Building a pantry closet in or near your kitchen is a simple solution for extra storage if you don't already have a built-in pantry. If you don't want to lose space in the kitchen, framing a closet in a nearby room is an option. Consider the items you plan to store in the pantry closet, as well as the type of shelving or storage units you plan to use to guide the layout and size planning for the space. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Identify the pantry closet's location, ensuring you are able to easily access it from the kitchen to make cooking more efficient. Choose a corner in a room so you already have two walls complete. You'll only need to frame the two remaining walls and the doorway to complete the framing.
2. Remove the baseboard trim from the area by prying it away from the wall. Save the trim if you plan to reuse it on the pantry closet when it is finished.
3. Mark out the interior closet area on the floor with either a pencil or tape, using a tape measure and level to keep the lines straight. Choose the door for the pantry so you know how large to frame the doorway leading into the closet. Mark the opening for the door, including the jamb that comes attached to a prehung door.
4. Draw or tape the exterior wall of the closet by measuring out 4 inches from the initial mark to accommodate the 2-by-4 lumber you'll use in the framing. The wood itself takes up 3 1/2 inches, while the drywall to cover the exterior of the closet adds another 1/2 inch.
5. Measure for the sill plate, which goes along the floor, and the cap or top plate, which goes along the ceiling. Measure the length along the floor on the front edge of the closet for the front sill plate. Measure the side wall you are installing from the back edge of the front sill plate to the back wall. The side sill plate will butt up behind the front sill plate when installed. The top plates should measure the same for both the front and side pieces.
6. Cut the sill and top plate pieces from 2-by-4 lumber. Take exact measurements and transfer them precisely to the lumber to get a straight, square closet.
7. Lay the sill plates on the floor. Mark the door opening on the front sill plate and don't place any screws within that area, as you will cut it away. Screw the sill plates into the floor, ensuring the screws go into the floor joists below. Check to ensure they are level and square.
8. Use a 2-by-4 and a level along the side walls to mark the ceiling as a guide for installing the top plates. Make a chalkline along the ceiling to help with the installation. Screw the top plate pieces into the ceiling joists along the marked chalkline.
9. Cut studs from 2-by-4 lumber to fit snugly between the top and sill plates. Install studs along both existing walls and on either side of the doorway. Install additional studs every 16 inches for structural integrity.
10. Cut two header pieces from a 2-by-4. The header spans between studs flanking the door opening, known as the king studs. Nail the two pieces together to create a double header. Nail the header in horizontally between the two king studs to form the top edge of the door frame. Check in the door instructions for the exact dimensions necessary for the framed opening.
11. Cut two additional 2-by-4 lumber pieces to stretch from the lower edge of the header down to the sill plate. Butt the trimmer pieces right next to the king studs and under the header. Nail them in place.
12. Cut out the doorway opening from the sill plate along the front of the closet using a circular saw. Set the saw so it only goes through the sill plate and not into the floor below. The cut should be between the two trimmer pieces on either side of the doorway.
13. Cut 2-by-4 lumber to create short cripple studs that go from the top plate down to the top edge of the header. Install cripple studs every 16 inches.
Tags: sill plate, 2-by-4 lumber, front sill, front sill plate, pantry closet, from 2-by-4
