Inspiring you to Do-It-Yourself
Hey there! So I thought I had published all my kitchen renovation posts…and then I saw this little draft sitting all alone, ready to be published but not! Lol! Here it is, all about how to paint kitchen cabinets!
I am telling you, I was beyond skeptical about painting my kitchen cabinets…but ordering a whole new kitchen this large of cabinets was out of the question for my budget!
Here it is! The post and plans you all have been waiting for…DIY Plans for Chicken Coop…okay, maybe I have just been waiting to share them! Lol! This set of plans has me so excited because it’s a big build but so rewarding! You may not realize that you need chickens in your life, but you do I swear!😉
I have a funny story for you all! Remember when I posted the plans for my small chicken coop? (DIY Small Chicken Coop if you haven’t seen it or want the whole story) Well, I tell the story of getting a rooster and how I had to quickly make a coop for him because he couldn’t be in with my hens… he was big and they were small! All that work and HE started laying eggs! 😂 But that’s not even the best part, we don’t know if we mixed him up and he’s been living in the big coop with the ladies, or HE is actually a HEN!! 😅 But either way, I promised plans for a large chicken coop…and here they are! I am beyond excited with how it turned out and how well it works for our chickens…and possibly rooster!😆
Don’t mind that the coop is already dirty and large weeds are growing everywhere, it has been raining here, Hurricane Hanna hit south of us a little while back, so the rain was constant for what seemed like weeks, and then more rain came! Plus the chickens have been living in the coop for well over two months now!😲 And the hideous fence is coming out soon, but these things take time… so for a small while, I have to look at a couple of fence eyesores! Lol! Our whole yard, our house, the goat shed… everything is under construction!😆 If only I could clone myself for free labor! Lol!
DIY plans for chicken coop
Y’all never in a million years could you have told me that I was going to have chickens and hug them and love them, would I ever believe you! 😂 But I do!! They are hilarious and we LOVE them as a part of our family! I laugh when I think of this because they are chickens…CHICKENS, I never liked chickens, but now I’m in love, not just with them, but with their coop as well!😁
Anyway, I could sit here and share 8000 pics of my ladies but I will stick to the plans…chicken coop plans that is! Lol!
I am not going to lie, it was a trial and error, and oops, and dang it, all the time on this build! It was some of the dumbest things that I forgot to take into consideration! For instance, I was making the chicken coop plans for 8’x8′ to utilize the supplies, well in my haste to get started and get this baby built…because the chickens were living in MY HOUSE 😲😅 I built all four walls at 8 foot long! *Forehead in palm!!!! Why?! Oy!
But despite the setbacks and mistakes, I got it built and with minimal extra materials! So the plans will be exactly like as I built mine and if I get around to it, I’ll try to draw them up at the 8’x8′ if I have time later on! The dimensions are 8′ x 8′ 7″ for the main coop and the run is an additional 6’x16′ for a grand total of 8′ 7″ x 24′.
All in all, for materials I believe I spent around $1200-1300. Now it can be more or less depending on the cost of materials in your area. And I don’t even want to add in the gas, food, and Starbucks every other day when I made a material run because I forgot something! Lol!
There are ways to minimalize cost though, for instance, the roof rafters were cut at roughly 63″, I can easily get 8-foot boards into my van, but not 12 footers, if you can get 12-foot boards you will save 10 bucks just on the rafters. It seems small but then you look at all the trim boards as well, the vertical frame boards, and before you know it, boom it is a hundred dollar savings or more and I will take that ANY DAY OF THE WEEK!!🎉 The materials list consists of 12-foot replacements where available but shows the number of 8-foot boards if you are like me and cannot easily carry 12-foot boards, or they don’t deliver to your area!
Alright, you ready to become a crazy chicken lady and build your very own chicken coop and love your chickens like family?😂 Here are the plans!
I separated the plans up a bit because it is a lot for one file. The plans and tutorials for the other parts of the coop are below, but if you sign up for the email once you will receive all the files so you don’t have to enter your email 5 times! Lol!
Love these plans or know someone who would? I would LOVE for you to share or PIN for later!
This material list only has the materials for the main coop, the run materials will be at the link above along with the plans for that, shutters the same, etc.
*Note: Amazon links below are affiliate links! Affiliate links work in that when you make a purchase after clicking on a link below, I make a small percentage of commission off of your purchase at no extra cost to you! It is a real win-win for us so I can keep this content coming for free! Thanks in advance! Also note, ONLY Amazon links are affiliate links, all other links are just provided to help you find products!
-23 – 2x4x8
-17 – 2x4x12 (or add 30 – 2x4x8s to the above number if you can’t get 12-foot boards in your car like me!😉)
-2 – 2x4x10
-9 – 4×8 sheets of 1/2″ plywood
-3 – 3′ x 12′ sheets of steel roofing panels
-1 – 10′ steel roofing ridge
-1 – 1x6x8
-15 – 1x2x8 (I used furring strips)
-21 – 1x4x8 (I used furring strips)
-1 – bag of 1 1/2″ steel roofing screws with a neoprene washer
-1 – bag of 2 1/2″ steel roofing screws with gasket
-1 – box of 3 1/8″ screws
-1 – box of 2 1/2″ screws
-1 – large container of 2 1/2″ Kreg screws
– brad nails in sizes from 3/4″ to 2″ lengths
-12 – small Simpson Strong-tie roof brackets
-6 – large Simpson Strong-tie roof brackets
-1 – box of Simpson Strong-tie hex head screws for roof brackets
–100 ft roll of 1/2″ or 1/4″ hardware cloth- 36″x100′
–50 ft roll of 1/2″ or 1/4″ hardware cloth – 36″x50′
-5 gallons of paint of your choice (I used Behr Exterior paint, color-matched to SW Alabaster)
–5 cans Charcoal Gray spray paint for the roof
Run Wall:
-2 – 2×4 @ 96″ (top and bottom rails)
-6 – 2×4 @ 69″ (studs)
-2 – 2×4 @ 55″ (header)
-4 – 2×4 @ 6 1/2″ (supports to attach run to)
Nesting Box Wall:
-2 – 2×4 @ 96″ (top and bottom rails)
-4 – 2×4 @ 69″ (studs)
-2 – 2×4 @ 65″ (horizontal nesting box opening)
-2 – 2×4 @ 32″ (top studs)
-2 – 2×4 @ 20″ (bottom studs)
-2 – 2×4 @ 14″ (sides of box opening)
Door Wall:
-2 – 2×4 @ 96″ (top and bottom rails)
-4 – 2×4 @ 69″ (studs)
-1 – 2×4 @ 28″ (header)
-8 – 2×4 @ 13 1/4″ (supports to attach plywood)
Window Wall:
-2 – 2×4 @ 96″ (top and bottom rails)
-6 – 2×4 @ 69″ (studs)
-2 – 2×4 @ 45″ (vertical window boards)
-2 – 2×4 @ 38 1/2″ (horizontal window boards)
-1 – 2×4 @ 10 1/2″ ( bottom stud)
Rafters:
-10 – 2×4 @ 63 1/8″ – mitered @ 25 degrees off square both ends, parallel
-2 – 2×4 @ 104″ – mitered @ 65 degrees off square both ends, not parallel
-24 – 2×4 @ 22 1/2″
Plywood for walls:
-5 -1/2″ sheets of plywood cut down to 71 1/2″ cutouts will be shown below, 4 sheets will stay 8′.
TRIM BOARDS: (You will want to measure your actual spaces to cut trim boards, they may differ from mine slightly!)
Run Wall:
-2 – 1×4 @ 16 43/64″ (bottom horizontal trim)
-2 – 1×3 @ 3 1/2″ (bottom horizontal trim)
-2 – 1×4 @ 67 5/16″ (opening trim)
-1 – 1×4 @ 62 3/64″ (opening trim)
-1 – 1×3 (ripped down from a 1×4) @ (top horizontal trim)
-2 – 2×4 @ 63 1/8″ both ends mitered at 25 degrees off square, ends parallel (roof peak trim)
-2 – 1×4 @ 63 1/8″ both ends mitered at 25 degrees off square, ends parallel (roof peak trim)
– 2 – 1×2 @ 68 1/2″ (battens)
Nesting Box Wall:
-2 – 1×4 @ 97″(top and bottom horizontal trim)
-2 – 1×4 @ 65 13/32″(vertical side trim)
-1 – 1×4 @ 68″(vertical board above nesting box)
-5 – 1×2 @ 25 35/64″ (battens on top of nesting box)
-5 – 1×2 @ 17 7/8″ (battens below nesting box)
Door Wall:
-2 – 1×4 @ 35 11/64″ (bottom horizontal trim)
-2 – 1×3 (ripped a 1×4 furring strip down) @ 31 23/32″ (top straight horizontal trim)
-2 – 1×4 @ 69 11/16″ one end mitered at 25 degrees off square, longest end (side vertical trim)
-2 – 2×4 @ 63 1/8″ both ends mitered at 25 degrees off square, ends parallel (roof peak trim)
-2 – 1×4 @ 63 1/8″ both ends mitered at 25 degrees off square, ends parallel (roof peak trim)
-2 – 1×4 @ 69″ (door frame)
-2 – 1×2 @ 36″ (door frame)
-1 – 1×6 @ 35″ (door frame)
-1 – 1×3 @ 37″ (door frame)
-4 – 1×2 @ 67 5/16″ (bottom battens)
-2 – 1×2 @ 4 45/64″ one end mitered at 25 degrees off square, longest side (top battens)
-2 – 1×2 @ 11 63/64″ one end mitered at 25 degrees off square, longest side (top battens)
-2 – 1×2 @ 16 9/32″ one end mitered at 25 degrees off square, longest side (top battens)
Window Wall:
-2 – 1×4 @ 97″ (top and bottom horizontal trim)FYI – I did not purchase expensive 1x4x10s for these boards, I cut roughly 5 inches off of my 8ft 1×4 furring strip and cut a 6″ piece off of scrap board.
-2 – 1×4 @ 65 13/32″ (side vertical trim)
-2 – 1×4 @ 45″ (window trim)
-1 – 1×4 @ 42 3/4″ (window trim)
-3 – 1×2 @ 43 3/4″ (window trim)
-1 – 1×6 @ 42 3/4″ (window trim)
-1 – 1×3 @ 44 3/4″ (window trim)
-3 – 1×2 @ 2 5/32″ (battens above window)
-3 – 1×2 @ 5 5/8″ (battens below window)
-2 – 1×2 @ 65 13/32″ (battens)
Just a little note for you all before we start building…I am NOT a professional construction worker, home builder, architect, or any other PROFESSIONAL of any sort! I am a mom who figures out ways to build what I want, consulting professionals at times, and making it up as I go along other times! 😁 It all works out in the end even though it may not be considered the RIGHT way to do it! Lol! I’ve realized since starting this blog that pretty much EVERYONE has an opinion and they all differ on the CORRECT way to do something! But I am simply sharing the way I did this project and it may not be the BEST way, but it worked! Take that for what you will! 😅
Alright, if you are brave enough to continue on this project with me, let’s get started!😏
As with any structure we have to frame out the walls very first! All the walls are basically the same idea, a top and bottom plate, then 5 vertical studs arranged to support whatever openings you want! Some walls have a few extra boards to brace the openings for windows, nesting boxes, etc.
Framing the walls will take the 3 1/8″ screws listed in the materials. All boards will be screwed directly through the 2×4 plates and into the studs unless otherwise stated to drill pocket holes!
It is certainly helpful to have a second or third set of hands, even if they are kids! My boys helped a TON on this project, but walls can also be built by one person, as I built a couple on my own as well so don’t fret if you don’t have help, you can still build this chicken coop!
This wall is a pretty simple build! I intentionally left this wall wide open to the run because it faces south for us, and that is where our breeze comes from all summer long! Heck in Texas it’s about 9 months out of our year and the ONLY way to survive is to have shade and breeze!
Basically, build an 8 foot by 6-foot rectangle and add studs where needed! It is easiest to add the studs at 19″ from the outside edge, then place the header boards in between. Screw the header boards to the side supports and put a couple of screws from the top 2×4 down into the header.
Adding the second support boards, closest to the edges after, allows the drill room to get in between to screw the header in…hope that makes sense. The second support boards will be placed 11″ from the outside edge.
This creates your run wall, one down, three to go!
The same concept as the run wall, build an 8 foot by 6 foot rectangle. Add studs 14″ from the outside edge.
Build a box that is going to frame out the nesting box. Use 2- 2x4s @ 65″ to make the vertical boards of the box and 2 – 2x4s @ 14″ for the vertical. This photo also has the bottom studs added! They are 20″, 22″, and then 20″ apart. Or you can make them 21″ apart…not sure exactly how I ended up with the above! Lol!
Add the top studs. They are 32″ long and spaced the same as the bottom boards.
Nesting box wall…✔
Again, start off with an 8 foot by 6 foot rectangle. Add two studs 17 3/4″ from the outside edge. The second set of studs will be 32 1/2″ from the outside edge. A small header of a 2×4 @ 28″ in between the closest two studs, at the top, will be for the doorway! I added scrap 2x4s for hinges but ended up not using them! Lol!
What you will need though that I didn’t realize until later, is 8 – 2x4s @ 13 1/4″ pocket holed, to allow a brace to attach the plywood to. Here’s the Sketchup photo to show you! (Ignore the 2×4 header that is turned the wrong way below, it should be flipped up to where you see the 1 1/2″ edge as in the photo above! Sorry for the confusion!)
Door wall DONE! Can you believe it…3 walls down…only 1 to go! Yeah!
The last wall to go, and then you can put them all together and start seeing the chicken coop come together!
Last time you have to build an 8 foot by 6 foot rectangle! Lol! And for this wall, you will want to put 2 studs at 13 1/2″ from the outside edges, and then 2 studs at 25 3/4″ from the outside edges.
Build a rectangle for the window. Use 2 – 2x4s at 45″ to make the vertical window boards and 2 – 2x4s at 38 1/2″ to make the top and bottom of the window. Luckily you can screw these boards into place through the window!
ALL FOUR WALLS ARE BUILT!! WOOHOO!!
If you have any questions as to the dimensions or locations of boards, make sure and download the printable plans to see detailed photos with dimensions!
At this point, before setting the walls, I sealed the bottom of all the 2x4s that would be touching the ground and attached hardware cloth with screws to the bottoms so that no animals could dig under the coop!
Here’s how she looked!😍
Now, we are doing the deep litter method, so there is no floor in the coop, the dirt makes the floor and you just add pine shavings weekly…it is AMAZING because there is no chicken poop smell at all! I did a lot of research before choosing this method and I am so glad I did! Plus, once a year, I have compost ready to be placed in the garden!
Literally, no cleaning the coop…we add pine shavings, and dust out the nesting boxes, THAT IS IT, and the ladies keep turning their poop into the dirt so you NEVER smell anything…besides dirt! Lol! Yes, there is a dust layer all over because of how they work the dirt, but that’s why we have great ventilation with the eaves, window, and open run wall! I COULD NOT BE HAPPIER that we went with this method!!
Anyway, back to setting the walls, I screwed the door wall to the window wall on the left, and nesting box wall on the right. That leaves the run wall attached to the window wall and nesting box wall on the backside!
***Make sure the walls are level on the ground…and each other before screwing them into place!***
Maybe this will help you see the final outcome!
One everything is level and screwed together, you can add the plywood to the walls.
You will want to measure all walls and openings prior to making any cuts in your plywood! The measurements given here are based on exact measurements, any small changes in measurements affect the measurements given below!
I attached plywood to the two sides that will remain 6ft. and then had to attach the roof rafters before adding plywood to the other two sides…measurements are based on doing it in this order.
Using 2 sheets of plywood that are cut down to 71 1/2″, make the nesting box cut out as shown below. (I altered the 72″ to 71 1/2″ to leave a gap between the edge of the plywood and the soil to keep it from resting on the dirt, which will make it rot faster!)
Then using the same measurements cut another one opposite of the one above, or the same and flip it over! Lol!
Using 2 of the 1/2″ plywood sheets that are cut down to 71 1/2″, make the cutouts as shown below to accommodate the window opening! Again, you will cut two that are ultimately the same, just flipped opposite directions!
Time to add the rafters and REALLY make it look like a house of some sort!
You will make a total of five sets of rafters, 2 will have an extra board across the bottom of the rafter as seen below. I left the other 3 without this board so that the ceiling is open inside the coop and my hubby won’t hit his head! Lol! You can easily add a small brace towards the top if you’d like, but I found after the boards are added in between the rafters and all, there really wasn’t a need, they were pretty darn sturdy! We hung all over them and climbed on them and nothing was shifting whatsoever!
To build the three middle rafters, you will cut 2 boards at 63 1/8″ with both ends mitered at 25 degrees off square, ends parallel. Use pocket holes to attach the two boards together, drill pocket holes on one end of only one of the boards, holes will be drilled at 1 1/2″ deep and 2 1/2″ screws will be needed along with wood glue!
You can hardly see them, but the pocket holes are at the top on the left board!
The bottom brace that will be on the end two rafters will be screwed in on the ends. This board will be cut at 104″ long with both ends mitered at 65 degrees off square, ends not parallel. It should be 6″ up from the end of the board it’s being attached to.
Now, I realize that typically, they notch the rafters to lay flat on the 2×4 of the wall, I tried and failed on two different 2x4s and gave up, found an option that was far easier for me, and rolled with it! Lol! I just attached the roof brackets directly to the 2x4s on both sides and it was sturdy enough…I mean crap, it has already survived a pretty good storm when hurricane Hanna came through! 😅
But before I get ahead of myself, let me show how I did a couple of things first! So to make cutting the plywood to fit over the rafters easier, I traced the rafter onto my plywood and cut it, before placing the rafters on the coop that way it wouldn’t be guessing at where to cut!
Make sure and measure up 71 1/2″ from the bottom and then lat your rafter there completely centered at the top. It will not reach the top completely! It’s okay, it will be covered by trim boards and no one will ever know! Lol!
The photo above is for the door wall. I added another sheet of plywood that was going on the side and traced the rafter onto it as well. And because I made a mistake on one of my pieces of plywood, I had to piece together the door wall of the coop, you will have three solid pieces though!
This sounds a little confusing as I am trying to explain it, but it really isn’t…let me show you the photo of how the door wall plywood went on.
See how the pieces are pieced together. Your left side should look just like your right though, instead of two pieces patched together yours should be one! You will want to cut the door out before hanging the plywood as well!
Run wall plywood will look like this.
That is one 8ft sheet running longways. I cut it and attached it to the rafters before I put the rafter up to make it easier!
BACK TO THE RAFTER CONSTRUCTION!
So to make putting the rafters up easier, I attached the end rafters to another rafter while on the ground. You do not have the do them this way, it just helped us throw them up and attach them a lot quicker than if we had to add the middle boards while up on top of the coop. We only had to add the middle rafter, and that one took way longer! Lol!
So basically, I placed each end rafter down and attached the boards as below…use pocket holes drilled 1 1/2″ deep and use 2 1/2″ screws with wood glue to attach them to the boards. Place another rafter that is not an edge rafter (no bottom board) on top and pocket hole it into place! (Sorry I didn’t take the pic with the other rafter on, but the next pic shows it well enough I believe!)
Then attach the large rafter sections to the coop.
Just FYI, we added another bracket on the outside of that 2×4 as well…2 on every rafter. In the middle of the left side of the photo, you can see the brackets I used on the end rafters, I placed three along the rafter.
Not to jump ahead of ourselves, but here’s a pic of the rafters with both brackets!
You can then add the next rafter, or I went ahead and attached the plywood to the door wall (the front) to stabilize the rafter as we placed the middle one! Plus the plywood was already cut so it was quick and easy to throw up there!
Yes, I get dressed up to work! 😂 Don’t mind me over here in my glasses and pajamas!😅
Alright, back up in the rafters, attach the middle braces and the middle rafter!
Ooh, la la!!
Time to layout and screw down the roofing panels! I of course have no pictures of us putting it on because it was windy as heck that day so it was all hands on deck…er roof! Lol!
I spray painted my galvanized steel roof panels because it was going to take 6 weeks to get the charcoal gray in since they aren’t carried in-store. Boooo! I didn’t want to wait but it ended up taking us that long to build it anyway! 😂 I should have just ordered it, but I did save a few dollars (maybe 20 bucks) by painting it vs ordering it, so there’s that!
If you choose to spray paint yours, make sure to wipe the steel down with vinegar, clean it really well with the vinegar so that the spray paint will adhere well to the galvanized coating!👍
Time to add the plywood to the last side that needs it! The run wall still needs its plywood! Using one of the sheets of plywood that you cut down to 71 1/2″, and cut it directly in half at 24″, so you end up with two 24″ x 71 1/2″ pieces!
Okay, now that all the plywood is on, time to trim out the entire thing! 😆
I am going to pretty much show the pictures of the trim and offer any helpful tips I may have, and you can download the plans if you want to see exact measurements!
I attached the run to the wall before completing the trim work, you can do it whichever way you want, I just wanted to be able to trim around it without being perfectly precise in my measurements!
I framed around the opening of course and then added the run to complete the trim.
If you need the chicken coop run plans, get them here: DIY CHICKEN COOP RUN
After attaching the run, I added trim to cover any plywood seams!
You can see the brackets we used to attach the run in the photo above as well! It is also screwed into the coop from the inside!
The final addition to the trim on the run wall that is not pictured, I added the battens to the top. They are mitered at 25 degrees off square on one end.
The nesting box will need to be built in order to trim out this wall!
Get the nesting box plans here: DIY NESTING BOX
Well, guys, this is the extent of nesting box wall trim that I took! 😆 Apparently it was getting dark and I was just trying to hurry up and finish! So, you will definitely want to check out the plans for this one!
That gray bar is not supposed to be there…so don’t wonder which step you missed that told you to add that!😂 It’s the top rail of the fence that we were taking out!
Don’t mind that large gap at the top, those boards will be covered!
Make sure and add the hardware cloth to the window before adding trim. You want the trim to not only hide the hardware cloth but keep it pinched between the plywood and trim!
Don’t mind the caulk all over the wall…this particular area started cracking after the rain, so I thought I’d try a little caulk to seal it and cover it!🙄😀
I did caulk all the horizontal boards to make sure water doesn’t seep behind them and cause the wood to rot!
Then I started painting baby!
Using my Home Right sprayer, I was able to quickly spray the inside and outside of the chicken coop!
I LOVE this sprayer, I also have the older model but for this particular project, I suggest this one because it has three different tip sizes that allow you to use the largest one and spray really fast! I am talking 3 minutes max for an entire wall!😵
That’s not actually a video! Lol! Only a screenshot from the video because it was on my phone and too big of a file to send and I haven’t had the time to download it to my computer! Sorry folks!
After spraying it inside and out, I just had to build and hang the DOOR and SHUTTERS to complete the building process!
The last thing I did before allowing the ladies to move in was adding hardware cloth to the eves to keep coons and other sly little critters out!🐭🐍 Using screws with a wafer head, I was able to just screw the hardware cloth to the frame and 2×4 on the rafters!
From the outside, you can’t even see the hardware cloth! It’s perfect! And DONE!
I’m beyond excited to share these plans with you all, and would love for you to share them with your friends!
Thanks for stopping by! Hope to see you again soon!
Wanna save it for later? PIN IT now!
Well hello there everyone! Are you all going bananas at home as I am? I have tried to put my downtime and energy into some homesteading projects while being quarantined, and this DIY small chicken coop for my rooster is the latest one!
I will have plans for a DIY large chicken coop available at the end of this month…hopefully! It is framed out, with siding and a roof… but not finished yet because I had to whip this up quickly in the middle of building it! 😆 It is 8’x8′ with an attached run that is 6’x16’…a nice size coop for a backyard flock of ladies! Lol! I cannot wait to complete it!
I did as a LOT of people did when the store shelves were void of eggs, I purchased 20 pullets (baby hens) so that I could have my own eggs! I am also very particular and want MY kind of eggs, I buy pasture-raised, soy-free, organic eggs and I do not want to have to lower my standards on the eggs we eat, so I figured it was time to bite the bullet and start raising my own! I have only wanted to do this for the past 13 years! Lol!
In the middle of raising my 20 pullets, I decide that you know what, “I love these ladies so much, I want to have more chicks, not just eggs!” So I contacted the lady that I bought my babies from and sure enough, she had a juvenile rooster for me to buy! Woohoo!
Well you see, as I was loading him into my car, she reminds me that the rooster cannot be near the chicks bc he is old enough he will try to breed them and that will kill them!😲Uh-oh! He was going to forage the back yard until I had the coop ready…shows you what an inexperienced chicken farmer I am!😂😂
So out to Home Depot, we ran with Richard in tow, that’s his name, by the way, so that when he is acting like a dick, and we call him Dick, it’s just part of his name! Lol! So far he is sweet as can be and not a dick at all, but he also isn’t protecting hens yet so that means nothing!😆
Long story short, we had to whip this up as fast as possible so that Richard wasn’t stuck in his dog crate! 😅 I actually had a blast building this with my boys helping! The 3 of us together whipped it up in one and a half days. I spent another half day figuring out a few areas I wasn’t sure of but you won’t have to spend time on that because I have figured it out for you in the DIY Chicken Coop Plans! Woot Woot!
This is 2’x4′ and a little over 5′ tall, so I wouldn’t put more than 2…maybe 3 chickens in it! I didn’t add nesting boxes simply because it is for a rooster, but you can easily slip them inside or add a box on the back! There is a roosting bar that you can’t see that sits right above the big door!
I built it with a small door inside a large door that completely folds down on top so that I can also use it as a chicken brooder if I don’t end up with a broody momma hen!
What do you say, are you ready to build yourself a chicken coop?
Maybe a few more pics because it is just so CUTE! The ladder is my FAVORITE part! Lol!
I know that when I was trying to decide which style of the chicken coop I wanted to build, I looked around Pinterest and almost every chicken coop I found, you had to buy the plans, and I understand why people are charging for plans, a ton of work goes into creating them. But I would have not started building more than likely if it weren’t for the FREE plans by Ana White and Shanty 2 Chic, so, for now, my plans remain free but I do ask for an email address to download them, and that does add you to my email list!
Here ya go! Downloadable plans are available here, DIY Small Chicken Coop Plans Step by step tutorial is below!
I would love for you to SHARE or PIN this project if you think someone you know might like it!
*Amazon links below are affiliate links! What does that mean? If you click a link below and make a purchase, I make a small percentage off of that purchase at no extra cost to you! I sure do appreciate it when you make purchases after clicking my links!😉
12-2x4x8
3-2x2x8
2-1x4x8
13-1x6x6 cedar fence pickets
2 – 1x4x6 cedar fence pickets
1 – 8′ sheet of a steel roof panel
–2’x25′ roll of 1/2″ hardware cloth
4 – Simpson Strong-tie Roof Brackets – they are cheaper at Home Depot, I just wanted to show you what they look like and I couldn’t find them on HDs website!
8 – 2×4 @ 48″ (legs)
6 – 2×4 @ 41″ (front and back rails)
6 – 2×4 @ 17″ (side rails)
4 – 2×4 @ 22 7/8″ mitered on one end at 40 degrees off square and 50 degrees off square, ends not parallel (roof trusses)
3 – 2×4 @ 45″ (roof braces)
2 – 2×4 @ 18 3/4″ (bottom door braces)
2 – 2×2 @ 42″ (floor braces)
2 – 2×2 @ 24″ (floor braces)
2 – 2×2 @ 34 1/2″ mitered at 45 degrees off square, ends not parallel (ladder)
6 – 1×1 @ 7″ (ladder rungs) These are ripped from an actual 1×4 board, not a fence picket.
1 – 2×2 @ 2″
**1x6s and 1x4s below are cedar fence pickets, not actual nominal 1x6s unless otherwise noted, any 1x2s or odd 1x 1 1/2 are ripped down from fence pickets and are actually cut to the size stated!
5 – 1×6 @ 24″ (floorboards)
1 – 1×4 @ 24″ (floorboard)
2 – 1×6 @ 14″ (floorboards)
1 – 1×2″ @ 14″ (floorboard)
1 – 1x 1 1/2″ @ 14″ (floorboard)
1 – 1x 1 1/2″ @ 9 1/2″ (floorboard)
1 – 1×2 @ 12 1/2″ (actual pine 1×2, not a fence picket) (floor support)
4 – 1×6 @ 24″ (side windows)
4 – 1×6 @ 9 1/2″ (side windows)
3 – 1×6 @ 44″ (back wallboards)
2 – 1×6 @ 4″ (back window)
2 – 1×4 @ 40 3/4″ (actual 1x4s not fence pickets)(large door frame)
4 – 1×4 @ 11 1/2″ (actual 1x4s not fence pickets)(large door frame)
6 – 1×6 @ 13″ (large door boards)
2 – 1×2″ @ 13″ (large door boards)
4 – 1×2 1/2″ @ 18 1/2″ (top and bottom small doors)
2 – 1×2 1/2″ @ 9 1/2″ (top door)
2 – 1×6 @ 9 1/2″ (top door middle boards)
1 – 1×2 1/4″ (top door middle board)
2 – 1×2 1/2″ @ 9 3/8″ (bottom door)
2 – 1×6 @ 34 3/4″ mitered at 50 degrees off square, ends not parallel, with cutouts (roof rafter boards)
2 – 1×6 @ 21 7/8″ mitered at 50 degrees off square, ends not parallel (roof rafter boards)
2 – 1×3 29/32″ beveled at 45 degrees off square on one edge (roof soffit)
2 – 1×1″ @ 48″ (top of roof boards)
Step 1
Build the side walls. You will build 2 of the walls shown below, both sides.
Using 2 – 2×4 @ 48″ and 2 – 2×4 @ 17″ form a rectangle. Add another 2×4 @ 17″ in the center of the rectangle. Drill 1 1/2″ pocket holes on the ends of the 17″ boards and use wood glue, along with 2 1/2″ Kreg screws to attach. Make sure and use wood glue on EVERY joint even if it is not specified!
Drilling pocket holes is easy enough my kids do it for me all the time! You just have to set the jig to 1 1/2″ and set your bit to 1 1/2″, then drill the holes! (Ignore the old watermark on my photos! Lol!)
Step 2
Build the front and back of the chicken coop. You will build 2 of the pieces shown below, one for the front and one for the back.
Using 2 – 2x4s @ 48″ and 3 – 2x4s @ 41″, make a rectangle and place the 3rd board smack dab in the middle just like on the sides. Again using 1 1/2″ pocket holes, and 2 1/2″ screws to attach with lots of glue!
Pic is just to give you an idea of where the middle board goes, we had already started attaching hardware cloth as you can see!
We attached the hardware cloth at this point, but 2 things…first, the front needs two more boards added before the hardware cloth is attached, my mistake…I had to cut the hardware cloth out in the section and reattach on the new boards!😬 Second, it was next to impossible to paint inside the hardware cloth, so I would paint now before attaching hardware cloth!
Step 3
Add the 2 – 2×4 @ 18 3/4″ boards to the front. They are spaced 9 3/4″ from each side. You will use 1 1/2″ pocket holes and 2 1/2″ screws to attach.
Step 4
Add hardware cloth now…if you have painted, unless you don’t mind it looking not so hot at the bottom inside like ours! Lol! We used tin snips to cut the wires and an electric stapler with 1/2″ heavy-duty staples to attach. This part was easy enough for the boys to pretty much do on their own, and when their staples didn’t go in deep enough, they enjoyed hammering them in!
If you don’t have an electric stapler and don’t want to buy one, you can use wafer head screws to attach it, just make sure the head goes over the wire.
Screw the 4 walls you just built together. Using exterior deck screws, just screw straight through the 2x4s on the outside to attach with a ton of wood glue!
We had a really fun time working together, it was a family affair to get Richard a home in a timely manner! I LOVE that my kids are just as excited about our animals as I am! I want all the farm animals now, I mean milk goats coming soon…maybe a cow or two if I can find some!😂Would it be weird to get a buffalo?😂😜
Anyway, back to the building of the small chicken coop!
Here is how it looks all screwed together! Don’t mind the COMPLETE mess on my front porch! It’s so embarrassing, but we are working on 18,572 (including building a new porch swing😍) projects right now and I just can’t do it all, so there’s a large mess…and I’ll survive…hopefully!😂
Step 5
Add floor support boards. Using 2x2s, just glue and screw straight through the front of the 2x2s. The measurements given above are for your 2x2s to fit perfectly, I just rough cut mine because they are going to be under the floorboards and not seen!
I painted at this point so that I wouldn’t have to tape off the cedar boards. Hopefully, you already painted before attaching your hardware cloth! Lol! I used Behr Exterior paint color matched to SW Pure White (7005), it’s my FAVORITE white EVER! 😍
Step 6
Build and install the ladder.
Using 2 – 2x2s @ 34 1/2″, miter the ends at 45 degrees off square ends not parallel, but don’t cut all the way to the edge of the board. (Already made the cut in the photo)
Then flip the board over and cut at 45 degrees off square against the end you left on the first cut. (Haven’t made the cut yet in the pic below)
That will give it a flat top when you attach it to the chicken coop. Though it will look like a silly pointed board until you attach it! Lol!
Using the 2 – 1×4 @ 7 inches, rip them down to 1″ strips on the table saw. If you do not have a table saw, you can grab a 1″ square dowel rod and cut 6 – 7″ pieces from it.
Glue and brad nail them to the 2x2s that you cut earlier in this step. I sanded the edges of the rungs pretty well because chickens don’t like sharp edges on their feet, they prefer rounded edges!
Attach the ladder in the coop while you have an open floor! We just glued and screwed through the front of the ladder rungs.
At the bottom, we attached a small woodblock so that when we picked it up to move it we wouldn’t break the ladder.
Step 7
Attach floorboards.
I did NOT use glue when attaching the floorboards because I want to be able to change them out easily if they get really nasty or start to rot from poo! Ewww!
Also, make sure and seal these boards with some polyurethane to give them a surface for cleaning! You could also use hardware cloth instead of cedar boards, you will have plenty left over to do that with if you would like.
I just used 1 1/2″ wafer head screws to attach the 1×6 (fence pickets) @ 24″. They were not cut perfectly, my kids kept telling me that Richard just wanted a bigger house, he didn’t care if the boards weren’t perfect! 😂 So yeah, the boards aren’t perfect at all!
Now when I got to the spot where the opening was to go up and down the ladder, I had to add a small board with pocket holes to attach the opposite running boards. I hope that makes sense in the pics.
Make sure and glue it in, pocket holes will be drilled at 3/4″ deep (since this is a 3/4″ board (1×2)). Using 1 1/4″ screws attach it to the frame where it will sit slightly under the last board in the row and leave a little room to screw the opposite running boards.
Now you can cut the other boards to attach on this ledge.
As you will see in the above photo, I ripped some boards down to 1 1/2″ and placed them over the exposed 2x2s around the ladder.
Step 8
The floor is done, moving on to the walls!
I wanted windows because it is so hot here, there is not a way to survive even at night without a breeze. You can always board straight across if you don’t want or need windows though. Again, I just screwed the boards in without glue.
I cut the horizontal boards at 22″ roughly! Again, I didn’t measure precisely because the opening is only 17″ wide so as long as the opening was covered, I was happy! Lol! You can get very precise and make sure they fit perfectly if you would like, just measure the space and cut your boards to that size…it should be 24″.
The vertical boards are cut at 9 1/2″.
You could pocket hole the verticle boards as well if you wanted, I knew the hardware cloth stapled would hold it all together well enough. If you want to pocket hole them, drill the holes at 1/2″ and use 1″ screws to attach.
I did the same thing on the other side and then the back. I just wanted a small narrow window here so that he could get a breeze while on his perch but yet the dogs couldn’t bother him…yes they are bothering him, I hope they are only doing it because he is new and not because they are spoiled little brats that don’t like all the attention that he gets!😂 It really does seem like they irritate him when they get jealous of him!
So the back is almost solid, with just a small section of a window. And yes, I had not added the other small piece on the right side! Lol!
Step 9
Attach hardware cloth over the windows!
Step 10
Build all the doors!
The bottom door, I built first because it was the easiest…duh! Lol! I ripped a fence picket into 2″ strips and pocket holed them together with 1/2″ deep pocket holes and 1″ screws. Make sure and use wood glue!
Cut the hardware cloth to fit the door, and staple it on!
Make another frame just like the one above, and then fill the inside with fence pickets, I pocket holed them (same depth and screws as the frame). I used two full-size pickets pieces, and then had to rip one down to 2 1/4″ to fit in the middle!
Next, make the frame for the large door. I used 1x4s and a jigsaw to cut out sections to make the door large enough for my upper body to fit inside the small door. Mark your boards like so, 13″ inward on each side which will leave 14 3/4″ in the middle that needs cut out.
Leaving an inch intact on top and bottom, cut out the section.
Next, drill the pocket holes in the 1x4s @ 11 1/2″ at a depth of 3/4″ and using glue along with 1 1/4″ screws.
Add the 13″ boards, to the sides, glue and brad nail.
Add the small door that you built earlier to the middle section with 3″ t-hinges! Here are the hinges and latches we used!
Then you can use hinges to attach the big door to the coop, and the bottom door! Woohoo! Not much left to do!!! 🎉
Step 11
Build the roof rafters!
Oy, this was the trickiest part, and if you look closely I got my miters off slightly, they were cut at 48.5 degrees off square instead of 50, and yes it does matter, and yes it does show…and yes it does drive me crazy, but oh well! Lol!
Your roof rafters will be cut at 40 degrees off square on the top and 50 degrees off square on the ends that attach to the frame. I chose to do the roof this way to make it way easier on myself as opposed to notching out the ‘rafters’ as you typically would! This is a miniature coop though, and the roof isn’t going anywhere!
I pocket holed the roof rafters together, with pocket holes drilled at 1 1/2″ and used 2 1/2″ screws with glue to build them. Don’t attach them to the coop at this time!
Step 12
Fill in the peaks of the rafters with cedar pickets!
Okay, now this next part was a wee bit of, “Crap, why did I do that!”, over and over again!! Hahaha!!
Once I built the rafters, I attached them to the coop with Simpson Strong-tie straps, all excited that I was moving along so rapidly…then I had to detach them and add cedar boards to the inside of the peaks.😬 So, my pics may seem a little out of order but I will save you from making my same mistakes! Lol!
I cut the first cedar picket at around 28 3/4″ and mitered both ends at 50 degrees off square, ends not parallel. Then I had to notch out the board to allow the 2×4 stretcher boards to fit. If I would have foreseen the fact that the cedar board would block my other cedar board later, I would have notched it out as well. I show how to notch it in the Sketchup plans so I’ll share the pic here.
First pic, how I did it…
Second pic, how I wish I would have done it…
After this board is attached, NOW you can attach with the SST brackets with 1 1/2″ hex head screws. LOL!
Add another cedar picket above that one. You may have to cut the corners as I did, but if the board is cut as shown in the Sketchup pic, there will not be a need!
Step 13
Add the stretcher boards you see above in the photo. They are 2x4s at 45″…one is at the top and one on each side. Pocket hole them with pocket holes drilled at 1 1/2″ and use wood glue along with 2 1/2″ screws to attach! See the photo above!
Alright, the last thing to do before attaching the roofing, add a fence picket ripped down to 3 29/32″ or you can rip it a little larger, beveling it to 45 degrees on one edge. I wish my table saw would bevel at 50, but it won’t so I went with 45 and it worked alright! I pocket holed it into place with pocket holes drilled at 1/2″ depth, and used 1″ screws along with wood glue to attach it!
Step 14
Attach the steel roofing panels! I bought 1 – 8 ft panel that worked perfectly for this, but if you would like to add nesting boxes to the outside, you can purchase 10ft to have the extra to cover it! Make sure and grab a bag of screws to attach the panels, they are special screws that have a gasket on them to seal the hole!
I added the two 1″ strips of cedar to help keep water out!
Ignore the trim boards you see below the roof…I took them off! Lol! Only look at the roof, and see how I just overlapped the boards, glued and brad nailed them into each other. Make sure and measure your roof, you want them to be the same length as the actual steel roof.
Then I added the little triangles to the ends to finish it off! And screwed the whole thing down to the roof!
Let me tell you, my hubby said, “That ain’t gonna keep the rain outta there!” Yes, that’s exactly how he said it! 😂😜 Well, we just had our first heavy rain and thunderstorms…guess what, BONE DRY inside even after 2 hours of good hard rain!! 😂
And BAM, DONE! Yay!
I was beyond excited at this point, and Richard seems to really LOVE his new home! He has already lived here long enough that we let him out to free-range and at 7:45 p.m. every night, he jumps up inside and gets on his roost to go to bed! Lol! He’s so cute!
I CANNOT wait to share my big coop with you all, and my LADIES! 😍 I better go get to work on it! 😊
Want to save this adorable coop for later? PIN IT!
Hola peeps! This week I am sharing my FAVORITE project in my kitchen renovation…my DIY coffee bar cabinet! I mean, let’s face it, this is the place that the magic happens! Lol! Coffee is life for me! 😂 It’s really more than just a coffee bar, it houses our 5-gallon water jug…which is used to make coffee…and a small fridge…to house creamer…and drawers…to hold my K-cups! Okay, okay, it could be a drink station, then you could use it for beer, wine, sodas…whatever would make you happy, I just use it for coffee!😏
(Don’t mind where my hubby taped and floated behind those little cubbies and I didn’t texture and paint!😂🙈)
I built this to my needs and you can always alter the plans to fit your custom needs, I say it all the time, and I will say it again…that is why I DIY! I love building exactly what I want to serve my purpose best! And you can too!
So I built it to match all the other cabinetry in the kitchen! It has the same MDF on the sides, the same baseboards I placed on the island and peninsula, and I routed the drawer edges to match the other drawers in the kitchen! I think it turned out great and serves my needs perfectly!
Want to see all the other DIY posts we did on the kitchen renovation?
I love the warmth that the wood countertop adds to pull the shelves together on the opposite wall! And the hexagon tiles above, match the Gauntlet Gray of the island and vent hood perfectly! It could not have worked out better if I tried! Lol, don’t let me fool you, I did try…it took me forever to get the plan finalized and find everything that I wanted, for a price I was willing to pay!😆
Anyway, enough about me and this beautiful DIY coffee bar, let me show you how to build one!
Don’t have time to build it now? PIN IT for later!
In an effort to keep my plans FREE, I have recently started asking for your email in exchange for the printable plans! I will never share your information and I will never send you spam…plus you can unsubscribe at any time!
The link for printable plans will be here soon! DIY Coffee Bar Cabinet Plans.
1 – 4×8 sheet of 3/4″ plywood
1 – 2×4 sheet of 3/4″ plywood
1 – 4×8 sheet of 1/4″ plywood (drawer bottoms and back of the cabinet)
1 – 4×4 sheet of 1/2″ plywood (drawer boxes)
1 – 2×4 piece of 1/2″ MDF (side molding)
2 – 1x2x8 (front face frame)
1 – 1x2x10 (front face frame)
1 – 1x4x8 (front face frame)
1 – 1x10x8 (drawer fronts)
1 – 8 ft stick of baseboard of your choice
2 – 2x2x8 (I used furring strips to keep costs down, and they are in the back where they will not be seen)
1 – 2x4x10 (extra support in the back)
4 – 2x6x8 (top)
–pocket hole screws 1″, 1 1/4″, and 2 1/2″
Cut List:
-2 – 3/4″ plywood pieces cut @ 17 1/4″ x 34 1/2″ (sides)
-1 – 3/4″ plywood piece cut @ 17 1/4″ x 56″ (bottom)
-2 – 3/4″ plywood pieces cut @ 15 3/4″ x 28 1/4″ (dividers)
-2 – 3/4″ plywood pieces cut @ 15 3/4″ x 20 1/4″ (shelves)
-2 – 2×4 @ 56″
-1 – 1×2 @ 56″
-2 – 2×2 @ 15″
-2 – 2×2 @ 24 3/4″
-2 – 2×2 @ 20″
-2 – 1/2″ MDF @ 3 1/2″ x 17 1/4″ (side molding)
-1 – 1/2″ MDF @ 2 1/4″ x 24 3/4″ (side molding)
-1 – 1/2″ MDF @ 3″ x 24 3/4″ (side molding)
-1 – 1×2 @ 58 1/2″ (face frame top)
-4 – 1×2 @ 26 1/2″ (face frame vertical)
-2 – 1×2 @ 19 1/4″ (face frame shelves)
-1 – 1×3 @ 19 1/4″ (face frame drawer divider)
-1 – 1×4 @ 58 1/2″ (face frame bottom)
-2 – scrap 1/2″ MDF pieces (can be any width that will fit below the side molding) @ 17 1/4″
-1 – 1×2 @ 58 1/2″ (bottom support to attach baseboard to)
-4 – 2×6 @ 60″ (top)
**Make sure and measure your cabinet for your baseboards as they will probably be slightly different from the measurements below.
-2 – 2 baseboards cut @ 18 5/8″ beveled on one end at 45 degrees off square (sides)
-1 – baseboard cut @ 59 49/64″ beveled on both ends at 45 degrees off square (front)
-4 – 1/2″ plywood pieces cut @ 17″ (drawer boxes sides)
-4 – 1/2″ plywood pieces cut @ 17 3/8″ (drawer boxes front and back)
-2 – 1/4″ plywood pieces cut @ 17″ x 18 3/8″ (drawer bottoms)
-2 – 1×10 @ 20 5/8″(drawer fronts)
-1 – 1/4″ plywood piece @ 56 1/2″ x 25 1/2″ (back)
Okay, I did a horrible job of taking pictures of this coffee bar as I built it, so I will improvise with Sketchup pics where I don’t have actual pics to show you a step! You can still download the full printable plans above!
NOTE: All joints on this project will need to be GLUED as well as pocket holed! Just know, I will not state it in EVERY step but you will need to GLUE in every step unless I state otherwise!
Cut your side plywood pieces (3/4″ x 17 1/4 x 34 1/2″). Attach the bottom board inside the two side boards, up 5 1/2″ from the ground. Drill pocket holes at 3/4″ deep (since the plywood is 3/4″) and then attach with wood glue and 1 1/4″ pocket hole screws.
I like to use a scrap piece of wood cut to the height I am attaching the bottom board, to make sure it is attached at the same height on both sides. This board gives me a brace to press the board against to make sure it is at the exact level it should be!
Make sure and drill pocket holes along the top of the side boards as well to use later to attach the top!
Add the 2×4 brace to the top back and the 1×2 to the top front. You could also you a 2×2 here is you would rather, I felt a 1×2 was sufficient since I was gluing another 1×2 to this one as a face frame board.
The back 2×4 will have pocket holes drilled at 1 1/2″ (since a 2×4 board is actually 1 1/2″ thick) and you will use 2 1/2″ pocket hole screws to attach, making sure to use adequate wood glue as well. The 1×2 will have pocket holes drilled at 3/4″ deep (since a 1×2 is actually 3/4″ thick) and you will use 1 1/4″ pocket holes screws to attach!
(this was the only picture I took of this step😆 but it helps to show the pocket holes so I shared it)
NOTE: If your 1×2 is actual width 1 3/4″ (one store I buy them at they are 1 1/2″ and Home Depot they are 1 3/4″ so measure yours) you will have to notch out your plywood, so I would rip it down to 1 1/2″ before attaching it! I didn’t pay attention to this when I was building mine and had to notch out my plywood which isn’t that big of a deal, but I feel it is important to mention!
Add an additional 2×4 below the bottom shelf of the coffee bar cabinet. Added support, it may be overkill but I’d much rather that than have it fall apart later! Lol! Again since it is a 2×4 drill the pocket holes at 1 1/2″ deep and use 2 1/2″ screws to attach.
Add a brace in the middle to keep the bottom shelf from sagging! Attach using pocket holes drilled at 3/4″ deep and 1 1/4″ screws!
Add 2×2 supports along the top! Drill pocket holes at 1 1/2″ deep and use 2 1/2″ screws to attach. You may also want to drill 2-3 pocket holes along one long side of each 2×2 to use later to attach your top. Drilling them along the side that faces the 13″ opening will help you not need to use a right angle drill, although you will still need one for the far sides.
Add 2x2s to the back of the frame! Your plywood shelves and dividers will be able to be pocket holed into these 2x2s to make them sturdy! Drill the pocket holes at 1 1/2″ deep and use 2 1/2″ screws to attach!
Add your plywood dividers! The pocket holes will be drilled at 3/4″ and 1 1/4″ screws will be used to attach.
Add the shelves. Again, the pocket holes will be drilled along the back and sides at 3/4″ and 1 1/4″ screws will be used to attach.
Add the side MDF molding! This came from a sheet of MDF, so I was able to rip boards to the small sizes I needed. I was able to adjust the size when needed, such as I ripped the board to 2 1/4″ where it was meeting up with the face frame board, so it would look like it was the same size as the back board that I cut at 3″. Hope that makes sense.
Also, the picture doesn’t show, but the top board is also ripped at 3 1/2″.
Add the face frame. This can be built as one solid piece (pocket holing it all together) and then brad nailed on, or you can individually brad nail the boards on. I just brad nailed those babies up there! Make sure and use glue either way!
Add the scrap boards to the bottom! They do not have to be any specific width, just as long as the side ones are 1/2″ MDF cut at 17 1/4″ and the front one is a 1x board cut at 58 1/2″ (in the materials list, there is a 1×2 for this) but you can use any scrap boards you have that will fit there, just to give you something to brad nail your baseboard to!
Next step, add the baseboards. The side baseboards will be beveled on one end at 45 degrees off square and the front baseboard will be beveled on both ends at 45 degrees off square! The measurements below are if your cabinet is built exactly as this one was, ALWAYS measure your cabinet so that the baseboards will fit well!
I cut the rounded edges of 2x6s off with my table saw and that cut them down to 4 3/4″. I then planked them together with pocket holes (drilled at 1 1/2″ deep and 2 1/2″ screws). The pocket holes will be drilled along the long edge of the boards to plank them.
If you are worried about wood movement and using pocket holes, you can just use wood glue and clamps to glue it up!
Sand and stain countertop the color of your choice! I used Old Barn Milk Paint Stain in Weathered for mine! It is my FAVORITE stain right now, I cannot get enough of it! Lol! It is natural and non-toxic… with a built-in sealer! What more could you ask for? I did still add a couple of coats of water-based poly though just to be safe…I spill a lot of coffee!🙃
Using the pocket holes you drilled earlier into your plywood and 2x2s, you will connect the top to the cabinet. You will need a right-angle attachment for your drill, and the short square bit to have enough room. If you cannot get a drill in there, you can also just liquid nail it if you would like.
Using the 1/2″ plywood, build drawer boxes! You will use holes drilled with your Kreg Jig at 1/2″ and you will use 1″ screws along with glue to attach!
**Your drawer boxes may be a different size than mine based off of your cabinet and your drawer slides! Make sure and measure before building the drawer boxes so you know they will fit!
Using 1/4″ plywood, cut it to the same size as your box, attach the bottom with wood glue and brad nails!
You could also route out the bottom of the drawer box so that the 1/4″ plywood would be flush with the 1/2″ plywood, but I wanted to keep it easy! Lol!
Add your drawer fronts.
The overhang shown in the photo above is on the sides.
Add scrap pieces of wood to bring a level surface from the face frame to the rest of the cabinet. This will allow the drawer slides to pull out. Otherwise, your drawer slide would hit the face frame! This can be any wood you want to use, but you will need to measure your space to see what exact width you will need to cut them at!
The drawer front size is shown in the photo below! You can wait until after you have installed the drawer boxes and drawer slides if you would like, to attach the fronts. That is my favorite method, just in case my drawer slides are not completely level or something.
Attach the drawer slides and slide them drawers in!
Last but not least, add the 1/4″ plywood to the back of the coffee bar cabinet. Make sure and cut a small hole in the plywood if you plan on plugging in a refrigerator. If your fridge is a back vent fridge, you will need to leave that whole side backless and you may want to supply ventilation through the wall. Ours has a hole in the sheetrock into a closet that is behind it. They do make front vent fridges though.
Boom shocka-locka! It’s finito! And it looks so good!
Isn’t she lovely?🎶 Isn’t she beautiful?🎶 I don’t even know if that’s the words to the song, but it works for me!😀
Want to make her even more beautiful? Add some hardware to those drawers! I used this particular hardware from EBAY, y’all JennaSue told me about these drawer pulls and I could not have been more ecstatic when I got them in, for the price I was SHOCKED at the quality! I will never but from anywhere else again! Lol, okay I may have to buy from other places from time to time, but I will always check them out first!
Well, I think that pretty much sums it all up! Lol! If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below! 😊
Know someone else who may want to build a coffee bar cabinet? SHARE IT!
Happy Building!
Make sure and PIN this for later!
Hey hey! Are you ever searching for great DIY gift ideas? I am always looking for fun stuff to make as gifts and with Valentine’s Day coming up, and Birthdays throughout the year, I have the perfect DIY gift for anyone who loves serving wine! This DIY wine caddy (would you call it a wine server?) will help them effortlessly transport wine from the kitchen to the dining room or living room to share with guests!
This is the perfect beginner project if you received tools at Christmas or just want to try your hand at woodworking! It is such a simple project that will have you trying out new skills and tools, or if you are already a skilled woodworker, this project can be whipped out in a matter of minutes!
This DIY wine caddy is made using hobby boards from Home Depot which are only 1/2″ thick and made of poplar, but I could only imagine this made from an exotic hardwood species…it would be epic! So someone please make it out of gorgeous wood and send me pictures!😉
I can’t wait to invite my girlfriends over to have some wine just so I can use my wine caddy!😂 Are you ready to make one for your next get together? Let’s do it, I’ll show you how!😏
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*Note: Amazon links below are affiliate links! An affiliate link pays me a small percentage of the sale (at no extra cost to you), should one be made after clicking an Amazon link! That small commission helps me keep the plans on this site FREE, so thank you in advance if you make a purchase at one of my links!😉
-1 – 1/2″x6″x4′ hobby board (they only show them in a large pkg online, but they sell them individually in store!)
-1 – 1/2″x2″x4′ hobby board (they only show them in a large pkg online, but they sell them individually in store!)
-2 – 1/2″x6″ @ 22″
-2 – 1/2″ x 2″ @ 22″
Step 1
After cutting your boards to size, measure 4 3/4″ from the end of one of the 1/2″x6″ @ 22″. This is where you will place the drill bit of the 3 1/2″ hole saw (center of the hole saw). Drill the hole!
Step 2
Measure for the next hole that will round out your slot for the wine glasses. And drill the hole.
Step 3
Measure and draw lines for the wine glass slot. The slot will be cut with a jigsaw and if you clamp a straight board as a guide, you can cut it rather quickly…and straight!
It should look something like this, only I’m sure you measured better than I did so you weren’t off slightly on your circle! Lol!😳😅
After some sanding and a little wood filler, it is hardly noticeable! 😅
Here is a Sketchup picture just to help you see the measurements!
Step 4
Make sure and sand everything down really well if you need to…like I did!😆 Also, you may want to stain the bottom board and side boards before gluing?! I did not do it this way, but it would have been a little easier than trying to get my sponge brush inside after it was built!
Glue the 1/2″x2″ pieces to the bottom board of the wine caddy(the one without any holes drilled in it).
Step 5
Add the top, line up all the edges, make sure to use ample wood glue, and brad nail in place!
Flip it over once you have the top nailed and nail the bottom as well!
Step 6
Use wood filler to fill in your nail holes…and any mistakes you made! Lol!
Step 7
Stain or paint it the color of your choice! I used Old Barn Milk Paint Stain in Weathered! IT IS MY FAVORITE STAIN EVER! (I am not sponsored by them, I do not make money off of that link, nor did they send me a free product, I pay for it the same as you and still love it that much!😂) Not only is it the perfect warm grayish brown, but it has a built-in topcoat…and you want to know the BEST part…it’s safe and non-toxic! That is my kind of product right there!
Your wine caddy or wine server, or whatever you want to call this beauty…is DONE!
This is not a bad gift at all! And if you use the same hobby boards I did, you are only at 14 dollars to make it, if you already have the expendables on hand (wood glue, sandpaper, etc). You better get cracking so you’ll have them made in time!😀
Do you love wine and wine projects? Check out these other builds I have that include wine!
Know someone who would love this project? SHARE IT with them!🤗
And as always, HAPPY BUILDING!
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If you were following along during my Christmas posts, you know that I am in LOVE with gnomes and although I didn’t get to post my DIY holiday gnomes for Christmas, as I was putting them away I was sad to see them go…so I decided, change the fabric a little and add hearts…and then I have Valentine Gnomes!
How cute are they? And did I mention how inexpensive they are considering they are just a few pieces of fabric and plastic pellets! Yes! I am sure my family was thrilled to have new gnomes around the house! 😂 No sewing, no socks, just some fabric, and hot glue! (Like that heart in the photo? Here’s the tutorial for the DIY Wooden Heart!)
I thought to myself, but why stop at Valentine and Christmas gnomes? What about Easter gnomes? I could go through and make gnomes for EVERY HOLIDAY! Cue the eye rolls from my family, but whatever!😂
I have a few other gnome projects that I wanted to post before Christmas but I will be posting them over the next few days and trust me when I say that I am EXCITED to share them with you all! Even though it’s late for Christmas, you can just Pin them for next year!
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Alright, now I will show you how to make them, and then you can make Valentine, Christmas, Easter or any other holiday gnomes you want…I am talking to you Fourth of July Gnomes!😜
Materials will make a couple of gnomes depending on how large you make them.
– 1/4 yard of fabric (body) – I found felt or other stiff materials work best for the body
-1/4 yard of coordinating fabric (hat) or sherpa for ears – I found that felt does not work that great for hats but that softer fabric works great for hats!
–poly beads (filler)
-poly fiberfill
-a string of some sort
-hot glue gun
-pom poms, stickers or any other accessories you may want to embellish them.
Using a protractor, draw a circle on your fabric at the size you want! I used a 5″ circle to be the base of my gnome (my protractor was set at 2 1/2″).
Cut the circle for your base!
Then using the same fabric, cut a rectangle about 16 1/2″ long, and about 6″ tall. If you make your base circle smaller or larger you will need to adjust the rectangle as well! Just remember the diameter multiplied by 3.14 and then add a little extra to overlap!
You will need to cut a few notches along the bottom of the rectangle so that it won’t bunch up on you as you glue it around the base circle! Look to the bottom of the rectangle.
I just hot glued around the bottom and tucked the fabric under the base, then I hot glued the two flaps over one another! You can also glue it on top of the base if it is easier and then flip it inside out! Works the same either way!
The base is made!
Next, put a small amount of polyfill into the base you created. Then grab a bag, any kind of bag will work, I just had a bunch of these cellophane bags, so I used them. Fill up the bag about 1/4 – 1/2 of the way full and tie it off.
Drop it inside the gnome, add a little more stuffing around and above the bag, make sure the base sits level and doesn’t fall over, then tie the top closed with whatever string you have!
Using the fur of your choice, cut a U shape out to create a beard! Make sure and cut the fur about an inch larger than the final size you want to be.
When cutting the beard down to size, make sure and flip the fur up away from where you are cutting so you don’t get blunt fur on the edge.
Fit it to the gnome base and glue!
Next, make that infamous gnome hat! They all need one! Lol! Pick the fabric you like best, and cut a triangle with a rounded bottom!
Flip the fabric down at the point and hot glue.
Next roll the hat up! Use hot glue along the edges to hold it together!
Make sure and check it for size. Fill the hat with a TINY bit of polyfill.
Then fold the bottom under and hot glue it to give it a prettier edge that won’t fray!
Glue the hat onto the gnome! (If you are making the DIY Easter Gnome, scroll to the bottom to see how to make the ear hat!)
No gnome is complete without a wooden nose! Using a 3/4″ wooden bead, hot glue it right under the edge of his hat.
Last but not least, give the gnome’s hat a pom-pom!
It’s DONE! Yep, no sewing, no socks, easy peasy and done!
How can you NOT love gnomes?!😂
If you would like to use a pattern, click here! I just freehanded the drawing on mine though because it does not have to be perfect to look great! Mine is totally imperfect, and I still love it!!
Starting out, I just drew the shape I wanted onto the fabric. I folded it in half so that I could cut two at a time so they would be the same and drawing on the backside of the fabric worked best!
After cutting them out, hot glue all along the edge to connect the two pieces. Make sure and hot glue on the good side, the sherpa side. You will flip it in a minute!
Place the other set of ears on top and let it dry thoroughly before trying to turn it right side out! I went ahead and started cutting the pink for the ears while I was waiting.
Once it is dry, flip it right side out!
Then, take the pink of the ears and hot glue the edges so you don’t see ugly cuts of the fabric.
Glue the pink to the ears. Make sure and press it down well!
After gluing the pink of the ears, check the fit on your gnome base, and then fold the bottom of the ‘hat’ part of the ears and glue it to give it a finished look and to get a perfect size and fit.
I used pipe cleaners to make the ears stand up! I used two in each ear and folded them in half. I also added just a tiny bit of polyfill to the hat part of the ears!
Once you have the ears stiffened with pipe cleaners and the correct size you want, hot glue the bunny ears to the base!
Add any embellishments that you would like! I cut a flower out of pink felt and blue fabric, glued it on, and bam cutest bunny gnome you ever did see!😁
Oy, just typing this post makes me want to go make MORE DIY HOLIDAY GNOMES! 😂🙈 I just think they are ADORABLE! If you make any, I WANT TO SEE THEM!
Know someone that would LOVE this tutorial as well?! SHARE IT with them!
Have a good one!
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Do you have basic, boring hollow-core doors in your home? I sure did until recently when I worked a little DIY magic during my kitchen renovation to make my pantry and storage closet doors over! There are so many variations of door makeovers you can do on hollow core doors and this is just my version of a DIY budget door makeover! It’s amazing that by adding a few strips of 1/4″ plywood and a little paint, you can get a WHOLE NEW LOOK!
Check out the door before the plywood! It was just a stained, flat door that I was able to transform with a few pieces of 1/4″ plywood!
I would say that is one heck of an instant upgrade! I did update the door trim as well, you can see that here!
I also cannot emphasize what difference baseboards make in a home either!😳😄
The whole sheet of 1/4″ plywood cost me 14 bucks and there was enough to do 2 full doors! A little caulk, wood glue, and brad nails…and boom…it looks 10 times better! I used the same hardware that was on the door to start. So I really didn’t spend but 7 dollars per door… and still had enough to do another door!
Want to create your own beautiful doors? Here’s how I did it!
**Note: Amazon links below are AFFILIATE LINKS! When you click an affiliate link, and make a purchase, I make a tiny amount of money off of that purchase at no extra cost to you! All other links are just to be helpful, I do not make any money off of them!
Materials:
-1 – 4×8 sheet of 1/4″ plywood (I bought Luann underlayment)
Cut List: (for one door)
– 2 – pieces of 1/4″ plywood ripped at 4″ and then cut to the length of your door.
-1 – piece ripped at 4″ and cut to fit the width of your door at the top and middle.
-1 – piece ripped to 6″ and cut to fit the width of your door at the bottom.
Start with laying the door on a flat surface where you can easily measure the length of the door. Cut the first two strips you ripped down to the length of your door! Mine was 7′ 6″. Once they are cut to the length of the door, glue and brad nail them with the edge flush with the outside edges of the door.
Pretend that the doorknob hole wasn’t drilled yet! Lol!
You will need to re-drill the hole for the doorknob through the 1/4″ plywood if your door was already used before…if it is a brand new door, you will need to drill a hole through the door and your plywood to attach a doorknob and you may need a kit! It takes a 2 1/8″ hole saw to cut the hole.
Make sure and use ample wood glue when you put your strips down to make sure they adhere well!
If you cut your boards and put them in place for the bottom (6″) and top (4″) then measure up, 25 3/4″ and place the middle board. That gives a longer on the top, sleek look to the door!
And what do you know, I didn’t get a good finished shot before painting! Ugh!
Make sure and caulk all of the edges so that the paint looks beautiful, I sand the caulk after it is dry as well, just to make sure there aren’t any raised areas that will show up after the paint!
So I primed it with the same primer I used on the rest of the cabinets in the kitchen, Zinsser Bullseye Primer. Then I sprayed it with Dorian Gray by Sherwin Williams Snap Dry paint! I do suggest spraying the door vs brushing it, simply because there really is a huge difference between the finish of the sprayer and the brush!
A sprayer is not expensive and it is worth its weight in GOLD! I have the HomeRight TPS sprayer and completely recommend it! I heard a blogger recently say they could not recommend this sprayer because the finish had raised spots all over like the sprayer was spitting the paint… this ONLY happens when you don’t thin the paint properly!
Anyway, so after the paint dried, I put the old doorknob on and hung the doors back up!
They look pretty amazing if I do say so myself! 😄😉
Do you have a door that you are already thinking about using this DIY door makeover tutorial on? It’s perfect so that you don’t break the bank but get a classic upgraded door! If you try this out, I would LOVE to see it!
Have someone you know that would love to do this to one of their doors? SHARE IT with them!
Happy renovating!
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