How to Build Garage Organization Shelves

A garage is a great place to store household items, bulk goods, tools and other materials--if you have a way to organize them. Otherwise, you risk ending up with a jumbled mass of goods without organization taking up your precious storage space. Building shelves to keep your garage organized is the best way to keep on top of your storage needs.

Things You'll Need

• Six 6-foot lengths of 2-by-4-inch lumber
• Saw
• Measuring tape
• Hammer
• 10d nails
• Three 4-foot-long, 1-by-12-inch boards

Instructions

1. Lay two 6-foot-long, 2-by-4s on the ground, with the 4-inch side down. Arrange the two boards so that they're parallel to each other, and separated by 12 inches, measuring from the inside edges. These are your vertical supports.

2. Cut three 18-inch pieces of 2-by-4 from a 6-foot length of board. You can use a hand saw or a power saw to make the cuts. These are horizontal crosspieces.

3. Lay the three horizontal crosspieces onto the vertical supports, 4-inch sides down, so that they're arranged at right angles to the vertical supports, with the ends of the horizontal crosspieces even with the outside edges of the vertical supports. Space the horizontal crosspieces so that the first board is even with the ends of the vertical supports, the second board 2 feet from the end, and the third board 4 feet away. Nail the horizontal crosspieces onto the vertical supports with a hammer and 10d common nails. The resulting structure is a shelf frame.

4. Build two more shelf frames, identical to the first, by repeating steps 1 through 3.

5. Set your three shelf frames up so that the vertical supports are vertical, with the horizontal crosspieces parallel to each other. Space the shelf frames 2 feet apart.

6. Slide a 4-foot-long, 1-by-12 onto the lowest set of horizontal crosspieces, so that there is one shelf support at each end, and another in the middle. Nail the board to the horizontal crosspieces it is resting on.

7. Place two more 4-foot-long 1-by-12s onto the other horizontal crosspieces and nail them into place. When you're done, you'll have three shelves total. Move your shelf system into place and place the items you'll be storing on it.

References

• "Carpentry"; Leonard Kohl; 2003
• "Storage & Shelving Solutions: Over 70 Projects and Ideas That Fit Your Budget, Space and Lifestyle"; Family Handyman Magazine Editor; 2006