Gun shop, need some help...

[Sniper338]

Well, the house is built. Moved in, now i got a gun room/shop to finish. Cabinet guy quotes me $4500 for some cabinets and wall cabinets with butcher block counter tops, unfinished, still needs stained and sealed...

Wife said "hell no".

So, im looking for more ideas here on how to find some cheaper cabinets, build something myself that actually looks good, buy something cheaper that would work well, open to ideas on how to finish this out for cheaper but still look decent.

I could build a counter and shelves with 2x4s and ply wood, then stain it all, but i dont know how nive thatd look considering the nice house. Not like anyone goes in here, but i dont want too trash of look haha. Looking for aome help here with ideas...

 

[BenPerfected]

Trade her for something she wants?....jewelry, new car?

 

[snowpro440]

What about buyings sone unfinished cabinets and a formica counter top and installing it yourself ?

 

[CJ6]

Get whatever style cabinets you want,but as far as the top goes the "formica 3D" stuff looks pretty darn good, cleans up well and resists chemicals good also. $80-$140 for an 8'-10' piece depending on where you get it. I've got 2"x10"s on the front and back under the top for backing reasons (mounting presses etc.)

 

[dickn52]

View attachment 983667 View attachment 983657 View attachment 983656
Well, the house is built. Moved in, now i got a gun room/shop to finish. Cabinet guy quotes me $4500 for some cabinets and wall cabinets with butcher block counter tops, unfinished, still needs stained and sealed...

Wife said "hell no".

So, im looking for more ideas here on how to find some cheaper cabinets, build something myself that actually looks good, buy something cheaper that would work well, open to ideas on how to finish this out for cheaper but still look decent.

I could build a counter and shelves with 2x4s and ply wood, then stain it all, but i don't know how nice that'd look considering the nice house. Not like anyone goes in here, but i dont want too trash of look haha. Looking for some help here with ideas...

Go to Home depot and buy the unfinished oak cabinets that fit. I put in an 'L' shape setup with lazy susan corner for under 500.00. Then 2 sheets of marine grade plywood screwed on to the top for a 1.5 inch think countertop. (I added 1.5 inch border stip to complete the edges). Stain everything and get to work.

 

[Dgd6mm]

Nice stained concrete. Good looking wood on the ceiling. How did the kitchen / dining area turn out? I know in my house the wife got what she wanted and I'm still cramped for a firearm/ loading area. Planning on an addition and I will build my own cabinets and tops.

 

[snert]

I bought unstained cabinets at Lowes, one eight foot square end and two eight foot 45 end composite counter-tops, some 2x4. I mounted the cabinets (7) on the wall, made the frame for counters (there were old cabinets on one side of the room, so just a new top there) and mounted my press using a 1/4 inch steel plate riser atop the counter, bolted thru to 2x4 frame underneath. Cheap stick-on lights under the cabinets to light the work area. Total cost, $785. (I saved so much that my wife bought my adjustable stool for me!) Oh, and I never stained them. Three years now and very little oil-marks from grubby fingers. And it looks nice too.

 

[Cold Bore]

Leave it like it is and keep the door closed.

 

[minnesotamulisha]

Check Craigslist for some cabinets. I bought some formica countertop at Menards for $17 because it was scratch and dent. There's lots of stuff like that there. They even sell their old displays in the lumber yard.

 

[Ledd Slinger]

Workbenches are easy to build. I built mine with a shelf underneath. Recessed the front of the shelf a bit to accomodate my knees when sitting at the bench in a chair. I have old heavy duty hardware store bolt bins that i use to keep my brass separated. Screwed a small wood book shelf to the wall above one end of the workbench. Found the bookshelf for next to nothing at a garage sale. I use the shelving to hold my powder, primers, and bullets. Plus there are all kinds of plastic mult-drawer bins you can buy at Home depot and Lowes that can sit on shelves or screw to the wall.

I also bought a 52" Husky tool chest at Home Depot. Has lockable wheels, a hardwood counter top, and plenty of storage with lights illuminating the drawers. I use it as an "island" workbench. Works great and adds a ton of storage for my tools and gauges while serving as a great mobile workbench.

Then I have another table I use for cleaning firearms. Bought a nice fairly large portable Kobalt tool box that I keep all of my cleaning supplies in. Fits perfectly and neatly under the table.

It's a bit of a "Frankenstein" gun workshop, but it is very functional. You can come up with tons of economical ideas just walking through the hardware stores. Cabinets aren't ridiculously expensive if you do the work to install them yourself and you don't want really fancy wood.

 

[Bigguy1951]

If you like a heavy butcher block look, go to the Grizzly catalog and look at the selections of oak and maple tops they have.

 

[hpshooter]

Check for a local shop that installs bodies on commercial trucks. Normally they have a good number of drops of the laminated oak flooring that make great bench tops. Will need to be sanded and sealed.

 

[450AK]

My solution....

 

[clams243]

Find someone who does kitchen remodeling, they do tear outs of some beautiful kitchen stuff and sometimes will give away or charge very little for some really nice stuff.

 

[dryhumor]

The kitchen cabinet displays at Lowes and Home Depot get changed out periodically, you might inquire.

Habitat for Humanity has good cabinets and pieces of countertop come in.

A granite installer might have short pieces that could make a unique whole countertop.

Tile installers always have left over.

You could lean toward cheap and trashy, with pics, and convince the wife you will go that route. Not too many women want cheap and trashy in their house..... . She'd probably change her mind.

 

[savagedasher]

Check Goodwill I seen a desk there That was $80.00 you would spend Several thousand to buy cabinet on one end Top was over 2" . Thick Larry

 

[TheOtherZilla]

Counter tops are cheap. I built my bench out of 2x4's etc and bought a six foot counter top at Home Depot.. Cabinets are from kitchen upgrade project. Bu they also have em fairly cheap at HD. Don't have to buy the cabinets all at once..

 

[TheOtherZilla]

My solution....View attachment 983675

You're waaay too organised.. I have a basement window in the middle of my mess or I'd do the same..

 

[Ledd Slinger]

The kitchen cabinet displays at Lowes and Home Depot get changed out periodically, you might inquire.

Habitat for Humanity has good cabinets and pieces of countertop come in.

A granite installer might have short pieces that could make a unique whole countertop.

Tile installers always have left over.

You could lean toward cheap and trashy, with pics, and convince the wife you will go that route. Not too many women want cheap and trashy in their house..... . She'd probably change her mind.

Can't do granite counter tops on work benches...how would you bolt or screw down presses, powder throwers, and trimmers?

Habitat for humanity is a complete rip off in my opinion. They sell old used junk at prices that rival brand new products in Home Depot of Lowes

 

[savagedasher]

Can't do granite counter tops on work benches...how would you bolt or screw down presses, powder throwers, and trimmers?

Habitat for humanity is a complete rip off in my opinion. They sell old used junk at prices that rival brand new products in Home Depot of Lowes

Carbide drill works great . Larry