I’ve been wanting to build a new record cabinet since we moved into our apartment, but haven’t had the chance. Luckily, the first ever storage cabinet I ever built is still standing strong. But, it’s finally time for me to make a design I’ve had in my head come to life for our space. So, I created this slat wood storage cabinet and I am so excited about how it turned out! Here’s how I made it happen!

Want to see this build in action? Check out my my video on YouTube & please subscribe to my channel!

For more details on the full cut list I used, please visit my website and check out the printable plans!

Supplies

Tools
Miter Saw
Table Saw/Circular Saw
Drill/Driver
Router (Optional)
Dowling Jig
Countersink Bit
Pocket Hole Jig
Nail Gun
Sander & Sandpaper
Concealed Hinge Jig
Iron (For Edgebanding)
Carpenter’s Square
Tape Measure
Wood Clamps

Materials
(1) ¾” Sheet Plywood
(1) 4 x 4 Sheet 1/4″ Plywood
(1) 2 x 2 x 8′ Board
1 1/8″ Trim Moulding
Contact Cement Spray Adhesive
Wood Glue
Wood Filler
Dark Walnut Wood Stain
Iron On Edge Banding
Flat Black Spray Paint
Spray Primer
Shelf Pins
2 1/2″ Pocket Hole Screws
1 ½” Wood Screws
(4) Frameless Inset Hinges
Polyurethane

Cut List: For the full, detailed cut list, check out my plans!

Step 1: Cutting the Cabinet Pieces

I started by cutting ¾” plywood pieces into the cabinet sides, top, and bottom.

Step 2: Covering the Edges

Next, I used edge banding to cover the exposed plywood edges (I skipped over the sides that will be joined together).

Step 3: Joining the Pieces

Next, I used dowel joinery, clamps, and wood glue to assemble my cabinet box. I also made sure to check for square 1,001 times.

Step 4: Prepping the Doors

I then cut two doors from the ¾” plywood. I always find that cutting the doors after assembling the cabinet carcass makes for perfectly measured doors.

Step 5: Covering the Edges & Painting

For the doors, I used wood filler to smooth out the exposed edges (these edges will be painted, so I didn’t need edge banding). Once that dried, I sanded and painted the base and the doors in a flat black spray.

Step 6: Building the Base

While the doors dried, I cut the pieces for the cabinet base using 2 x 2 boards (I trimmed these boards down to 1 x 1½” before making my pieces). I then assembled the base using pocket hole screws and wood glue.

Step 7: Staining the Cabinet

As the doors and base dried, I sanded and stained the cabinet.

Step 8: Attaching Door Slats

To create the slat wood look, I evenly spaced the slats on the cabinet doors and attached them using contact cement spray adhesive. This allowed me to connect the slats to the door without using nails! I sprayed the contact cement on the doors and on the slats (I used painter’s tape on the doors to prevent overspray), allowed them to sit for 5-10 minutes, and then pressed them together. I also pre-stained these pieces before attaching to the doors.

Step 9: Adding Shelving

As the doors dried, I used an adjustable shelf pin jig to create shelving holes for the shelf.

Step 10: Attaching the Doors

Next, I attached the doors to the cabinet using a concealed hinge jig and spacers (you can see this in action in the YouTube video).

Step 11: Adding the Back

I then cut, stained, and attached the back panel to the cabinet with brad nails (I cut a groove in the back of the cabinet with my router to inset the panel).