Thenna AndersenRV Cabinets – As we all know, having a road trip with your RV requires you to bring a lot of stuff. And we also know that driving in an RV is not always as smooth as expected. Roads might get bumpy, and soils can get mushy. All that stuff that you bring to your road trip might fall off and get messy if you didn’t store them in someplace safe, like cabinets.
RV Cabinets must also meet certain criteria to be able to provide the best travel experiences. It should be able to use the available space inside the RV efficiently without disturbing the living area. With that in mind, we will help you to build your ideal RV cabinets and to organize them efficiently through this article.
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How to build RV cabinets
Building RV cabinets don’t require you to get help from professional services. With enough information and tools, you can build your own custom RV cabinets. Making them yourself will satisfy you more as it will meet your preferences. Here are a few steps on how to build RV cabinets.
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Measure and plan everything about the cabinets
Firstly, you need to measure everything correctly. You can start by measuring the available space and how much will you spare for the cabinets. Once you determine the size, you can decide on how many sections will you have based on the outer dimensions that you measured earlier. One thing to remember, though, don’t make a single cabinet unit too big, because you will be having a hard time mounting it.
Once you get all the measurements, you can start getting all the items and tools to build the cabinets. You will mainly require a hammer, building square, level, 5/8-inch plywood, doors, and hinges. You can also adjust the materials based on your preferences. Any other things such as screws, nails, wood glue, paints, and cabinet face can also be included in your list.
Start by making the frame of the cabinets
For the next step, you can start to build the cabinets from the frame. Use the plywood to make the frame of the cabinet. Then, connect the side panels as well as a divider to the bottom panel. We recommend that you do that using screws or nails and secure them with wood glue. Also, you can use the building square to check if the cabinets are even.
Install the cabinets to the RV wall
Now, you need to attach the frame that you created to the wall of the RV. You will need a mounting bracket and also a level to do that. Once done, you can start installing the hinges and the cabinet doors. You might need to use a drill to make the installation easier.
There are some extra steps to do to make the installed cabinets even better. First, you can add some safety latches to keep the cabinets doors closed in bumpy roads. Secondly, installing extra brackets for mounting can be helpful if you plan to store heavy items in the overhead cabinets. Lastly, to keep the space inside the cabinets efficiently used, you need to organize the items properly. Read more to know how to organize your RV cabinets.
How to organize your RV cabinets
Fitting a seemingly unlimited number of items in a limited space is challenging. The same goes for RV cabinets. You need to maximize the cabinet space to avoid letting some items laying around and get messy while on the road. Here are some organization tips for your RV cabinets.
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Use the space of the cabinet doors
Hanging organizers or hanging baskets are perfect to utilize your RV cabinet doors. Not only it offers extra storage for your items, but it also provides flexibility. You can either put them on the front side of the cabinet doors or the inside. In another case, you can also put them on the empty walls and even the bathroom door.
Utilize the top of the cabinet
Since we usually put items from the bottom, the top part of the cabinet often left unused. You can utilize this area by installing a hanging rack from the ceiling of the cabinet. However, after installing one, you might find it difficult to put different items in that cabinet. So, consider carefully before installing and make the hanging rack easy to remove.
Add slide-out feature for hard to reach areas
Maximizing storage space often makes certain items hard to reach. Therefore, you need to consider the solution to make every item easy to find and effortless to take. Adding a slider below the bottom panel of the cabinet can be an excellent solution to solve the problem.
Install tension rod to keep things in place
As we said earlier, we don’t always find smooth roads during RV trips. Therefore, adding extra protection such as tension rod inside your RV cabinets might be helpful. You can choose to install one in the cabinet with fragile items inside.
Store items vertically when possible
Some items like plates, pans, and baking sheets, can be hard to take when they are stored horizontally. Flat-shaped items and other items that you will use regularly should be considered for a vertical organization. Surely, you need to make sure the cabinet is tall enough to store them vertically.
RV Cabinet Design
Once you understand the basics of building the RV cabinets and how to organize them, you need some design ideas to apply. The design is the thing that differentiates your RV and makes it unique. To ease the selection process, we divided our favorite RV cabinet design into five categories below.
1. RV storage cabinets
These RV cabinets let you store any kinds of items in it. This category gives you some general ideas of cabinets design that you can apply to any stand-alone cabinet in your RV. Here are our top picks.
Lit-up RV storage cabinet
This RV cabinet design adds some illumination to the cabinet. It helps people to find certain items that they need to take at night. However, to be efficient, it needs to have an on-off switch to conserve energy. Also, the cabinet interior color needs to be bright enough to support the light coming from the outside.
Pull-out RV storage cabinet
Pull-out mechanics gives any cabinet more practicality and functionality. This design is a viable option for people who need to build a deep cabinet that is easy to access. However, you need to add a locking feature to prevent it from opening during steep roads.
Tall RV storage cabinet
Tall cabinets can be a great help to utilize the corners of the RV interior. It’s useful to store clothes or other items that should be stored horizontally. Moreover, if there is any space left, the tall cabinets can be expanded by joining them with overhead cabinets.
RV storage cabinet with sliding door
This cabinet design doesn’t require a lot of space. Furthermore, it’s fully customizable in terms of the number of shelving and quite easy to make compared to basic cabinet design. It’s useful to store canned food, snacks, drinks, and any items that you often take during travel.
Slide-out RV storage cabinet
This RV cabinet design uses sliders to make the hard-to-reach areas more accessible. Compared to the pull-out storage cabinet design, this one offers more efficiency. You can choose to pull one drawer instead of the whole part of the cabinet.
2. RV overhead cabinets
Overhead cabinets utilize the ceiling space of the RV. There are plenty of RV overhead cabinet designs we found. Here are our favorites.
Standard teak RV overhead cabinet
This overhead cabinet will match most of the current designs. Its shape can blend well with the modern style interior, and the color can also mix well with the rustic theme. Moreover, since the door hinges are located on the top side, the door can remain closed better during travel.
RV overhead cabinet with sliding door
Implementing the sliding door on the overhead cabinets can offer more possibilities. Not only that, it’s more durable than using standard doors with hinges, it also allows for more customization. The material of the door can be adjusted for specific purposes. For example, clear glass panels can be used to make the inside visible from outside.
Modern RV overhead cabinet
The aluminum material used on this overhead cabinet makes the cabinet sturdier and more durable. Also, the grey color gives a modern impression to the cabinet. Equally important, the hinges that are located on the front side of the doors make them easier to fix when broken.
Double deck RV overhead cabinet
The two-level design allows this cabinet to fit more items inside. However, to be able to pull off this design, you need to make sure the ceiling is high enough. If the ceiling of the RV is not high enough, you can knock your head on it accidentally.
Vintage RV overhead cabinet
This RV overhead cabinet is the perfect choice for old-school style lovers. However, it might be a bit more challenging to build. You need to fit glass panels on the cabinet doors.
3. RV kitchen cabinets
The kitchen is one part of an RV that has plenty of storage space. However, to maximize each section efficiently, you need to plan the design carefully. Here are our favorite RV kitchen cabinet designs.
RV kitchen cabinet with expandable counter space
This kitchen cabinet design not only offers storage organization but also allows for more usable countertop space. The slide-out function makes it easier to hide the extra counter space when not in use. Although it’s useful, you might need to consider the size of the extra counter space carefully for it to be not troublesome.
Simple RV kitchen cabinet
The all-white color choice for this kitchen cabinet gives a minimalistic vibe. Not only does it makes the cabinet doors seamless, but it also blends well with the countertop and the sink. Also, the black finish on a few parts of the kitchen adds a nice contrasting element to it.
Vibrant RV kitchen cabinet
This slide-out kitchen cabinet doesn’t allow even the slightest space to be left unused. It managed to utilize the small portion of the countertop that is left beside the stove. However, even though it looks perfect, the handleless cabinet design might cause some trouble. Make sure you make it easy to open.
Corner RV kitchen cabinet
Positioning the kitchen space at the corner allows you to have more usable space. The kitchen can use two sides of the wall to have extra counter space. Moreover, more counter space available also means more cabinets.
Trendy RV kitchen cabinet
Its soft blue and white color combination make this kitchen cabinet beautiful. Instead of putting the microwave below the counter space, it set the microwave below the overhead cabinet to maximize the space. It successfully maximizes the space without making the room feel narrow.
4. Rv bathroom cabinets
Cabinets are also an integral part of a bathroom. The more people you bring on your travel, the more bathroom items that you need to store. Here are our favorite RV bathroom cabinets.
Rustic RV bathroom cabinet
This conventional bathroom cabinet blends well with rustic style. Furthermore, the tall shelving allows the cabinet to fit more items, such as towels and dry clothes. Regardless, the cabinet should use water-resistant wood to provide long use.
Minimalistic grey RV bathroom cabinet
This bathroom cabinet might look minimal, but its soft grey color will match well with any current design. Moreover, most quartz countertop designs can blend easily with this bathroom cabinet. It offers a lot of possibilities.
Luxurious RV bathroom cabinet
The glossy finish of this bathroom cabinet makes it look classy. Without a doubt, the seamless design of the RV drawer and the tall cabinet also creates a modern vibe. Those two simple ways are enough to give a luxurious touch in an RV.
Concise RV bathroom cabinet
This straightforward bathroom cabinet design is perfect for people who think functionality is more important than looks. The design manages to fit many storage cabinets in such a small bathroom. Regardless, some uncovered areas of the cabinets can cause some trouble, especially when the RV is on bumpy roads.
Vintage RV bathroom cabinet
The wood texture of the surface of this cabinet makes it easier to blend with a vintage-style environment. This cabinet design is such a perfect choice for retro design lovers. However, the number of storage available might not be enough to store many items.
5. RV medicine cabinets
In road traveling, you always need to bring an emergency kit that includes medicines, bandages, and any other first aid items. Therefore, you need a medicine cabinet to store all those items. Here are our top picks for RV medicine cabinets.
Fancy RV medicine cabinets
This medicine cabinet also acts as a mirror. Not only it looks gorgeous, but it also offers multiple uses. The glass panel shelving also enhances the beauty of the design of this medicine cabinet.
Submarine window style medicine cabinet
Without a doubt, this is the most distinctive medicine cabinet design we found. The stainless-steel material of this medicine cabinet makes it more robust than other materials available. Also, it adds a unique characteristic to your RV.
Retro-style medicine cabinet
Its straightforward design is all we need from a medicine cabinet. It also has mirrors that add more value to it. Moreover, this RV medicine cabinet can add a nostalgic vibe to an RV.
Eclectic RV medicine cabinet
Its dark brown color will match well with most of the current room designs. The tall shelving allows the cabinet to fit larger first aid items in it. Moreover, the thin bezel design makes it look modern.
Contemporary RV medicine cabinet
This medicine not only offers a solution for first aid kit storage but also brings the mirror feature to a new level. The mirror on the door of this medicine cabinet has a vanity light planted inside. It looks sophisticated and luxurious at the same time.
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Conclusion
In summary, cabinets are inseparable from any RV. However, to have cabinets that are ideal in terms of size, design, and function, you are required to make one from scratch. We hope that our guides, tips, and design recommendations can inspire you to build your own RV cabinets. And most importantly, may this article help you to get the best travel experience with your custom RV cabinets.
Thenna Andersen
