Build Custom Pantry Shelves: Step-by-Step Guide for Any Kitchen

We built these DIY pantry shelves for our beach house, and they quickly became one of our favorite projects. The build is straightforward, customizable to any pantry size, and adaptable for other rooms that need smart storage—bedrooms, living rooms, playrooms, and more. The entire project uses just a few basic materials: 3/4″ MDF panels and 1×2 pine boards, plus screws, nails, wood glue, and paint. Our total materials cost was under $200, so this is a great beginner-friendly project.

If you want more shelving inspiration, there are many other DIY shelf projects out there that range from heavy-duty garage storage to decorative display shelving.

The method we used here is one we’ve applied to other built-ins in our house—our son’s room and our living room built-ins—because it’s simple to execute and yields a clean finished look.

Tools & Materials Needed:

• 3/4″ thick MDF panels (determine quantity based on your layout)
• 1×2″ pine boards for face trim
• 3/4″ x 3/4″ wood strips for shelf supports (or rip 1x2s in half)
• Circular saw
• Miter saw (optional)
• Finish nail gun
• Power drill
• Tape measure
• Levels (long and short)
• Stud finder
• Crowbar or hammer
• Clamps (optional)
• Wood screws
• Wood glue
• Pen or pencil

Note: MDF is economical and sands to a smooth finish, but it must be painted. Use plywood if you prefer a stained wood look.

Steps To Build Pantry Shelves

Here’s an overview of the build process. More detail follows each step.

1. Plan your shelves.
2. Purchase materials.
3. Remove baseboards.
4. Attach vertical panels.
5. Add top panels.
6. Cut and add shelves.
7. Finish the shelf fronts.
8. Caulk, prime, and paint.
9. Fill and organize the shelves.

Step 1: Plan Your Pantry Shelves

Start by measuring the space and sketching a plan. Consider constraints like door moldings, appliance depth, and how you’ll use the shelves. For our pantry the MDF shelves could be 20″ deep before hitting the door trim, which left room for the 1×2 face trim on the front edge. Laying out the pieces on paper helped us determine how many 4′ x 8′ MDF sheets to buy.

Sketch each component, assign labels, and map how they fit on full MDF sheets to minimize waste.

Step 2: Purchase Materials

Good planning makes buying materials easier. Have the big store rip panels into the strips you need—Home Depot and similar stores will do these cuts quickly and often for free. We also bought plenty of 1×2 pine boards: enough for face trim and additional support pieces. Our total for MDF, pine, screws, and glue came in under $200.

Step 3: Remove Any Existing Baseboards

Remove baseboards or molding that would prevent the shelves from sitting flush against the wall. Save the removed pieces for reinstallation if needed and take care not to damage them.

Step 4: Attach The Vertical Panels

Install the vertical panels first: two against the side walls and two flanking the fridge. Cut panels to height and temporarily place them to confirm fit. Screw the panels into wall studs where possible. For panels beside the fridge, install skinny support strips to the wall and floor to create secure attachment points while leaving ventilation and clearance for the appliance.

Use ripped 1x2s or thin strips for these supports, and place the cut edges against the wall so the visible faces look finished.

Step 5: Add The Top Pieces

With verticals secured, add long horizontal top panels across the structure, including a shelf above the fridge area. Use a level to keep everything square and secure the top pieces into the vertical panels and the wall-mounted support strips. Drill pilot holes when screwing into thin support pieces to avoid splitting the wood.

Step 6: Cut & Add The Shelves

Cut the remaining shelves to size, ideally doubling up boards and clamping them for faster, consistent cuts. Determine shelf heights by testing with real items—cans, bins, cereal boxes—to ensure useful spacing. Most of our shelves are 8″ or 14″ high, with larger openings at the bottom for bulky items.

Install horizontal support strips 3/4″ lower than the desired top of the shelf so the 3/4″ MDF shelf will rest on them. Slide each shelf into place and fasten with short screws, nails, or glue in the corners.

Step 7: Finish Off The Shelf Fronts

Add 1×2 face trim to each exposed shelf edge. The face pieces conceal rough cut edges, hide the support strips, and make the shelves look thicker and more finished. Attach trim with wood glue and finish nails, then fill nail holes with spackle.

Tip: If you have an outlet hidden behind an appliance, you can drill a hole in a shelf side to feed cords through neatly behind the fridge.

Step 8: Caulk, Spackle, Prime & Paint

Caulk seams where shelves meet walls, spackle nail holes, then prime and paint. We tinted our primer gray to match trim and speed coverage. You can also prime and paint shelves before assembly to make painting easier, but expect some touch-ups after installation.

Step 9: Fill & Organize Your Shelves

Open shelving looks best when organized. Use baskets, bins, jars, and containers to keep items tidy and visually cohesive. If you plan storage in advance, use container dimensions to set shelf heights during the build for a perfectly tailored fit.

We organized our pantry with baskets and shallow cabinets on the opposite wall, plus a counter space for staging items from the fridge. The result freed up space for food, cleaning supplies, small appliances, and larger items like a cooler.

More Resources

If you want more detail, we used this same method on other built-ins and documented those projects with closer step-by-step photos. We also completed a different pantry makeover focused on organization and another project adding a ready-to-assemble pantry cabinet for extra storage.

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Originally published January 2018. Updated 2022.