WoodWorking Plans Roll-out Shelves.pdf

Shop Notes

Kitchen Cabinet Roll-

Out Shelves

E very kitchen I've worked in has seen me on my

hands and knees rooting around in back of the lower

cabinets. Roll-out shelves like these make those

spaces a lot more convenient.

The roll-out consists of a drawer suspened in an outer tray

on side-mounted drawer glides. The dimensions given here

are suited to my cabinets, 3/4" thick lumber and drawer

glides 1/2" thick. Dimensions should be adjusted to suit

your lumber, drawer glides, and cabinet dimensions.

The tray and drawer could be assembled with butt joints

secured by countersunk screws. Since I spent way too

much on a very good dovetailing machine, I treat these

projects as an opportunity to try different dovetail types and

arrangements. (and not incidentally to justify the purchase

of the machine in the first place)

Drawer bottom possibilities.

a) inset 1/4" plywood

b) rabbetted 1/2" plywood

c) flush trimmed 1/4" plywood

The bottom of the outer tray is 1/4" plywood glued and

nailed in place. My habit is to cut the bottoms oversized,

then trim off with a flush-cutting router bit later. The drawer

bottom could be done the same way as well. I prefer to run

a groove around the inside of the drawer and insert a 1/4"

plywood bottom. If I need to make an unusually large drawer,

I'd probably rabbet the perimeter of a piece of 1/2" plywood

and let that into a groove instead.

Section through finished roll-out.

Outer tray

1/4" plywood

Secure to

cabinet with screws

2 - 1 / 2 "

Drawer

2 - 1 / 2 "

Typical dimensions for outer tray and drawer.