Dining Room Expansion

Below is a list of materials and tools used for this project, as well as a summary of the basic steps as featured in this Don't Sweat It project.

Materials and tools:

2x3 lumber (8-foot lengths; 10)
sheet 3/4" birch ply (5 sheets)
edge banding (2 rolls)
primer (1 gallon)
paint (1 gallon)
table saw
power miter box
reciprocating saw
air compressor with hoses
finish nailer
speed square
chalk line
level
measuring tape
pencil
safety glasses

Steps:

Important: Turn off the power. We'll be removing electrical plugs, so before we begin demolition, we first make sure there's no power going to the outlets. To do this, we find the power supplying the kitchen and dining room plugs that are affected, and turn it off at the main breaker panel.

Demolition. Cut thru the drywall using a reciprocating saw, and remove the drywall (figure A). Next, cut thru the studs and remove them. Make sure to remove the drywall first, so you don't cut thru any wires or pipes.

Bookcases. We'll be building the bookcases 48 inches wide and 34-1/2 inches tall. Build the case 10 inches deep, so when we put it against the existing knee-wall, we can cap it with a 16 inch piece of lumber.

Install the bookcases. Install the bookcases on each side of the opening. Cap the tops and ends of the cases with 16-inch rips of plywood to cover the top of the bookcase and the cut top of the wall. Do the same on the ends.

Columns, shelves and paint . With the frame secured, the columns and shelves can be painted and installed. We cut, primed and painted the columns and shelving outdoors (figure B), then allowed the paint to dry before installing those elements.

Install molding. With the basic structure in place, the molding was installed using a brad nailer (figure C).