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DIY Ute Drawers on a Budget: What It Really Costs in NZ and Australia

Bought drawer systems are good. They also cost about the same as a set of tyres. If you have a circular saw, a drill and a free weekend, you can build ply drawers that do the same job for a fraction of the price. This guide covers the real costs, what ply to buy, the runners decision that sets your budget, and how to measure so the unit actually fits your tub or canopy.

Every price below links to where it came from. Hardware store prices change and vary by store, so check your local one before you buy.

What bought drawers cost, so you know what you're beating

These are entry-level and mid-range prices, not premium brands:

Steel drawers have one more cost that's easy to miss: weight. The RMR single drawer above is listed at 40kg on its own, and every kilo comes out of your payload.

What a DIY build costs

Builders who have written up their spend give a useful range:

• Under NZ$200: a no-runner ply build in a 1998 Prado (ply, aluminium edging, marine carpet, glue, screws, handles). NZ4WD Magazine
• About A$390: a simple two-drawer, no-runner design, itemised as roughly $170 ply, $120 marine carpet, $80 screws/glue/handles/edging and $20 fasteners. Rivka Evans blog, 2018
• Under A$500: GU Patrol build with 2 sheets of 12mm marine ply ($150), 2 pairs of 100kg 900mm runners ($200) and marine carpet ($50). Patrol4x4 forum
• Under A$660: GU Patrol unit with drawer and fridge slides, weighing an estimated 45–55kg. Patrol4x4 forum

Some of those figures are several years old, so treat them as a rough guide. Here are current sheet prices.

Current ply prices (2400 x 1200 sheets, checked 15 Oct 2026)

A two-drawer unit for a dual-cab tub usually takes two to three sheets, depending on whether you add a fridge slide or wing panels. Use the RigBlueprint planner to get a cut list for your vehicle and see how many sheets it needs before you go to the shop.

Ply: which grade and thickness

• Thickness. 12mm, glued and screwed every 100–150mm with 40–50mm screws, is strong enough for most drawer carcasses. 18mm is very strong but heavy. (4WDing Australia) Use thicker ply for the base and top if you'll sleep on it or carry a fridge on it. The NZ4WD builder found that a 12mm base sagged under full drawers and said he'd use 18mm next time. (NZ4WD)
• Grade. In an open tub, standard ply rots. Bunnings Workshop's advice is marine or H3-treated ply, or fully priming and painting every face and edge of standard ply. (Bunnings Workshop) Under a sealed canopy or in a wagon, sealed non-structural ply is fine and the cheapest choice.
• Don't use MDF or particleboard. Both swell as soon as they get wet. (4WDing Australia, canopy false floor)

Runners or no runners? This sets your budget

Runners are usually the most expensive single item in the build. The NZ4WD builder left them out to save money. (NZ4WD)

• No runners: the drawers slide on a hardwood or UHMW strip. It's cheap and simple, but a fully loaded drawer is hard to pull out, and it won't extend past the tailgate.
• Basic runners: 100kg-rated runners are fine for gear drawers (see the Patrol build above). Current Bunnings prices (checked 16 Oct 2026, RigBlueprint retail_prices.json):
• NZ: Goliath 1000mm heavy-duty slide pair, 90kg, NZ$105.67; 800mm, NZ$88.87; 700mm, NZ$78.50
• AU: Goliath 1000mm lockable slide pair, 90kg, A$99.97; 700mm lockable pair, A$74.97
• Heavy, locking runners (250kg class): use these for a fridge, or for a drawer that has to stay locked open on a slope. One Hilux build used two pairs of 250kg lockable 850mm runners. (NewHilux.net) Extra-heavy-duty Goliath pairs at Bunnings AU: 800mm A$139.81, 1200mm A$195.35 (retail_prices.json, 16 Oct 2026; the load rating isn't recorded there, so check the pack). NZ 250kg-class runners: price varies.
• Ready-made fridge slide instead of DIY: Kings medium slide (up to 60L, 100kg), A$139 or NZ$189 from 4WD Supply Co (retail_prices.json, 16 Oct 2026).

A good rule: put your money into the fridge-side runner and save on the gear drawer.

Measure first, cut once

Most DIY problems come from measuring. Measure these four things:

1. Width between the wheel arches, at the lowest point the carcass will sit. Toyota's own spec for the N70 dual-cab Hilux (2005–2015) is 1100mm. (Toyota UK 2011 Hilux brochure PDF, as recorded in RigBlueprint's vehicles.json)
2. Usable depth from the bulkhead (or the folded rear seat in a wagon) to the tailgate seal.
3. Height to the canopy door opening or seal, not just to the canopy roof.
4. Tie-down points: their positions and bolt sizes. Plan to bolt down through them.

Our measuring guide covers each of these with diagrams, and the vehicle pages list starting dimensions for common NZ/AU utes and wagons.

Build sequence (weekend version)

1. Draw the plan and cut list, then check it by laying out tape in the tub.
2. Cut the base, sides, centre divider and top. A track saw is ideal. A circular saw with a clamped straight edge works fine. (Greysand Projects)
3. Pre-drill, then glue and screw the carcass. Brad nails hold panels in place while the glue sets. (Greysand, above)
4. Fit the runners to the carcass and drawer boxes. Pack them out so the bolt heads clear.
5. Seal every face and edge, then carpet or oil. Carpet stops rattles. Oil is lighter and wipes clean. (outbackjoe, above)
6. Bolt the unit to the tie-down points or tray. Don't rely on its weight to keep it in place.
7. Add latches. A drawer that slides open under braking can do real damage. Budget latches and flush handles are covered in our drawer hardware guide.

Keep the weight down

Ply builds are not automatically light. One 12mm marine-ply Hilux system was estimated at about 65kg, even though it was roughly 50kg lighter than the steel equivalent. (outbackjoe) Use thinner ply for drawer sides and bottoms, cut lightening holes in hidden panels, and leave carpet off surfaces that will sit under something.

What goes in (and on) the drawers

Plan the drawers around what you'll actually carry. These guides cover the gear that usually ends up in or on a drawer system:

• 12V fridges: check fridge footprint before you size a fridge slide
• Recovery gear
• Camp kitchen
• Water storage
• Portable power
• Tyre compressors

FAQ

Can I build ute drawers for under $500? Yes. The builds cited above came in under NZ$200 without runners and under A$500 with 100kg runners. With current prices (above), a two-drawer unit with basic runners is realistic in both countries, as long as you shop around for runners.

What ply thickness for ute drawers? 12mm for carcass and drawer boxes, and 15–18mm for any surface you sleep on or that carries a fridge. (Sources above.)

Do I need a canopy? No, but in an open tub you need marine or H3 ply, or fully sealed standard ply, and lockable drawers.

Where can I get plans? Start with the planner. Pick your vehicle and it produces a cut list and drawings to suit. See also free DIY ute drawer plans.

Plan your layout in the free planner →

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