How do I build this - Mudroom niche

17 years ago

I hope you'll bear with my noviceness, but I would like to build a niche with shelves like the one you see in this picture (the one circled in the bottom LH corner):

I already have the niche framed. Here's what I'm thinking I should do next.

1. Sheetrock the entire niche and front face

2. Have my cabinet maker build a "box" that I insert into the sheetrocked niche.

3. Trim the opening like you would a window or door with a reveal

4. Add shelves.

What do you think? One question I had was if I wanted to have beadboard or paneling on the inside of the niche, how would you trim the opening since beadboard is usually not that thick? And how would you get the inside edges to look nice and neat?

Also, do I need to use a "box" or could I just use the sheetrock as my finished niche walls? I'm really trying to keep down my cabinetry costs. Maybe I could just apply the beadboard to the sheetrock and skip the box? (Which leads me back to how should I trim the front?)

Finally, in the picture, the shelves look so cleanly attached. I don't see any cleats or pins. How did they do that?

Thanks so much! I really appreciate any advice you can offer.

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Comments (5)

Jon1270
17 years ago
1. Sheetrock the entire niche and front face

There's no reason to sheetrock the inside of the niche if you plan to insert a box made by your cabinetmaker.

2. Have my cabinet maker build a "box" that I insert into the sheetrocked niche.

The box should be smaller than your framed rough opening, and shimmed into exact position during installation, much like a door or window.

4. Add shelves.

I would have the cabinetmaker prepare the way for shelves by either making them integral to the box, drilling adjustable shelf support pin holes or letting in some metal support strips.

...beadboard or paneling ...

I'd probably have the cabinetmaker use beadboard paneling for only the back panel of the box. If you want to use it on the sides, it might be better to use a solid wood product instead of the paneling.

...do I need to use a "box"...

No, you don't need to use a box but the result is likely to be much rougher. If you drywall the inside of the opening then its surfaces will not be flat and square, so fitting the shelves will be much more difficult. Supporting the shelves would probably require ledger strips screwed through the drywall into the framing, with the shelves sitting on top. There'd also be no reason to apply any trim around the opening. I'd stick with plan A.

...in the picture, the shelves look so cleanly attached.

No cleats/pins means the shelves are not adjustable. There's more than one way to skin that cat, but I'd guess they were nailed into the box before it was installed in the wall.
pearlchow
Original Author
17 years ago
jon1270,
Thanks so much for your reply and just in the nick of time. The sheetrockers are coming tomorrow!

You mention no need to sheetrock the inside. Are there any codes that require sheetrock between rooms? The niche is in the mudroom and the other side of the niche is the kitchen/family room.

Other than that, sounds like easiest, best and cheaper to not sheetrock. Thanks again for your explanations; they are very well written and organized so that it's crystal clear now for me!! I can go to bed tonight w/o lying there thinking over and over how to do this!
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Jon1270
17 years ago
It's a good question about the code, and I can't answer it. I'm glad to help, insofar as I have.
pearlchow
Original Author
16 years ago
Hi,
I'm the OP, and as a follow-up, here's the mudroom niche that we built inspired by the above photo and with thanks to jon1270.
We did not sheetrock the niche, but instead used 3/4" veneered plywood to make the "box". For the shelves we drilled shelf support pin holes.

Here is a link that might be useful: Mudroom niche
Jon1270
16 years ago
Nice work! Congratulations on finishing the room, too. I'm glad my thoughts were helpful.