euro Hinges: $48
(2) Sets of Drawer Slides: $25
Hardware: $20
Miscellaneous Supplies: Sandpaper, nails, wood glue, caulk ect: $50-75
Estimated Total: $625-$650
While this wasn’t necessarily a “budget” project, I did some research to compare the cost of hiring it out. To build the style lockers that I did, it would have cost upwards of $1500 from a professional! This is why I love DIY… It may have taken me 3 weeks but I saved roughly 43%!
*Links below!
