Hey there, fellow DIY enthusiasts! Robert Kline here, and I’m excited to share my latest woodworking project with you: a versatile pantry cabinet with adjustable shelves AND pull-out drawers. This design is perfect for any room in your house needing extra storage. The best part? You can easily customize it to fit your specific needs and space. Let’s dive right in!
Planning Your Dream Pantry Cabinet
Before we grab our tools, let’s go over a few key considerations:
Determining the Perfect Size
- Height: While standard pantry cabinets are around 84 inches tall, I built mine a full 8 feet high. The plans below cater to a standard height, but you can easily adjust the side panels’ length for a taller unit.
- Width: Simply modify the top, middle, and bottom shelves’ length – making them 1 ½ inches shorter than your desired cabinet width.
- Depth: The plans outline a cabinet box with a depth of 23 inches, with the doors adding an extra inch. Adjust the side panels and shelf widths for a deeper or shallower unit.
Pro Tip: Whether you envision a freestanding storage solution or integrating it with your existing cabinets, always secure it to the wall to prevent tipping hazards.
Customizing Your Shelving
- Heavy-Duty Drawers: The pull-out drawer shelves in this design are built to withstand hefty items. However, you can opt for lighter ¼-inch plywood bottoms if you’re storing lighter items.
- Adjustable Shelves: For maximum flexibility, go for adjustable shelves throughout the cabinet.
- Combination of Both: Like me, you can have the best of both worlds by incorporating both adjustable shelves and pull-out drawers.
Robert Kline Art Recommends: Before you start building, measure the items you intend to store to determine the ideal spacing for your shelves and drawers.
Gearing Up: Tools and Materials
Tools of the Trade
- Drill/Driver
- Circular Saw with plywood cutting guides
- Pocket Hole Jig
- Brad or Finish Nailer
- Jig Saw
- Concealed Hinge Jig
- Shelf Pin Jig
- Miter Saw
Material Checklist:
- (2) 4’x8′ sheets of ¾” plywood
- (1) 4’x8′ sheet of ½” plywood (optional, for doors)
- (1) 4’x8′ sheet of ¼” plywood
- (3) 1″x2″x8′ boards
- (1) 1″x3″x8′ board
- 1 ¼” pocket hole screws
- 1 ¼” & 2 ½” wood screws
- 1 ¼” long brad or finish nails
- Wood glue
- (5) pairs of face frame 1 ¼” overlay (or your preferred) hinges
- (2) pairs of 20″ drawer slides
- Shelf pins
- Edge banding (optional, but recommended)
- Drawer pulls/knobs
Let’s Get Building: Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1: Bringing the Cabinet Box to Life
Shara Woodshop Diaries opening pantry cabinet door to show shelves inside
Just like most cabinet projects, we’ll begin by cutting the plywood. Refer to the printable plans for detailed cut diagrams. For a polished look and durability, I recommend using cabinet-grade hardwood plywood such as birch or maple.
Robert Kline Art Tip: A toe kick is standard in most floor cabinets, created by cutting a notch in the bottom front corners of the side panels. However, it’s optional for this design.
Once the pieces are cut, assemble the cabinet box using ¾” pocket holes and 1 ¼” pocket hole screws. Remember, we’ll add a face frame to the front, so position the bottom panel about ⅝” up from the toe kick’s bottom edge. I placed the “middle” panel about 24″ from the top panel, but feel free to adjust it according to your storage needs.
Step 2: Framing the Front
Measure the cabinet’s overall width and height (from the top to the toe kick’s bottom). Using these measurements, assemble a face frame to fit the front. I used 1x2s for most of the frame, opting for 1x3s for the top and right sides.
Robert Kline Art Explains: Using a 1×3 at the top allows for crown molding later on. The 1×3 on the right side (which will be against the wall) enables me to create a built-in filler strip. This strip accommodates baseboard installation, prevents doors from rubbing against the wall, and factors in any uneven drywall corners.
After assembling the face frame, attach it securely to the front of the cabinet using glue and nails. Remember to fill the nail holes and sand them down for a smooth finish.
Step 3: Enclosing the Back
Flip the cabinet over and cut a piece of ¼” plywood to fit the back. You can secure it in place using staples, glue and nails, or screws.
Step 4: Installing the Pull-Out Drawer Shelves
Our pull-out shelves are essentially shallow drawer boxes. I used ¾” plywood spacer blocks to mount the slides due to the face frame.
Mark the desired locations for your drawer shelves on the cabinet’s sides. Glue and screw the ¾” plywood strips at these marks. I maintained a spacing of approximately 12″ between mine.
Next, install 20″ side mount slides onto these blocks, ensuring they’re mounted at the same height on both sides. Now, assemble two simple drawer boxes using ¾” plywood and attach them to the slides within the cabinet.
Step 5: Adding Adjustable Shelves
With the pull-out shelves in, let’s add the adjustable shelves. Utilize a shelf pin jig to drill shelf pin holes above the pull-out drawers on both sides of the cabinet.
Cut two ¾” plywood shelves to size and install them using shelf pins. The beauty of this system? You can easily rearrange the shelves up or down by repositioning the shelf pins.
Step 6: Crafting and Hanging the Doors
From simple plywood panels to tongue-and-groove designs, countless ways exist to build cabinet doors. For this project, I opted for a “faux frame and panel” style using ½” plywood and ¼” plywood strips.
Remember to size your doors accurately. I used concealed hinges for a clean, integrated look. Install two hinges on the smaller, top doors and three on the taller, bottom doors, ensuring the middle hinge doesn’t obstruct the pull-out shelves.
Test the fit of the doors before moving on to finishing.
Step 7: Finishing Touches and Installation
Prime and paint the cabinet and doors separately for ease of application. Once the finish is completely dry, install the pantry in its designated location. Use shims as needed to ensure it’s level and square on the floor.
Secure the cabinet to the wall studs using 2 ½” screws through the back supports. To complete the look, cut and install a ¾” plywood toe kick along the front.
Robert Kline Art Tip: Conceal any gaps around the base of the cabinet caused by shims by adding baseboard molding, quarter round, cove, or shoe molding for a polished finish.
Your DIY Pantry Cabinet Awaits!
Congratulations! You’ve successfully built a beautiful and functional pantry cabinet. This project is a testament to your craftsmanship and creativity. Now, load it up with your pantry staples, knowing you’ve created a storage solution as unique as you are.
Don’t forget to share pictures of your creations on social media and tag @RobertKlineArt. Happy building!