Residents of cottages and owners of country houses often have a question: how to use the space under the stairs to the second floor as fully as possible, and most importantly with benefit.
Fantasy and diligence will help you equip free meters on your own - and you will get a functional pantry under the stairs. A small but spacious room used for household needs. A self-built pantry under the stairs will double the delight of loved ones.
Assignment of an additional room
In fact, the pantry under the stairs to the second floor is a small additional room. A room with a rationally organized space designed for different things. Often, the pantry under the stairs is replaced by regular shelves or built-in wardrobes.
Storage is the best versatile option for using extra space. Therefore, when building, it is important to choose the most suitable project, taking into account the nuances and configuration.the stairs itself.
Pantry options
Usually the pantry under the stairs is used for storage:
- household items, cleaning supplies, household chemicals (vacuum cleaner, ironing board, bucket, mop, broom, cleaning cloths, etc.);
- dishes, empty cans, bottles;
- children's toys;
- clothes, shoes;
- recreational, picnic items (chaise lounges, parasols, folding tables, chairs, baskets);
- sports equipment (dumbbells, yoga mats, skis, sleds, skates, football and hockey equipment, bicycles, scooters);
- children's items (carriages, walkers, high chairs);
- working tool (drill, puncher, jigsaw, planer, grinder, key sets, ladder, etc.);
- hobby and craft items;
- fishing gear, tourist equipment (rods, nets, cages, appliances, tents, sleeping bags, inflatable boats);
- products (vegetables, cereals, herbs, pickles, preserves).
Save space allows a pantry under the stairs in a private house. There are a lot of arrangement projects, the main thing is competent design. Original design solutions, what a pantry under the stairs might look like, photos of common, frequently used ideas will help you make a choice.
For the effective organization of the internal space, shelving, stands, shelves along the walls, sliding shelves, with drawers, compact folding systems, hangingorganizers. A good layout will help keep your home clean, tidy, well-groomed, and get rid of the problem of storing things.
Arrangement and preparation for repair work
To equip the under-staircase, no complicated work is required, but the question often arises of how to make a pantry under the stairs with your own hands without using expensive building and finishing materials. The organization of the internal space can be de alt with, having improvised tools and initial repair skills in the arsenal.
Before starting work, you should decide on the project, tools, materials, think over every detail. When planning, be sure to consider:
- room configuration;
- storage system.
To do this, you will need to make calculations and basic measurements. Then draw up a design project, at least in the form of a schematic sketch, showing the location of all structural elements. The calculation of the consumption of materials is carried out taking into account the drawing. When choosing consumables, be sure to take into account the expected load on the shelves.
When designing a pantry under the stairs, the design of external and internal parts must be not only reliable, durable, but also ergonomic, as functional as possible. Depending on the tread system, additional leveling and ceiling sheathing may be required.
Safety and convenience
When designing should take into account:
- total area of space;
- height;
- design features of the stairs;
- home location;
- general interior details;
- availability of communication pipes (sewerage, water supply, gas pipeline - they must have constant free access);
- ventilation location;
- presence of wiring;
- safety regulations;
- Convenience of the location of the entrance.
Having a small area, the vertical placement of shelves, racks will be rational, which will avoid clutter. A spacious pantry under the stairs will make it possible to use drawers, transformer shelves, carousels, separate lockers. The entrance to the utility room should be convenient and easily accessible. In cramped, narrow places, the use of sliding doors will be most suitable. It is also necessary to consider an additional lighting system.
Initial stage of work
A detailed step-by-step description of the work performed will tell you how to make a pantry under the stairs. The principles of repairing small rooms are similar to arranging large ones, but before starting a global "construction", you should decide what functions the pantry will perform.
It is possible to avoid unnecessary costs and loss of time if, before the start of the project, it is possible to correctly calculate the area and the amount of material required.
Tools and materials
Having decided on the project, design, decor, you need to prepare everything you need. For work you will need:
- pencil;
- roulette;
- level;
- screwdriver;
- hammer;
- screwdriver;
- hacksaw for wood/metal;
- mixtures or materials for wall decoration (depending on the interior, this may be painting or other work; this is done using a primer, plaster, paint or wall panels made of wood, plastic);
- gypsum board or chipboard sheets for sheathing and separating the space under the stairs;
- wood beam (metal profile) to build the frame;
- door leaf;
- shelf materials (sanded board, plywood, glued wood, ready-made metal solutions);
- fasteners (self-tapping screws, corners, plugs);
- furniture fittings as needed (hinges, doorknob, cabinet handles, hooks, etc.)
- fronts for cabinets and drawers.
You also need to think about the solution of the ceiling, especially when there are gaps between the steps. It can be flat or parallel to the flight of stairs.
Stage 1 - room creation
The first thing to do is to construct a frame (wooden or metal, at your discretion). To do this, guides are attached to the ceiling and floor, then frame racks are attached to them. It is very important that there are no distortions, it is necessary to align them all by level.
The missing walls are being erected, which are most often made of sheets of drywall or chipboard. They are fastened with cross wood / metal screws and a screwdriver. Such walls are quite strong and stable.
The next step is to install the door frame, fixing the slopes,cashers.
Stage 2 - hanging the door
The door frame and doors can be cut out yourself using a wooden beam and a furniture board, or you can buy ready-made ones that match the size, configuration of the room, and the overall design of the house. The entrance system requires special attention. The choice depends on the location, free space on the outside.
To save space, it is recommended to install sliding, folding doors. The use of conventional swing sometimes creates inconvenience. When purchasing doors to order, you can choose the decor, texture, pattern of the canvas.
In order not to focus on the presence of a utility room, it is ideal to use the same doors as in the whole house. This will make it invisible. The pantry will organically fit into the overall design of the space. It is important to correctly place the door to the pantry under the stairs so that it opens outward, and not into the small room. Mounting is carried out on ordinary hinged door hinges.
Stage 3 - decoration, decor, interior filling
At this stage, we bring the pantry to its final form. It is optimal to use wear-resistant durable materials. The erected walls are covered with ground plaster, painted or pasted over with wallpaper on the inside and outside. The best option for this is washable wallpaper. Some prefer liquid wallpaper.
It will be possible to visually expand a narrow room using light-colored finishes. It is important to remember that when applying plaster and primereach new layer is applied only after the previous one has completely dried. If any other materials were used in the decoration of the general interior of the room (artificial, natural stone, tiles, wall panels, wood), then their use will be appropriate for finishing the outside of the pantry.
Internal arrangement involves the presence of hangers, shelves, racks. Modern collapsible modular systems of any size will perfectly cope with the storage function, and even beginners will cope with their installation. It is better to provide for the presence of shelves of different heights - for large and small things.
Lighting and ventilation of the room
In the future pantry, it is necessary to conduct electrical wiring and provide lighting devices. Such types of work are carried out in compliance with fire safety standards. The switch is installed outside, near the entrance.
It is better to choose ceiling lights or downlights designed for confined spaces. The backlight should not interfere with those entering and come into contact with interior items. It is considered successful to use LED spotlights or linear ones, which not only brightly illuminate dark places, but also light up without human intervention, simply reacting to movement.
In the pantry, the installation of an air ventilation system is required to avoid problems with unpleasant odors, stale air, and dampness. If the room cannot be included in the general ventilation system of the house, then carefullyensure regular ventilation.
Helpful tips
Designing a home pantry, you need to follow some simple rules and principles:
- Do not use materials with a slippery surface when arranging shelves to prevent objects from slipping.
- Place bulky items at the bottom only.
- For interior decoration, it is better to use plastic and wood, since plaster and paper coatings have fast wear properties;
- In case of food storage, a ventilation system must be provided.
During the operation of the pantry, it is required to monitor the wear of internal structures, it is better to put things in their places and avoid excessive clutter.
