Aluminum Washboard Cabinet

Sold at a neighborhood art show. Dimensions: Height 24 inches; Width 12.5 inches; Overall depth 5 inches; Interior storage space 15.25 x 10.5 x 3.25 inches; Weight 9 pounds. This unique little storage cabinet would look cool and function great in at least three rooms. In a kitchen, it might be a great spice cupboard; a dish towel could be hung over the dowel. In a bathroom, it might be a great medicine chest; a hand towel could be hung over the dowel. In a laundry room, it could be a good place to store detergent pods or cleaning products like Shout; a small towel or rag could be hung over the dowel. Use your imagination. Two D-rings are attached to the back, so all you need to hang it is a hammer and a couple of nails. $175.

The Story

I’ve always loved old washboards, and I thought they could find a place in a modern home. I bought this one at an antique store in Grass Valley, California, for $38. I immediately had in mind making it the front of a small cabinet. This plan came from my own imagination; I had not seen anything like this before, though it wouldn’t surprise me if it has been done. I used new 1x4 poplar (actually ¾ x 3.5 inches) for the frame and movable shelves. I cut all the wood pieces to length, hand-sanded the edges, and assembled the frame with two screws in each side of the top and bottom cross pieces. I countersunk the screws and patched over the small holes. The back is cut from a 2x4-foot piece of composite beadboard. I routered out the back inside edges of the frame so the beadboard edge can’t be seen from the side—a cleaner, more professional look than just attaching it outside the back edges. The towel bar is from a 1-inch diameter dowel. I chose decorative old-fashioned looking hinges and a knob that complemented the washboard color and design. The four adjustable shelf rails were cut from a single 6-foot length. All these new materials were from Home Depot. So, not quite as much upcycled material as in many of my projects, but, hey, that washboard counts for a lot! The paint is Behr Ultra Pure White in semi-gloss, good for environments that might have steam.

Related Items: Glass Washboard Cabinet #1, Glass Washboard Cabinet #2.