DIY RV Storage Drawer

After dealing with the clutter of the storage compartment on our camper for just over a year, I decided it was time to organize a little and make life a little easier. I thought about making this drawer for quite a while before actually tackling it but I’m glad I did. Utilizing the storage compartment is much easier, neater and less frustrating now that I can simply pull out the drawer to access the items in the compartment.
Check out this new RV Storage Drawer build for our 2022 Flagstaff. • DIY RV Storage Drawer
Here are a few Amazon links to some of the tools and items similar to what I used during this build.
Swanson 48” Straight Edge
amzn.to/3PtG9qJ
Dewalt Circular Saw
amzn.to/3ObT3rN
Ryobi Random Orbital Sander
amzn.to/3o7ol8B
180 Grit 5” Hook and Loop Sanding Disc
amzn.to/3OcsToR
Dewalt 10” Table Saw
amzn.to/3PsuKqu
Ryobi 18 volt 7 1/4” Miter Saw
amzn.to/3odhhak
Ryobi Cordless Drill
amzn.to/3aF24fq
Titebond III Ultimate Wood Glue
amzn.to/3IGAHhx
Ryobi 18 volt Stapler
amzn.to/3oavnto
Craftsman 25’ Tape Measure
amzn.to/3Ohm45k
1 1/4” Wood Screws
amzn.to/3IXNIDD
2” Wood Screws
amzn.to/3zbmyWp
Helmsman Spar Urethane
amzn.to/3uULq2d
3” L Brackets
amzn.to/3yHsLrL
Go check out my website
www.thefurrminator.com
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[@themarvelousmutts]

Greatest idea I've seen on youtube. After months of debating the price of slides vs. the ease of making these, I dove in and in a couple of hours had a drawer made on my Class A for all the extra extension cords I carry. So easy and it was free because I have a great stash of scrap wood. Thank you for posting!

[@jay.t.foulds]

Awesome video...really. I'm a retired (Canadian) combat engineer and I'm about to get my first RV (TT), I'm about to jump full force into full-time RV-life and I've already begun researching and designing DIY mods. This was near the top of my list and you gave me some solid mods to refine my storage drawer design. I appreciate you, thanks. 🫡🫡🫡

[@thurlravenscroft2572]

Awesome job! I smashed that like button 73 times.

[@QuiltersHandyman]

Thanks for a great video....In the process of redoing my outdoor kitchen....next comes the front storage compartment. We are redoing the whole trailer, inside and out.

[@TheFurrminator]

I love the idea of remodeling a camper and making it just the way I want it, wish I had time to do that to a whole camper. Good luck with your project. Send me pics of your storage drawer if you like, I like to see different ideas.

[@brianheinz8938]

Love the concept, and way cheaper than buying custom made shelves. I just finished a pair of these for my travel trailer. I tweaked the design a bit by adding some casters under the drawer so they pull out easier, and attached barrel bolt locks to the front to keep the drawers in place while moving.

[@johnripley6298]

How did those casters work when pulling the drawer out. I was thinking of something like that

[@michaeldort9175]

Lol! I have the exact same table saw. Had it for about 38 years! From Canada.

[@MrJxaxsxoxn]

Outstanding video sir! Straight to the point no nonsense and extremely informative thank you so much this is extremely helpful

[@rodder98]

Great job, thanks for the detailed instructions. I refuse to pay the price they want for the commerical ones. This is going to work great!!!

[@macdaddy20042]

Thank you very much I've been sitting here beating my brains off the Wall trying to figure out what to do for my front storage compartment also.. This is been a big help.

[@TheFurrminator]

Glad I could help, this thing has come in very handy since I built it. I use that drawer daily while camping and I’m never digging and hunting for anything because I have full access to everything on that side of the trailer. The other side is a different story, I had to move several things to even see inside the compartment on our last trip. Hoping to be able to make one for the other side soon. Thanks for watching and good luck with your project

[@tracieclarke4323]

You explained this very well. Great idea. We are so new, I haven't bought the tag yet. I am trying to figure out organization.

[@larrydotson1195]

Fiance and I are in the process of buying a small tow behind. There is a large (to me) storage area. Didnt even think of this. Great idea!!!

[@TheFurrminator]

Larry Dotson thank you, I appreciate that. Thank you for watvhing

[@joeadams301]

Did this. Added a level for my solar panels

[@michelelefebvre2152]

Great idea and video! I’m definitely going to show my husband this, as we are about to buy our first trailer with pass through storage this spring. Thanks so much for the excellent instructions 👍🏼👍🏼

[@ken12269]

This is great. I’m gonna do something like this. I love my front compartment but hate accessing the stuff in the middle. Well done!

[@megmagruder7124]

Simpls easy design. Thanks for the video.

[@rogerwm.brazier4438]

Thank you, I have been looking for something like this for quite a while. Great design and professional look.

[@TheFurrminator]

Thank you so much, I appreciate that. Good luck with your project, the drawer is very handy and not too difficult to build.

[@jeffduquette588]

I would have put a cutout on the rear back brace so I could put long, seldom used items under the drawer. Excellent video!

[@Gone_Fishing420]

Quality work. So good, I decide to buy the guide rails online and save me a ton of time. Nice job my friend!!

[@choimdachoim9491]

II've been watching lots of videos searching for this...I'm tired of reaching way back into my tool-storage bay trying to open tool boxes, remove trays and pull out that one tool I need and unstacking layers of boxes to reach the box I need that tool from so I was thinking of making an open-bottom slide-out with 300 pound sliders so that the area below the lip of my bay opening (6 inches) can be accessed easily and I could utilize the height above it with another slide-out and double-stack my boxes. I was thinking of using square tubing for rigidity and because it takes up less volume than wood. I can't travel without all my GC tools so my requirements are different than most RV travelers. Appreciate your video a lot...it let's me know I can do this.

[@COMtnPilot]

Solid work on a budget! Love it! 👍🏼😎

[@Kenfitzpat]

Nice design very functional I can see where you really thought this out. I can use this design for some drawers under the stairs in my shop also. Thanks for sharing

[@CurtisDrew1]

Cool project. I stopped in because I have kicked around the idea of doing the same thing on my Class A. I have a long compartment like yours but only one door on one side. (passengers side) So it's purpose I can only guess is for snow skies and long tent poles and such. I have 24" wide rubberized plywood runners that are tounge and groove flooring stacked in there that we use as a hard patio floor.( Keeps the mud and dirt out of the Coach.) But have been wanting to build a slide out outdoor kitchen in it's place since it's right next to the outside sink and hot/ cold shower hose. Here is a tip. You can use Pocket Door Rollers to make your drawer slide easy. The rollers are brass ball bearing rollers with a cable size groove in the edge. (This edge groove is perfect for for use as a cable guide roller pulley.) Which make them the perfect choice for running in "V" notched plywood side runners.(Tounge style of the tounge and groove flooring) You can buy these Pocket Door Rolllers at most box and hardware stores for about $8 to $14 dollars a pair. Your options are to seperate the rollers from the supplied bracketry and use the ball bearinged rollers individually, or keep them on the bracket and just double up on your rollers to spread the weight onto your runners. But using them on the supplied bracketry you can reduce the thickness of your plywood in this application and still have enough strength. Lots of other ways to use these brass rollers. I found them at Ace Hardware and used them for a different project, after searching for 1" to 1.25" ball bearinged cable rollers for a wall hugger recliner modification I wanted to do. Funny thing though, the Ace Sales Guy swore up and down they had no cable pulley rollers for sale in the entire store, then I happened to walk by the pocket and screen door parts isle and saw them. They were perfect. I bought 8! (All he had!) :)

[@steelfist65]

Great project and video. You need a magnetic bit holder! LOL! I love the Ryobi tools as well.

[@TheFurrminator]

Steel Fist thank you, I appreciate that. I do need a new bit holder, misplaced the magnetic one that I had. I love the 18v Ryobi tools

[@chadsteele1]

I little bit of soap bar on the bottoms will help it slide. Also I'm surprised u didn't use drawer rails. But looks like a solid build in either case.

[@frankperry1543]

I just came across this video. I really like your design.

[@TheFurrminator]

Thank you and thank you for watching

[@salmodiespeak9712]

Mark the line on blue painters tape. No scribing with pocket knife.

[@beharford]

Nicely done, Bruh...excellent video! And yeah, blokes with our level of life experience and physique are not meant to be crawling around inside a cabinet :-) I was fortunate....in our trailer the plywood bed platform is above the storage cabinet; is was easier for me to pull that off to do the drawer install Thanks for posting!

[@jerrywiese9722]

Great idea and well executed.

[@TheFurrminator]

Thank you, I appreciate that

[@joeg9112]

I use harbor freight beatings on a plywood base for the drawer to ride on. Slides like a dream with nom chance of warping or expanding.

[@ChuckSmartt-y8s]

Which harbor freight beatings did you use?

[@joeg9112]

@@ChuckSmartt-y8s LOL...I meant bearing. Damn big fingers.

[@sully199]

Great job sir, very interesting to watch

[@TheFurrminator]

Thank you, I appreciate that and thank you for watching

[@calford5345]

Excellent job on this project...starting mine soon...

[@TheFurrminator]

Thank you, I appreciate that, good luck with your build and thank you for watching

[@rondavault7443]

You did a nice succinct job with the video and a great project.

[@TheFurrminator]

Thank you!

[@bleslie5595]

Thank you for this video! I now have a project to do this weekend! This is awesome

[@johnripley6298]

The wife and I have 2021 mini lite with a pass thru, right now its disorganized. I thought paying 600 for the drawers and frame, but I really like the idea of using wood. The doors on both sides are the same size I think.

[@TheFurrminator]

The drawer really helps, even if everything in the drawer is disorganized, at least you can pull it out where you can see what you have in it. Wood worked great and was still holding up great when we sold the camper in January. We bought a 2022 and we don’t need the drawer on this one, no pass through compartment and not much storage

[@thetinysideoftiny7625]

Just found this video...a perfect inexpensive solution. I'm going to build them for my travel trailer...thanks!

[@TheFurrminator]

Thank you, I think you will be pleased with the drawer, I would not want to go back to a big empty storage compartment. One tip that may help is, on the runner or bottom board that the drawer slides on, I coated it with WD40. Someone suggested coating it with a paste wax. Mine slides fine but the wax would probably be worth the try. Thanks for watching

[@tinasally379]

Awesome video!!! Now to do something similar with the drawers I found on the side of the road... 🤔🤔🤔

[@TheFurrminator]

That should be interesting, curious to know what you do with that

[@emmanuelunitedchurchottawa4152]

Love it. Next spring's project.

[@dangitgrossman]

Thank you so so much for the details !! I was hoping when I clicked on it that you did just that and I wasn’t disappointed.

[@RandoLeon]

Been looking since last June for exactly this thanks so much.

[@TheFurrminator]

Rando Leon the drawer has been great and I’m hoping to add one to the other side soon. Good luck with your project and thanks for watching

[@KeyserTheRedBeard]

really good content The Furrminator. I shattered that thumbs up on your video. Keep on up the high-quality work.

[@TheNovaNorm]

Love the Ryobi tools. Thanks for the video.

[@markthompson7873]

Perfect, very informative.. will build this weekend. Might use wheels , frame same …

[@TheFurrminator]

I hope it turned out as good for you as it did for me. We sold the camper and let the drawer go with it. Still works really good.

[@laghaboutarfa8650]

Lovely idea 👍

[@markferrick10]

Very nice project. thanks for sharing.

[@kcribari]

Extremely helpful video; thank you for sharing all these details.

[@chuckpoz1968]

Very nice 👍🏻 thanks for sharing

[@MichaelJohnson-lx2dl]

Great simple design. Looks very sturdy! However, I believe you suffer from my disease. Probably most DIYers suffer from what I call the "overengineering disease." The three quarter plywood definitely makes a very sturdy drawer but as you showed us, it adds quite a bit of weight. I believe you could use thinner material and still make something strong enough to do the job you are trying to accomplish. A quarter inch bottom panel glued and nailed into a dado in the bottom of the drawer I think would work, especially if you added the dividers into the drawer. (Without the dividers I think quarter inch plywood would probably be too light for that long of a drawer carrying that amount of weight). I also believe you could use half inch material for the sides and definitely for the frame the drawer slides into. You need the three quarter boards for the runners for sure. I recently made some shelves out of half inch plywood with inch wide quarter inch plywood strips glued and pin nailed around the periphery of the shelf. I've loaded some very heavy hardware on these shelves and they haven't bowed even a little. I hope maybe this might help someone who is particularly concerned about the weight issue but wants to use this wonderful design.

[@cagecatchum3001]

Great Video. Thank you.

[@TheFurrminator]

Thank you and than you for watching

[@bishopandrew]

Good work

[@CHRISINMCNEILL]

Great video! You are a lot of help!

[@mjhppg791]

Good video Very thorough.

[@FVBully]

Well done and great DIY

[@Garagemonkey11575]

Like your video but will use 4 long plastic containers with tops bought from Walmart or target 2 on each side take items out that I need slide it back in and set 4 collapsible chairs on top of containers got a pretty wide storage doors they fit nicely when I pull out a chair I set a container on chair look for what I need slide back in container put chair on top

[@Brentlythomas13]

Really nice video! Thank you... I think you just saved me some money!!

[@TheFurrminator]

Thank, I hope your build goes as well as mine did.

[@randallsaunders8927]

Thanks for the great idea. Something to do in order to get ready for this season.

[@fishingismydrug1]

Great video ! To the point, Thank You SIR !

[@joewelling3278]

Great project and very well documented , However I would have used paste wax on the drawer slides

[@TheFurrminator]

Thank you, I appreciate that. I agree that paste wax would work great, I may try that later on but it slides great right now. Thanks for the suggestion and thanks for watching

[@jimiden1455]

Great RV Mod. and great video. I have already began copying your build. Thanks for sharing and safe travels.

[@caseystephenson387]

I'm going to do it. I have a travel trailer with a storage area similar to yours but it only has a door on one side. Pretty sure I can make it work with a longer drawer thanks for the great idea.

[@Jennb1373]

thank you for sharing!

[@hardtruth2039]

Very nice job. I was looking for this very idea to add a drawer or two to our new 5th wheel as we get it ready for long road trips. Subbed!

[@TheFurrminator]

Thank you, good luck with your project, the drawer is probably the handiest thing I’ve added to our travel trailer. Thank you for watching

[@805gregg]

Nice job

[@TheFurrminator]

Thank you, I appreciate that

[@geneland]

Great solution to a problem I also have. Thanks! I am now a new subscriber!

[@FaithIsOnTheMove]

Thank you for this video. Great idea! Just what I need. :)

[@TheFurrminator]

Thank you for watching and glad it is helpful. Good luck with your build. I have another drawer build video coming soon where I used drawer slides.

[@Beaverdam83]

nice construction. i need every square inch of spare in that compartment and this halved it. i really like the slide operation though. maybe i can utilize it elsewhere

[@TheFurrminator]

Thank you

[@mildredlackey1938]

Great video, nice work , and so very handy to use, thanks for sharing ,

[@offourrockers9471]

Great idea

[@TheFurrminator]

Thank you and thanks for watching

[@Don-wo8zk]

Thanks

[@twinbit]

Definitely add any weight contributed by the drawer to your tongue weight load calculation, since the drawer is forward the axle.

[@timlarson7228]

Thank you for sharing. I just subscribed. 🇺🇸

[@TheFurrminator]

Thank you and thank you for watching

[@aliveandwell2078]

Nice job sir!!

[@harleyhaynes]

Can put some UHMW tape on the runners to make it slide like butter in and out

[@rickhudson454]

Excellent DYI video. Have you ever thought about adding UHMW (Ultra-high Molecular Weight) Polyethylene Tape to the tracks?

[@snprmilitary]

You have a new follower. Great explanations. I am going to use this..

[@philip48230]

Observation ... wood on wood would be difficult. Why didn’t you put small wheels on the frame like roller ball bearings. Nice presentation, solved several questions I had about these draweres

[@josephdupont]

Thank you for this presentation in a drawer I want to use a drawer to widen my Ford Ranger so I can sleep with my feet sticking out in the store so I don't have to make it wider and I'll pick up a lot of space because most people run the bed lengthwise and as a result they're losing all kinds of a space usable space so if I go sideways and stick it out the put might extend my feet out when I'm stopped on camping and have a disk space Lee a box that can keep my feet and keep nice and warm your having insulated could be very very very nice I like the concept thank you very much

[@rachaelb9164]

I wonder if some edge banding on the slides would help it move smoothly.

[@Knuckledragnation]

Thanks for the ideas. Let me ask you about using wood screws or any screw for that matter when building and or working with plywood. Do you need to drill pilot holes before installing the screws themselves? Thanks

[@RCMediaSigns]

Good Stuff thanks!!!

[@Rip1Outdoors]

GOOD JOB THANK YOU

[@TheFurrminator]

Thank you and thanks for watching.

[@henryfam58]

I'd give you 10 thumbs up if I could, well done, excellent video. Also beeswax works wonders on wood to wood slides.

[@EdPalmatier]

Nice job.

[@TheFurrminator]

Ed Palmatier thank you and thank you for watching

[@Paul-iu1om]

Great idea great job For your slider you can use wax

[@fordfan3179]

Nice!

[@alandickson1629]

Measure twice cut once

[@dennisclark8766]

EXCELLENT!!!

[@user-qk9rq9qp9m]

👍

[@jcaughman01]

Nice drawer, but just wondering, why not use drawer slides?

[@mikek.3965]

Wonderful idea. How do you determine what length of screws you can use to support the "L" brackets to the floor of the camper storage area? Thx!

[@TheFurrminator]

I made sure there was nothing under the floor that could be damaged by a screw passing through the floor. Also, I’m pretty sure most flooring will be 1/2” or 5/8” thick.

[@mikek.3965]

@@TheFurrminator Many thanks! I'll be using your great idea on mine soon, I hope.

[@cliffeisaman9212]

Great video. Just finished one that is just a little differant. Was wondering what size screws you used to screw into the floor and hold the tray?

[@TheFurrminator]

I think I used 1” wood screws

[@stephenchristian5739]

nice I probably would try a metal rail & either kill it or totally screw it up, thanks i enjoyed this, ...but definitely going with a mo-ryde $516 {just 4 christmas} 20x90deep from (after searching for 3-4 hours over 2 nights) 'PPL rv consignment' site ..nice!

[@jenniferwatson1949]

Thanks for the vid. I feel like I can do it on my own pretty much and I’m not that handy with tools and such. Do you feel like you lose/lost some of your storage space because of the drawer? I am kind of worried about that. Thanks.

[@canadiansparky64]

I think if you angled the base, it would have fit through the opening.

[@MikeAndNary]

Looks like a Keystone Laredo?

[@robertgreen8106]

use canning wax for oil

[@NeilKudro]

Loved your video brother. I was wondering how to build storage boxes where the door opens down from the side not the top. we are building an overland camper, its our first project, and we need to either find or build storage drawers that will sit on each side of the flatbed. They have to open down on the side to use them properly because the camper will sit on top of them. Any advice? Thanks

[@mit1346]

I'm going to have trouble ripping those pieces straight without a table saw.

[@TheFurrminator]

mit kooc another option is to clamp a 1x4 to the plywood and use it as a guide or a straight edge. You can use that to guide your saw and keep you straight. You just need to make some measurements to determine where to clamp the board

[@calliebarrett742]

excellent video but keep missing how you get it so it will not fall out forward>

[@TomHightower]

Does it swell any when it's rainy or humid?

[@anthonyhitchings1051]

add UHMW Polyethylene Film Tape( low friction tape) for easier sliding?

[@cduemig1]

I was going to say the same thing. The UHMW tape is great stuff.

[@MrRampro]

How has it held up?