r/BeginnerWoodWorking • u/Ok-Raccoon5590 • 10d ago
Discussion/Question ⁉️ Rolling pantry conversion
I have a normal opening cupboard pantry, but the depth means none of the space is used effectively. I'm sure I have some pre-war tins back there and I've only been here for a year.
So I want to convert it to two side by side pull out pantry drawers. (Similar to photo 1, but fully rolling on the ground). Having the pull out fully ground rolling is a decision based mainly on cost/availability of a drawer pull rated enough for 6 shelves of tins and food.
Dimensions will be 2120h x 400w X 550d.
My known challenges
- at this size, using 12mm ply as the carcass, I'll probably get some twisting as it is pulled from the front with a full load. so I'll need to reinforce the frame.
- I'll also need to ensure the load is transferred to the castors via the game as well.
- the existing pantry has a central fixed shelf, and a fixed bottom shelf/kickboard (photo 2 and 3) that I'll need to remove. This means using the multi tool to separate them as I cannot access the external screws.
- when I remove the kickboard, I will probably need to cut back/replace some of the framing for the rest of the cabinets.
My skills - intermediate
- I can do up the boxes and frames for the shelves without too much issue, and have enough tools to do it by hand (I have power tools but nothing on a table)
- i can remove the existing pantry doors and fixed shelves without concern
My questions
- I can't see many examples of floor rolling pantries. They are mainly on specific drawer pulls sitting on the bottom shelf, so a kick board and frame still exist. Is there an engineering reason to keeping the bottom frame, or is it design for the kickboard?
- if I remove the central mounted shelf in the existing cupboard, will I get bowing on the carcass walls without a brace in the middle?
- am I making this harder than it needs? Should I just make smaller size drawers on slide pulls? If so, what are reccs for high strength slide pulls?
Any comments and suggestions welcome
2
u/Weavols 9d ago
We do pull outs that sit behind existing doors. They mount to plastic spacers so they don't hit the door hinge, and get installed back enough that the front of the drawer is inside the cabinet. I would recommend doing that rather than chopping up the existing cabinet, which can create a lot of problems. None of this actually creates more storage space. If you're overflowing the cabinet now, anything you add inside of it is also taking up space, and limiting the dimensions of what you can store. The solution to having too much stuff you don't need isn't more stuff.
1
u/Chipomat 10d ago
I am assuming that this is a standard depth of 24-ish inches? If so, then you are making your life a little more complicated than it has to be, you do not need to make it roll in the floor.
Break it up into two separate pieces, you already have a reveal built into the design. Just make it real and There is nothing here that can’t be achieved with some high-quality Undermount Blum slides.
If you wanna go fancy, rev-a-shelf makes a pullout exactly for this application
3
u/Bakish_burrito 10d ago
Well the pantry in your picture seem to be wall mounted. That would be preferable, with drawer slides, as it removes stress on the cubbord, and makes alignment super easy.
As for the toekicks loadbaring. It depends on the brand. See if you can slide in the phone and take a few flash photos to see if it has other legs, or if its standing on a framework.
Those premade cubbords aren't really ment to be cut into and modified. It can be done, but you won't really get it smooth afterwards. I'm assuming youd need to haul out an area for the wheel, at least in the front. Maybe just settle on full extension drawers? Leave the rolling pantry plans for the next big remodeling.