While configuring the new pantry, I knew I wanted to use up any and all available space to maximize storage. A shallow shelf took advantage of the 3 inches behind the door frame in the closet side of the pantry. To prevent items from tumbling off these shelves, you can use thin slats of wood. But, I utilized Vintage Ruler Stops on the Narrow Pantry Shelves. Not only do the rulers prevent items from being bumped or knocked off, but they provide a rainbow of color.
(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)
Cut vintage rulers (or other thin wood material) to the width of the shelf cabinet box. Squeeze a line of Iron Grip Silicone Adhesive along the bottom edge of the shelf and about an inch up on either side.
Press the ruler into the glue and line it up with the bottom edge of the shelf.
Use painter’s tape or a few brad nails to support the ruler while the adhesive cures. Once the GE Iron Grip Adhesive cures it will hold the ruler firmly. Without the adhesive, brad nails will eventually work their way through the wood or fall out.
Repeat for the remaining shelves.
Your shelves are ready to load up with jars and cans!
I love the side storage that was reclaimed in the closet. That was definitely one of my biggest pet peeves about the old pantry — wasted space.
It’s amazing how many jars and cans I can fit on the side.
Do you have a pantry or closet that can use narrow shelves for additional storage? I bet you do ;-).
Did you enjoy that sneak peek of the pantry renovation project? I’m sure you are dying to see what lies behind that closet door. Well, you’re in luck because today you get to see the reveal and learn how I made these Pull Out Drawers with Chalkboard Fronts.
Recently I’ve been putting the finishing touches on the big pantry renovation. Although the space wasn’t that big to start with, I’ve created more usable spots to store our food and pantry items. Part of the renovation involved putting up a wall to create a closet with pull out shelving. This area is 1/3 of the original pantry. But, it holds about 2/3 of the original food items. Amazing!
I started with your standard 6′ wide by 3′ deep closet with bi-fold doors. It may sound like a fair amount of storage space, but the shelves were only 12″ deep and there were only five shelves. Trust me when I say there was a lot of wasted space.
Ready to see the new closet portion of the pantry? Let’s throw open that door and let you see the organization I have in there now!
Hark, I think I hear singing angels! Keep in mind this is only 1/3 of the pantry renovation. The other two thirds will have more storage than you can shake a stick at.
A drastic improvement from the before:
Enough of the ugly, I’m sure you’re really here to find out how to create these fun Pull Out Drawers withChalkboard Fronts.
Before we begin, I want to thank my sponsor for providing me with GE Iron Grip* 100% silicone adhesive for this project and for the giveaway. Just to be clear, I have partnered with the manufacturer of GE-branded sealants and adhesives to bring you this post, and have been compensated for my honest opinions.
Since receiving this product, I have put it to the test. So far I give it a top score. The curing time is much faster than some other adhesives I’ve worked with. What really sets it apart for me is the clear color, so it blends in with any project: wood, metal, masonry, tile, glass, you name it.
Ready to get building? Great! Let’s get busy making these fun organizational chalkboard front drawers.
Building Chalkboard Front Drawers:
This is an easy build project. You don’t have to use a nail gun if you don’t have one. The brad nails simply hold the box structure in place while the adhesive cures. If you do choose to not use the nail gun, be sure to secure the box with clamps for the required clamp time.
Materials:
(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)
Note: If you are using the drawers in an existing cabinet box, measure your opening and create the drawer to your specifications. You’ll also want to follow the guidelines and measurements provided by the drawer slide manufacturer*.
To make things simple for you, I put together this brief video to show you how to build the chalkboard front boxes:
Instructions:
Sand the edges of your plywood pieces to knock off any splinters.
Paint one side of the masonite panel with two coats of chalkboard paint (sand between coats.)
Dry fit your plywood drawer pieces together.
Cut off the tip of your GE Iron Grip* adhesive tube.
Use the stick on your caulk gun to puncture the inner seal.
Run a line of adhesive along the sides of your front and back pieces.
Sandwich the front and back pieces between the side pieces.
Check the box to see if it is square by measuring both diagonals and making adjustments until they are the same length.
Add 2-3 brad nails into the side pieces to secure the box while the adhesive cures.
Wipe off any excess adhesive with a baby wipe or damp paper towel.
If you haven’t cut your 1/4″ plywood base yet, that’s fine. I prefer to cut the base after building the drawer box to insure an accurate fit. Lay the box on top of the 1/4″ plywood and mark the perimeter onto the base.
Cut the plywood base and sand any rough edges.
Run a line of adhesive along the bottom edges of your drawer box.
Line up the base and press it onto the drawer box.
Secure the base with a few nails to hold it in place while the GE Iron Grip* adhesive cures.
Wipe off any excess adhesive that may have squeezed out.
Time to add the chalkboard face. Add a liberal amount of GE Iron Grip* adhesive to the front panel of your drawer.
Center the chalkboard panel on your drawer front. Press firmly on the chalkboard panel to set in place. Let the drawer sit face up until the adhesive has cured.
For a finishing touch, add your backer band piece to act as a handle. Run a line of GE Iron Grip* adhesive along the inside edge of the backer band moulding.
Press the backer band over the front edge of the plywood drawer and chalkboard panel.
Insert your drawers into any cabinet box using the drawer slides of your choice or simply slide the drawer box onto a shelf for better organization of smaller items.
I’m loving my new full extension chalkboard front drawers. It helps the kids (and me) find all our pantry items and keep them organized.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for GE –branded sealants and adhesives.
*Iron Grip is a trademark of Momentive Performance Materials Inc.
https://prettyhandygirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/chalkboard-drawers-3.jpg486730Brittany Baileyhttps://prettyhandygirl.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/PHG-logo-tagline-2020-1030x211-R.jpgBrittany Bailey2017-06-01 12:00:002017-06-14 12:01:37Pull Out Drawers with Chalkboard Fronts
Hey everyone!! It’s Shara from Woodshop Diaries back to show you How to Build a Tall & Skinny Storage Cabinet. This storage unit works perfectly as a bathroom linen cabinet. Of course, it could work elsewhere besides a bathroom. An entryway would make another perfect spot for it. I use mine in the bathroom because it is the perfect size for towels, toilet paper rolls, baskets, and cleaning supplies.
If you need something a bigger, you can check out this “whatchamacallit” cabinet that would be really cute for storing linens and such. Ready to learn How to Build a Tall & Skinny Storage Cabinet? Let’s gather a few items and get building.
Tools:
(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)
Cut down your 3/4” plywood. I used a Kreg Rip Cut to help with this, but you could also use a straight edge with your circular saw, or skip the circular saw altogether and use a table saw.
Cut your plywood into two 13” wide strips. Then, cut two pieces at 40” long. You will also cut five pieces at 14 ½”. And finally, one piece at 16” long. Did you get all that?? Lots of cutting at first, but the rest is easy 🙂
Drill pocket holes into both ends of all five of the 14 ½” pieces…
…and into only ONE end of the 40” pieces.
Assemble the Cabinet
Attach the shelves between the two 40” boards using 1 ¼” pocket hole screws. Make sure you attach the bottom shelf on the opposite end from where you drilled the holes on the 40” boards. Those are for attaching the top later.
Space the shelves 7 ¼” apart. It helps to use a measuring tape and square to line them up.
Before you attach the last shelf, attach the top (the 16” long piece you cut in step 1 using 1 ¼” pocket hole screws.)
Then, attach the last shelf in place.
Add Trim:
Measure and cut the cove molding to fit along the top and bottom edges of the cabinet. Using wood glue and 1 ¼” brad nails, attach cove molding along the edges of the top and bottom.
Putty the nail holes and corners. Let the putty dry while you move on to the next steps.
Cut two pieces of your 1” x 4” board at 13” long and one piece at 16” long. Miter both corners of the 16” long piece at 45 degrees and miter one end of each 13” long piece.
Use a jig saw to cut out a decorative pattern in the pieces (if desired). I used a stain can to help me draw perfect curves.
Sand all the pieces, then glue them together at the corners and use 1 ¼” brad nails to hold them in place.
Flip your cabinet upside down and glue this piece onto the bottom making sure everything is square and lined up nicely. You can use a heavy object or clamps to hold it in place until the glue dries.
Construct Drawers:
You don’t necessarily have to add drawers. You could leave it open if you’d like. To see how to make drawers, check out my post about maknig drawers here.
You could cut a piece of ¾” plywood from the remaining sheet 5 ½” wide and then cut two pieces 12” long and one piece 12 ¾” long. Glue and nail the 12” long pieces onto the end of the 12 ¾” piece.
Cut a piece of 1/4” plywood to 12” x 14 ¼” and glue and nail it onto the bottom of the drawer box.
Then cut another small piece of 3/4” plywood 1/4” narrower and about 1/8 – 1/4” shorter. Making sure your box stays square, glue and nail this piece onto the front of the drawer. I added some thin wood strips to the front for decoration. That’s optional.
Finally, to keep the drawer in its place, glue and nail some small pieces of scrap wood onto the back to keep the drawer from sliding out the back side.
I’m really anxious to show you a sneak peek of the pantry renovation project. I’m not 100% done, but the finish line is close. This is a good spot to give you a pantry progress update and show you the process of turning a bi-fold door pantry into something with more functional storage, not to mention coolness factor.
This is where the project began:
That was our 6′ wide and 3′ deep pantry back in 2012 shortly after a small water leak left us with a gutted kitchen. After the restoration crew installed the new subfloor (because of the asbestos abatement), I took the ugly bi-fold doors off and fully intending to include the pantry in my complete DIY kitchen renovation. By the time I finished the kitchen renovation, I was exhausted and longing for a break. Four years later, this is where the pantry progressed until a few months ago.
Big difference right? Just kidding. I installed flooring and a new light fixture, but that’s it. I had dreams of making an open pantry and showed this sketch to my friend Sandra from SawdustGirl.com back in 2013.
She and I talked through some ideas and then I sat on the project for a couple of years. By this time I had revised my idea on the pantry and drew up a new sketch:
(Please don’t show that to my illustration professors. That’s one rough sketch there.)
The idea was to partition off the right hand side of the pantry and create a small closet with a door. To get the most storage possible, I moved over to SketchUp to draw out plans for the small closet.
Next it was time to cut the shelves out and get this project rolling.
Our dining room took over pantry duties as I began the framing process in the gutted pantry.
I’m sure you’re going to ask me why I didn’t remove the framing over the doorway. I decided to leave it in place because the door frame is made up of a large double header and the kids’ bathtub is directly over the header. Basically I didn’t want to risk the tub falling through the ceiling.
New wiring was run for two outlets on the left side and I moved an outlet down toward the floor on the right side.
I tried to hire my favorite electrician to install a door frame switch for the light, but he explained how to do it and left without taking my money. (I owe him big time.)
In the end, I’m grateful for his advice and for pushing me out of my comfort zone. It wasn’t as hard as I expected.
Next up on the to do list was to build the cabinetry for the closet.
After the boxes were built and painted, I carefully installed them into the closet. Some white caulk and trim moulding were added to give it a more finished look.
Hello everyone, it’s Brittany again from by Brittany Goldwyn, and this month I’m back to share another pet DIY. Last month I shared a tutorial on how to make a raised pet feeder—this month I’m sharing a tutorial for a simple and modern cat scratcher! Yes, I do love my babies. 🙂
This DIY is simple. I tried to keep the tools and steps to a minimum. This would be a nice alternative to the more complicated tree branch cat tree tutorial I created a few years ago. This one can be knocked out in a few hours (including the time it took the paint to dry.)
Want to make a Modern DIY Cat Scratcher Post for your kitty? Read on!
Materials:
(I’ve included affiliate links for your convenience. I earn a small percentage from a purchase using these links. There is no additional cost to you. You can read more about affiliate links here.)
3/4″ plywood, I used a scrap from my wood pile that was about 14″ x 14″
If you’re pulling from your scrap wood pile, find a piece that is large enough to make a stable base. (This one is 14″ x 14″, but something as small as 12″ x 12″ would probably be fine.) If you’re using a new piece of plywood, you can purchase a 2′ x 2′ piece of 3/4″ birch plywood at Lowe’s for about $10. They can help you cut it down to your desired size in store for free.
(Note: 1/4″ or 1/2″ plywood will work. However, the added weight of the 3/4″ plywood will help stabilize the base while your kitty is getting some scratches in.)
Step 2: Cut the scratcher piece.
If you’re purchasing a 2″ wooden dowel from a big-box hardware store, it will probably come in a 48″ length. You can have the cutting station cut it in half for you.
Step 3: Polish and paint the base.
Grab your sandpaper or orbital sander and sand the edges. To customize the piece, you can use painter’s tape and craft paint to paint a design onto the base. (This step is optional but gives a nice personalized touch to the scratcher, plus you can customize it to match your decor. I used DecoArt Americana Decor Satin Enamels in Classic Black and Metallics in Antique Bronze.)
Step 4: Start the scratching post.
While the base is drying, grab your jute or sisal, adhesive, and staple gun.
Put on disposable gloves and slather adhesive on the post where the rope will go. This is messy, but it’s the easiest way to ensure your rope remains firmly adhered to the post. Staple the end of the rope onto your post, making sure it is stapled over an area that has glue.
Begin wrapping the rope tightly around the post. stop every 30 seconds or so to ensure you’re not creating any gaps. Add an additional staple halfway through if you need to take a break.
Step 5: Finish the scratching post.
Add additional glue and continue wrapping until you’ve created your scratching post. You can wrap the entire post or just a portion of it as shown below. Secure the rope in place by stapling the end to the post.
Once the glue has dried completely, use pliers to remove the staples. (You don’t want kitty’s claws getting caught on one.) If the ends pop up simply add a dab and re-glue.
Step 6: Attach the post to the base.
Dab adhesive on the bottom of the post. You want to use enough to ensure the entire base is covered, but don’t use so much that it will seep out when you press the post onto the base. Press the post into the center of the base and let dry. If possible, add a book or something else to the top of the post to apply pressure.
Once the glue has dried completely, let your kitty check out the new digs and get to work tearing it apart!
I tried to get a photo of my girl using the scratcher, but every time I pulled out my camera she stopped. I even tried to bribe them with catnip…but this is the closest I got to a good photo.
If you like this project, you’ll love these pet projects:
