SHELF PLUS BREAD BOX

Neither metal nor plastic bread storage boxes offered by industry can compare with wooden ones. The latter are more eco-friendly, more durable, more attractive, and they keep loaves and baguettes fresh much longer.

And the wooden design proposed by the Polish magazine Młody Technik is even more versatile: it combines the functions of both a breadbox and a kitchen shelf. The lower, closed part serves for bread storage and is a box with a hinged front wall. Above it are two open shelves with a low rear guard. The breadbox shelf is also convenient because it practically takes up no kitchen space, as it is hung on two hooks on the wall.

The design shown in the drawings is made of boards. It can also be made of thick plywood or a combination of these materials.

The two side walls widen towards the bottom, with grooves made for the movable front wall of the breadbox. The bottom part has the same length as the shelves but is wider — corresponding to the base of the side walls. The rear guards are also of equal length but differ in height: while the upper shelf has basically just a slat, the lower guard is formed by the upper part of the panel, which also serves as the back wall of the breadbox.

All the pieces are joined together with round dowels, or simply with nails or screws.

Other design features can be seen from the provided drawings. Only a few technological tips can be added. To maintain the necessary air circulation inside the breadbox, ventilation holes are made (for example, with a large round file) along the edge of the lower shelf adjacent to the back wall (not shown in the drawing). At the same time, to prevent excessive circulation (otherwise the bread will quickly go stale) and for hygienic purposes, the gap between the lower shelf and the front wall of the breadbox is closed with a soft curtain made of polyethylene film or linen canvas, overlapping the front wall.

Since the breadbox is intended for storing bread, the shelf should not be painted. Instead, after carefully preparing the parts before assembly, it is better to heat them one by one over a gas stove flame (or a blowtorch) and soak them with heated vegetable oil (such as olive oil). This will highlight the beautiful natural wood texture and protect it from moisture.

As for the assembly order: it is more convenient to first connect the side walls with the shelves and the bottom, and then install the back panels. The grooves in the side walls may cause some difficulty — however, the drawing shows a simplified method of making them using overlay elements (plywood and rail).