Every kitchen, laundry room or garage has that one place- you know the one- that skinny section from the floor to the ceiling that makes you nuts. You’d store stuff in there if you could just figure out how.
We all have them. We pile brooms and mops in the space, and then grumble when they fall to the back. We lament the wasted space, and then gripe about “stuff that can’t be stored anywhere else.”
Here is a pull out shelf made for those narrow spaces. On caster wheels, it moves easily.
This article will present one space with measurements. Modify it to fit your needs.
You will need:
· Measuring tape and markers · Table saw or circular saw with straight edge · Wood screws, #10, 1 ½” long · Wood screws, #8, 3/4″ long · Wood glue of choice, or construction adhesive · One sheet ¾” plywood · One sheet ¼” plywood · One sheet ½” plywood · Four heavy- duty casters- I used 3″ casters · One drawer handle for pull · Six utility hooks · Wood stain or primer and paint · Sandpaper
Step One:
I measured the space between my refrigerator and the side wall- 14″ wide all the way to the ceiling. Not wide enough for a commercially built cabinet, but this pull out cabinet will work fine.
The space was 38″ deep, but I didn’t need that much. I decided to make my cabinet 36″ deep to leave air space for the refrigerator coils to cool.
After sitting down with a pencil and paper, the cabinet is basic, and works fine. The cabinet will be six feet tall and thirty-six inches deep, and ten inches wide.
Step Two:
I cut cabinet carcass from the ¾” plywood. The tops were 36″ long, and 10″ wide. I cut the front and back 70 ½” long.
I sanded each piece, then selected the best sides to show. I made a rectangle with the front and back inside the top and bottom. Construction adhesive, (I like Liquid Nails) holds like iron.
I drilled pilot holes, applied construction adhesive to the wood, and then attached the pieces with the #10 screws.
Step Three:
After allowing the glue to set for 24 hours, I stood the cabinet up on it’s end. It looked good.
I laid it back down on it’s side, and marked the spots for the casters. I decided on evenly spaced shelves in the cabinet, and decided to make four of them.
I located and marked the center of the front and back, then located the center from that mark to the top and the bottom. I made marks across the front and back clearly so I could see where to mount the shelves.
Step Four:
I cut four shelves from the ½” plywood, each 34 ½” long and 9 ½” wide. I placed the bottom of each shelf on the marks inside the cabinet, drilled pilot holes and secured the shelves using the #10 screws.
Centering the shelves will leave ¼” space on each side. This is crucial to the next step.
Step Five:
I cut eight shelf supports from the ¼” plywood, each 4″ tall and 34 ½” long. I placed each side support against the shelves and secured in place with construction glue and the #8 screws. Drilling pilot holes in narrow plywood first prevents the wood from splitting.
Step Six:
I laid the cabinet on it’s side, and secured the casters on the bottom using the screws provided by the manufacturer.
Across the bottom of the first shelf, I attached the six utility hooks.
Step Seven:
I sanded and painted the cabinet, and allowed the paint to dry for a couple of days. I mounted the drawer pull on the front.
I cleared the empty space, and rolled the cabinet into position. Perfect. I pulled it out, and mounted the mop, broom, dustpan and other cleaning tools on the utility hooks.
Household cleaners now have a place that’s easily accessible. I can move this puppy from room to room, if I don’t feel like carrying everything. If small children are coming over, I just roll it out of the room.
Notes:
· “Sand as you go” is one thing I try to teach friends. It makes the final priming and painting go much faster. · Build as few or as many shelves as you need- it’s your cabinet. · Store canned goods you can access quickly- no more “mystery cans” at the back any more. · In RV’s, a hook or locking device will keep the cabinet in place while in transit. Switch to locking casters, or use drawer pulls instead. · Within a year of building this cabinet, I attached plywood sides to the top and used that as storage space, as well.
Your new cabinet can be as wide or as narrow as the space dictates. Use two narrow cabinets for two different types of storage.
Source: Ron Hazelton, “How to Convert a Closet into a Pantry With Pull-Out Storage,” Ron Hazelton website, no date given
Source: The author of this article has over 40 years of experience in diverse forms of DIY, home improvement and repair, crafting, designing, and building furniture, outdoor projects and more.