diy kids play kitchen - home diy projects, remodeling, and woodworking … · 2020. 6. 19. ·...

DIY Kids Play Kitchen

Copyright © 2019 Stephanie Abbott, AbbottsAtHome.com 1

These plans are currently free to email subscribers and for personal use only. They cannot be shared or sold without my permission. Let me know if you have any questions and enjoy your build!

Be sure to double-check everything, as you build. It's always possible that I could have missed something.Bloggers don't have editors. ;)

Please note, I designed this kitchen to be a good height for kids from 2 to 8. So, it’s a bit higher than some store bought kitchens. Putting a microwave on the raised shelf may make it hard for the littlest kids to reach. You can always keep it on the

counter until they get bigger.

Find the full tutorial with build photos and finish steps here: https://abbottsathome.com/kids-play-kitchen-diy-woodworking/

More Build Plans from Abbotts At Home here: https://abbottsathome.com/build-plans/

See build previews and behind the scenes, on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/abbottsathome/

Abbotts At Home Tutorials and DIY Videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCck5Oq8xzRT9sacKs56kG_A/


https://abbottsathome.com/kids-play-kitchen-diy-woodworking/

https://abbottsathome.com/build-plans/

https://www.instagram.com/abbottsathome/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCck5Oq8xzRT9sacKs56kG_A/

Tools Needed

Kreg Jig, Various Screws, Drill Bits and DrillWood Glue

Brad Nailer and NailsMiter Saw & Circular Saw & Jig Saw

Sander and SandpaperStraight Edge Circular Saw Cutting Guide

Shopping List

Edge Banding2 sets of 16" Bottom-Mount Euro Drawer Slides

2 sets (4 total) of Small Cabinet Hinges3 Mending Plates & 2 Magnetic Door Latches

4' of 2x2 Dimensional Lumber24' of 1/2" x 3/4" Moulding

1 - 4' x 4' sheet of 1/4" Plywood or Luan1 – 2’x4’ sheet 1/4” Beadboard Panel

1 - 4' x 8' sheet of 1/2" Plywood – Paint Grade1 - 4' x 4' sheet of 1/2" Plywood - Stain Grade

8' of 2 1/4" high Baseboard Moulding3’ of 1”x3” Dimensional Lumber

28’ of 1”x2” Dimensional Lumber2 – 6” Cork Pads

2 – 1/2” thick slices of 1” Round DowelKids Drop In Play Sink

4” x 8” Plexiglass


Step One

We'll use ½” paint grade plywood and ½” x ¾” pine moulding to build the main frame of the kitchen.

Cut and sand to 180-grit 3 – 17 ½” x 24” x ½” plywood pieces and 4 – 17 ½” x 15” x ½” plywood pieces. Cut and sand to 180-grit 8 – 17 ½” x ½” x ¾” Pine Moulding. It’s easier to do the sanding on these pieces before assembly.

Glue and brad nail the frame together based on the image. It’s easier to attach the moulding to the side and middle pieces first. Then attach the shelves to the moulding. Start with the bottom shelves so that the nail gun can reach both level of shelves from the top.


Step Two

Glue and Brad Nail a 31 ½” x 21 ½” x ¼” plywood or Luan board on to the back of the kitchen.


Step Three

Glue and Nail on the Face Framing for the Kitchen. You’ll use 3 – 18 ½”, 1 – 31 ½”, and 2 – 13 ½” long pieces of 1” x 2” Dimensional Lumber. Plus, 1 – 31 ½” long 1” x 3” across the top.

Make sure the face framing along the shelves is even with the top of the shelves. And the top 1” x 3” should be level with the top of the plywood sides.


Step Four

Build the frame for the open seating side. Use 2 – 24” long 2” x 2” dimensional lumber for the legs. And, 2 – 14”, 1 – 15 ¼”, and l – 16 ¾” long pieces of 1” x 2” dimensional lumber.

I used glue & pocket holes on the 1” x 2” boards where they meet the 2” x 2” legs. Then you can glue and brad nail the 16 ¾” board between the ends of the 14” boards. Then glue and clamp that whole side to the kitchen frame.

This is slightly different than the way I attached the seating frame. But, I think this will be a stronger and easier way to do this.

JUST make sure that the top of each side is level for your counter top. AND the front of each side is even and smooth across the front.


Step Five

Glue and nail on the baseboard around the front. Use 45-degree miter cuts on the 2 front corners. The base board should touch the ground.

Cut the ½” counter top from the stain grade plywood. It should be 48” x 19”. Cut your hole for your play drop in sink now. Make sure to pick a sink that fits between the plywood middle and right side. I used this sink, but you can find others that work. It’s easiest to start with a slightly smaller hole then slowly cut it bigger with your jigsaw until the sink fits snuggly in the hole. If you over cut, you might be able to make the hole tighter with glued on shims or edge banding. Having a tight fit around the sink will just prevent the kiddos from pulling it out when they play.

Apply Edge Banding around the front 3 sides of the counter.


https://amzn.to/31KYaZ1

Step Six

Cut 2 – 22” and 2 – 44” 1” x 2” pieces of dimensional lumber. Glue and connect them together with pocket holes on each end of the 44” long pieces.

Cut a 21 ¾” x 46 ½” piece of ¼” beadboard to attach to the back of this frame, with glue and nails. This will cover your pocket holes.

This will be the back wall of the kitchen. After you have everything painted and stained, you can attach this wall with 3 mending plates along the back. You’ll want the backs of the beadboard, the counter top, and the kitchen frame flush with each other to make the mending plates work. BUT let’s move on to the rest of the build for now.


Step Seven

Next, we'll build the doors. Cut 2 – 14 ½” x 11” pieces from the ½” paint grade plywood. Cut a hole in the middle of one that is 7” X 4” square. Frame the inside of that hole with 2 – 7” and 2 - 3” pieces of ½” x ¾” moulding. The moulding should be flush with the back of the door and stick out about ¼” on the front. After painting the door later, you can hot glue or super glue a 4” x 8” piece of plexiglass to the back of the opening.

Build 2 handles from 4 – 1” and 2 – 9 ¼” long pieces of ½” x ¾” pine moulding. You want the handles to be ¾” thick from the front, so pay attention to that during assembly. Drill the holes for the handles on the doors. Make sure that the holes are centered on the handle sides. They should be centered on the door and about 1” down from the top of each door. You’ll attach them to the door later with screws from the back of the cabinet door.


Step Eight

The drawers are designed for side/bottom mount Euro Style slides. Those usually require the drawer boxes to be 1” less wide than the opening for the drawer. IF YOUR slides say anything other than 1” OR if your measurements were a little off and you find your opening is 1/8” or more off on one side or the other, then you’ll have to adjust the build measurements on the next step to fit your opening and/or slides. I know, drawers are a pain, but you can do it!

Once the drawers from step nine are built. They should sit in the kitchen bases on the diagram. The bottom of the drawers should be about a ½” up from the bottom of the opening. And the full ½” depth of the drawer front should stick out from the frame. You’ll need to add a 1” thick piece of wood and a ½” thick piece of wood on either side of the drawer openings to install the slides. 1” high on both should be high enough for the slide hardware.


Step Nine

The drawers are made with the paint grade plywood on 3 sides and the stain grade plywood on the front. For each drawer, you need 2 – 15 ¾” x 5” and 1 – 12 ½” x 5” pieces of ½” paint grade plywood AND 1 – 13 ½” x 5 ½” piece of the ½” stain grade plywood AND 1 – ¼” thick plywood or luan bottom cut to 12 ½” x 15 ¾”.

Start by gluing and nailing the 3 paint grade sides together. Then glue and nail the ¼” bottom on to the 3 sides. Then glue and nail the stain grade front on to the box. Be sure to make the front of the drawer level with or slightly lower than the ¼” bottom so that it is hidden from view. Make sure it’s also centered on the sides. This overhang will hide the slides from view.

Apply edge banding to the 4 sides of the drawer front.


Step Ten

Build the shelf and brackets for the kitchen wall. You can see the top down view of the shelf on the next page. The shelf is a 22” x 5 5/8” piece of stain grade plywood framed in ½” x ¾” moulding. The mouldingshould be 23” across the front and 2 – 5 5/8” pieces on the sides. Be sure to make the moulding level with the shelf top and showing the ¾” side from the front. That means the moulding hangs lower than the plywood.

Build 2 brackets from 1” x 2” dimensional lumber. Glue and nail the brackets based on the diagram; a 5” piece across the top, 4” down the back, connected by a 5 1/8” long piece with 45-degree cuts on either end.

Don’t attach the shelf or brackets until they and the kitchen wall are stained and painted, to make it easier. Glue the shelf to the brackets. Attach the brackets from behind the beadboard with screws.


Step Eleven

Now let’s make a stove. You might want to sand and stain the counter top before doing this part. It would be easier. It would be easier to paint the stove parts before assembly too. Then just touch up where needed after the glue dries. Using Fast Drying Wood Glue would make quick work of assembly here.

You can add 4 burners or 2 burners and a griddle, like mine. The burners start with 6” cork plant mats you can find at landscape supply stores. You can also make your own with ¼” plywood or luan. Glue the mat, cork side down. Then add wood moulding and dowel round shown in the diagram.

The griddle is ¼” plywood or luan framed with moulding. That’s it. Now it’s time to finish the kitchen and assembly. Yay!


Finish and Final Assembly

At this point, I applied finish before assembling any further. You can have fun with kids furniture builds and use colors youwouldn’t normally use. I’ll tell you what I used, in case you want to recreate it.

The red paint is Americana Decor Chalk Paint in Rouge. The blue paint is Magnolia Homes By Kilz chalk paint in Signature. The off white color is Magnolia Homes by Kilz paint in One Horn White. For the wood stain, I actually used Danish Oil in Medium

Walnut. It’s a wipe on wood finish that is super easy to use. It’s been my go to for a while now. I used 2 coats of that. I usually sand painted areas to 180-grit and stained areas to 220-grit. I also used Wood Filler on all of the nail holes and any other spots

that needed it, first.

After everything is finished and dry you can add the slides to the drawers and install those. Attach the cabinet doors and screwon their handles. Attach the counter top with glue and a few brad nails OR with angle brackets, I’d go with 8 small brackets

around the kitchen. Make sure the counter top is flush with the ¼” plywood back on the kitchen. Then attach the kitchen wall with 3 mending plates connecting the wall to the kitchen frame on the sides and just the counter top at the middle mending

plate. Pre-drill holes in the beadboard for the shelf brackets. Then attach the shelf brackets and shelf to the kitchen wall.

Now, on to all the fun bells and whistles I added to our kitchen.

See my the photos on my site: https://abbottsathome.com/kids-play-kitchen-diy-woodworking/


https://amzn.to/2IimPMH


Add the Bells and Whistles

Install the drop in sink you picked. My kids have no idea that the sink actually has a working pump. If you’re braver than me, they could actually wash dishes in the sink. But, without water, the pump makes a fun sound when the faucet is on. I also

added a toy microwave with a spinning plate, lights, and sounds. I attached mine to the kitchen wall with 3M Velcro Command Strips so that it doesn’t move when the kids play with it.

I also added a cute red dish drying rack to the “dishwasher” side to make it look more like a dishwasher. The stove side got a motion activated light that comes on when the door is opened. I also found some great play food and kitchen toys that actually

move and make sound. It all makes it more fun and realistic for my boys.

I finished off the kitchen with a big red wall clock (attached with 3M Velcro Strips) and a kids play phone. My kids also have aplay Chef’s costume they love to wear when playing with the kitchen. My little guy adds an open/closed sign when he’s playing

with the kitchen. In the past, I’ve had a little restaurant order pad and a dinner bell in our play kitchen too. Are we goingoverboard? Ha. I also add carry out menus to the kitchen. My kids love handing me one and asking me to order.

I built a counter stool for the seating side on our kitchen. The build tutorial for that stool can be found on my site (click below). I’ll post a video look at the kitchen to that page too. Have fun with that new kitchen. Hopefully, it’ll be passed down to the next

generation one day too.

See everything on our kitchen and find links to what I bought here: https://abbottsathome.com/kids-play-kitchen-diy-woodworking/



diy kids play kitchen - home diy projects, remodeling, and woodworking … · 2020. 6. 19. ·...

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