Uploaded January 2016 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Who doesn't like a hidden compartment? Keep that stash safe from intruders with this simple cupboard mod! If you really have nothing to hide, at least you can cram those festive but tacky seasonal plates in there until next year.
Pro-tip: Before you cut a square hole like the one shown here, it helps to first drill out the corners with a spade or Forstner bit. The four circular holes can then be used to get a blade through instead of just puncturing through the material. Plus, now that the corners are defined, they can be connected with a cut, and the hole will have a nice clean radius. Just cut along the edge of the circle as closely as you can.
A Jigsaw would also work very nicely here, but be sure to use a blade that has lots of little teeth for this type of material; a blade that has big, aggressive-looking shark-fin teeth is more suited to gnawing through 2x4, and is not really for making a clean cut in thin or delicate plywood.
Who doesn't like a hidden compartment? Keep that stash safe from intruders with this simple cupboard mod! If you really have nothing to hide, at least you can cram those festive but tacky seasonal plates in there until next year.
Pro-tip: Before you cut a square hole like the one shown here, it helps to first drill out the corners with a spade or Forstner bit. The four circular holes can then be used to get a blade through instead of just puncturing through the material. Plus, now that the corners are defined, they can be connected with a cut, and the hole will have a nice clean radius. Just cut along the edge of the circle as closely as you can.
A Jigsaw would also work very nicely here, but be sure to use a blade that has lots of little teeth for this type of material; a blade that has big, aggressive-looking shark-fin teeth is more suited to gnawing through 2x4, and is not really for making a clean cut in thin or delicate plywood.
