How to convert a cupboard
To convert a cupboard is quite easy even though you might be not very gifted in handicrafts and it is a good solution to house you little friends. Here is the step-by-step-guide how to convert a cupboard quite easily for climbing and digging species.
1. Choosing a cupboard
You can get a proper cupboard from many sources: from grandma’s attic, from your own cellar, from a furniture store, from a second hand shop or maybe from IKEA. The minimum size the cupboard must have you can find in the portraits of the species you want to house in.
The best material for cupboards to convert is solid wood. If you take one made of pressboard mind that it has to be a very old one or you have to place the cupboard after cutting the holes in it in a well aired place for at least a week. Then you can also use one made of pressboard.
2. In the building centre/hardware store
Some things you might already possess, then delete them from the list. The rest of it you’ll find in a building centre/hardware store. Here is your shopping list:
- cordless screwdriver + adapter for the screws you use + wood drill (or metal drill if you use press board)
- jig saw + proper saw blades (wood = blades for wood, press board = blades for wood,, plastic and metal)
- screws (they have to match for the thickness of your boards and the cupboard)
- wire cutter (you will regret it, if you safe the money for it!)
- two 10cm-elbows
- water level
- sandpaper or rasp
- mesh (mind the proper size of the gaps for your rodents)
- some rectangular blocks of wood
- level boards (size and number depends on the cupboard you choose)
- one smaller level board (size about two third of the others)
- small boards as linings (otherwise bedding will fall off the level)
- one bigger board as lining on the basis (has to fit perfectly!)
- 4 decorative battens for the door
- lacquer or another covering to varnish the wooden boards + brush
3. Sawing and polishing
If you can, remove the door(s) from the cupboard to cut holes into them. There must be at least 6 cm left on each side of the door. Otherwise it might break. The lower cutting edge is on the same level as the lining inside (e.g. 30 cm). Drill in the holes one in each corner. There you put in the saw blade of the jig saw to begin sawing. Cut the holes into the doors.
Hardware stores/building centres will saw the noards and rectagular boards for you or you do it yourself.
After sawing everything you have to polish the edges.
4. Fixing the levels
- fix the two elbows in the side of the cupboard and fix the smaller level on them
- on the other side of the cupboard take to pieces of rectangular blocks of wood and fix them like two legs
- check if the level is horizontal in each direction using the water level
- check whether your level is stable
- put the bigger lining in
- take 2 rectangular blocks of wood and fix them on the same height → do this as often as many levels you want to (check them with the water level)
- fix the linings on the level boards
* place the completed levels on the rectangular blocks
5. Varnishing
- varnish all levels and linings
- let it dry for at least 24 h
- when you use lacquer colour everything 3 times waiting at least 24 h between the layers
6. Mesh on the doors
- measure the mesh that it has two lines of cells lying on the wood
- cut it
- lay it on the door
- lay the decorative battens above and fix them
- fix the door(s) on the cupboard again
7. Furnishing
To get some ideas have a look here…
Translation
Angelus Noctis
Proofreading
Jedediah
