How to Build Garage Shelves Easy

Add storage space to your home by installing shelves in your garage.

Take advantage of open space in your garage by covering empty walls with storage shelves. To do this, you can buy prefabricated metal shelving, bolt the components together, and secure the shelving to the wall -- but there is a cheaper and easier way of getting the job done. Use inexpensive 2-by-4-inch lumber and a few sheets of plywood; it will only take a couple of hours to prepare and assemble the components using ordinary hand tools.

Things You'll Need

• Electronic stud finder
• Pencil
• Long spirit level
• Steel measuring tape
• Lengths of 2-by-4-inch lumber
• Circular saw
• 2-inch wood screws
• Cordless drill/driver
• Screwdriver bit
• Sheets of 3/8-inch plywood
• Wood glue
• Various shorter wood screws
• Adjustable clamps
• 18-inch spirit level

Instructions

1. Slide an electronic stud finder across the wall; the instrument will either beep or cast a short laser beam up the wall when it reaches the edge of a stud. Mark the edges, together with the approximate center point of each stud on the wall with a pencil.

2. Place a long spirit level vertically on each stud mid-point, center the bubble and draw a vertical guide line down the wall to mark the attachment points for the horizontal support beams.

3. Place a steel measuring tape vertically against the left of the wall close to the corner. Mark three evenly spaced shelf positions on the wall, with enough room below the lowest shelf to act as floor storage space.

4. Place a long spirit level on each mark. Center the bubble and scribe horizontal guide lines across the wall to mark the top edges of your shelves.

5. Cut six lengths of 2-by-4-inch lumber to the desired shelf width with a circular saw; these will act as horizontal shelf support beams to be attached to the wall and the front edges of the shelves. Note: most lumber yards stock 2-by-4-inch lumber in 8- to 20-foot lengths, so you’ll be able to span your longest garage wall with shelving if you wish.

6. Place the long side of the 2-by-4-inch upper shelf support beam flat against the wall, with the top edge of the 2-by-4 lined up with the highest horizontal mark on the wall.

7. Screw the middle of the support beam to the center line of the stud midway across the wall with a 2-inch wood screw and a cordless drill/driver fitted with a screwdriver bit; snug the screw down, but don’t over-tighten it. Place the spirit level on top of the beam. Move one side of the beam up or down until the bubble is centered, and tighten the attaching screw securely.

8. Secure the rest of the beam to the wall by screwing two wood screws through the beam and into each respective stud on either side of the central stud. Attach the two lower support beams to the wall the same way.

9. Cut sufficient 18-inch wide lengths of 3/8-inch plywood from standard sheets with the circular saw to act as shelves spanning your desired width. Note: plywood panels are available in up to 12-foot lengths.

10. Butt the ends together and attach 4-inch wide overlapping strips of plywood to the joints on the underside if you have to join two cut lengths of shelving to span your wall. Use wood glue and four pairs of equally spaced shorter wood screws to secure the reinforcing strips to the joint.

11. Line up the thin edge of a horizontal shelf support beam with the front edge of a cut length of shelving. Clamp the two pieces together with adjustable clamps; ensure that the edges remain lined up while doing so.

12. Secure the shelf to the front support beam by driving in a row of wood screws along the length of the shelf with the cordless drill/driver; space the screws evenly across the width of the shelf, 6 to 8 inches apart.

13. Measure the distance from the floor to the top edge of the upper support beam screwed to the wall with the measuring tape. Add an inch or two to this measurement to allow some wiggle room when leveling the shelves.

14. Use this measurement and cut enough lengths of 2-by-4-inch boards to act as front shelving support legs when spaced approximately 3 feet apart across the width of the shelving. Measure and mark the position of the support legs on the front edge of the top shelf.

15. Lift the top shelf up and place the back edge on the support beam attached to the wall. Place one of the cut 2-by-4 support legs vertically against the middle mark on the front edge of the shelf with the end of the support leg resting on the floor. Line up the front and side of the support leg vertically with the long spirit level while holding the top against the front edge of the shelf.

16. Lay an 18-inch spirit level across the width of the shelf. Lift or lower the front until the bubble is centered and the shelf is level. Use the top of the shelf as a guide and draw a cut line across the back of the upward-projecting end of the support leg.

17. Lay the top shelf on the floor and cut the middle support leg to size with the circular saw.

18. Lift the shelf up and place the back edge on the support beam attached to the wall. Hold the support leg in place and use both spirit levels to line up the shelf horizontally and the support leg vertically. Attach the top of the support leg to the horizontal support beam on the front edge of the shelf with two 2-inch wood screws.

19. Mark and cut the remaining support legs to size as described in the preceding steps.

20. Attach the remaining front support legs to the top shelf by first leveling both the legs and the shelf. Once again, use two wood screws on each joint between the top of the support legs and the horizontal support beam on the front edge of the top shelf.

21. Secure the back of the shelf to the horizontal wall support beam with wood screws spaced evenly, 6 to 8 inches apart.

22. Slide the second shelf between the front support leg and the wall, and lower the back onto the top of the matching horizontal support beam attached to the wall. Level the shelf horizontally and check the vertical alignment of the center support leg with the long spirit level. Secure the front of the shelf to the support leg with two wood screws.

23. Secure the second and third shelf to the remaining vertical shelf supports and screw the back of the shelves to the wall support beam to complete the installation.

Tips & Warnings

• Prevent a shock hazard by locating and marking hidden electric wires behind drywall with a specialized stud finder before drilling holes into your garage wall.

References

• YouTube: How to Build Garage Shelves Cheaply