Pull-down Shelves

Kitchen And Bathroom Renovation : Pull-down Shelves


A pull-down shelf makes wall cabinets more user-friendly by bringing all the contents down to eye level. Because of the space taken up by the mechanism and the shelf boxes, this is not a good project for a narrow cabinet.

Before you begin this project, hold each swing arm assembly against the inside face of the cabinet side and make sure both arms will clear the door hinge and the cabinet face frame. If the arms do not clear, add custom wood spacers of plywood or solid lumber that are at least as large as the swing arm mounting plates.

Follow the manufacturer’s specifications for the box dimensions, which will be based on the size of your cabinet. If the boxes are bare wood, lightly sand the edges and finish all sides with a highly washable paint or a clear varnish, such as polyurethane. For melamine-coated board, cover the cut edges with melamine tape to keep water from damaging the wood core.

Note: The springs that help raise the arms are strong and may make it difficult to lower empty shelves. When
the shelves are loaded, the weight of the items makes it easier to move the shelf.


Tools & Materials

Tape measure
Pencil
Circular saw
Drill
Awl
Hacksaw
Allen wrench
Swing-up shelf kit &
hardware
1⁄2" MDF
Fasteners & finishing
materials for shelf boxes
#8 panhead screws
Coarse-thread drywall
screws
Lumber for custom spacers
Wallboard screws


Shopping Tips

• Specialty hardware catalogs carry pull-down shelf hardware.
• Make sure the capacity of the mechanism you are purchasing matches the weight of the items you will
be storing on the shelf.

A pull-down shelf is essentially the opposite of a swing-up shelf. Mounted in an upper wall cabinet, a pull-down shelf can be drawn out of the cabinet and lowered so the user can reach the contents more easily.