How to Build Sliding Shelves for Kitchen Cabinets

Sliding shelves are an excellent way to better use the storage space in your kitchen. Instead of getting on your hands and knees and emptying half of the cabinet to reach items in the back, you will be able to simply pull out the shelf and select the items you need with very little hassle. There are a variety of kits and shelving options available for sliding cabinet shelves. However, the basic installation principles remain the same and can be used whether you purchase a premade kit or put this project together from scratch.

Things You'll Need

• Screwdriver
• Measuring tape
• Shelves
• Shelf standards
• Level
• Drawer slides
• Sliding rail
• Shelf clips

Instructions

1. Remove the cabinet doors and any existing shelves to maximize your workspace. Measure the interior of the cabinet for your new shelves as well as for the hardware for the sliding mechanisms. Measure the shelf and slide rail together to determine how much space to allow on each side of the shelf. Purchase or cut your new shelves so that they will fit comfortably between the slides and sit at least 1/2 inch from the front of the cabinet.

2. Install two shelf standards on each side of the cabinet by screwing them in firmly. Use a level to make sure that they are perfectly vertical. These shelf standards will allow you to install movable shelves that can be adjusted to fit at different heights as needed.

3. Snap the drawer slides onto the shelf standards. The slides should have two small metal clips that will fit into the openings on the shelf standards. Repeat on the other side, making sure that the slides are installed at the same height on each side.

4. Attach the sliding rail to the edge of the shelf. Screw the rail into place securely. Repeat on the opposite side of the shelf, making sure that the rails are in the exact same place on each side and both are perfectly flat.

5. Attach a shelf clip to the end of each sliding rail. This will keep the shelf from pulling all the way out of the cabinet when extended. Metal shelf clips are much sturdier than the plastic variety for shelves that will be holding a lot of weight.

6. Align the sliding rail with the slides in the cabinet and push the shelf in. It should glide in easily and sit perfectly flat. Repeat the above steps for any additional shelves, and reattach the cabinet doors when you are finished.

Tips & Warnings

• Depending on the kit you buy, you may have just the slides, rails and clips, or you may have a full set including shelf standards and shelves. Make sure you understand what is included when you purchase your supplies as well as what you will need to buy separately.

References

• Adding glide-out shelves

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Custom shelving solutions: Do-It-Yourself shelves that slide