One thing that was lacking in our 2011 Keystone Cougar Fifth Wheel was a place to put our shoes. Generally they get placed by the entrance door in a heap. The other day I was exploring the space under the kitchen counters and noticed a large void filled with nothing right next to the door. Bing! A light bulb lit up in my head! What a perfect spot to install a couple cubby holes to stow our shoes in.
With a hand full of screws, 7 feet of 1×2 wood $2.25 and a found for free piece of paneling I set out to make my cubby holes. First I needed to remove the existing paneling. It had been stapled in place so I carefully removed it using a very handy super thin pry bar/scraper tool.
Once I got the paneling and drawers removed I was able to survey the area and make measurements. I hit the local lumber yard and picked up a 1×2 8 foot piece of fir lumber and scored a nice cast off chuck of paneling from the free wood pile. Along with some screws I was ready to build my frame to hold the shelves. Luckily I was able to not only install a wall between the drawers and my new cubby holes but also at the same time strengthen the drawer mounting itself.
Material Dimensions:
- Large panel = 16 3/4″ x 13″
- Shelves = 16 3/4″ x 11″
- Six 1″x2″ boards 10″ long
- One 1″x2″ board 15 1/2″ long
Using the 1×2 pieces I fashioned some bracing to hold the shelving pieces.
The extra wall and bracing actually helped firm up everything including the drawers and back wall. I was very pleased and finished it off by installing the shelves.
My initial plan was to screw, glue or silicone the shelving in place but it fits so nice I decided to leave it loose. That way I can easily remove them for cleaning or take out the top one to use the space to store a larger item. We are using the space for shoes but it could be used for many things. I’m surprised Keystone let this obvious little space go to waste. By adding a door for instance you could have a nice little place to store more dishes, appliances, etc.
Video Clip Detailing Keystone Cougar Fifth Wheel Shoe Storage Mod
So there you have it my Keystone Cougar Fifth Wheel Shoe Storage Mod. simple, cheap and quick. In no time, we now have a nice little bit of extra storage and less clutter by the door.
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