This DIY pull out trash can is just what your kitchen needs! This tutorial will show you how to convert any lower cabinet into a custom pull out trash can cabinet. All you need are a few boards and drawer slides, and you’ll have the perfect hiding spot for that unsightly garbage can!
Are you tired of looking at your gross kitchen trash can while you cook? Make this pull out trash can cabinet instead! This is a fairly simple project, and is a fraction of the cost of one of those fancy Rev-a-Shelf systems with a door mounting kit. You can do this with any lower cabinet, although your dimensions will change depending on the size of your opening.
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Supplies for Pull Out Trash Can Cabinet
- One 1 x 6 board – 6 feet long
- One 1 x 12 board – 2 feet long
- One set of drawer slides. I used these center mount ones.
- Kreg Jig and 1 1/4″ pocket hole screws (or regular wood screws and a countersink drill bit)
- Trash can that is slightly shorter and narrower than your opening. I bought this one, which is a perfect fit for the dimensions provided.
If you have a cabinet that has a flat bottom edge like mine, you will also need a small piece of 1 x 2 to elevate the drawer slide in the cabinet. If your face frame extends above the bottom of the cabinet floor, you can use that instead.
Instructions for Making Your Pull Out Trash Can Cabinet
Step 1 – Measuring
Measure your cabinet opening. My opening is 11 1/2″ wide, and the drawer slides I used require 1/8″ of clearance on either side. 1×12 boards are actually 11 1/4″ wide, so it was the perfect size! Most cabinets are about 24″ deep (mine is 23 3/4″), and you need 1 1/2″ of clearance in the back for the bracket that holds the drawer rail in place.
Step 2 – Cutting
Cut your lumber (or have it cut for you at your home improvement store). If you’re making two pull out trash can cabinets (one for trash and the other for recycling), you’ll need another 1 x 6 board and double the cuts.
- 1 x 12 – cut to 22″
- 1 x 6 – cut two pieces at 11 1/4″ and two pieces at 20 1/2″
- 1 x 2 – cut one piece at 11 1/2″ (skip this step if your cabinet has a frame that sticks up from the bottom)
Step 3 – Pre-drill holes
Test the fit before making any holes. The 1 x 12 board will serve as the bottom of the drawer, and the 1 x 6 boards will be screwed into it from the top.
I used my Kreg Jig to drill pocket holes along the bottom edge of all the 1 x 6 pieces. The ends of the longer boards will also get a couple pocket holes. If you don’t have a Kreg Jig, you will need to pre-drill with a countersink drill bit so that your screw heads are below the surface of the wood.
Step 4 – Assembly
Glue and screw the 1 x 6 pieces together to form a rectangle. I use a Kreg right angle clamp to make sure everything stays square while I drive the screws in.
Then place your rectangle on top of the 1 x 12 base, and screw it down.
Yay, you have a box! Now we need to make the box move.
Step 5 – Install drawer slide hardware
I went back and forth about whether to install regular drawer slides that attach to the sides, or a center mount system that goes on the bottom. These center mount drawer slides work best because it makes removing the drawer from the track super simple. I didn’t want trash to get caught under the drawer and not be able to get it out easily. With this system, I just pull the drawer out all the way, then lift it up and out of the track!
Start by installing the bracket in the back of the cabinet. It should be centered in the middle of the cabinet opening. The long rail rests inside the back bracket.
Now you need to attach the front of the rail to the front of cabinet. I had a bunch of 1 x 2 scraps from my floating shelves project, so I cut a piece the exact width of the cabinet opening and attached it with screws. Now I had something to rest the end of the rail on, and it allows the side guide wheels to turn properly.
Finally, attach the small wheel to the center of the back of the trash can cabinet drawer. This will sit inside the rail.
Then test to see if it all works! I needed to adjust the side wheels slightly so that the edges of the drawer slid smoothly against the guiding wheels, but I just unscrewed them slightly and nudged them over. The front of the drawer should end up flush with the outside edge of the trash can cabinet opening.
Step 6 – Attach the cabinet door to the drawer
Measure the distance from the bottom of an adjacent cabinet door to the bottom of the interior cabinet. Then measure the height from the bottom of the cabinet to the top of your drawer slide, plus another 1/8″ for clearance. That number is how high on the cabinet door you need to attach your drawer.
I marked a line on the back of the door, then placed the drawer bottom edge on that line. Make sure it’s centered on the door, then clamp it into place.
It’s important to check the length of the screws you will be using to attach the drawer. The last thing you want is to have a screw poking out the front of the cabinet door! Attach the drawer to the door in each corner, then remove the clamps and do the same at the top.
Now just insert the drawer wheel into the slot on the rail and slide the trash can cabinet drawer into place. I cut some grippy drawer liner to fit inside to prevent the trash can from moving around when the drawer gets slammed. Speaking of trash cans, this one from Target fits perfectly!
I saved so much money by making my own pull out trash can cabinet drawer rather than shelling out for an expensive pre-made system! I’ll be building the same trash and recycling pull outs when we remodel the kitchen too.
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Susie O says
Very nice!! I want to do something very similar but am thinking casters… so I can slide the unit completely out. Either way I LOVE the trash being out of sight!
The Handyman's Daughter says
The beauty of the drawer slides I used is that it’s super simple to take the unit completely out. You just pull it out all the way, then lift it up an inch or so. Casters would need some sort of guide rail inside the cabinet to prevent it from scratching up your cabinet face frame and looking crooked when it’s closed. But it could work!
Malissa - Southern Sawdust says
Clever idea! I’d love to convert an unused space in our bathroom to a hidden garbage can pull-out. I’m always kicking that dang thing! LOL Thanks for the great tutorial!
the cape on the corner says
that’s so good! we wanted to do this in our kitchen reno, but the size of the cabinet and placement would have meant the trashcan would have to be smaller than we have now. no go.
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The Handyman's Daughter says
We downsized our trash can when we installed it in a cabinet, but so far it hasn’t been too much of a problem. I tried to find the biggest can that would fit in the space, and we still use the 13-gallon trash bags that we used in the bigger one.
Marie says
This is a fantastic project! I want to update my kitchen now. Thanks for sharing at Merry Monday!
Kim (TheKimSixFix) says
This is a super smart way to create your own pull out trash can. The cabinet companies charge big bucks for this feature, and you made it look so easy!
Love it! thanks for linking up!
The Handyman's Daughter says
I couldn’t believe how much they were charging for a similar system! It was so easy to make my own. Thanks for stopping by, Kim!
Jonathon Canestrini says
You can use other methods to build the door – a full slab for a modern look or beadboard on a 1×3 frame for a cottage look.
Ivory says
I admire talent people like yourself. What a nice job. I love what you did, but I know, as much as I would love to make this, I will never be able to do such beautiful workable work. Thank for sharing.
John says
I really enjoy having trash cans hidden away in cabinets, and this DIY project makes it even easier to access. The only thing I would be worried about would be having the placement just barely off-target, which would be annoying, but if you’re really particular when putting everything together it shouldn’t be an issue. Thanks for sharing!
Brittany Merth says
I can’t wait to do this in our new house. We’ll finally have a bigger kitchen with plenty of cabinets, so I can sacrifice two for trash and recycle. Yippeee!
The Handyman's Daughter says
Lucky you! The only way we had room for our trash and recycle cabinets was by moving our fridge to a new spot. I’m really going to miss them if we don’t have room in the kitchen remodel!
Victoria @DazzleWhileFrazzled says
I would love something like this in the kitchen to hold recyclables. Of course, I’d have to redesign my kitchen and lose a precious cabinet but it’d be worth it! Visiting from BOB Tribe.
Charity says
Question. You made the base of the box 22in deep and 11 1/4 wide. I understand when making the edges of the box, placing the shorter 1×6 boards on the front and back ends of the longer 1×6 boards, would mean to have the longer 1×6 boards cut 2in shorter then the actual length of your box. So wouldn’t you have cut your longer boards to 20in instead of 20.5? So that when the boards are placed together the total depth of the box outline is 22in? Im just trying to do my own math to make my own pull out trash can and don’t want to mess up haha I hope my question makes sense.
Vineta says
Your math is correct, except that a 1×6 board isn’t actually 1″ wide. It’s 3/4″ wide, which means that the two short ends will add 1 1/2″ to the length, not 2″. Lumber dimensions confuse me all the time too!
chris says
This is just the project I was looking for! I need to build one for our kitchen to hide the trash and recycle bins. I plan on making a small cabinet to store 2 bins which doubles as a microwave stand.
On another note how do you like the pocket hole jig? I need to pick one up as they look useful.
Thanks again
Vineta says
I absolutely love the pocket hole jig and couldn’t build without it! I have the K5 for most projects and the R3 for odd spaces where I can’t use the K5. Good luck with your kitchen cabinet!
Matilda says
Certainly saves some bucks while providing a solution for waste and recycling goods, very creative.
Shawn says
Just wanted to say “thanks” for posting this! I was looking b/c I couldn’t find a 24″ cabinet pull-out for a reasonable price. After I read this, I bought the Kreg jig and built a very similar version of yours for a 24″ cabinet. Good idea and good tip on the jig – just expanded my horizons in woodworking. God bless.
Vineta says
I’m so glad I could help! The Kreg Jig can make woodworking addictive!
Amy says
Thank you for the great tutorial. I love this idea. Thanks for sharing at whatd you do this weekend.
Kim~madeinaday says
What a great project! Sharing! Thank you for sharing on Merry Monday! Hope to see ya next week!
Kim