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The three trays are graduated in size from top to bottom, and each is really just a shallow open box with a plywood bottom — nothing complicated there. The ladder frame is what carries the visual interest and the mild engineering challenge: the two long rails are cut at a 10° angle so the whole thing leans against a wall by design rather than standing bolt upright, and the shorter mounting pieces get a matching 10° angle on one end to seat flush against those leaning rails.
Build the leg/rail assembly in mirror image on both sides — drilling the pocket holes on opposite faces so they end up hidden on the inside once the ladder frame is assembled, the same technique used on any piece where two mirrored sides need to hide their joinery from each other.
| Item | Qty |
|---|---|
| Pine, 1x4, 12 board feet | 12 ft |
| Pine, 1x6, 8 board feet | 8 ft |
| Pine, 1x2, 16 board feet | 16 ft |
| Plywood, 1/4", 24" x 48" | 1 each |
| Pocket hole screws, 1-1/4" | 1 box |
| Brad nails or staples, 3/4" | 1 box |
| Wood glue | 3 oz |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Tray sidesPine | 4 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 22 1/2" |
| Tray ends, smallPine | 2 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 9" |
| Tray ends, mediumPine | 2 | 3/4" × 3 1/2" × 11" |
| Tray sides, large trayPine | 2 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 22 1/2" |
| Tray ends, large trayPine | 2 | 3/4" × 5 1/2" × 13 1/2" |
| Tray bottoms1/4" plywoodCut to match each tray: 9", 11", and 13-1/2" respectively. | 3 | 1/4" × 9" × 24" |
| Ladder railsPine | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 30" |
| Ladder rails, angledPineBoth ends cut at 10° off square, ends parallel — long point to short point measurement. | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 30 1/2" |
| Ladder cross piece, smallPineOne end cut at 10° off square, longest point measurement. | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 9 1/2" |
| Ladder cross piece, largePineOne end cut at 10° off square, longest point measurement. | 2 | 3/4" × 1 1/2" × 5 1/2" |
Buy 6 boards at 8 ft.
1 board
2 boards
Build the three open trays using 3/4" pocket holes and 1-1/4" pocket hole screws. Attach the 1/4" plywood bottoms to the underside of each tray with glue and 3/4" nails or staples.
Build the ladder legs with 3/4" pocket holes and 1-1/4" pocket hole screws. Build and drill the two leg assemblies as mirror images of each other, so the pocket holes end up hidden on the inside faces once assembled.
Mark the shelf locations on the inside of the legs with a square, and attach the trays with 1-1/4" screws — pocket hole screws work fine here too.
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2 boards
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 →