Here's How to Make a Laundry Hamper Cabinet

This DIY project takes a standard base cabinet and reimagines it as a purpose-built laundry hamper that is sturdy, polished and good looking. Whether you’re interested in a new standalone laundry hamper cabinet for a hallway or bedroom, or you want to outfit an existing laundry room, you’ll love this easy-to-execute, do-it-yourself project.

What You’ll Need* :

Supplies

Eurorite 36" Knockdown Base Cabinet with two Slab Doors and one Interior Shelf (Glacier White)
(2) Cabinet Handles
(1) Piano Hinge
3/4" Paint Grade Plywood
3" Screws
(2) Laundry Baskets
BeautiTone Paint
Felt Pads
Wood Filler
Sand Paper

Tools

* Our full assortment of building supplies is available at Home Building Centre and Home Hardware Building Centre locations. To unlock our catalogue of building supplies online, please select your local Building Centre.

Here’s How

For this project, we’re retrofitting a 36-inch cabinet with two existing doors, but you could just as easily adapt this method to a single-door cabinet or if you are looking for even more sorting ability, you could create a laundry cabinet with three or four laundry hampers. Whites, darks, colours, delicates – we get it!

Steps:

1. Assemble all the materials and tools for your project.

2. Using a drill, remove the doors, hinges and interior MDF shelf from your cabinet.

3. Measure, mark and cut the following pieces for your project:

(1) MDF Shelf (from purchased cabinet) at 31 1/2 " x 16"
(1) plywood piece at 22" x 33"
(2) plywood pieces at 33" x 3"
(2) plywood pieces at 22" x 16"
(4) plywood pieces at 8" x 3"

4. Take the 22" x 16" pieces; on both pieces, on the 16" side, measure and mark 1 1/2" from the corner. On the 22" side, measure and mark 5 1/2" from the bottom. Connect the 2 marks with a line and cut.

5. Once cut, take the 22" x 16" pieces (these will be your sides) and the 31 1/2" x 16" piece of MDF. Glue, countersink and screw the uncut 16" sides of the 22" x 16" pieces on either end of the 31 1/2" x 16" piece of MDF.

Take the 22" x 33" piece; glue, countersink and screw onto the longest edge of the side pieces and the edge of the MDF to create the front of the hamper. Take one of the 33" x 3" pieces; glue, countersink and screw to attach at the back of the hamper along the bottom edge.

6. Router all edges.

7. Fill all screw holes with wood filler and let dry.

8. Sand all surfaces with a palm sander until smooth and wipe clean.

9. Paint all surfaces of this open box with your chosen paint or stain.

10. On the inside of the cabinet, measure 16" from the front. Take the remaining 33" x 3" piece and screw into the base of the cabinet. Take a scrap piece of 3/4" plywood and temporarily position in the centre towards the open front of the cabinet.

11. Place your hamper in the cabinet and centre it. Add cabinet door panels and clamp hamper and panels together.

12. Working from inside the cabinet, screw the cabinet doors to the front of the hamper. Once done, carefully remove the hamper and scrap piece of 3/4" plywood from the cabinet and set aside.

13. Take your piano hinge and install one side to the bottom of the cabinet's front edge.

14. Attach the other side of the piano hinge to the bottom of the hamper's back edge.

15. Place a laundry basket inside of the hamper and determine the degree you want the cabinet door to swing open. Ensure there is enough space to insert and remove the basket. Once the swing is determined, mark both sides of the cabinet.

16. Once the opening swing has been determined, you need to install a stopper on the cabinet so the hamper does not swing out fully. Take two 8" x 3" pieces and screw into place where you have marked on the inside of the cabinet.

17. Take the remaining two 8" x 3" pieces of plywood. Glue a felt pad on both pieces; one per long edge. Position the hamper in place using a clamp at its maximum opening swing. Then, take the felted 8" x 3" pieces and position them behind the stopper pieces previously installed on the cabinet. Ensure the felted side is sandwiched between both stopper pieces. Secure the pieces to the outside of the hamper.

18. Attach the handles to the front of the cabinet doors.