DIY Shoe Rack for Lots of Shoes in a Small Closet

Equip each family member with her own in-closet shoe rack to manage the mess.

Slippers for the house, boots for the rain, sneakers for the gym and shoes for work adds up to a pile of footwear by the front door. Not only does this heap look unsightly, it can be a tripping hazard or an obstacle in the event of an emergency evacuation. Make your home safer by storing this mess on a floating shelf inside a bedroom closet. Floating shoe shelves use two narrow ledges to grip the toes of your shoes and suspend them above the floor. With this organizing solution, you won't need to sacrifice the floor space in your close to a bulky standing rack.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring tape
• Saw
• 1-by-2 inch untreated SPF solid lumber
• 1-by-4 inch untreated SPF solid lumber
• Sandpaper
• Tack cloth
• Varnish
• Brush
• 4 L-brackets
• Screws
• Drill
• Level

Instructions

1. Measure the width of the closet along the back wall.

2. Cut the 2-inch and 4-inch-wide lumber 1/4-inch less than the width of the closet so that you have a narrow and a wide board.

3. Sand the boards. Remove dust with a tack cloth.

4. Apply two coats of varnish. Allow the boards to dry overnight between coats.

5. Lay the 2-inch-wide board horizontally with the face grain up on a flat work surface. Wood boards have three main surfaces: end grain, or the blunt cut end of the wood fibers; side grain, which is the thinner length of the board; and face grain, which is the main surface of the board that displays the length of the wood fibers. If the board is 2 feet long the end grain measures 1-by-2 inches, the side grain 1-by-24 inches and the end grain measures 2-by-24 inches

6. Measure and mark 2 inches from the left side of the board. Repeat on the right. Draw a vertical line across the face grain at the 2-inch marks.

7. Line up a 2-inch L-bracket along the inside of the left line; align the angled section of the bracket with the bottom of the board. Fasten the bracket in place with 1/2-inch screws. Align a second bracket with the vertical line on the right and fasten it to the board.

8. Repeat Steps 5 through 7 with the other board.

9. Hold the toe of a shoe against the wall to determine the desired placement of the rack; you can place the rack at any height from the ceiling to the floor for storage in the bottom or top of a small closet. Consider placing the rack about 6 inches above the closet floor to allow space for additional storage beneath the shoes. Use a level to draw a straight line at this point.

10. Line up the wide board with the line on the closet wall; the face grain of the wood will face up and the edge grain will press against the wall. Insert a pencil into the bracket screw holes and mark each on the wall. Drill pilot holes at each mark.

11. Hold the wide board in place and fasten it to the wall by driving #8 flat head, countersunk screws through the bracket and into each pilot hole.

12. Repeat Steps 9 through 11 to attach the narrow shelf 2 to 3 inches above the first.

13. Insert the toe of a shoe into the space between the two shelves. The sole of the shoe will rest on the wider shelf, pushing the toe upward against the narrow shelf and locking the shoe in place.

Tips & Warnings

• You can substitute the untreated SPF lumber components with any wood, but SPF is easy to work by hand and has a bright, clean surface that is easy to paint or stain. Use reclaimed wood to make the project green.

• Place a mat under the shelf to catch dirt.

• Drill holes into the face grain of the shelves to allow drainage for easier clean-up.

• Wrap the wood with 1/2-inch foam padding to cushion the edges and protect your shoes.

• Insert metal screw anchors into the pilot holes if desired or if the shelving will hold heavy footwear such as boots; anchors help the screws grip the wall. If the shelf is being build in a child's bedroom closet, anticipate that your little one will kick, sit and stand on the foot rack and go for the extra security.

• Substitute the screws with a different size and head if you want a different look, However, using flat countersunk heads keeps your shoes from being marred by protruding metal.

• Avoid using an unpadded shelving system with shoes that are easily marred or creased such as leather.

References

• "The Complete Custom Closet"; Chris Gleason; 2006
• "Shelf Expression"; Marthe Le Van; 2005