How To Build a Simple Under-Cabinet Drawer for More Kitchen Storage

Let’s face it, we could all use a little extra storage space in the kitchen. But I don’t really need an entire new layout, and my DIY skills aren’t such that I need to be ripping out and installing new cabinets. I just want something so I don’t have to jam even more utensils into the same drawer or squeeze one more spice jar into an overstuffed cabinet.

That’s what’s great about this under-cabinet drawer project. It’s simple to make and adds just enough space to give you some more flexibility in keeping your kitchen organized.

For lumber, you’ll need 1/4-in. plywood for each drawer bottom (see Figure A), 1×3 for the drawer box and 1×4 for the drawer supports, drawer front and trim board. (You’ll need two trim boards if the drawer is visible from both sides.)

We used poplar for all the parts because the exposed parts will be painted to match the cabinets. But if you have natural wood cabinets, choose your wood and finish to match. Paint or finish the drawer front and trim boards before installing them.

Matching your cabinets

Matching the finish on your existing cabinets can be tricky. Take a cabinet door with you to a paint store and get some help. Unscrew the hinges or, if you have European hinges, just unclip them. At the store they’ll be able to match up your cabinet paint colors, sheens and stain colors to get a finish that will make your new under-cabinet drawers look like they were built right along with the cabinets.

Side-mount drawer slides made easy

Ordinarily, installing drawers with side-mount slides is very challenging. But with this technique, everything is built around the drawer, making it very easy.

Most upper cabinets are 12 in. deep. If that’s the case with yours, you’ll need a pair of 10-in. side-mount drawer slides for each drawer. You won’t find 10-in. slides at home centers; you’ll have to search for them online or shop at a woodworking store. If you have unusually deep cabinets, you can create deeper drawers and use 12-in. slides, which are readily available at home centers.

Modifying the under-cabinet drawer

Peek under your cabinets and you’ll see the cavities. You can put several drawers under a row of cabinets if you wish, but each cabinet needs a separate drawer. If you’re putting in adjoining drawers, hold off on cutting the drawer fronts until all the drawers are installed so you can cut them to fit with even gaps between them. For single cabinet drawers, go ahead and cut the fronts the same length as the cabinet drawers face.

You won’t need any drawer pulls. Because the drawer front drops about an inch below the drawer, you’ll have a built-in lip on the underside for a finger pull.

Figure A