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Part of a modular mudroom system, this is the piece that lives under the bench: a low, divided plywood cart on caster wheels that rolls out for shoes, baskets, or backpacks and tucks back under when you're done. Because it's a module meant to fit inside a hutch or bench opening, the exact dimensions here are sized to that system — measure your own opening and adjust before cutting.
Construction is dead simple: three dividers between a top and bottom shelf, a few 1x2s to stiffen the assembly and keep the cubby faces looking consistent, a thin plywood back, and four casters. Pocket holes are the tidy way to join it, but if you don't have a jig you can nail and glue the 1x2s to the underside of the top after the fact — the plan even reorders itself around that.
The only thing to watch is the overall caster clearance. The wheels here give about 2-3/4" of clearance; if your bench opening is a different height, pick casters that put the top of the cart just below the bench seat so it slides freely without scraping.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| Plywood, 3/4", half sheetRipped into 15-3/4"-wide strips for shelves and dividers. | 1 each |
| 1x2, 8 ftStiffeners inside the dividers. | 1 each |
| Plywood, 1/4", scrapBack panel, 31-3/4" x 15". | 1 each |
| Caster wheelsSized so overall clearance is about 2-3/4". | 4 each |
| Pocket-hole screws, 1-1/4"Or 2" countersunk screws and glue. | 30 each |
| Wood glue | 4 oz |
| Finish nails, 1-1/4" | 30 each |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Dividers3/4" plywood | 3 | 3/4" × 15 3/4" × 13 1/2" |
| Top and bottom shelf3/4" plywood | 2 | 3/4" × 15 3/4" × 31 3/4" |
| Stiffeners1x2 | 4 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 14 3/4" |
| Back panel1/4" plywood | 1 | 1/4" × 15" × 31 3/4" |
Buy 4 boards at 8 ft.
2 boards
1 board
1 board
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 →
Stand the three dividers on the bottom shelf and fasten them — pocket holes into the shelf, or countersunk screws and glue up from underneath. Space them evenly so the cubbies come out the same width.
Attach the 1x2s inside the dividers to strengthen the assembly and keep the cubby faces consistent. If you don't have a pocket-hole jig, you can skip ahead and add these after the top is on, fastening them with 1-1/4" finish nails and glue up into the top instead.
Set the top shelf on the dividers and stiffeners. Fasten to the dividers, and use 1-1/4" finish nails and glue into the 1x2s. Keep the assembly square as you go — a racked cart binds when it rolls.
Nail the 1/4" plywood back on with 1-1/4" finish nails. The back squares the whole cart and stops it from racking, so tack it on all four edges.
Screw the four casters to the bottom, then roll the cart into the bench or hutch opening to check the fit and clearance. It should slide in and out freely with the top just clearing the underside of the bench. Adjust caster height if it scrapes or sits too low.
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