DIY Pull Out Shelves! Really, You Can Do It!

You can do this!

Deep cabinets are a common occurrence in many older homes; sometimes in not-so-old homes. These monstrosities are often wasted space; the black hole of cabinetry, if you will. We have found a couple of DIY solutions that are cost-effective and easily done! Well, not easy-peasy, but you won't have to have a degree in architecture either! 

Photo courtesy Creatively Living Blog

AIVA Says... Measure, measure, measure! There's nothing like getting in the middle of the project and having the wrong dimensions!

Remove existing shelves. If you have a wide cabinet with no dividers, you will first need to build a “middle wall” in the cupboard - plywood would work. Purchase slides at your local hardware store. Depending on the length you need, they can be purchased for as low as $8. Make sure they will hold the weight of what you’re planning to put on the shelves. Next, build out supports for slides on the inside of the cabinets. You could use scrap wood for this. Make sure the slides line up with the opening of the cabinet. Attach the slides to your supports.

Photo courtesy of Runner Duck Resources

Almost there! All that's left is to build your frame or shelf! You could use 1x4s or 1x2s -  whatever you've measured out! Put the sides together and nail on the bottom. Once you've got your frame built, attach the sliders and voila! Sliding drawers in your cabinets!

Photo courtesy of Do or DIY

As always, please carefully plan before diving right in! With a little planning, you can have sturdy, pull out shelves in your kitchen.