Understairs cupboards....first project of this type ever

[newbie_andy]

Evening all,

I am conducting my first project of this kind with an understairs unit. It will eventually have three draws and then a 'open' wine race in top right.

I have been playing around in OnShape and mocked this up so far. Not perfect but will give a good guide and will still be measuring as go anyway.

Im thinking from bits i have seen to do draws out of Plywood probably 18mm thick....Unless people feel it would be overkill, just assume will be strongest, and have more meat for the screws(along with glue)??

Also the front will be MDF, with a plywood front to the draw behind it.

Beams i'm thinking of 4x2 (which i believe equates to about 89mmx39mm in timber,) with support for runners being 2x1.

As this is my first project, any advice on materials would be appreciated.

 

[Molynoox]

Don't listen to me but I made a drawer unit recently out of 18mm birch and I think the drawer bottoms should have been thinner material as the drawers are quite heavy.
Wait for some proper advice but this should get things rolling anyway

Martin

 

[Jones]

From the drawings it looks like your drawers are very large and will be very heavy when full. You could put them on castors but if you go for full extension runners they'll have to be very strong expensive ones. I would suggest more drawers on lighter runners would be better. Ideally use 9 mm ply for drawer bases 18 for sides. If you look on freecycle you may get kitchen drawers/ runners for free.

 

[Doug71]

An alternative way to make understair cupboards/drawers which a lot of people use is to make individual cabinets (like a kitchen unit). You can then just slide the cabinets in, level them up and put a bit of trim around them.

You can do it using 4x2 as in your drawings but it can be tricky getting everything exactly plumb, square and parallel. If it's not spot on you can have trouble with the drawer fronts not lining up which doesn't look great especially if you are going for a modern, clean look.

 

[newbie_andy]

From the drawings it looks like your drawers are very large and will be very heavy when full. You could put them on castors but if you go for full extension runners they'll have to be very strong expensive ones. I would suggest more drawers on lighter runners would be better. Ideally use 9 mm ply for drawer bases 18 for sides. If you look on freecycle you may get kitchen drawers/ runners for free.

Thank you for replies. I had miscalculated a bit and when original looked at runners I saw some for 100kg for £50... Which would be enough for our 'treasure'.... But Didn't think at time about the weight of the actual draw itself.... Higher load runners jump up in price!

 

[Ollie78]

Instead of "drawer runners" you could look up linear bearing guides. These are the industrial version of drawer runners and thus have much higher capacity.
If going for such big drawers I would consider fitting guides top and bottom or at least some quite high up the sides.

Ollie

 

[johna.clements]

I assume that the drawers will open into a room so that you can get around them and they will not be blocking the hall which could be a pain. Have you considered putting a divider in the drawers and making it two sided. maybe one deep side the other narrow for small things.

My first job was extending the under stair space with some plaster boarded stud work. I shelved out the place but made the shelves a bit wide, ok for me but may not be so good for anybody bigger.

 

[Terry - Somerset]

Depending on the flooring (ideally tile or wood) you could put castors on the front edge of the large drawers which would take the weight of the contents and use only a single runner on each side to support the back of the drawer and locate it as it is pulled in and out.

The castors would sit just behind the "plinth/skirting" which would need to be 5-10mm off the floor.

 

[Jacob]

Instead of "drawer runners" you could look up linear bearing guides. These are the industrial version of drawer runners and thus have much higher capacity.
If going for such big drawers I would consider fitting guides top and bottom or at least some quite high up the sides.

Ollie

Or look at trad drawer runners made of wood, which have always worked very well and will cost absolutely nothing, if you have a few offcuts lying about. Might have to modify the design a bit to make them work.
It's odd how trad runners are completely ignored nowadays, in favour of some very expensive steel gadgets!

 

[Ollie78]

Or look at trad drawer runners made of wood, which have always worked very well and will cost absolutely nothing, if you have a few offcuts lying about. Might have to modify the design a bit to make them work.
It's odd how trad runners are completely ignored nowadays, in favour of some very expensive steel gadgets!

True, its a possible solution, I guess it depends what he is putting in the drawers, could be very heavy, they look big.
Also if he wants full extension like in the picture it could be tricky.
I don't like the idea of wheels running on the floor as it will wear the floor over time and be awful if it's carpet.

I think @Doug71 has the right idea of building them as individual carcasses like a kitchen.

Ollie

 

[newbie_andy]

Thanks for the ideas.

Maybe it is correct about size/weight being too big.

Will look at maybe splitting the right draw definitely.

And look into other ideas

 

[pulleyt]

I had a go at this a few years ago. In the end I went for a full carcass and drawer construction.

Understands storage

It did mean I used a lot more plywood which was certainly cheaper then!

 

[newbie_andy]

Evening,

Been debating back and forth whether to keep original plan of construction or go to the carcass method.

I have decided will likely have a door and shelf on the right side, so will be stronger and wont have to worry about the runners and weight....(this is be a storage for boxes as loft not accessible, so doesn't need runners anyway..

Only thing i can think, is like mentioned above, full carcass will probably cost more in material....

Is there a benefit to one or the other or just preference?

 

[Molynoox]

Why not just keep your original beam work/ internal structure but instead of cabinets on runners just attach simple plywood shelves onto some horizontal supports. You could put some thin 6mm ply sides on too to stop things falling out sideways. That would be pretty cheap to do.

 

[Doug71]

If you are having a door on the right now maybe you could go for a bit of a hybrid, just make a carcass for the middle section with drawers in?

 

[Shultzy]

This is what I made for a friend. I made it with 3/4 mdf but in hindsight it might have been better in 1/2 ply or mdf. Drawer slides weren't heavy duty.

 

[newbie_andy]

Evening all.. Sorry for the radio silence, life got in the way of planning this, and also change of ideas from the boss....and a lot of indecision lol.
Think this is the design i am going to make.

Decided to have a draw nad two cupboard doors are bottom for shoes, and storage boxes( no loft space!)...Then some simple shelving...
Ended up deciding to keep it simple in material, and figured all framing would be something like CSL timber 38x89 (saw in wickes, but not looked elsewhere yet) and most of the panelling and shelves 18mm ply, with 12mm for the backs.. Not drawn in some trim pieces yet to go down the side.

Does this sound ok for wood specifications ?

Also any suggestions on value for money on the wood and or type?

Used Sketchup to use this, and was impressed with the cutout list and costing of wood it produces!

 

[peter-harrison]

Hi Andy, I've recently done this in my house, reusing the old stair side panel and cupboard door as the fronts. Weight is a big deal with things like this, as I found out to my cost! I had to replace the runners for the three tallest pull-outs. I ended up using these 34" EXTRA HEAVY DUTY FULL EXTENSION DRAWER RUNNERS CAMPER 4WD STORAGE 227KG | eBay and they are OK. Those pull-outs are double sided, about 2.2m high and 700 deep with jars of jam etc in
I put a pair of runners in the base, and then made a guide from two cheap plastic wheels attached to the underneath of the staircase, which bracket the "spine" of the cabinet. It's a great way to use that space which beforehand was full of stuff which was very hard to get to.