How to Add Wood Shelves to a Closet
Extra shelves add to a closet's storage space, especially if you need to organize a lot of small things and your closet has more space than needed for tall things. Even if you need a clothes rod, you can squeeze in more items by adding one or two shelves above the rod. Remove the rod and add a series of shelves to turn a clothes closet into a linen closet. Extra shelves help in bathroom and utility closets as well, adding room for shampoos, cleansers or towels. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- Stud finder
- Measuring tape
- 1-inch by 2-inch boards
- Saw
- Level
- Hammer
- 2-inch nails
- Square
- 1-inch by 12-inch boards
- 1 1/2 inch nails
Instructions
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1
Find the studs inside the closet. Use a magnetic or electronic stud finder or look for evidence of seams or nail-heads in the paneling or wallboard. You can also tap the wall and listen to where the sound changes from hollow to solid.
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2
Measure the width of the back of the closet with a tape measure. Mark and saw a one-inch by two-inch board 1/4 inch shorter than the closet width, using a hand saw or power saw.
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3
Hold the board against the closet's back wall, with the top located 3/4 inch below the height you want the finished shelf to be. Lay a level on top of it and adjust it until it's level, then mark the position of both ends with a pencil. Remove the level, position the board in place again and nail it into the studs with 2-inch nails, putting two nails into each stud.
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4
Find two studs in the closet's side walls, one as near the back as possible. Measure the distance along the closet's side walls, from the front of the board you just installed to the near side of a stud that's at least 10 inches from the back wall. Cut two one-inch by two-inch boards that length, one for each side of the closet.
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5
Hold one board against the left side of the closet, touching the board you installed in the back. Check that it's level and the same height as the board at the back. Nail it to the two studs with 2-inch nails. Install the board on the right side the same way.
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6
Install three one-inch by two-inch boards the same way for each shelf you want in the closet.
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7
Mark a one-inch by 12-inch board 1/4 inch shorter than the closet's back wall, using a tape measure and carpenter's square. The shorter length allows slack so you can slip it in place. Saw it to that length. Cut one board for each shelf.
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8
Lay the one-inch by 12-inch board on the other three boards to form the lowest shelf. Nail two 1 1/2-inch finishing nails into the edges of the supporting boards on each side to hold it in place. Repeat for each shelf, working from the lowest to highest.
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Tips & Warnings
Use screws rather than nails if you prefer.
Make the shelves narrower by choosing a different width for the one-inch by 12-inch boards or make them wider by using two boards side by side.
If studs are located too close to the corners of the wall, hammer the nails at an angle so they'll reach the studs.
If you plan to paint the shelves, paint the boards before installing them so you'll have easier access to them, then touch them up after they're in place.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit closet image by pearlguy from Fotolia.com
