Help me build a corner pantry

[Irving]

I would go for a center support or opt for better quality wood than plywood.

Going to the ceiling depends on how tall you are and if you want to reach way up. You can also cut it off at around 6-7' and put something on top be it more storage materials like ammo, or decoration

Better wood is fine. I think what I'll do is frame for a 24" door. I have 36" across the face. That will give me 4-6" on either side of the door for additional shelf supports. Actually I could run each of those supports straight across the front of the door and use it as like finished edge lip like many shelves have.

Frame it properly for a door. The door can handle 10lb or so of spices no problem.

Picture 4 add shelf support brackets where the thick blue tape shows a middle stud if you don't want a center support. Box each shelf with 2x4 framing and add a center support would be cheaper but slightly reduce space.

Above the height of the door you need to step the shelves back.

Agreed on framing for a door. I don't understand quite what you mean about the support brackets. Do you mean the angled ones like you'd use on a wall shelf?
As for the top, I will put the top frame piece just above the door, but run all the walls up to the ceiling with a simple swing open door at the top. Then I'll have another 17" shelf to store sweaters and Christmas and Halloween junk (although I have plenty of space in my attic for all that. I should build shelves up there as well....)

Just be damn sure to fill in the old dryer vent hole, or the mice will swarm in. Nothing as aggravating as a pantry full of mouse turds and piss, and chewed up stuff.

2x4 shelf framing is overkill IMO, I use 2x2's to frame shelving in my garage and they see FAR more weight than a pantry ever will. Foodstuff and cans ain't that heavy.

I'd also recommend you consider making the shelf tops removable for easy cleaning, repainting, changing shelf paper, etc. Someday you may be glad you did, and you may regret nailing/screwing them down too.

Removable shelving isn't a bad idea, however I'm not sure how I'd actually get such large pieces of shelving out once the whole unit is together. I think I'll frame the top, bottom, and door with 2x4s and the walls will be some sort of 3/4" wood with 1x2 all the way around to support each shelf. Basically the stuff you see holding that top shelf of the entertainment center. With framing all the way around, I can easily run another 1x2 from back to front on either side of the door for more center support. That dryer vent goes to our garage. Only raccoons so far, but will definitely cover that hole up. It goes through brick on the other side.

Lazy susan type shelving then you can get to everything without unloading everything.

I thought of this, and my wife suggested this as well, but I think it would be too costly and not as strong for what I want. For two shelves that are eye level and higher, I'm thinking of popping in a simple corner shelf that is only half deep, to help utilize the space. That way we can put several rows of cans/jars for longer term storage.

Another idea my wife had was to start at the second shelf (top horizontal blue tape in picture #4) and have just a very large space at the bottom for laundry stuff. It's not a bad idea, but I think I can do something else for laundry stuff. Also, I don't really want dirty laundry sharing an enclosed area with food. Realistically I know the food will be fine, but for appearances it would look bad. If you have guests over and tell them, "Oh just grab some sugar out of the pantry," and they open the door and there is a laundry basket full of sweaty workout clothes and wet towels. That would probably put most people off.

Thanks everyone for the tips so far, they have been great!
Merl, go home, you're drunk.