Put Cedar Shelves in a Walk-In Closet
Cedar wood is a popular choice for lining closets, especially linen closets. Cedar has insect-repellent properties and many find the fragrance of cedar pleasant. Installing cedar shelves in your walk-in closet can help keep undesirable insects out of your linens and clothes and can give your closets a custom feel. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Measure the length of the area where you want to install the shelves. If you are replacing other shelving with cedar you need only cut the cedar the same length as the previous shelves and install on the existing brackets.
2. Decide if you will use shelf brackets (L-shaped brackets or brackets on adjustable strips attached to the wall) or ledger boards. If you use shelf brackets follow the instructions that came with those brackets. Make sure you have enough brackets to give the shelves sufficient support. These brackets will work only if you want your shelf to be the same width as the brackets available. If you want a wider shelf you will need to use ledger boards.
3. Decide where the shelves should go. Use a stud finder to find the studs to which you will attach the ledger boards. Mark the studs at the height you want your ledger board to be (1/2 inch below where you want the top of your shelf to be), then use a level to draw a line on the walls where you will be attaching the ledger board. Make obvious marks where the studs are. Allow enough space under the bottom shelf and between shelves for whatever you plan to keep on them.
4. Buy or make ledger boards. These are the boards that will support the shelves. You can make the ledger boards out of the same material as your shelving. Rip the ledger boards to 1-1/2 inches wide with a table saw or circular saw. Cut one ledger board the length of the shelf you plan to install, and two ledger boards the width of the shelves, one for each end. You will need these three ledger boards for each of the shelves you plan to install.
5. Line up a ledger board on the line you made with the level. Use 3-inch screws to screw the ledger boards onto the walls. Put the screws in only where they will be anchored into studs. Repeat the process for the back and each end of the shelves.
6. Use the circular saw or radial arm saw to cut the shelving the length of the shelf.
7. Sand the shelving with a sander or by hand with sandpaper. Take off sharp edges, splinters and rough areas. The shelving doesn't have to feel like satin, but you don't want it to catch your clothing or linens.
8. Put the shelving on the ledger board. You may need two or three widths of shelving for each shelf, depending on how wide you want it. You won't want to use any kind of finish on the cedar because it will seal in the aroma, which is what makes it repellent to insects.
Tags: ledger boards, ledger board, want your, Cedar Shelves, each shelves
