Adjustable shelves are really convenient.  And there's nothing wrong with rows of shelf-pin holes hidden inside a kitchen cabinet.  But when you are building open shelving or cabinets with glass doors, you don't have to give up the adjustable shelves to avoid the unsightly holes.  Instead, build an "adjustable shelf ladder."

Start with a strip of matching material 1½" wide by 3/8" thick and drill a series of ¾" holes on 2" centers along the strip.  Then rip the strip down the center leaving smaller strips which each have a series of copes.  Attach these strips along the front and back edge of the cabinet sides.  These coped strips replace the pin holes and become the sides of your ladder.

Next, cut matching material ¾" wide by 3/8" thick into lengths that are ¾" shorter than the width of the cabinet side and round the ends.  You'll need two of these for every shelf.  These pieces become the rungs of the ladder.

Finally, cut ¾" by 3/8" notches in the corners of your shelves to pass the ladder sides.  The tabs at the end of the shelves sit on the ladder rungs. 

Tags: adjustable shelf

Categories: Technique