Increase the amount of storage space in a small kitchen

Installing pull-out storage drawers allows you to have full access to cabinet space for storing most kitchen items.

 

Simply by removing the centre panel [stile] on a cabinet and attaching it to the door, you can install wider pull out shelves inside your cabinets, and it only takes about a hour to do it.

ABOVE: These kitchen cabinets have granite countertops, which must be supported with additional supports, so do not attempt this conversion if you have granite tops without adding the extra supports.

BELOW: Newly installed pull-out drawers in all cabinets provide far more storage than traditional shelves.

BELOW: A length of 16mm SupaWood is cut to fit across the back of the drawer supports and is then glued and screwed in place.

A strip of PG Bison SupaWood is cut the width of the cabinet inside from wall to wall; the strip is pre-drilled for pilot holes and screws partially driven in to make it easier to attach it to the horizontal rails beneath the cabinet drawers. This will provide the extra support if you have a heavy granite countertop.

GOOD TO KNOW

Clamp the support in place to make it easier to attach.

 

Close the door onto the frame and make a pencil mark on the centre stile showing where the edge of the door aligns with the stile. Drill 3 to 4 holes along the length of the centre stile between the mark made for the door and the edge of the center stile. Drill entirely through the centre stile, then close the door and from the inside of the cabinet. Drill pilot holes into the door.

GOOD TO KNOW

DO NOT drill through the door - a small pilot hole is all that is needed.

You need to be very careful when cutting out the centre stile, as you are going to be keeping this piece to attach to the back of one door. Check to see if the centre stile can be removed by unscrewing.

If you are easily able to match the existing cabinet finish you might be able to cut a new centre stile, but otherwise try to remove this piece so that you can re-use it.

In most cases you will need to cut out this section. Use a hacksaw and new blade to do this. However, with a bit of clever clamping you could also use a jigsaw.

GOOD TO KNOW

Sand away approximately 2mm from top and bottom of the stile with a sander to give a small gap and prevent binding.

Use 30mm wood screws to attach the centre stile to the back of the left or right door. The pilot holes that you previously drilled will ensure that the centre stile is aligned correctly onto the back of the door. You are now ready to make and install the pull-out shelves inside of the cabinet.

ABOVE and BELOW: Wide pull-out shelves increase the amount of storage area in kitchen cabinets. Here is a view of a completed kitchen cabinet with pull-out shelves.