How to Build a Pine Garden Hutch

Build the face frame first and use it as a guide for assembling the doors and cutting the curve on the back panel.

A full sheet of 3/4-in.MDF or particleboard set on sawhorses makes a good workbench for this project. Set up for marking the arcs (for the curved pieces) by drawing a center line parallel to the long edge of the sheet. Next, center a 4-ft. length of 1×12 on the line. Line up the top edge with the edge of the workbench and clamp it. Screw the point of the homemade compass in the center line 21-5/8 in. below the bottom edge of the 1×12.

Draw three arcs for the face frame top and door top pieces (Figure B). Then replace the 1×12 with another 48-in. 1×12 and relocate the screw point (Figure B). Draw two arcs to outline the 1-1/2 in. wide curved roof trim molding. Cut out the curves.

Even with careful jigsaw work, you’ll have to sand the curves for a smooth arch. Use 80-grit sandpaper on a sanding block to even out the curve and remove saw marks. Then sand again with 100- and 120-grit paper. For the best-looking finish, sand all the boards before assembly.Use a random orbital sander or hand-sand with the grain of the wood.

Saw out the curved pieces with a jigsaw. Use the pattern in Figure A to draw the curve on the face frame bottom (C1) and saw it out as well.

When you’re done cutting and sanding the curved pieces, rip the remaining face frame and door trim pieces to width and cut them to length according to Figure A and the Cutting List. Use the pattern to cut the curve on the 39-in. long 1×6 bottom frame piece (C1). Cut the same curve on the 44-in. long x 5-in.wide piece (C2). Use this for the bottom cleat. Then assemble the face frames, door frames and back frame with pocket screws. Steps 3 and 6 show how to mark for the angle cuts where the curved pieces join the straight ones.

Cut the side pieces (B1) to length with 22- degree angles on the tops. Snug the face frame sides to the bottom (C1) and to a 39-in. long spacer and clamp them to the table. Scribe lines on the curved top (A1) and cut off the ends.

Drill pocket holes on the backside of the face frame pieces with a pocket hole jig. Glue the joints and connect them with pocket screws.

Cut backing cleats (B2 and C2) that overlap the face frame joints (Figure A, parts A1, B1 and C1). Predrill and screw them to the back of the face frame.

You can use your miter box to cut angles on the ends of the curved pieces, but you’ll have to steady them by supporting them with one of the scrap concave corners cut from the 1×12. Place the straight edge of the concave scrap against the fence and nestle the curves. Then sight along the blade and adjust the angle to cut along the line.Use this same technique for cutting the angles on the ends of the curved door frame tops (D) as shown here.

Assemble the door frame with pocket screws as shown. Then cut the curved top (D) in half and cut angles on the ends to fit. Attach them with pocket screws as well. Place the assembled door frames in the face frame to check the fit. Plane and sand as needed to allow a 1/8-in. space around and between the door frames.

After assembling the face frame, flip it over and screw on the cleats (B2 and C2). The cleats overlap the joints to add strength and serve as a nailing surface for the floorboards and side panels.

Use the completed face frame as a guide to check the fit of the doors as you build them. The goal is to end up with a 1/8-in. space between the doors and the face frame and between the two doors. Sand or plane them as needed to create an even gap.

Build and fit the door frames first. Then use them as a guide to cut out the tongue-and-groove boards that make up the door panels. Rip the groove off the first board in each door panel and then rip the last board to fit. Glue and nail the boards to the frames and then sand the edges flush. A belt sander works great for this task.

The panels for the sides and back are constructed just like the door panels. You’ll have to rip the tongues and grooves from the outermost boards after figuring out how wide they should be. We can’t give you the exact ripping widths because your boards will probably vary from the ones we used.

The easiest approach is to temporarily assemble the tongue and groove boards, using clamps if needed to draw them tight together. Then mark the panel widths on them, making sure to center the tape so you’ll remove an equal amount from the outside boards. Rip the outside boards to width. Then assemble the panels. Run a small bead of water-resistant wood glue along the tongue of each board before sliding it into the groove.

Clean up any squeezed-out glue right away with a damp cloth. When the glue hardens, the panels will be rigid and strengthen the cabinet. Use construction adhesive to glue the panels to the frames and/or cleats.

Glue and nail the completed panels and face frame together. Then add the floorboards and center panel. Center the curved molding (A2) and nail it to the top of the face frame.

Finally, glue and nail the roof boards along the curve. Start with 1x4s aligned with the ends of the curved molding. Then complete the roof with 1x3s, working from both sides to the center.

To make sure you’re off to a square start, temporarily tack the 1×4 in place. Then set four of the 1x3s on the roof with their ends perfectly aligned and measure the front overhang to make sure it’s consistent. If the overhang is getting larger or smaller, move the back end of the 1×4 down or up, respectively, to correct the problem.

Glue and nail the completed panels and face frame together. Then add the floorboards and center panel. Center the curved molding (A2) and nail it to the top of the face frame.

Finally, glue and nail the roof boards along the curve. Start with 1x4s aligned with the ends of the curved molding. Then complete the roof with 1x3s, working from both sides to the center. To make sure you’re off to a square start, temporarily tack the 1×4 in place.

Then set four of the 1x3s on the roof with their ends perfectly aligned and measure the front overhang to make sure it’s consistent. If the overhang is getting larger or smaller, move the back end of the 1×4 down or up, respectively, to correct the problem.

Screw in the crosspiece (Q) with pocket screws to support the floorboards. Notch the first floorboard (R) to fit around the face frame and glue and nail it down. Cut the back floorboard to fit and nail it in.

Glue and nail together the center divider and attach it to the bottom and back with cleats (T1 and T2) and screws. Attach the top to the ceiling boards after they’re installed.

Nail the curved molding (A2) to the face frame. Then glue and nail the ceiling boards to the top of the cabinet. Start by overhanging the 1x4s as shown and work from both sides to the center with the 1×3 boards. Cut the last piece to fit.

When the cabinet is complete, tip it on its back to install the doors. You can use any strong, gate-type hinge. Just make sure to leave an even space around the perimeter of the doors and between them. Use a belt sander to trim tight spots.

Screw temporary cleats to the back of the face frame to support the doors. Set the doors in place and trim them if necessary to allow 1/8-in. clearance all around. Predrill for hinge screws and screw on the door hinges and hardware.

Center the 24-in. wide copper sheet over the cabinet top with a 1-1/2 in. overhang in front. Mark along the back, front and ends with a permanent marker. Add 1-1/2 in. to the ends and cut the copper sheet to length with a tin snips. Snip the corners as shown. Bend the front, back and ends down over the 2×4 frame.

Start with a 24-in. x 60-in. piece of 16-oz. copper sheeting. Screw down a 2×4 frame on your bench top to provide clearance for bending down the edges. Start by snipping the corners of the copper with a tin snips. Then hand-bend the edges of the sheet down over the 2x4s. The last step is to crimp the edges with the crimping tool to curve the sheet. Keep the crimps parallel by aligning one of the crimping blades in the previously made crimp before squeezing it. Crimp about 12 in. on the front. Then crimp 24 in. on the back to even up the curve. Continue alternating until you reach the end.You can adjust the arch for an exact fit once the copper is back on top of the cabinet. Hold off, however, on nailing the copper in place until you’ve applied a finish to the hutch.

Drill 1/16- in. pilot holes (through the copper only) about every 12 in. along the edges. Then drive small copper or brass weatherstrip nails through the copper into the wood slats to hold the copper roofing in place.

Since the hutch is pine and will rot quickly if left unprotected outdoors, we recommend applying a durable finish. We used oil stain and three coats of spar varnish. Be sure to seal the bottom edges thoroughly. If you’re going to put the hutch in a wet location, install metal or plastic feet on all four corners to elevate it slightly. Setting the hutch on an uneven surface can cause the doors to bind or fit poorly. You may have to shim under the cabinet to level it.