Do It Yourself Closet Shelving Systems
Closets are important for storage and organizing your clothes. A well organized closet will simplify the act of finding what you need. In case your closet does not have shelves, you can easily install some. Closet shelving systems are easy to build and will save you on the cost of buying commercially made systems.
Tools:
- Half–inch thick boards
- Tape measure
- Drill
- Table saw
- Mounting brackets
- Screwdriver
- Wall anchors
- Grit sandpaper
- Paint or stain
- Find out how many shelves you can install by measuring the distance between the ceiling and the clothes rod. Allow enough room for each shelf – at least 2 feet should be adequate.
- Measure the length of the rod to determine the maximum length of the shelves. Measure the depth as well to help you in purchasing the right size brackets and boards.
- Cut out the half inch thick boards using a table saw. Use the measurements you obtained from step 2 above.
- Use the grit sandpaper to sand the edges of the board. You can paint or stain the wood at this stage then leave it to dry.
- Position a level on the back wall of the closet one inch above the clothes rod. Using a straightedge ruler, draw a line across the bottom edge.
- Place one mounting bracket on the line and ensure it is at least 12 inches away from the wall. Mark off all the holes on the bracket on each side of the wall. Place a bracket at the centre, the top edge touching the line and mark the mounting holes in the wall.
- Drill holes that are large enough for the anchors, and with the hammer, drive the anchors into the wall.
- Using the machine screws that come with the anchors, secure the brackets onto the wall.
- Place the boards on the brackets and using a screwdriver, attach them onto the holes in the brackets.
- Measure two feet from the top shelf and using the level to ensure evenness, draw a second line. Mount brackets the same way you did with the first shelf and create a second shelf.
- Use the same procedure to install as many shelves as you wish, depending of course on the space available.