Once you finish, the drawers will look like triangles or trapezoids since they go up to the stringer, or the angled support on your stairs. The drawers will pull straight out and have a large box for storage. If the area under your stairs doesn’t have drywall, then you can skip this step. If you don’t have a stud finder, then try knocking on the wall to find the stud. If you hear a hollow, echoing sound, then there isn’t a stud behind the wall. If the wall makes a solid thumping noise, then there is a stud.
You may also use a reciprocating saw to cut through the drywall faster. The height of the hole you cut out depends on how tall you want the drawers to extend.
You can buy angle braces from your local hardware store. Ask the employees at the store where you bought your wood to cut it for you if you don’t have the proper tools at home.
You can buy drawer runners from your local hardware or home improvement store. Make sure the drawer runners are perfectly level and in line with one another, or else they won’t slide open easily.
If you try to attach drawers directly to the runners, they may bend or pull out of the studs.
You can also add an additional support in the middle of the boards if you want, but it’s not required.
The exact sizes of the drawers depend on how tall you want them and how many you plan on adding. This build creates a single drawer between each stud, but you can construct shelves on top of them for additional storage space.
Set the box on top of the 1 in × 3 in (2. 5 cm × 7. 6 cm) supports and push it into the wall to make sure it fits inside of the hole snugly. You can add shelves to the box if you want to have more room for storage.
You can get MDF from your local hardware or home improvement store. The employees at the store may be able to cut the MDF to size for you. You can also use regular plywood, but the wood grain will be visible when you’re finished.
Ask a helper to assist you to ensure the MDF doesn’t move around while you’re attaching it. You can choose to paint the MDF if you want, or leave it unfinished for a more rustic look. Screw handles or knobs onto the MDF if you want to make them easier to pull out.
When you’re finished building your shelves, they will look like rectangular boxes that recess into the wall. If you don’t have a stud finder, knock on the drywall and listen for a solid sound behind it. If it sounds hollow or echoes, then there isn’t a stud. If the studs or framing from your stairs are already exposed, you can skip this step.
You can make the boxes as short or tall as you want. The boxes must fit underneath the stair’s stringer, which is the angled bottom support on your staircase.
You can get a drywall saw from your local hardware store. If you don’t have a drywall saw, then you can also use a reciprocating saw to make the cuts faster. You don’t need to cut through any of the studs.
Wear safety glasses whenever you use power tools to protect your eyes. You may also use a handsaw to cut the wood, but it will take longer and the lines may be more crooked. The employees at the store where you bought the plywood may be able to cut the pieces to size for you if you don’t have the tools at home.
Frequently test the fit of the boxes in the holes under your stairs to make sure they fit snugly. The boxes should only have 5 sides—leave the front open so you can put items inside.
You can space the holes further apart if you want taller shelves or don’t plan to adjust them. Place a sheet of pegboard on the side of your box to use it as a guide for where to place your holes.
Ask a helper to hold the boxes steady while you screw them in so they don’t accidentally fall out of place. If the box is too small for the hole in your wall, place spacers between the studs and the box to tighten the gaps.
You can buy wood trim from your local home improvement or hardware store. You don’t need to add trim, but you will see the exposed edges of the drywall if you don’t.
You can buy shelf pins from a home improvement or hardware store. Don’t use shelf pins that are too small since they will fall out and not support your shelves.
If the shelf wobbles, then check that the pins are at the same height. You can place as few or many shelves inside your box as you want.
