DIY Wooden Keurig K-Cup Holder

Hi, my name is Sam and I am addicted to coffee. Okay, now that I have admitted I have a problem, I can further investigate that problem with a DIY project. I love my Keurig coffee maker. It literally fuels me. Drinking coffee is like pumping gas in a car. That being said, it is very important that I keep my life force in order. We’ve had tons of different storage solutions for our k-cup coffee pods, but nothing seemed to really tickle my fancy. I began looking up some options for creating my own, but then realized that none of what already existed in cyberspace was specifically tailored for the Keurig VUE system, which has larger pods than the traditional brewer. Of course, being the DIY Huntress, I decided to make one on my own. 

The biggest difference between traditional k-cups and the Vue pods is an annoying little tab on the bottom of the cup (as you can see in the diagram below). The tab doesn’t allow the k-cup to sit flush in a traditional pod storage system. So, in order for me to get them to fit, I had to get a bit crafty.

This project took me about an hour, and I was able to use scrap plywood to make it.

What You’ll Need:

Tools
Miter Saw
Drill
2 ¼” Hole Saw*
5/8″ Drill Bit*
Nail Gun
Sander/Sandpaper
Straightedge Ruler
Measuring Tape
Pencil

Materials
3/4″ Plywood
Wood Glue
Wood Stain

* If you are using this tutorial to make a holder for the traditional sized k-cups, you can use a 2″ hole saw and skip the step where we use the drill to create a guide for the larger pods.

The Steps:

1. Measure the distances on your 3/4″ plywood for your holder. I chose to leave an 1¼” wide gap on the top and the bottom, and a 1″ gap on the sides.

2. I created 2 ¼” inch markings from the border line to specify the spot in which the hole saw would fit. I then left a 1¼” gap between each new hole saw marking. This will leave room for the tabs to fit without touching.

3. Once all of my marks were in place, I used my straight edge ruler to extend my lines to make it easer to see the diagram throughout the entire piece of wood. I also marked any pieces that needed to be cut off later.

4. Once your markings are in place, find the center of your hole saw markings for drilling later.

5. Once the markings are in place, use your hole saw to create a temporary diagram. Don’t drill all the way through yet, you’ll see why in the next step.

6. In order to get the Vue cups to sit flush, I used a 5/8″ drill bit to create small guide holes on the bottom of every hole saw marking. For this part, line up the drill with the center line at the bottom of your hole saw cut. Drill all the way through the wood.

7. Now it’s time to use your hole saw to take out all of those pre-drilled holes.

8. Once the holes are drilled, double check your measurements and make sure you are happy with the spacing. Once you are set, make your cuts and trims with the saw. My holder ended up being 11 ¼ x 14 ¼”.

9. Create the back piece for the stand by cutting a small piece. If you are using my measurements, this piece will be cut at 3 ½ x 11 ¼”.

10. If you want your stand to be on a slight angle, like mine, make a 10 degree bevel cut using your saw.

11. Give your piece a hefty sanding. There may be some stray pieces that fray or come apart. Don’t worry about those just yet.

12. Use a small detail sander or some sandpaper and good-ol’-fashion elbow grease to get into the holes.

13. Use some wood glue and a brad nailer to connect the back piece to the bottom of the stand. You will want this piece to lay flush with the bottom of the stand.

14. Fill any holes and tears with wood putty. Let dry, and then sand once more.

15. Stain your piece!

Now, insert your k-cups, drink lots and lots of coffee, and stare at your beautiful handy work!

In about an hour, you can have a cool new display system for your coffees. How awesome is that? You’re basically giving thanks to your Keurig for pumping life into you every single day.

I know I’m not the only one who is obsessed with coffee. So, I hope at least one of you found this to be a helpful project! If not, I hope I’ve inspired you to make a cup of coffee after reading this!

It looks like after this week my format for posts may be changing up a bit. I can’t wait to see what you guys think! In the meantime, if you want to share any projects with me, tag them on social media to #diyhuntress & #diyhunted. I love seeing what you guys are making!

Until next time…