Wood-Backed Glass Cabinet and a Scrap Wood Cookbook Stand

Hey friends!  It’s been a few weeks since I shared about the glass cabinet addition I made to the kitchen.  After living with it for a few weeks, I felt like it was missing something.  After reviewing my Pinterest boards I realized I had pinned several images with a common theme, glass cabinets or shelving with wood backing.  It was an aha moment for sure, and I knew that I could get the wood-backed cabinet look pretty easily

Wood-Backed Glass Cabinet

What I used:

• ¼”x3”x 4’ Oak Hobby Boards
• Minwax Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner
• Minwax Wood Finish Penetrating Stain in Ipswich pine
• Minwax Color Wash Transparent Layering Color in White Wash
• Minwax Polycrylic
• Miter saw
• 1” Brad Nails Nail Gun
• Nail gun and brad nails
• Fine to Medium Sanding Block

What I Did:

First, I measured the height and width of the inside of my cabinet (height: 34.5, width: 29.75)

There are lots of size options for hobby boards at Lowes.  I could have used poplar boards as they were a bit less expensive, but I really wanted the look of oak like in my inspiration pictures.  

To figure out how many boards I would need, I divided 29.75 by 2.5 (the actual measurement of the boards) and came up with 12 boards. 

I cut them to the length of my cabinet using my miter saw and dry-fit them to arrange the wood grain.

Finishing The Boards

 

Next, I lightly sanded the boards and then applied Minwax Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner.  I applied this using a rag in the direction of the grain, allowing it to penetrate for about 10 minutes, pre-stain is such an important step to getting a nice, even stain application. 

After the 10 minutes were up,  I wiped off the excess and applied Minwax Wood Finish Oil-Based Semi-Transparent Stain in Ipswich Pine.

I applied the stain using a stain pad.  Minwax sells floor staining pads that I just cut up into 3rds for multiple uses.  With the pad, I began wiping the stain onto the boards in the direction of the wood grain.  Ipswich Pine is a really beautiful stain color; it gives the oak a warm, but natural appearance. 

Once I was done applying the stain, I decided that I wanted to tone down the warmth just a little using Minwax Color Wash Transparent layering color in White Wash.  

To tone down the orange in pine, I usually layer Minwax Classic Gray in the yellow can, however, this was the first time I’ve used Minwax Color Wash and I think I’m a convert.  I was amazed by the amount of control I had to customize the color of my stain.  

 

You can see the difference below:

 

Installing the Boards

Once the boards were dry, I attached them to the back of my cabinet using 1” brad nails at the very top and the bottom of the cabinet–starting in the center of the cabinet and working my way out to the sides. 

Once it was all installed, I applied Minwax Polycrylic to protect the stain.

I can’t even express how much I love this update!  It turned out better than I even imagined.

Scrap Wood Cookbook/Tablet Stand

 

When I was done cutting the boards I had a bunch of scrap wood left over.  That’s when I realized it was the perfect opportunity to make a simple DIY cookbook stand. 

What I used:

• ¼”x3”x 4’ Oak Hobby Boards
• Minwax Pre-Stain Wood Conditioner
• Minwax Wood Finish Penetrating Stain in Ipswich pine
• Minwax Color Wash Transparent Layering Color in White Wash
• Minwax Polycrylic
• Miter saw
• 1/2” Brad Nails Nail Gun
• Nail gun and brad nails
• Fine to Medium Sanding Block
• Wood Glue
• 1 Matte Black Edge Pull
• 2- ¾”x ⅝”  hinges
• 1/16” Drill Bit
• Screen trim or dowel

 

What I Did:

I took four of the oak boards and cut them down to 11”.

I lined them up next to each other and mended them together using 3 pieces of the hobby boards cut down to 1 1/2”x9”.  

I attached them to the back of the boards using wood glue and my brad nailer.

The first is attached ½’ from the top, the second is attached 4 ¾” from the top, and the bottom is ½” from the bottom. I used 1″ brad nails, but 1/2″ nails would be better suited for this project.

Finishing The Boards

Next, I applied Minwax Wood Finish Pre-Stain Conditioner and followed all of the steps above so that the finish would match the back of my cabinet.

I also applied Minwax Polycrylic to protect the stand from any potential splatters/stains.  I used a synthetic bristle brush to apply Minwax Polycrylic and allowed it to dry.

Once it was dry, I added the stand’s shelf, which is actually a drawer pull installed upside down with two small screws.

Next, I needed to come up with a plan for the easel.  So I cut down another of the extra boards to 4” and attached it in the center of the underside of the middle board with the hinge.  This worked out perfectly, however it kept sliding, so I then took the other 6” piece of the board and attached it to the underside of the bottom board with a hinge. This is great because it allows the easel and stand to fold up when not in use.

Lastly, I used a piece of screen trim that I had left over from a project, and cut it down into 2 ¼” pieces to create stops, for the easel to rest.  I attached them with wood glue and a single brad nail.  I think I may go back and paint the stops black, as they’re a different wood species and didn’t stain the same as the oak.  Painting them black would add some contrast and help it tie in with the holder in the front of the stand.

While it’s far from perfect, I think it’s a great addition to my kitchen and a pretty simple project that can be completed in just a couple of hours!