The first cut

I worked out how much wood was needed and it meant two sheets of plywood. They were delivered and I set about cutting the first shelf from the sheet.

The sheets are 2440 x 1220mm which is close to the old 8 x 4 ft sheets. I cut the shelf with a circular saw, propping up the sheet so I didn't cut the floor too. As I expected, the walls were not quite square so I had to trim the shelf a little. I fixed battens to block walls which are very strong. Under the stairs there is a thick wooden brace which is part of the staircase behind the plaster, which was a great way to fix that batten. To help prevent the shelf sagging I fixed a brace under the middle of the shelf along its length, which I notched into the end battens. I'm not sure if the shelf will sag, as it will be fixed to the shelf above too between the drawers, but I thought it was worth adding the extra strength.

I think the next job will be to make the drawers then I can position the top shelf at the best spacing based on the drawer size. I'm not working to the plan exactly, it is just a guide.