How to Build Shelves in a Wooden Shed

Building shelves in a wooden shed is not a complicated project, but it requires some basic knowledge of woodworking. Fortunately, wood is easy to attach things to, but wooden shed walls are thin, and they do not use typical 2-by-4 inch studs for framing. There are studs in them, however, and these can be used to attach shelf standards and support the brackets and the weight of what you plan to put on the shelves.

Things You'll Need

• Shelf brackets
• Shelf standards
• Screws
• Appropriate screwdriver
• Wooden or metal shelves
• Drill and small drill bit
• Ruler
• Pencil

Instructions

Preparation

1. Measure the length of the shed wall where you want to add the shelves. Write this down on a piece of paper and take it to the home improvement store or hardware store where you plan to purchase the supplies you need.

2. Find the proper length of shelf standards you want to use, and choose the shelf brackets that work with the shelf standards you want to use. Buy as many as you have wall studs to anchor them to. For example, if you have three studs that can serve as anchors, buy three of the proper length.

3. Choose either wooden or wire shelves that will fit inside the shelf brackets. If you plan to put loose items on the shelves, you might want to get wooden boards for the shelving material. Otherwise the wire shelves will work just fine and don't need to be painted.

4. Choose wood Phillips screws to anchor the shelf standards, typically at 1-foot intervals. Make sure you buy enough to complete the project.

5. Buy primer and paint if you are buying unfinished wood for the shelves.

Installation

1. Hold the shelf standard tightly to the top and center of the wall stud that you are going to anchor the standard to, and use a pencil to mark where you will drill your first pilot hole. Repeat this step for each wall stud that you will attach the shelf standard to.

2. Use your ruler to find the distance between the center of the hole where you will put the screws. Starting from the first mark at the top and center, make visible marks on the studs so that you can see where to the holes need to be drilled. Using a ruler for this step is essential.

3. Put a bit smaller than your screws into the drill and drill all the pilot holes you will need to anchor the wall standards to the studs.

4. Use a screw and screwdriver to start attaching the wall standards to the wall by putting the screws in the right holes.

5. Add a bracket to each standard, making sure you put the brackets in a parallel position to each wall standard. Make sure that the brackets are firmly in place.

6. Put the shelves on top of the brackets to make sure they fit properly. If you are using wood, finish the shelf using the primer and paint.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure that the shelf standards are parallel to the sides of the studs. If they are off, even slightly, the shelves will be crooked or may not fit at all.