Create a DIY Canned Food Shelf with these 3 Effective Steps

Last Updated on June 7, 2023 by teamobn

Do you like to bulk buy long-shelf-life food to save money? Or maybe, like us, you like to have an ’emergency food cache. The challenge, as always, is having the right storage system in your home. It’s not just about a place to keep it, but rather a place to be able to easily access what you want when you want it.

Building your own canned food rotation shelf is a great way to utilize maximum food storage capacity and maximize the shelf life of your emergency food stock. The slanted shelves are perfect for storing and rotating canned foods and provide easy access from all sides.

What are the materials needed to create a DIY Canned Food Shelf?

This rotation shelf uses the first-in – a first-out system where the cans are fed from one end and are dispensed on the other, ensuring that the oldest can is consumed first.

Is this the next project for your pantry or cellar?

Materials:

3 sheets of 4’x8’, 12” thick Plywood
9 pcs of 2”x4”x8’ Boards – Shelf Frames
11 pcs 1”x2”x8” Boards – Shelf Supports and Can Stoppers
1-3/4” or 2” Wood Screws
1-1/4” Wood Screws
1” Nails
6 pcs/shelf of ¼”x36” Strips of Wood – Can Dividers

Tools:

Power Drill
Table Saw
Nail Gun
Dado Blade with Bench
Sander

How to create a DIY Canned Food Shelf?

1. Measure and gather the materials

Before gathering the materials, determine the size of your shelf.

2. Making the shelves

Saw the plywood and cut the cardboard-based on your measurements. Use wood glue to attach them together with an angle. You can use a pneumatic staple gun before gluing the shelves.