How to Build an Art Easel with Storage | DIY Plans That Work

Build a sturdy art easel with built-in storage for under $100 in materials, using a plywood backing board and a few basic woodworking tools.

If you’re tired of tripping over tubes, brushes, and rags scattered around your workspace, building an art easel with storage solves the problem in one weekend. Whether you prefer a freestanding A-frame for the studio or a compact tabletop version for tight spaces, the build comes down to three essentials: a stable leg structure, a canvas rest, and trays or shelves you attach to hold your gear. The most practical approach is to start with a proven easel plan, then add the storage elements that match how you actually work.

Why Build Your Own Instead of Buying?

Store-bought easels with storage cabinets routinely cost $300 or more, and many still feel flimsy. A DIY build gives you thicker plywood, wider legs for stability, and storage sized to your specific supplies rather than a generic tray. The BuildEazy freestanding artists easel plan is the strongest starting point found — it specifies an 18 mm (3/4 in) plywood backing board and three solid legs that handle canvases up to roughly 100 cm tall. “

Three Storage-First Build Styles

Before cutting wood, decide which storage format fits your space and habits:

• A-frame with added shelves — the simplest upgrade; bolt a tray between the front legs or mount a shelf on the rear leg for medium-weight supplies (solvent jars, brushes, small paint tubes).
• Cabinet/taboret base — the heaviest option, with drawers or doors under the painting surface.
• Tabletop version — the 19 in by 17 in design suits small studios or hobby corners; it doesn’t store much but keeps basic tools within arm’s reach via a pencil ledge.

Build Plan: The A-Frame Easel with Storage Shelf

The BuildEazy plan gives you the core structure; here’s how to build it with a supply tray and paper-roll holder as your storage.

Materials and cuts

• Two front legs: 2065 mm (82 3/8 in) each
• One rear leg: 2025 mm (81 in)
• Horizontal cross member: 1200 mm (4 ft)
• Plywood backing board: 18 mm (3/4 in), 1200 mm by 825 mm (48 in by 33 in)
• Supply tray: 400 mm by 150 mm (16 in by 6 in) pine board
• Hardware: 4 bolts with nuts, wood glue, 50 mm (2 in) nails, rope, one eye screw

Step 1: Cut the legs and backing board to the lengths above. Mark the front legs at 950 mm (38 in) from the bottom — this is where the cross member bolts.

Step 2: Bolt the three legs together at the top. The front legs spread to 1125 mm (45 in) apart at the floor; the rear leg angles back.

Step 3: Bolt the cross member between the front legs at the 950 mm mark. A friend helps hold the legs steady while you tighten the bolts.

Step 4: Glue and nail the plywood backing board to the front legs. It should sit flush against the top bolt area and extend down past the cross member — this is your canvas rest.

Step 5: Attach a rope through a hole in the rear leg and tie it to the eye screw on the cross member. This limits how far the legs spread and sets your working angle.

Step 6 (storage): Screw the supply tray to the cross member’s underside with two L-brackets. Leave it level; you’ll rest brushes here while painting. For a paper roll, add two 50 mm dowel holders under the tray and slide the roll through.

When the rope is tight and the legs sit flat, the easel holds canvases up to roughly 100 cm tall without wobbling.

Simple Tabletop Version for Small Spaces

Short on floor space? The tabletop easel uses plywood sheets and 1×2 lumber. Cut two plywood panels to 20 in by 20 in (per the plan), hinge them together at the top, screw a 1×2 pencil ledge across the bottom front panel, and add a prop piece behind to hold the working angle. Use 3/8 in plywood minimum — the plan warns that 1/4 in is not sturdy enough to hold even a small canvas. For storage, screw a shallow wooden box onto the front of the bottom panel; it will hold a palette, a few brushes, and a small jar. This design tips easily with heavy supplies, so keep the base panel weighted with a book or sandbag.

Whichever style you build, the storage needs to be planned before the legs go together — retrofitting drawers onto a finished A-frame rarely works. If you’d rather buy than build, a roundup of the best art easel with storage options can point you to tested models with real drawer capacity. The BuildEazy A-frame gives you a solid, stable painting surface that handles canvas up to 100 cm, and the tray-and-dowel system keeps brushes, tubes, and paper rolls exactly where you reach for them.