How to add drawers to existing shelving unit?

candice85

hi, i have been wanting to add shelves into these wardrobe shelves but not sure where to start or which drawer insert could be used. Measurements for each shelves are 500mm x 500mm x320 mm. Sorry about the mess i am going through each room and re organizing them.

JacobZ

Hi @candice85,

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community, it is wonderful to have you with us.

I've had a look and I can't find any premade drawers that would fit your dimensions well, so custom drawers are going to be your best option. I'd suggest using melamine, which is ideal for wardrobe internals and gives a nice, finished look.

You might like to check out @twocutekelpies project where she added drawers to a Kaboodle base cabinet as an example.

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/300292/diy-kaboodle-base-cabinet-to-drawers-conversion

Also, my colleague @EricL's guide.

https://www.workshop.bunnings.com.au/discussion/166846/how-to-add-drawers-to-a-kitchen-cabinet

The first thing to consider is allowance for the drawer runners. Most standard side mounted runners require about 12 to 13mm clearance on each side, so your drawer box will need to be roughly 25mm narrower than the opening. For a 500mm wide space, that means your drawer should come in around 474 to 476mm wide to allow everything to slide smoothly, but this can vary depending on the specific drawer runners you use.

You will also need to leave a bit of vertical clearance so the drawer doesn’t bind. With a 320mm opening, a drawer height of around 250 to 280mm is usually a good target.

When assembling, fix the panels together using chipboard screws, making sure to predrill to avoid splitting the melamine. The base panel can either sit inside the frame or be fixed underneath, depending on your preference.

Once the drawer box is built, you can install the runners by attaching one side to the cabinet and the other to the drawer. Take your time to ensure they are level and aligned, as this will make all the difference to how smoothly the drawer operates.

If you didn't want to go to the effort of building your own drawers, then perhaps these https://www.bunnings.com.au/flexi-storage-clever-cube-pewter-fabric-insert_p0230924 could be an option. They aren't a perfect fit, but they will help to tidy up the shelves with relative ease.

Let me know what you think and if you have further questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Jacob