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DIY Can Storage: Wall Mounted Storage for a Pantry

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Build custom DIY pantry shelves for can and food storage using plywood, trim, and simple tools. Step-by-step guide with tips for a built-in look.

One of the things we really wanted in our kitchen was a pantry… we didn’t have a lot of space to store extra food for a family of 5, despite having a lovely kitchen. Our old ‘pantry’ was also a mudroom and laundry room… and altogether too small for even a laundry room. We decided to divide our dining room into a pantry (and also a mudroom/closets on the other side).

We divided the room, creating a full wall with studs, drywall, and electric. I used cabinets from the RTA Store for one side of the pantry, but I wanted to keep the walkway comfortable so I opted for 4″ shelving on the opposite side.

This post is going to show how I made these shelves- I LOVE them. They are built-in and look like they belong in the space. The shallow shelves are perfect for easily reviewing what we have or don’t have in stock, without needing to move other stuff out of the way. I may eventually build more as I want to start canning more food and there is plenty of wall space here.

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Please read the whole post so you don’t miss any important information!

DIY Can Storage Shelves

Project Supplies

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1: Cut your 3/4″ plywood into 4″ wide pieces. My vertical pieces were the floor to ceiling height (or close) and I cut 3 of these. It’s easiest to cut your 4×8 sheet of plywood into 4″ x 8′ lengths.

You need to plan out how many shelves that you want to cut. I planned my shelves to be 8″, 9″, 10″ or 12″ spacing. I think I could have benefited from more 8″ shelves for normal sized cans, but I was loathe to

I was using scraps from another project so I did a little extra work here to accommodate that.

Step 2: Assemble your shelf. I had (3) vertical pieces, multiple shelves at 24″ wide and 14″ wide, and four shelf-sized pieces that were attached to wall (one per shelf at the top and bottom).

Be aware of your pantry doorway as you may need to assemble them inside the pantry as they may not fit through the door. I built the 24″ wide shelf, sanded it, and then moved it into the space. I built the 14″ shelf off it once the 24″ section was assembled.

I spaced the shelves apart at 8″, 9″, 10″, or 12″… make sure to place the shelves at different heights for your 14″ shelf and 24″ shelf.

Make sure to use wood glue as well as screws. I started with pocket holes as I was reusing wood from another project and pretty immediately regretted it… they’re a pain to patch after.

We ended up switching to using a drill bit to predrill the hole, then using screws to attach the shelves. Ensure that the screw head is buried in the wood enough that it can be covered up when patching the wood.

Unassembled shelves laid out in their planned positions, with flat wall-mounting pieces visible nearby.
In this photo, I’ve setup my shelves like I will assemble them. I haven’t actually assembled them at this point. Note the shelves vs. the flat pieces that will attach to the walls.

Step 3: Sand shelving.

Step 4: Move shelving into space, if you haven’t already. Use the back pieces that you added to attach the shelves to the studs in the wall… make sure to use cabinet screws for this.

Shelving primed and walls taped off in preparation for adding pre-primed trim boards.

Step 5: I planned to use primed boards for the trim so I taped my walls and primed the shelving.

Shelves with 1x4 top and 1x6 bottom trim boards installed, edges cut at angles using a miter saw for a built-in appearance.

Step 6: Next, I added primed boards for trim around the bottom and top of the shelves. This creates more of a built-in look. The top is 1×4 and the bottom is a 1×6. I used my miter saw to cut the edges at an angle so they fit neatly together.

Close-up of shelves with 1x4 top and 1x6 bottom trim boards installed, showing angled mitered corners for a seamless built-in look.

Here is a picture of both the top and bottom with the new trim.

Shelves trimmed with 1x2 boards, showing three vertical pieces and individual trim on each shelf, all attached using a finishing nail gun.

Step 7: I used 1x2s for trim along the rest of the shelving, first adding the (3) vertical pieces, then adding a piece for each shelf. I attached these with my finishing nail gun.

The trim will hopefully keep jars from getting knocked off accidentally… it also covers the raw plywood edges.

Patching compound applied to cover screw heads, pocket holes, and angled trim edges for a smooth, seamless look.

Step 8: At this point, I used patching compound to cover all of the screw heads, pockets from the pocket holes, etc. I also used compound to cover the edges where the trim met at an angle.

It is TRULY painful, but it’s also what makes the project look REALLY nice when you’re finished so it’s important to spend time doing this.

Sanded patching compound on shelves, ready for priming and painting with one or two coats for a smooth, flawless finish.

Step 9: Once it’s dry, sand the patching compound until it’s smooth and not noticeable. You can prime those spots and paint the shelves now! You’ll likely need one or two layers of paint.

Shelves nearly complete with caulk around the edges for a smooth, finished look, though final touches are still pending in the room.

Step 10: Not seen: When you’re all finished, you can use white caulk to caulk around the edges. This will create an even more finished look. We need to caulk another room as well and we are waiting to finish this until we get to that… so in other words, this room is not truly finished. But it’s ‘good enough’ and I LOVE it.

Shelves filled, with a moment of contemplation about whether to add more shelves to the setup.

I immediately filled the shelves and questioned if I wanted to build two or three more… yes… but also no.

View of the shelves from the opposite angle, showing the full setup with the trim and shelves in place.

This is the shelving from the other angle.

Opposite-angle view of the shelves, showcasing the full setup with trim and shelves installed.

Why yes, we do love us some mac n cheese…

Close-up of shelves showing areas without caulk, where the addition of caulk will create a more finished appearance.

Here is a good picture that shows where the caulk is not… it will make a difference in the finished look here.

Completed shelves with caulk applied along the edges for a seamless, professional finish.

Please share and pin this post! If you make this project, share it in our Stuff Mama Makes Facebook Group. We have regular giveaways for gift cards to craft stores. You can also tag me on Instagram @doityourselfdanielle; I love seeing everything you make!

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