They Rebuilt Their Pantry With Shelves That Reach Almost to the Ceiling
Four wire shelves provided most of the storage in this walk-in pantry, but much of the room’s height went unused. Storage stopped around door height while a large section of wall space above the shelves remained empty.
Imgur user CUCompE removed the wire shelving and rebuilt the pantry with floor-to-ceiling shelves, stained pine fronts, reinforced corners, and three lazy Susans. The new layout uses the same footprint while creating storage across nearly the entire height of the room.
Most of the Pantry’s Height Sat Empty Above the Shelves
Wire shelves wrapped around three sides of the pantry, providing storage for everyday groceries and kitchen supplies. Similar systems appear in many homes because they are inexpensive and quick to install.
Looking beyond the shelves, the bigger issue became clear. The pantry extended much higher than the top shelf, leaving a large section of wall space unused. Storage stopped around door height even though the room continued well above it.
Removing the Wire Shelves Left the Walls Covered in Repairs
Drywall anchor holes covered the walls where the shelves had been mounted. According to the homeowner, none of the shelving had been attached to studs. Patch compound filled the anchor holes while nail pops received attention before paint and shelf construction began.
Wall repair became the next step. Patch compound filled the anchor holes while nail pops received attention before paint and new shelving could move forward.ls needed attention. Patch compound filled the anchor holes, nail pops were repaired, and the surfaces were prepared for paint and the custom shelving system that would follow.
Fresh Paint Covered the Wall Repairs
Patch compound covered anchor holes and nail pops before paint went on the walls. Behr paint, Purdy rollers, and a Shur-Line painter were used during this stage of the renovation.
Paint covered the marks left by the previous shelving system and gave the pantry a clean surface before shelf construction began.
Birch Plywood and Pine Replaced the Wire Shelves
Construction began with 3/4-inch birch plywood and 1×6 pine boards. Shelf depth remained at 16 inches, matching the original wire shelving layout.
Pine boards were ripped into narrower pieces to create shelf fronts that concealed the plywood edges.
Corner Supports Were Built for the Lazy Susan Shelves
Shelf construction started with the lower level. Birch plywood panels established the shelf depth while supports attached directly to the walls.
Corner shelves required additional reinforcement to support the planned lazy Susans. Dowels and wood supports strengthened the corners without reducing shelf space.
Pine Shelf Fronts Covered the Plywood Edges
Pine strips were attached to the front edge of each plywood shelf using dowels. The added fronts concealed the exposed plywood layers and created a thicker profile across the shelving system.
Matching pine fronts created a consistent appearance across the shelving system while concealing the exposed plywood edges.
Lazy Susan Hardware Was Installed in the Reinforced Corners
Lazy Susan hardware was mounted to circular plywood platforms sized to fit the pantry corners. Before installation, the homeowners tested the clearances to make sure the rotating shelves would fit within the openings.
Additional cross braces were installed beneath each corner shelf to support the weight of the rotating platforms and their contents. The reinforcement tied the corner sections together and created a stronger foundation for the lazy Susan system.
Pine Shelf Fronts Received Stain and Polyurethane
Natural pine shelf fronts received stain and two coats of polyurethane before installation. Once the finish dried, the pieces were attached to the shelves with wood glue and clamps.
Spacer blocks helped distribute clamping pressure across the shelf fronts during assembly. The approach reduced the risk of dents and marks while the glue cured.
Finished Shelves Took Shape After Assembly
Stained pine fronts, painted shelves, reinforced corners, and lazy Susan platforms came together during final assembly. A level check confirmed that the shelving remained aligned after installation.
Stained pine fronts, painted shelves, reinforced corners, and lazy Susan platforms came together during final assembly. A level check confirmed that the shelving remained aligned after installation.
Floor-to-Ceiling Shelving Replaced the Wire Shelves
Four wire shelves originally occupied only part of the pantry’s height. Custom shelving now extends much higher, wraps continuously around the walls, and incorporates three lazy Susans into the corners.
The finished design combines painted shelving, stained pine fronts, reinforced corner supports, and rotating trays within the same footprint as the original pantry.
All credits go to Imgur user CUCompE.