DIY drop zone shoe cabinet.
DIY drop zone shoe cabinet.

This drop zone shoe cabinet is a great way to organize the shoes in your garage or mud room. Here’s how to go about making one for your home.

How to Make a Drop Zone Shoe Cabinet:

  1. Rip ¾” plywood for the top, bottom, sides, and shelf to the desired cabinet depth.
  2. Miter both ends of the top and top of the sides of the cabinet.
  3. Glue and nail the mitered top and sides together.
  4. Cut the bottom and shelf to length.
  5. Glue and nail the bottom and shelf in place.
  6. Install a ¼” plywood back on the cabinet.
  7. Cover the plywood end grain on the front of the cabinet with strips of lattice or iron-on veneer.

Watch this video to find out more.


Further Information

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT
Danny Lipford: Begin by cutting the top, or seat, for your drop zone from a piece of three-quarter-inch cabinet-grade plywood. The dimensions are flexible, but just be sure to create enough depth from front to back for your shoes.

On either end of the top, I’m making 45-degree miter cuts, which will mate with miter cuts on the tops of the supporting sides. This will hide the end grain of the plywood on the sides. These joints are glued and nailed together with finish nails.

The two sides are tall enough to allow the addition of two shelves for shoes beneath the seat. The shelves are made with square cuts measured to fit tightly between the sides. Once they’re nailed in place, the basic structure is complete.

To cover the end grain on the front of the unit, I’m gluing and nailing lattice strips over the raw plywood with the edges flush on the top and outside.

When it’s painted and installed, there’s plenty of room for the kids to sit down and take off their shoes before entering the house.

Editorial Contributors
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Danny Lipford

Founder

Danny Lipford is a home improvement expert and television personality who started his remodeling business, Lipford Construction, at the age of 21 in Mobile, Alabama. He gained national recognition as the host of the nationally syndicated television show, Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford, which started as a small cable show in Mobile. Danny's expertise in home improvement has also led him to be a contributor to popular magazines and websites and the go-to source for advice on everything related to the home. He has made over 200 national television appearances and served as the home improvement expert for CBS's The Early Show and The Weather Channel for over a decade. Danny is also the founder of 3 Echoes Content Studio, TodaysHomeowner.com, and Checking In With Chelsea, a décor and lifestyle blog.

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