Pull Out Drawers with Chalkboard Fronts

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 with Chalkboard 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.)

• GE Iron Grip* 100% Silicone Adhesive
• Caulk gun
• Masonite material
• Chalkboard paint
• Chalk
• Pencil
• Nail gun
• Brad nails
• Saw
• Eye protection
• Hearing protection
• Baby wipes
• Backer band moulding
• 1/2″ plywood
• 1/4″ plywood

Optional: Painter’s tape

Cut List:

1/2″ Plywood cut list:

• 2 – 15 ½” x 6 ¼”
• 2 – 11″ x 6¼”

1/4″ Plywood cut list:

• 12″ x 15 ¼”

Masonite panel:

• 12″ x 6 ½”

Backer band moulding:

• 12″

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*. 

*For this project I used the Blum Tandem full extension soft close drawer slides.

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.