What You’ll Need
Tools |
Materials |
Drill |
Wood glue |
Screwdriver |
Screws |
Clamps |
½ - inch plywood |
Undermount drill guide |
¼ - inch plywood |
Corner clamps |
Undermount soft-close drawer slides |
Circular saw/jigsaw |
|
Estimated Time |
|
6 to 7 hours |
Having convenient storage space is key in every kitchen. Many homeowners will often prefer to have customized cabinets to fit their specific needs. However, that may not always be the case in certain kitchens. Then again, there’s nothing stopping you from modifying a part of your existing cabinetry — especially if you didn’t get to customize it in the first place.
Certain storage spaces tend to be somewhat inconvenient. For instance, imagine trying to reach for something from the back of a base cabinet. Now imagine how easier it would be if that cabinet had a drawer. You’ll be happy to find out that building your own DIY under-shelf pull-out drawer is a relatively easy project. With a few tools and materials in hand — and an afternoon to spare — you can give your cabinet the modification it needs.
Determine the Size of Your Drawer
Begin by measuring the cabinet in which you’re going to install the DIY drawer and determine the size you want it to be. If your cabinet is wide, you can even go for two adjacent drawers — in which case you’ll need to measure the cabinet hinge-to-hinge and divide the number by two. It’s a good idea to subtract half an inch or so to account for any errors in measurement.
Bear in mind that this measurement takes into account the drawers and their slides. The label that comes with the drawer slides will usually mention the spacing between the drawer and the slide account. You’ll want to exclude the spacing from each side of the drawer when measuring it. In most cases, cabinets come in standard depths. When it comes to determining the depth of your drawer, it’s best to go with the standard 21 inches.
The math and measurements involved in this project are usually the trickiest. That is why it’s to be as thorough as possible. Mistakes are always possible, which is why it’s a good idea to always calculate twice.