How to Make a DIY Gun Cabinet

Your gun cost you a significant amount, hence, it is only reasonable that you take good care of it. And that includes storing it in a gun safe cabinet. By the way, we need to put a gun safe dehumidifier in it if we want to keep the gun in good condition for long time. However, gun cabinets are getting more expensive with each passing day. If you find many of the gun cabinets on the market prohibitive in price, why not make your own one?

You’ll realize that it can be simple and easy to create gun cabinets. But before you start, you have to get the dimensions of your firearm first so that you’ll have an idea on how big or small the gun cabinet would be.

Materials and Measurements

This gun cabinet in this design measures 6 feet high, 4 feet wide, and 2 feet deep. It’s perfect for most types of guns including airguns. If you use gun to hunt vermin and shoot target in your backyard, check out this recommendation of quiet air riffles at Soundproofnation.com. But first, you need to prepare your toolbox and the following materials:

• Plywood sheets (1-inch)
• Electric screwdriver
• Electric drill
• Saw
• Drill bits
• Tape measure
• Wood glue
• Padlocks
• Latch
• Knobs
• Sanding Paper
• Glass retainer clips
• Galvanized steel crews
• Plexiglass (1/4 inch)
• Hinges

Place the plywood sheets on the floor and using a pencil and tape measure, start measuring.  The sides of the cabinet should measure 6 feet long and 2 feet across.  Starting from the bottom of a sheet of plywood, measure 6 feet upward. Mark this as the length of the cabinet.

From that mark, measure 4 feet across to the other end of the plywood. This would make one side of the cabinet. Repeat the same on another sheet of plywood for the other side of the cabinet.

As for the top and bottom of the cabinet, the measurements are 4 feet in length and 2 feet in width.  Mark the measurement on two plywood sheets that would make up the base. In this way, the stand and top cover of the cabinet won’t be open on top.

After marking all the measurements for all sides, you can start cutting plywood and sanding raw edges.

Making the cabinet frame

You should have two wood pieces for the front and back of the cabinet.  Unless you intend to place the cabinet against the wall, you would want the nicer-looking piece to be up front as this will be the side of the safe that’s visible. Set the nicer-looking plywood aside and start working on the other piece, which would form the back of the cabinet. Set and fix a side panel flush against it so that only the edges will touch. Screw in the side panel every six inches. Follow the same on the opposite edge. Next, screw in the top and bottom panels. You can then glue the other piece of plywood at six inches below the top. This will ensure that the cabinet will stand upright and won’t lean.

Gun Holders

You now have completed the frame of the cabinet. Next up is to cut wood for the gun holders.  Get two pieces of wood and cut them with dimensions of 6 inches wide, 2 feet long, and 2 feet depth. Glue one wood piece at six inches upward from the base for it to be used as a shelf. Cut the other piece of the wood with six 1×1 notches that will serve as gun barrel holder. You can then glue the remaining piece of wood at six inches below the top. This should serve as the primary storage for your guns, enabling them to stand upright.

Cabinet Door

It’s up to you how you want the door of the gun cabinet to be.  You can use the same plywood pieces as a cover. In this design, however, you’d learn how to create a glass-front door for the cabinet. First, you need to install the hinges so that the door will lock securely. You can buy a great set of hinges at a nearby home improvement store. You’ll need two hinges on one edge of the frame, with each one placed six inches away. Get the front plywood piece and measure four inches from all edges. Connect all the marks until you have made a large rectangle in the center. Cut along the lines to transform the plywood into a frame for the plexiglass.

Now it’s time to attach the plexiglass. Of course, it should have the same dimensions as the wooden front or 6 feet high, 4 feet wide, and 2 feet deep. You can use a jigsaw if the plexiglass needs to be cut. Glue the plexiglass to the sides of the frame. Turn the door around so that the wooden frame will be facing outwards. Then secure it to the hinges. You can also add in a safety lock to the side once you have installed the door to prevent your firearms from getting into the wrong hands.

Finishing

You’re practically down with your homemade gun cabinet.  But you can give it a nice look and finish by sanding and painting it. Sanding can also eliminate splinters that can harm you while trying to reach for your gun. Sand down the sides of the cabinet particularly the shelf, interiors, and gun holders. Prior to painting, coat it with a primer. Then coat it to even out the color. Additional coating should also give the DIY gun cabinet a glossy finish.

It’s really up to you to choose the color of the cabinet. You may want to paint it with neutral colors so that it won’t attract the attention of burglars, intruders, or even unsuspecting guests. The last thing you want to happen is for unauthorized people to find your gun cabinet.

Conclusion

Gun cabinets are expensive, so it makes sense if you make your own. Creating a DIY gun cabinet should not be that hard to do especially if you have basic DIY skills and plenty of time.  With a gun cabinet, you can protect your guns and hunting gear from getting into the wrong hands. You can also ensure that your firearms will be working well for a long time if you store them in a homemade gun cabinet.