How to Build a Dumb Waiter

A dumbwaiter, so named because it silently performs the services of a waiter, is a small elevator that transports objects from floor to floor. This project is easier if you have a closet on the lower floor that lines up exactly with a closet on the upper floor. Otherwise, you'll need to build a shaft on one of the floors for the elevator. A moderately skilled do-it-yourselfer can complete this project in a weekend.

Things You'll Need

• Tape measure
• Saw
• Plywood (½ inch)
• Wood screws (1¼ inch)
• Glue
• Pulley
• Screw eyes
• Twisted three-strand rope
• Metal ring
• 2-by-4 lumber
• Nails (2 inches)
• Fire-resistant drywall
• Springs or padding
• Screw hook

Instructions

1. How you'll use your dumbwaiter dictates its location. A kitchen dumbwaiter can move groceries. A laundry room dumbwaiter carries loads of wash up and down stairs. A garage dumbwaiter can move boxes to overhead storage.

2. Measure for the dumbwaiter. If it can fit between floor joists you won't have to do any major carpentry in the space between the floors. Cut out the floor where the dumbwaiter will go up and down and the ceiling of the room below.

3. Build the dumbwaiter box. Choose a design that fits your needs. A simple tray with raised sides will work for objects that won't tip over. A design with three sides and a top works better for things that might spill, like grocery bags. Use ½-inch plywood and 1¼-inch wood screws. Glue the sides together before you insert the screws.

4. Attach a large pulley to the ceiling over the area in which the dumbwaiter will be installed. The larger the pulley, the easier it will be to raise and lower the dumbwaiter. Make sure the pulley is positioned so that the channel faces forward. Use screw eyes to attach equal lengths of rope to each corner of the upper side of the dumbwaiter, or to the four corners if you're building a tray.

5. Gather the ends of the rope and securely attach them to a metal ring. Attach another length of rope to the ring that is equal to twice the distance the dumbwaiter will travel between floors. Thread the free end of the rope through the back of the pulley toward the front. Drop the long end of the rope through the hole and into the room below.

6. Build a shaft for the dumbwaiter in the room below if necessary. Use 2-by-4 lumber and 2-inch nails to build a closet for the dumbwaiter to lower into. Finish the shaft with fire-resistant drywall and paint or paper it. Install springs or thick padding inside the bottom of the shaft or closet in case the dumbwaiter drops too quickly.

7. Install a large screw hook in the upper closet to which the rope can be attached when you need to brake the dumbwaiter. Loop the rope around the hook a couple of times to keep it secure.

Tips & Warnings

• Rope lengths and the amount of lumber you need will depend on the size of the dumbwaiter and the distance between floors. Check your local building codes. Some jurisdictions consider a dumbwaiter to be an elevator and all elevator regulations apply, including the need for a license that's renewed annually. If the dumbwaiter catches on the walls, install guide rails at each corner.

• Check for plumbing and wiring you would have to move before deciding on your dumbwaiter's final location. Locate it in an area without these obstacles. Creating an open channel between two floors of the house will make it easier for fire to travel between the floors.

References

• How to Build a Box
• Instructions for Building a Closet

Resources

• Read this Article in Spanish
• Fire Resistant Sheetrock
• Photos of a Mechanical Dumbwaiter