The function of a garage has evolved into more than just a place to park your vehicles. We accumulate so much stuff during the course of our lives and this stuff needs to go some place. The garage is an inevitable place for storage. Garage shelving is a good way to keep everything organized. The do-it-yourselfer is capable of building inexpensive wooden garage shelves that hold a variety of items. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
1. Measure the area in which you intend to build the shelves to ascertain the materials needed. It is not necessary to build anything fancy for shelving units in your garage. Simple plywood and utility grade lumber work well.
2. Cut four 6-foot length pieces from 2-by-4-inch boards to serve as the support legs of your shelf. Adjust the length if taller shelves are desired.
3. Cut a shelf support or crossbeam from 2-by-4-inch boards at a measurement defined by your pre-determined length of the entire unit. The width of the shelf can vary from 6 inches to 2 feet. Lengths over 4 feet may sag. Build multiple shelf units if you desire shelves longer than 4 feet.
4. Assemble the crossbeams into a rectangular framework using 3-inch screws and an electric screwdriver. Attach pieces cut to the length of the width of the shelves to the ends of the pieces cut to the length of the shelves. At this point each shelf frame resembles a rectangular box. Continue in this manner until you have framework for all the shelves in your design.
5. Attach 3/4-inch plywood to the framework with 2-inch screws. To support heavier items, use three 2-by-6-inch boards to form a shelf. Use 3 inch screws to attach the boards to the framework.
6. Set the individual shelves on edge on the floor spaced properly for the planned unit. Place one leg at each end of the set of shelves. At this point, looking at the shelf unit from the top, it looks like the front of the planned shelf unit. Fasten the two legs to the shelf framework with 3 inch screws. Turn the unit over and mount the other two legs in the same manner.
7. Set the shelving unit upright and place it in position in your garage. It is not necessary to paint or stain it, but you may do so if you desire.
Tags: 2-by-4-inch boards, framework with, from 2-by-4-inch, from 2-by-4-inch boards, inch screws