Rockler Woodworking and Hardware

How to build an entryway storage cabinet for shoes, coats and other outdoor gear.

When this house was built almost 100 years ago, people didn’t have as much stuff as we do today - definitely not as many pairs of shoes. Therefore many older houses don’t have very big closets. This prompted me to build a storage cabinet in the entry area near our front door.
I decided to devote the whole wall to storage. I measured the dimensions of the wall and started planning. The design would have to be deep enough to accommodate shoes up to men’s size 12, leave access to the existing floor vent and wall-mounted thermostat. You can see from the before picture that we also needed room for hanging jackets and places for other outdoor accessories. We also included a bench where you can put your shoes on.

Project designed and built by Kim McNeelan.

A drop-in dovetail is a joint that is often at the top of a table when there is drawer at the front, connecting the legs. The reason for using a dovetail versus a tenon, is to provide a stronger mechanically locking joint where there is little space due to the other joints cut into thin stock such as legs.

Grooves are used primarily for inserting panels, such as with a frame and panel. A groove is a "groove" that runs with the wood versus a dado is a groove that goes across the grain, and a rabbet is on the edge running with the grain. This video explains the various forms of grooves, as well as the different methods and tools to create the right groove for the application.

There are many methods of cutting tenons, they have their pluses and minuses, all have their place in furniture making. The standard method of tenoning on a table saw is a good, solid, first method to have.