An unused cabinet in a kitchen, dining room or basement can be an ideal place to store wine. In fact, with a little effort, you can convert an ordinary cabinet into an eye-catching homemade wine rack with the capacity to store and display multiple cases of wine. The key is to build a lattice wine rack into the cabinet, creating a sturdy and attractive diagonal grid with areas to support bottles individually or in clusters.
Planning and Measurement
A lattice wine rack cabinet is fairly simple to make, but it requires precise measurements and careful construction. Begin by measuring the height, width and depth of the cabinet, as well as the diagonal distance between opposite corners and between the midpoints of adjacent walls. This is necessary because the internal structure of your wine rack cabinet will be pair of wood dividers in the shape of an "X" with its endpoints in the cabinet's corners. Around this "X," arrange a diamond shape using four shorter wood dividers. Each will have its ends at the midpoints of adjacent walls and will be perpendicular to one long divider and parallel to the other. If you like, you can expand your design by adding additional rows of crisscrossing dividers, but this will make the project more complicated.
Buying Lumber
Once you know your measurements, you can buy lumber. Because much of the latticework will not be visible, plywood is a fine choice, but a quality hardwood will also work well. Buy lumber that's large enough to trim to the exact lengths you need for diagonal distances. Your dividers do not have to match the depth of the cabinet, but they should be 10 inches wide or greater to support the horizontal wine bottles. For the same reason, you should buy 1/2-inch or thicker lumber.
Creating Dividers
Double-check your dimensions, measure carefully and then trim the dividers to the required length and width. You will need to bevel the edges of the dividers as well to create a tight fit against the corners and walls. The long dividers will need dual 45-degree angles at each end (to fit the corners), while the short dividers will need single 45-degree angles (to press against the walls). When all are ready, test-fit them partway into the cabinet. Note where they intersect, and cut 1/2-inch slots at least five inches long at each point of intersection. The slots will let you interlock the dividers within the cabinet, creating a stable, secure, self-supporting framework.
Assembly and Use
Before placing the dividers into the cabinet for final assembly, stain or paint them as desired. You also may need to sand or trim the dividers or the slots to ensure a good fit. Once the dividers are in place, place wine bottles (singly or in pairs or groups, as space permits) into the triangular and diamond-shaped openings formed by the latticework.
Tags: into cabinet, will need, wine rack, 45-degree angles, adjacent walls, cabinet creating
