How to Build Wood Shelves?

Do you have a lot of books or other items that need a home but don’t have the space? It might be time for you to build some shelves. Not only will this give your home a bit of extra organisation, but it can also be a fun project for you and your family. 

This post will show you how to build wood shelves easily and efficiently. So read on for our step-by-step guide!

What Purposes Do Shelves Serve, and Why Are They Necessary?

Shelves may store things, display things, and more. So not only do they serve the practical purpose of providing a place for you to store things so that the space stays neat, but they also serve as a beautiful element. More so, they are versatile in terms of construction material, ranging from wood to concrete. GarageSmart® offers a wide range of garage remodelling solutions to help you get the most out of your space.

Here we will show you how to construct beautiful wooden shelves with minimal effort and expense. But before we get to it, let’s take a brief look at how shelves can be used and the optimal locations for doing so.

Space Separator

Shelves made of wood are a versatile and attractive room divider option. They are widely regarded as an excellent choice for creating visually distinct partitions between areas without blocking the passage of light.

Various Shelves For A Variety Of Needs

You can construct wood-framed shelves or place various flowers and plant pots on them to enjoy living with different plant species and have your mini garden for producing veggies if you have limited square footage.

Shelving That Is Small But Functional

Small, freestanding wooden shelves allow us to create mini-galleries for the decorative items we use to adorn our living spaces. Adding shelves in different hues may draw attention to the items that deserve it.

Incorporating little shelves that add movement and beauty to the environment is all required; there is no need to consider massive constructions.

The Cooking Area

In a setting where neatness, cleanliness, and utility are paramount, you’ll want to think about how you’ll gain speedy access to the implements you use most frequently.

Shelving is a fantastic idea for a tiny kitchen since it lets you see all your cooking equipment at a glance and provides easy access to anything you need.

Storage Units For Bookshelves

Finding the copies you need for school or business quickly is facilitated by having them neatly stored on wooden shelves.

It’s also a relatively easy and fast rule that each shelf unit needs to be the same size. Incorporating movability into this kind of furniture arrangement is as simple as installing partitions to help with organisation.

Cover-Up Shelves For A Wall

A wall may be outfitted with custom wooden shelves in no time, giving you a discreet spot to store your most prized possessions.

Toilet Storage Cabinets

In the bathroom, we tend to have numerous little, often-used objects that can quickly get disorganised if kept in drawers and cabinets. It’s a good idea to instal floating corbel-supported wooden shelves to store frequently used items conveniently. GarageSmart® offers the perfect garage storage cabinet to fit your needs!

Which Types of Wood Are Appropriate for Use in Shelving?

Building strong and stable shelves requires appropriate construction methods and materials. Depending on its intended purpose, a wooden shelf can be crafted from various kinds of wood and in various methods. Your choice of wood for shelves should be based on aesthetic preferences and the weight of the items you plan to display. The following section will examine the many wood shelf construction options available.

• It is necessary to predrill softwoods before screwing into them because the wood tends to split. Pine is one of the greatest softwoods since it is affordable, durable, and simple to work with in terms of cutting and painting.
• Hardwoods: choose this type of wood if you stain or paint your finished product. Hardwood flooring, while robust and long-lasting, comes at a hefty price.
• Plywood, engineered wood in the family of manufactured boards, is a good choice for functional spaces like garages and laundry rooms. It is robust and simple to shape but costs far less than solid wood.
• Powder form wood is firmly compressed & glued together to create MDF, a form of wood. It is smooth, easy to work with, and paints well, but it needs to take dye better. If it gets moist, it may swell.
• Different-sized and shaped timber boards are glued together in a parallel fashion to create laminated wood. This type of wood is highly recommended for shelves that will only hold light items.

Plans for a DIY Garage Storage Rack

The dimensions of the shelves in the following tutorial are flexible, but for this example, we’ll choose 48 inches in width and 16 inches in depth. Of course, you can make any necessary adjustments to the given dimensions, but remember that more or fewer materials will be required. In addition, your custom shelf’s layout should maximise the use of the provided resources.

Legs Trimmed To Proper Length

Put four studs end to end, side-by-side, and evenly spaced at one end. Mark one of the planks at 72 inches by hooking the tape measure onto the squared-off end. Mark all four skateboards with the speed square. Next, cut each wood to width at the mark using the circular or mitre saw (while wearing protective equipment, of course).

Adjust The Width Of The Shelf Frames

Align the ends of another set of four studs and set them side by side. Mark a stud at 48 inches with the tape measure. Apply this mark to all four studs with the speed square once again. Miter and circular cut the four studs to length, resulting in eight boards that are 48 inches in length.

Adjust The Depth By Chopping The Shelf Frames

Align the ends of two studs and set them next to each other. Mark off 13-inch intervals with the tape measure to indicate where studs should go. Use the speed square to copy these markings on with both studs. Cut the boards with a mitre or circular saw at each of the six marks to make twelve pieces that are 13 inches in length.

Pre-Drill

Drill two holes, three-quarters of an inch out of each edge, into the face of the 48-inch boards before using them. In addition, make two holes, 24 inches apart, in each of the boards (centre).

The Frames Must Be Assembled

Using the predrilled holes as guides, stack the boards so that there are two 48-inch pieces and three 13-inch pieces in each pile.

Put a dab of glue and construction glue on one end of each short plank and sandwich it between the longer 48-inch boards to build a frame. Next, attach the shorter planks to the larger boards using the two 12-inch wood screws, being careful to maintain the framework as the square is feasible as you work. Do the same for the subsequent three snapshots.

Chopping The Plywood

We may utilise the two pieces of the remaining stud to get the wood off the ground by sawing the stud in half. Mark the plywood with the measuring tape and chalk line or T-square at 16-inch intervals on the short side (16, 32, 48, and 64 inches).

Remove the battery or cut the power to the circular saw and set the depth of the saw blade to around 1 inch. Cut the wood along the markings to make four 48-inch and 16-inch boards, taking care to centre the scrap screws underneath the plywood as you work.

Avoid waste by keeping the surplus plywood for subsequent use as bracing.

Join The Plywood Sheets To The Framework

Before adhering the plywood to the top of the shelf frames, apply wood glue and construction glue to the frame’s top edges. Take special care to align the wood as best you can, and make sure the frames are square. The plywood should be predrilled around before being fastened to the frame using one 1/4-inch wood screw.

Just do the same thing to finish the job with the next three shelves.

Remember that the squareness of the frames is more critical than that of the plywood. The plywood will be secure if it does not extend beyond the frame. Build the shelf and use the circular saw cautiously if the plywood extends past the frame.

Place A Mark On The Lower Body

Arrange the four 72-inch legs next to one another, but this time at their bottom (the wider dimension). Please make sure both ends of one board are 2 inches by marking it at 24, 46, and 68 inches. The speed square may be used to quickly and easily transmit markings between the four different boards.

To ensure an even 18-inch distance between shelves, mark the floor with this template. Additionally, it will generate a small toe kick, helping you to go in closer to the thing you’re lifting.

Fasten the bookshelves to the support posts.

Set two legs 30 cm apart on the ground, with shelf placement marks facing up. Apply adhesive and glue at the top mark and set the finished shelf framework on top. Before, from the inside of the shelf, ensure the frame’s bottom is lined up with the markers, and then drive two 12-inch wooden screws through each leg.

You should do the same for the remaining three shelves, matching the bottom of each one with the corresponding lines. Garage organisation is a huge hassle – but it doesn’t have to be! Our GarageSmart® Shelving, Baskets and Hooks make garage organisation simple and easy.

Put the unit on its side with the four shelves connected to two of the legs, and place the remaining two legs on top, indicated sides up. Apply some glue or adhesive above each line, then set one leg in place at a time as you work. After pre-drilling and driving two 12-inch screws through the frame’s interior and into the legs, ensure the frame’s bottom is lined up with the markers.

Keep Your Feet On The Ground And Brace The Bookcase

The shelf can be set up appropriately if you have some help. Although it may still feel a little unsteady, this is where you’ll make the necessary adjustments. Start by predrilling the legs from the outside and then screwing two screws thru the legs’ faces and into the front back of each shelf frame’s longboards.

The remaining plywood will be used to create six right triangles, each with a square side that is about 8 inches in length. With these triangles in place as gussets, the shelf will be stable and won’t sway. Next, one at each shelf corner, fasten the eyelets to the back of a shelving unit using the one 14-inch wood screws. Each gusset must sit flat against the leg structure and frame.

The Pros and Cons of Having Someone Else Build Your Shelving Unit

Shelving made from prefabricated particle board is affordable and can be bought at any major home improvement retailer. In addition, there is a wide range in price for prefabricated shelf sets made of solid wood, from a few dollars to over a hundred dollars for each shelf.

If you’d rather not build your shelf unit, you can have one built and fitted by a professional for less than $300. Having built-in shelves fitted into your home normally starts at a price of less than $1,300.

This DIY shelf project is suitable for the typical do-it-yourselfer, and its cost will be determined by the materials you use and the amount you already have lying around the house. In addition, there is no price you can put on the feeling of accomplishment you get from a job well done.

As your abilities grow, you might start incorporating design elements into your shelf stylings, such as diagonal lines and different shelf heights. 

If you need more time to be confident utilising any equipment needed to do the job, it’s best to employ a pro. Get a price estimate by contacting a local general contractor. 

Conclusion

Wooden shelves are perfect for separating spaces while still allowing light to enter through them. Here, you will learn how to build lovely wooden shelves with little time and money spent. Shelving can have many purposes, including displaying objects and storing their contents. Freestanding wooden shelves allow us to construct mini-galleries for the ornamental items we use to embellish our living spaces. Using the right construction methods and materials is essential for constructing shelves that are both robust and stable.

Wood for shelves should be chosen with consideration for both aesthetics and the weight of the goods to be displayed. Because softwoods tend to break when screws are driven into them, predrilling is required before screwing into the wood. Pine is among the best softwoods since it is cheap, long-lasting, and easy to deal with. Shelving depth and width are left up to you in the following instructions, although we’ll use 16 and 48 inches respectively. You can make any changes you see fit to the provided dimensions, but keep in mind that this may result in more or less materials being needed.

The design of your bespoke shelf should make the most of the available space and materials. At the measuring tape and chalk line or T-square, mark the plywood with 16-inch intervals down the shorter side (16, 32, 48, and 64 inches). Turn off the circular saw by removing the battery or switching off the power, then adjust the blade depth to about 1 inch. Marking one board at 24, 46, and 68 inches will ensure that both ends are 2 inches. You may easily and swiftly transfer markings between boards by using the speed square.

Make sure the bottom of the shelf frame is flush with the markings before you pre-drill and drive two 12-inch screws through the interior of the frame and into the legs. We’ll cut the remaining plywood into six right triangles, each with a square side that’s about 8 inches in length. The shelf won’t swing or wobble with these triangles acting as gussets. Prefabricated particle board shelving can be found at low cost at most hardware stores. You can have a professional build and instal a shelf unit for less than $300 if you’d prefer not do it yourself.

You can’t place a price on the satisfaction of a job well done. Contact a general contractor in your area to get a quote.

Content Summary

• Putting up some shelves could be a good idea.
• This may be a pleasant family activity as well as a way to make your home more organised.
• Shelving can have many purposes, including displaying objects and storing their contents.
• They are aesthetically pleasing and functional as they provide a place to put things out of sight when they are not used.
• And they may be built with anything from wood to concrete, demonstrating their adaptability.
• Wooden shelves can be used as a decorative and functional room divider.
• If orderliness, efficiency, and practicality are of the utmost importance where you’re working, plan ahead so that you always have easy access to the tools you need.
• Shelving is an excellent solution for a small kitchen since it displays all of your appliances at once and makes everything easy to reach.
• Each shelf must have the same size, which is a simple and hard and fast guideline.
• In a short amount of time, you can have built-in wooden shelves on a wall, providing a hidden place to keep your most valued belongings.
• Since we spend so much time in the bathroom, it’s easy for the many small, frequently-used items to become disorganised in the many drawers and cabinets.
• Floating wooden shelves supported by corbels are a great option for storing regularly used goods out of the way.
• Using the right construction methods and materials is essential for constructing shelves that are both robust and stable.
• There are many different types of wood and construction techniques that can be used to create a wooden shelf that serves a certain function.
• Wood for shelves should be chosen with consideration for both aesthetics and the weight of the goods to be displayed.
• You should use this wood for shelves that will only hold light objects.
• The following method allows for shelves of any width and depth, but we’ll use 48 inches wide and 16 inches deep as an example.
• You can make any changes you see fit to the provided dimensions, but keep in mind that this may result in more or less materials being needed.
• Your custom shelf’s arrangement, meanwhile, should make the most of the space you’ve been given.
• Put a speed square on the four skateboards.
• Put a tape mark on a stud at the 48-inch mark.
• Square and mitre reduce the length of the four studs to make eight 48-inch-long boards.
• Cut the shelf supports to the desired depth.
• Place two studs next to each other with their ends aligned.
• The boards should be cut into 12 pieces of 13 inches in length using a mitre or circular saw at each of the six marks.
• Before utilising the 48-inch boards, drill two holes, three-quarters of an inch from each edge, into the face.
• Additionally, drill two holes in each board, spaced 24 inches apart (centre).
• It’s time to put together the necessary frames.
• Using the holes in the boards as a guide, stack two 48-inch pieces on top of three 13-inch pieces.
• Sandwich the shorter planks between the longer 48-inch boards and apply a little amount of adhesive and construction glue to one end of each.
• We may cut the remaining stud in half and use the two parts to lift the wood off the floor.
• At the measuring tape and chalk line or T-square, mark the plywood with 16-inch intervals down the shorter side (16, 32, 48, and 64 inches).
• Carefully centre the discarded screws under the plywood as you cut along the markings to create four boards measuring 48 inches and 16 inches in width and depth, respectively.
• Wood adhesive or construction glue should be applied to the top edges of the shelf frames before the plywood is affixed to the frames.
• It is imperative that the wood be properly aligned and that the frames be perfectly square.
• Please keep in mind that the squareness of the frames is more important than the plywood.
• If the plywood overhangs the frame, construct the shelf but be careful when cutting it with the circular saw.
• You can use this template to mark the floor at 18-inch intervals to create perfectly spaced shelves.
• Attach the bookcases to the pillars.
• Place two legs 30 centimetres apart on the floor, mark-side up for shelf placement.
• The completed shelf framework should be glued and adhered to the top mark.
• Continue in this manner for the next three shelves, aligning their bases with their respective sets of lines.
• Turn the unit on its side so that the four shelves are attached to two of the legs, and then set the other two legs on top, arrows pointing upward.
• Make sure the bottom of the frame is flush with the markings before you pre-drill and drive two 12-inch screws through the inside and into the legs.
• If you have some assistance, you can get the shelf put up correctly.
• First, predrill holes in the exterior of the legs, and then use two screws to attach the legs to the front and rear of the longboards that make up the shelf frame.
• We’ll cut the remaining plywood into six right triangles, each with a square side that’s about 8 inches in length.
• The shelf won’t swing or wobble with these triangles acting as gussets.
• Then, using the one 14-inch wood screws, secure the eyelets to the rear of a shelving unit, one at each shelf corner.
• Each gusset ought to be flush against the underpinnings of the legs.
• The Benefits and Drawbacks of Having Another Person Construct Your Shelving Unit
• Prefabricated particle board shelving can be found at low cost at most hardware stores.
• Shelving units that come preassembled can be purchased for anything from a few dollars to over a hundred dollars, depending on the quality of the wood used.
• You can have a professional build and instal a shelf unit for less than $300 if you’d prefer not do it yourself.
• Installation of built-in shelves often begins at a cost of less than $1,300.
• Do-it-yourselfers of average skill level should be able to do this task, and the total cost will depend on how many supplies you buy and how many you already have sitting around.
• What’s more, the satisfaction of a job well done cannot be measured in dollars.
• Hire a pro if you require additional training time before you feel comfortable operating the necessary tools.
• Contact a general contractor in your area to get a quote.

FAQs About Wood Shelves

Is It Cheaper to Make or Buy Shelves?

Lower Cost – Generally, buying the materials for your garage shelves should be cheaper than purchasing prefab – just make sure you do everything right the first time. Tailored – Making your own allows you to build shelving that meets your exact needs.

What Is the Best Material to Use for Shelving?

Broadly speaking, the main materials that are used to construct industrial shelving are metal and wood. These include steel, aluminium, copper, chrome, plywood, koa and oak. This is because these materials are strong, durable and long-lasting.

What Kind of Wood Should I Use for Shelves?

Plywood is the go-to material used for pantry shelves. It’s versatile, available in virtually any species of hardwood, and can easily be cut using any table saw. Plywood is ideal for pantry shelves because its edges can be finished with wood trim or iron-on veneer banding.

How Do You Make a Sturdy Shelf?

You can increase the stiffness of a shelf by sinking screws into it through the solid back of the case. Or, as shown below, add more strength and maintain adjustability by attaching a cleat or moulding to the front of the shelf. Aprons can also be added under the shelf.

Can You Use Plywood for Shelves?

Plywood is the industry standard for shelving, so it’s a good choice for bookshelves.