How to Build a Kitchen Pantry
A kitchen pantry is an important asset to any kitchen. The pantry is designed for any un-refrigerated items. Designing and building your own pantry can be a challenge to complete, but can be done with a little carpentry experience.
Depending on the design that you have chosen will determine the materials and the quantity of materials you will need. The instructions below are for the bare-bones design pantry.
Supplies needed:
- Box cutter
- Hammer
- Plastic sheet (large)
- Closet or other measured space for the pantry
- Reciprocating saw
- 3/8-inch plywood
- Screws
- Wooden dowels
- Router
- Fiberboard
- Table saw
- Hardware for the shelves
- Drill
- Wood trim
- Cabinet doors
- 1x2-inch wood (different lengths)
- Determine what space you will be using for the pantry. You can use a closet or begin the pantry construction from an empty space. Section off the area you have chosen with the plastic sheet. Hang the sheet from the ceiling, using tape. The plastic sheet is used to protect the area outside of the pantry space in order to prevent dust from getting all over the place.
- Use a hammer to remove all of the drywall in the area of your pantry; cut an even pattern out to make sure the edges are level and neat. The pantry cannot be installed in an area where there is wiring or plumbing pipes. Take measurements of the height, width, and depth of the area.
- Begin designing your area by determining the amount of shelves, the space between each shelf, and also the size of each of the shelves.
- Install the plywood for the frame of the pantry; fasten plywood in place with screws. Plywood is used for a simple design; you can choose a nicer material, such as laminate. You can also add a finish to your wood, prior to installing.
- Measure and cut your shelves; make sure that they are sturdy enough to hold heavy items. Design one shelf at a time, just in case you need to make changes to the size in order to fit in the pantry. Rout the insides of the shelves to make sure it works properly.
- Use wood glue and screws to put the shelf together after countersinking the screws and adding cut dowels. To have a smoother look, countersink the screws in the front.
- Screw slide-out hardware on the sides of the cabinets. Place the shelf on the slide-out hardware, and level off to make sure that the shelf is not crooked. Repeat this step for all of the shelves that will be required to slide-out.
- Add reinforcement to the shelves for extra durability.
- Install at least one non-sliding shelf. The non-sliding shelf is used for the larger pans. Instead of using the slide-out hardware you will glue wood strips to the area for the shelf.
- Add molding to the edges of the drywall to finish off the pantry.