Door to be removed so I can put 2 piece hutch here
Can I put a two piece hutch on casters to provide portable storage?
by LK
+14
Moving to small house. Was going to get rid if my 2 piece hutch, however, it could provide valuable storage space.There is a wall in the kitchen that has a door to a small pantry. Was thinking of removing the door and putting my 2 piece/heavy hutch in its place...on casters. This would allow me to move the hutch from the wall and gain access to pantry. Would casters work or are there other suggestions out there?
2 piece hutch (This photo was taken when I was refinishing it)
Hi LK. Heavy duty casters would probably work, but is that something you would want to move on a regular basis? The weight will still be the same or more when loaded, and would eventually damage your flooring.
Structurally or cosmetically? They are hard wood floors. I looked at rubber casters that hopefully won’t mark the floor too much. Let me know, thanks!
Hi LK,
I LOVE your thinking. You think the way I think. ;) I think this will work for you as long as you don't mind moving it to get to the pantry. To test how much it will take, I'd try putting it in front of the door, after putting on rubber castors, to see how much of a pain it will be. If you're okay with moving it THEN take the step of removing the door. If it doesn't work out then you'll have to figure out a different solution. Wishing you the best.
You are right - excellent advice before I rip down the moulding!
thank you!
L.K. you are literally taking from one hand to feed the other!?! Unless you rarely and I do mean rarely . . . intend to access the pantry only once or twice a year, I don't think this would work. It might be better to use the china closet in an unthought of space like a bedroom, basement or bathroom. Is there any way you could enlarge the pantry so the china closet could fit in that space? It seems the table/chairs would be too close to china closet as is.
Half of that pantry closet contains the furnace and hot water heater unfortunately. I’ll keep pondering...
thanks for your input!
I would not take the chance. If one or more casters jams the whole china cabinet could fall. Even the weight of the china cabinet just sitting there can cause divots in the flooring from the wheels.
I don't think it would be a wise idea based on the above comments of damaging the floor, it falling over as well as damaging the dishes or bottles inside the cabinet...especially if it's a bottle of wine...
If you secure the two pieces maybe. I would not want the hutch to fall on you. I do not think it would be safe. I would find another place in the house where it can remain stationary.
I’m going for it! There are lots of different casters out there and I chose non-marking rubber casters on a swivel with a brake; each caster can hold 80 or 90 pounds so in total the casters will hold between 320 and 360 pounds - more than enough. In the photo below you can see where I attached them to the bottom but have not put the top back onto the hutch yet. I’ll do that when I get to the new house. But I can tell you is that it moves like a dream so I’m hoping this will be a successful DIY. Since there’s hardwood floors I’m not too concerned about divots And the rubber wheels on these casters create a cushion and it moves so nicely. Stay tune for pictures of the final product after I move!
UPDATE
It’s been eight months, and this is one of the best DIY projects I have ever done. Used casters that hold 400 pounds each so the hutch moves quite easily. This has provided a significant amount of storage space, allows me to get into that closet that is behind the hutch (this is where my pots and pans are stored) and has provided some real nice visual appeal in this semi open space floor plan. The trick is getting casters to support the right amount of weight.
Thank you!!! I am thinking about adding wheels to my hutch for my crafting So I can wheel it into the garage after crafting because I have a baby whose very curious and will begin to crawl soon. I cannot take chances! So thank you 🙏🏾 Your risk is about to also be my big reward!
Like I mentioned, this was a hugely successful project. A few extra tips: use casters that swivel since you will be moving it around a lot. Also, I ended up removing and replacing the original set of casters I had attached. I think I underestimated the weight of the hutch and the first set I used didn't let it glide smoothly. Lastly, I like the rubber casters (you will see there are metal and hard plastic). I do get a bit of black rubber scuffs on the hard wood floor once in a while but I just think it is less marring on the floor than a metal or hard plastic might be. Good luck!
Hello there,
Yes you can, but be sure the Casters will take the weight. Best wishes