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The leaning frame isn't cosmetic — every frame piece is cut to a matching 10° angle on both ends, parallel to each other, which is what lets the whole ladder lean back convincingly instead of just looking like a crooked square shelf. Cut the frame pieces as a matched set before you touch the boxes, and don't mix a piece from one angle setting with a piece from another; a few degrees of drift between pieces is very visible on a leaning silhouette.
The three storage boxes are sized differently on purpose — small, medium, large, stepping up as they go down the ladder — and this is a mounted piece, not free-standing: the frame anchors to wall studs and carries real load, so don't skip the stud-mounting step or treat it as optional the way you might on a floor shelf.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| Pine, 1x3, 8 ft | 3 each |
| Pine, 1x8, 6 ft | 1 each |
| Pine, 1x6, 6 ft | 1 each |
| Pine, 2x2, 15 in | 1 each |
| Plywood, 3/4"At least 15-1/2" x 31" — can substitute MDF or a project panel. | 1 each |
| Lag screws, 3" or longerAnchors the frame to wall studs. | 2 each |
| Finish nails, 1-1/4" | 1 box |
| Pocket hole screws, 1-1/4" | 1 box |
Overall cost: $$. Lumber prices vary by region, species, and season, so we give a band rather than a figure we would only be pretending to know.
| Part | Qty | T × W × L |
|---|---|---|
| Frame legs, longPineBoth ends cut at 10° off square, ends parallel, long-point-to-short-point measurement. | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 57 3/8" |
| Frame legs, mediumPineBoth ends cut at 10° off square, ends parallel, long-point-to-short-point measurement. | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 29 3/4" |
| Frame rungs, upperPineBoth ends cut at 10° off square, ends parallel. | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 11 3/8" |
| Frame rungs, lowerPineBoth ends cut at 10° off square, ends parallel. | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 11 1/8" |
| Frame top spacerPine | 1 | 1 1/2" × 1 1/2" × 15" |
| Frame bottom spacerPine | 1 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 15" |
| Top shelf bottomPlywood | 1 | 3/4" × 15" × 8" |
| Top shelf frontPine | 1 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 16 1/2" |
| Top shelf sidesPine | 2 | 3/4" × 2 1/2" × 8" |
| Medium box bottomPlywood | 1 | 3/4" × 15" × 10" |
| Medium box endsPine | 2 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 10" |
| Medium box front/backPine | 2 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 16 1/2" |
| Large box bottomPlywood | 1 | 3/4" × 15" × 12 1/2" |
| Large box endsPine | 2 | 3/4" × 7 1/4" × 12 1/2" |
| Large box front/backPine | 2 | 3/4" × 7 1/4" × 16 1/2" |
Buy 7 boards at 8 ft.
1 board
1 board
1 board
1 board
Attach the spacer pieces to the full-length leg boards to build the two leg sets — build them IN MIRROR, not as identical copies. Before you fasten anything permanently, check the gap between spacers is wide enough to slide your boxes in easily; it's much easier to widen a gap now than after the frame is assembled.
Attach the top and bottom spacers to the two leg sets to complete the leaning ladder frame.
Build the top shelf and the two storage boxes using either 2" finish nails or 3/4" pocket holes with 1-1/4" pocket screws, glued at every joint.
Mount the frame to the wall, driving the lag screws into studs — this piece carries real load and depends on a stud mount, not just drywall anchors. Once the frame is secure, slide the shelf and boxes into place and screw them to the frame sides.
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3 boards
Assumes 8 ft stock, a 1/8" saw kerf, and buying each part at its own width. Change the board size or kerf on the full board plan →