How to Build a Kitchen Pantry Closet

Learn how to build a kitchen pantry closet and shelves with this step-by-step DIY tutorial. It’s a great way to add extra storage to a kitchen, bedroom, hallway, or any unused area where you can create a little more functional space.

Hello, friends! If you’re anything like me, it can feel like there’s never quite enough storage space in the kitchen. That’s exactly why we decided to build our own kitchen pantry closet.

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In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through the process step by step so you can create extra storage and make better use of the space in your home. And while we built ours as a kitchen pantry, you can easily use the same basic idea to create a linen closet, utility closet, or extra storage anywhere you need it.

When we built our kitchen, we thought we had plenty of cabinet space for all our dry goods and small appliances. It didn’t take long to realize we were wrong! Since Costco is one of our favorite places to shop and we tend to buy quite a few things in bulk, our cabinets filled up fast. We quickly realized we needed more storage—and we needed it soon.

So, we knew we needed more storage—but the big question was, where could we possibly fit it in our already limited space?

Finding the space to build a kitchen pantry closet

Finding the space to add kitchen cabinets or closets seemed impossible. We have an open floor plan, and there is no wall space to add cabinets or a pantry.

Until one day, I had a lightbulb moment!

I had a free-standing bookshelf next to my kitchen, which would be a perfect place for a pantry. Although it was a good place for me to display my decorative items, it was more of a useful space for a kitchen pantry closet.

Plans for the pantry

I wanted to keep the pantry closet close to the same dimensions as the bookshelf so it wouldn’t extend too far into the walkway or obstruct the path. When planning the shelves, we carefully considered everything we wanted to store inside and customized the layout to fit our needs. We included a taller section for the broom, mop, and vacuum, along with plenty of shelving for pantry staples and small appliances. We also added electrical access inside the closet for added convenience when storing or using appropriate small appliances. It’s one of those little details that makes the pantry so much more functional, and I absolutely love it.

Project at a glance – DIY Kitchen Pantry Closet

Finished size: 8′ H × 6′ W × 18″ D

Difficulty: Intermediate

Project time: 6 hours

Approximate cost: $300

Main materials: 2×4 lumber, drywall, shelving, trim, and 8 ft doors

Best for: Kitchens without an existing pantry, linen closet, or storage closet

Supplies needed to build the kitchen pantry

Lumber & Building Materials

2×4 studs
1×2 lumber
shelving boards
drywall
drywall screws
drywall compound
1×6 trim
Corner bead

Tools

drill/driver
saw
level
tape measure
pencil
sanding block or palm sander

Finishing Materials

doors
hinges
door handles
primer
paint
Electrical Strip

How to build the kitchen pantry-DIY tutorial

Measure and plan the pantry

The dimensions for the pantry were 8ft tall x 6 ft wide and 1-1/2ft deep. To build a pantry, the space you have will dictate the size of your pantry.

Frame the pantry walls

We started by framing the outside of the pantry with 2 x 4 studs to create the walls on each side. Our original plan was to install standard-size doors, but we opted to install taller doors that would give us much better access to the upper section of the pantry.

To make that work, we removed the top framing and installed a 2 x 4 along the ceiling to create the new door frame.

Install the drywall

Cut the drywall to size and secure it to the wood frame. Next, tape the seams, apply joint compound, sand the surface smooth, and finish with paint.

Add electrical access

We also wanted electrical access inside the pantry for small appliances. If you plan to add electrical outlets or power inside a new pantry, consult a licensed electrician and follow local electrical codes and the appliance manufacturer’s instructions.

Installing the shelves for the Kitchen pantry

After we determined the height of each shelf, we made pencil marks on the wall where the shelves are going to be. Now it’s time to cut 1″ X 2″ strips of wood as cleats for the shelves. Secure them to the back of the wall.

Then measure and cut the shelf boards to size and lay them on top of the cleats to rest on.

Create broom and vacuum storage

We allocated a tall section for brooms, vacuum cleaners, and mops since we didn’t have a broom closet. I measured the height of this section by the items we would store in there.

Install the tall pantry doors

As I had mentioned previously, we planned to install standard-size doors. However, we quickly realized that doing so would make the top shelf harder to access and cause us to lose valuable storage space. Instead, we decided to order custom taller doors from a local window and door store so we could make better use of the full height of the pantry. This was a huge plus.