DIY: Spice Rack Drawer
When we first moved into our home, I had no doubt what I wanted to the first project to be. There was a small cabinet next to the stove that was being used to store baking sheets. As there are no cabinets above, I knew I wanted to store spices in there for easy access. I had seen spice draws in kitchen reno videos, but when I found out it would be $100s to buy a premade drawer insert, I turned to the YouTube-versity to learn how to build it myself. Here’s the build, step by step.
Framing
After removing the cabinet door and cleaning inside, I started to build the frame that would become the drawer. I purchased a 2’x4’ sheet of ½” sanded plywood, then measured the width and depth of the drawer, being sure to leave space for the drawer sliders on each side. Custom designing this allowed me to play with where I wanted shelves for different height spices and such. After drawing out my design and double checking my measurements, I cut the plywood into sheets that could be screwed together to make the frame. I used a Kreg jig to drill pilot holes and attach each side together until I had the base of the drawer finished. I then used dowels to enclose the top two shelves, drilling holes and gluing them in place.
Installing Sliders
There are many options of drawer sliders for different sizes and features. I decided on a set of the longest possible sliders for my drawer with a soft close feature as all our other cabinets have this. There are detailed (yet very confusing) instructions on how to install these in the packaging. Of course, with any type of cabinetry, alignment is key. With this cabinet being so small and this being my first time installing these sliders, let’s just say…pièce de resistance.
Pro Tip:
Working in a deep cabinet that is only 6” wide and a full size drill is a chore. If this is your first time installing draw sliders, I would strongly recommend you practice in a larger space first.
Finishing
With the frame finished and the sliders attached, the last step was to finish the drawer. The hinges were then removed as they were no longer needed. I slid the drawer into place then marked where the door would have sat previously.
With the door facing in place, I reattached the handle and slid the drawer back into place!
Pro Tip:
I used lipstick on the top corners of the drawer, then placed the door flush against it. The lipstick then transferred to the inside of the door, so I could remove the drawer again and know exactly where to screw on the door facing so it would be in perfect alignment. A little trick I stole from work!
I was able to complete this project in 2 days and it has been a lifesaver when cooking. If you’re needing easy access to your spices when cooking, I hope you can put this little trick to work for you!
