So you’ve got a beautiful kitchen with a sleek built-in look, tall units, and the kind of kitchen cabinets that would make Pinterest proud. But then there it is—the sad, lonely side of the fridge. Just sitting there. Doing nothing. Wasting its vertical potential. That was me, staring at our built-in new fridge, a sleek stainless steel beauty, until I decided enough was enough.
I wanted to add a spice rack to the right side of my fridge side panel, but I was terrified it would rip the thin end panel right off. It’s basically a decorative piece of plywood, and hanging anything heavier than something like command hooks felt like a gamble. After putting off the project for a long time, simply out of fear that I’d ruin the side panel of our brand new kitchen, I finally thought of a solution!
I found a way. It’s sturdy, it’s smart, and yes— it will allow you to hang just about anything your heart desires on the side of your fridge or cabinet panel.
Can You Hang Something on the Side of a Refrigerator Panel?
The thing about refrigerator panels is that they’re all show and no muscle. They give your fridge cabinet and refrigerator cabinet that polished, built-in look, but structurally, they’re about as structually dependable as a graham cracker. Most of the time, they’re just flat panel pieces tacked onto the side of the cabinet with no studs in sight. So hanging something heavy directly on them? Yeah, not ideal.
But I have just the method to sturdy up your side panel and maximize this vertical space!
What You’ll Need:
- 1×3 board (pine or something sturdy)
- Kreg pocket hole jig + screws
- Drill and drill bits
- Drywall anchors
- Level
- Measuring tape
- Miter saw
- Hammer
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Creating the Inner Fridge Panel Support
The first thing I did was pull out the refrigerator to give myself plenty of room to measure the distance from the back wall to the face frame of the refrigerator cabinet. You’ll need to determine the full depth of your fridge pocket. We’ll be hanging a horizontally oriented stud opposed to a vertical stud. Your fridge needs enough room to ventilate properly. (Fridge suffocation = bad.)
Now to the fun part. I cut my 1×3 to the exact depth of the fridge pocket. Using my Kreg jig, I added pocket holes to each end so it could be screwed into both the face frame and the back wall.
Next, I lined up the spice rack exactly where I wanted it and measured that same height on the inside edge of the fridge panel. That way, I knew exactly where the support stud needed to go. (Photos of progress below).
Using a level (and a little faith), I held the horizontal stud in place and gently started driving the pocket hole screws into the face frame and back wall—but not all the way yet! Just enough to mark my spots with shallow indents.
Then I came back with a drill bit and carefully drilled pilot holes. Trust me, when working with a fragile face frame, this step is key to avoiding a splintered disaster.
After confirming (with minor disappointment) that I hadn’t hit a stud on the wall side, I popped in some drywall anchors—actually, sturdy hollow wall anchors—for solid hold.
With my anchors in place and holes prepped, I returned with the pocket hole screws and fully secured the support stud to the face frame and wall. That baby isn’t going anywhere.Now to the fun part. I cut my 1×3 to the exact depth of the fridge pocket and turned it into my secret weapon. Using my Kreg jig, I added pocket holes to each end so it could be screwed into both the face frame and the back wall.
Of course, no surprise—I didn’t hit a stud in the wall. So I installed hollow wall anchors to give those screws something to grip. Before driving them in, I used a drill bit to create pilot holes, which saved me from splitting anything. This little board became a hidden stud, installed right behind the backside of the panel.
AT THIS POINT YOU CAN BE DONE! You can hang anything you’d like on the side of the panel now.
How I Hung the Spice Rack
To hang my spice rack I placed pocket holes into the vertical boards of the spice shelves and drilled them directly into the stud.
Of course, I remeasured before drilling and using the same pilot hole technique first to be sure I didn’t splinter the fridge panel. Using my drill, I secured the spice rack into the right side of the refrigerator panel.
I screwed directly through the vertical frame of the rack, right into that secret support board. The result? Rock solid. Not a single wiggle. Now that’s how you hang something heavy on the side of your fridge panel!
I entertained options of adhesive hooks or magnets, but this setup is the real MVP!
Why Hanging Decorative or Functional Items on the Side of Your Fridge Panel is a Good Idea
Aside from the thrill of turning unused space into functional storage, this method fits seamlessly into any kitchen design. You’re working with your kitchen cabinets, not against them. Plus, you don’t have to tear anything apart. A little reinforcement between tall units can give you the confidence to mount shelves, rails, or even small planters.
And yes, this even works on built-in fridges. If you’ve got a blank fridge cabinet, this trick is a total game-changer. It makes such good use of that awkward side panel space that usually gets ignored. And if you have full-height side panels around your new fridge, even better—it’s the perfect place to add smart storage with style. You could also try this on a cabinet side if your layout allows.
Pro Tips:
- Always drill pilot holes before inserting screws into the face frame.
- Check that there’s enough room for airflow behind the fridge.
- Match your support board to the full depth of your fridge cabinet
- Don’t forget those hollow wall anchor(s) if you miss a stud (which you will).
- Refrigerator models are different, so double-check those clearance specs.
Final Thoughts
This little upgrade gave me so much joy. The rack sits perfectly above the base cabinets and blends right into the rest of the kitchen. It’s the perfect compliment to the pantry that sits on the left side of the fridge. Honestly, the side of the fridge now looks like it was designed with intention instead of just… existing. Now you can hang just about anything on the side of your fridge panel, wall cabinet or upper cabinets side panels.
Now you know how to hang something heavy on the side of your fridge panel! You could use this exact same method to mount items to a side panel on an upper cabinet or anywhere else you’re dealing with decorative (read: weak) surfaces. Just remember—measure twice, screw once, and never underestimate the power of a well-placed piece of plywood.
If you’ve been giving the side-eye to your blank fridge side panel, now’s your sign. With the right prep and tools, it doesn’t just have to look pretty—it can actually do something useful and give your space the look of some of those high-end kitchens. Good luck in your fridge panel ventures and hang all the decorative accents your little heart desires!
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Girl Behind the Blog
I’m Jess, the creator of Oak & Grain. A mid-west girl at heart who now resides in Raleigh, NC. I love finding old things and giving them new purpose by way of refinishing or incorporating unexpected, overlooked thrift store finds in the modern home. I work full-time in medicine and I love dipping into my creative side and in the process, keeping my sanity. Follow me on Instagram and YouTube to see more behind the scenes action.
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