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If you’ve never heard about pull out shelves before, then you are missing out on one of the greatest space saving and organizational wonders in recent memory. But don’t worry, we’re going to fill you in on all of the basics of this revolutionary invention. If you’d like to install pull out shelves in your own kitchen, contact DIY Shelfworks today.

The Basics of Pull Out Shelves

Let’s start from the beginning and introduce you to the marvels and the benefits of pull out shelves.

What Are Pull Out Shelves?

steel arms on a pull out shelf

A pull out shelf is a shelf that has two arms (usually made of steel) mounted on either side which allows it to be pulled all the way out of your cupboard. They can be installed in any existing cabinet and they give you all of the benefits of sliding drawers, but they are less expensive and easier to install. With one easy pull, everything inside comes into plain view. They’re great for finding something quickly and putting it back in its proper spot again with ease.

Advantages of Pull Out Shelves

There are many advantages of having pull out shelves, which include:

  • Never having to crouch down and struggle to reach your arm in far enough to access items in the back of your cupboard.
  • Never again losing that one plastic lid that you need for your favourite container because it has been pushed into a dark corner, never to be seen again.
  • Never realizing that you actually have three different containers of cinnamon, two of which are out of date now, simply because they were hidden and out of sight when you were making up your grocery list.
  • Never having cabinets that are so unorganized, because they are too deep to actually put things back in their proper place, that you are embarrassed to have your mom ever open them up.
  • Never again be prevented from using your lower cupboards because of mobility issues. Pull out shelves are the perfect choice for elderly people and those with mobility issues. They can even be accessed from a wheelchair.

pull out shelves - go from this to this

Perfect For Any Room

Pull out shelves are not just meant for the kitchen. Wherever you have cupboards, pull out shelves will be a great addition. They make it easy for you to organize your laundry soaps, softeners and other cleaning products in the laundry room. They are also great for maximizing the storage space in your bathroom. The garage is another great location for installing pull out shelves. They will be a wonderful addition to any tool cabinet or gardening cupboard to allow you to organize all of your implements. If your garage is needing some organizational TLC, check out our post, “Garage Organization.”

bathroom and laundry room pull out shelves

Pull out shelves are perfect for any room in your house.

Features of Pull Out Shelves

Shallow Edge: Most pull out shelves are built with a shallow edge which keeps everything neatly in its place and stops things from toppling over or falling off as you pull them out. You can usually choose from a number of different edge heights depending on the types of articles you would like to store on the shelf. Purchase a deeper edge shelf for taller items and a smaller edged one for shorter items. These varying heights are also a great space saver as you can install multiple shelves in one cupboard making the most of your vertical space too.

Sturdy Arms: Pull out shelves usually come with full-extension arms which are gliding hardware. The premium variety can hold up to 100 pounds in weight. Less expensive varieties can support up to 70 pounds in weight.

Custom Made: You can purchase pull out shelves in either a limited range of standard sizes or you can have them custom made to perfectly fit your cupboards.

Styles and Materials Available

Like many products, sliding shelves are made in a variety of materials, each with varying levels of quality and durability. These include:

  • Solid Wood: These are the most expensive, but they are also the most durable. Some are even made from 9 ply Baltic Birch with a baked on manufacture finish lacquer.
  • Melamine: This is a more economical material for pull out shelves, but it is also very durable.
  • Plywood: Some lesser quality shelves have plywood sides combined with medium density fibre (MDF) bottoms.
  • Metal Wire: These are the lightest weight and usually the least expensive however they are not as substantial and do not look as nice as the wooden shelves. They also wouldn’t be suitable for smaller items as these might fall through the spaces between the wires and would tend to tip over more easily than if they were on a solid surface.
Baltic Birch sliding shelf

Baltic Birch wood sliding shelves by DIY Shelfworks

Price

Prices for pull out shelves vary greatly: anywhere from $13 for the low-end wire or plywood and MDF type to upwards of $745 for a solid wood specially crafted shelf designed for a corner cabinet. But like anything, you get what you pay for and the cheaper wire or plywood varieties won’t last as long or be as durable as a well made wooden shelf.

If you choose to have someone install the shelves for you, it could typically cost anywhere from $125 to $210 per shelf. You can save on installation costs by installing them yourself. DIY Shelfworks makes high-quality custom made shelves that you can easily install yourself. The following video shows you how simple the installation process is.

Why Choose DIY Shelfworks Pull Out Shelves?

By purchasing from DIY Shelfworks, you will have the satisfaction of knowing that you are supporting Canadian business. All of our products are 100% made in Canada. And all of our free shipping is provided by Canada Post. You can’t get any more patriotic than that! DIY Shelfworks are also more affordable as we sell all of our gliding shelves online, directly to the consumer, cutting out the need for a middle-man. Because of this, we can pass those savings on to you. We also offer free shipping anywhere in Canada – another huge saving for our customers. You can choose from either our premium #1, 9-ply Baltic birch or our even more economical melamine. We also offer a limited lifetime warranty on all of our shelves. If you are ready to make your home more accessible and organized, order your own DIY pull out shelves today.

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Pull-out shelves: Gliding to a hardworking kitchen