Kiran.Building

4×4 cubes cube storage plans

Cube shelf sized for standard storage bins, any grid. 55 1/2″ × 55 1/2″ × 15 11/16″, about $321 in 3/4″ birch plywood, 1/4″ plywood. Change any size below.

55 1/2″ × 55 1/2″ × 15 11/16″W × H × D
~$321materials (estimate)
21parts
6steps
Cubes acrossCubes up

Drag an orange dot to resize; a dashed line shows when it snaps to a common size. Click a dot, then use the arrow keys to nudge 1/8″ (hold Shift for 1″). Every size can also be typed in the panel.

Checks

  • This piece must be fixed to the wall. The hardware and step are included.
  • Each opening is 13″ square, for 12 1/2″ bins.

Shopping list

QtyItemEst.
33/4″ birch plywood, 4×8 sheet (sheet)Home DepotLowe's$204.00
21/4″ plywood, 4×8 sheet (sheet)Home DepotLowe's$56.00
21 5/8″ wood screws (box of 100)Home DepotLowe's$18.00
1Wood glue (bottle)Home DepotLowe's$5.00
11″ brad nails (box of 1000)Home DepotLowe's$6.00
1Felt floor pads (pack)Home DepotLowe's$5.00
23/4″ iron-on birch edge banding (25 ft roll)Home DepotLowe's$18.00
1Furniture anti-tip kit (stud mount) (kit)Home DepotLowe's$9.00

About $321 · rough estimates, check the store

Parts

PartQtyLengthWidthMaterial
ASide
Edge-band the front edge.
255 1/2″15″3/4″ birch plywood
BTop and bottom254 1/8″14 3/4″3/4″ birch plywood
CBack255 1/2″27 3/4″1/4″ plywood
DDivider354 1/8″14 3/4″3/4″ birch plywood
EFixed shelf
Edge-band the front edge.
1213″14 3/4″3/4″ birch plywood

Cut list

3/4″ birch plywood, sheet 1 of 3

A 55 1/2″×15″A 55 1/2″×15″B 54 1/8″×14 3/4″

3/4″ birch plywood, sheet 2 of 3

B 54 1/8″×14 3/4″D 54 1/8″×14 3/4″D 54 1/8″×14 3/4″

3/4″ birch plywood, sheet 3 of 3

D 54 1/8″×14 3/4″E 14 3/4″×13″E 14 3/4″×13″E 14 3/4″×13″E 14 3/4″×13″E 14 3/4″×13″E 14 3/4″×13″E 14 3/4″×13″E 14 3/4″×13″E 14 3/4″×13″E 14 3/4″×13″E 14 3/4″×13″E 14 3/4″×13″

1/4″ plywood, sheet 1 of 2

C 55 1/2″×27 3/4″

1/4″ plywood, sheet 2 of 2

C 55 1/2″×27 3/4″

Kerf 1/8″ included. Every cut runs edge to edge.

Have the store cut it

Most home centers rip sheets on their panel saw. Show them this; do the short crosscuts at home.

  1. 3/4″ birch plywood: rip into strips 15″, 15″, 14 3/4″, keep the rest.
  2. 3/4″ birch plywood: rip into strips 14 3/4″, 14 3/4″, 14 3/4″, keep the rest.
  3. 3/4″ birch plywood: rip into strips 14 3/4″, 13″, 13″, keep the rest.
  4. 1/4″ plywood: rip into strips 27 3/4″, keep the rest.
  5. 1/4″ plywood: rip into strips 27 3/4″, keep the rest.

Steps

  • Tape measure
  • Speed square
  • Pencil
  • Drill/driver
  • Clamps
  • Safety glasses
  • Hearing protection
  • Dust mask
  • Circular saw and a straight edge (or have the store cut the sheets)
  • Hammer
  • Stud finder
  • Level
  • Sander, 120 and 180 grit

Underlined words have a short explanation: hover or tap them. All of them are on the glossary page.

  1. 1Before you start

    Read every step once, start to finish, before you buy or cut anything. Each step names the parts it uses by letter; the parts list gives their sizes.

    Set up somewhere flat with good light. A pair of sawhorses with a sheet of plywood on top makes a fine work table.

    Wear safety glasses whenever a tool is running, hearing protection for saws, and a dust mask for sanding and for cutting treated wood or sheet goods. Tie back long hair and loose sleeves. Keep children and pets out of the work area.

    • Tip At the store, pick straight boards: hold each one up to your eye and look down its length. Skip boards that bow, twist or have big knots near the ends.
    • Tip Measure twice, cut once. Most mistakes are a misread tape, not a bad cut.
  2. 2Cut and label the parts

    Cut every part on the cut list. Cut the longest parts first: if one goes wrong, it can still become a shorter part.

    To mark a cut, hook your tape on the end of the board, make a small V with its point exactly at the measurement, and draw a square line through the point with a speed square. Put an X on the waste side.

    Cut on the waste side of the line, so the blade's kerf (about 1/8″) comes out of the scrap, not your part. Cut sheets with the good face down when using a circular saw: the blade splinters the top face.

    Write each part's letter in pencil on a face that won't show, and stack the parts by letter.

    Sand the faces before assembly while they're flat and easy to reach: 120 grit, then 180.

    ✓ Lay the parts out and count them against the parts list. Measure a few: if one is off by more than 1/16″, recut it now.

    STOP. Let the saw reach full speed before it touches the wood, keep both hands clear of the blade's path, and never reach under a board you're cutting. Support long boards on both sides of the cut so the blade doesn't pinch.
  3. 3Edge-band

    Iron edge banding onto every front edge that shows, and all four edges of each door and drawer front. Trim and sand.

    AE
  4. 4Build the case

    Glue and screw the bottom between the sides with its underside at 0″, and the top flush with the top ends. 1 5/8″ screws, 3 per joint.

    Fit the dividers between top and bottom at 13 11/16″, 27 3/8″, 41 1/8″ from the left side, outside faces.

    Screw in the fixed shelves with their undersides at 13 11/16″ in bay 1; 27 3/8″ in bay 1; 41 1/8″ in bay 1; 13 11/16″ in bay 2; 27 3/8″ in bay 2; 41 1/8″ in bay 2; 13 11/16″ in bay 3; 27 3/8″ in bay 3; 41 1/8″ in bay 3; 13 11/16″ in bay 4; 27 3/8″ in bay 4; 41 1/8″ in bay 4.

    Square the case and nail on the back.

    ✓ Diagonals match within 1/16″.

    ACEBD
  5. 5Anchor to the wall

    Slide a stud finder along the wall behind where the piece will stand and mark the studs.

    Fix the anti-tip kit's bracket to the back or top of the piece, then screw its other end into a stud with the screws supplied.

    Do not load the piece until it is anchored.

    STOP. Confirm the wall type first. Drywall on studs: use the studs. Plaster or masonry: use the kit's matching anchors or ask a pro.
  6. 6Finish

    Ease every sharp edge and corner with 120-grit sandpaper so nobody gets a splinter.

    Sand all over with 180 grit, always along the grain (the direction the wood fibres run). Scratches across the grain show through stain.

    Wipe off the dust with a barely damp rag and let it dry.

    Paint, stain or a clear coat (water-based polyurethane is the easiest). Apply thin coats with the grain, let each dry fully, and sand lightly with 220 grit between coats.

    Let it dry for the time on the can before using it.

    • Tip Try your finish on a scrap of the same wood first: stain looks different on every board.

Conceptual layout, material estimate and assembly guide from the sizes you entered. Not engineering, not a building plan, not stamped or approved. Confirm measurements on site; follow local codes and product instructions; anchor tall pieces before use. Using this plan means you accept the Terms of Use.

Questions

How much does it cost to build a 4×4 cubes cube storage?

About $321 in materials at typical US home-center prices, from the 8-line shopping list. Prices vary by store and region.

What size is it?

55 1/2″ wide, 55 1/2″ high and 15 11/16″ deep. Every size can be changed and the plan updates.

What lumber do I need?

3 × 3/4″ birch plywood, 4×8 sheet; 2 × 1/4″ plywood, 4×8 sheet. The cut list shows which part comes from which board, with the saw kerf included.

What tools do I need?

Tape measure, Speed square, Pencil, Drill/driver, Clamps, Safety glasses, Hearing protection, Dust mask, Circular saw and a straight edge (or have the store cut the sheets), Hammer, Stud finder, Level, Sander, 120 and 180 grit.

How many parts and steps are there?

21 parts in 5 kinds (3/4″ birch plywood, 1/4″ plywood), assembled in 6 steps.

Does it need to be anchored to the wall?

Yes. It is tall or shallow enough to tip, so the plan includes an anti-tip kit and a step to fix it into a wall stud.