In most homes, trash pull out drawers see a lot of action, which means a lot of wear and tear. When a homeowner’s trash pull out drawer had seen better days, she called the team at Ask This Old House for help. Carpenter Nathan Gilbert answered the call, removing the homeowner’s old system and installing a new one. Here’s how he did it.
How to Install a Trash Pull Out
- Start by measuring the cabinet for the correct kit. Measure the width, depth, and height and purchase a trash pull out kit that will fit within those dimensions.
- Remove the old trash pull out kit. There are usually a handful of screws attaching it to the cabinet base and a few screws attaching the drawer front.
- Assemble the new trash pull out kit. This usually involves tapping the sides onto the drawer slides and installing a few screws. Each kit may be different so be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Measure the cabinet opening width-wise and divide the measurement in half to find the center of the cabinet. Place the template included in the kit inside the cabinet, aligned with the center mark according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Use a drill and a small drill bit to drill holes at the locations marked on the template.
- Place the assembled trash pull out in the cabinet and align it with the holes drilled in the last step. Fasten the pull out in place with the screws included in the kit.
- Install the drawer front brackets on the front of the pull out according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Place double-sided tape on the front of the door brackets and align the door with the cabinet front, pressing against the double-sided tape. Make sure to maintain constant spacing all around the door, matching the reveal of the other drawers and doors fronts.
- Carefully slide the trash pull out by pulling on the door. Try not to twist or pull one side more than the other.
- Fasten the door front to the trash pull out using screws driven into the back of the door. Install two screws, check the door’s fitment and alignment, and then install the rest of the screws.
- Place the new bins inside the pull out and enjoy your ability to hide garbage.
When to Replace: In a recent This Old House project, homeowner Christine wrote in about a trash-can insert that had been a problem since she moved in. The plastic was deteriorating and chipped, and after her daughter caught her pants on it, the unit broke completely. With the kitchen dating back to 1997, the old insert had lived a good, long life — but it was well past time for a replacement. If your current pull-out shows cracked plastic, broken slides, or bins that no longer fit, don’t wait for a bigger failure.
Positioning Tip: When mounting the sliding basket to the floor of the cabinet, consider offsetting it to one side of the opening rather than dead center. This leaves room for stationary storage on the opposite side. Once the basket is positioned, pull it forward and close the cabinet door — the door will push the basket back into place, helping you gauge proper setback. Push it back just a hair more than flush to be safe, then hold down on the frame, remove the basket, and drill your pilot holes.
Resources
Trash insert kit installed was a Rev-A-Shelf double 35-quart pullout containers with a soft-close.
The kit came with hardware, bins, and a template to help mount the frame. To assemble the kit Nathan used a rubber mallet and a screwdriver. To install he used the template that came with the kit, using a tape measure and pencil to find a good placement for the frame. Nathan pre-drilled the screw locations using a drill with a 3/32” bit, then installed the frame with the screws provided. To mount the door, Nathan added double-sided tape to hold it in place while he found the correct placement of the door and screwed in the brackets. Nathan polished the wood cabinet with a scratch remover.
Technique Detail: When mounting the cabinet door back onto the new pull-out frame, Nathan emphasized the importance of watching the “reveals” — the consistent gaps around the door edges — to ensure proper alignment. He explained: “We know we need to watch our reveals. So I’m going to watch across the top down the left-hand side.” After positioning the door with double-sided tape and pressing it to create a bond, he carefully tested the pull-out mechanism before committing to the final attachment with shorter screws driven through the back of the door into the frame brackets.
