Utility shelving is the workhorse of storage. It's the lean and mean approach to keeping your house in order. Here, strength is paramount, looks are not. Utility shelving is ideal for the basement or utility room, it's not something you generally put in your living room. What's so convenient about such shelving is that it requires only basic tools and techniques.
Two basic ways to install utility shelving to the wall are with metal brackets or with wood cleats. Metal brackets are easier to install, while cleats give the shelving a more built-in look.
1.
Installing Shelving with L-Brackets
1) Using a stud finder, locate and mark the studs. If you plan to put light objects on the shelves, you should install brackets on alternating studs--about 36 inches apart. For heavy objects, install brackets every 16 inches. Usually you would use 3/4-inch-thick shelves, but if you plan to store extremely heavy objects like boxes of extra tile from you recent bath remodel you may want to use thicker shelves. Determine the vertical distance you want between the shelves and mark the studs accordingly. Remember to include the thickness of the shelves themselves.
2) Screw one bracket to the wall stud with 2-inch drywall screws. Using a 4-foot level, align the corresponding bracket and install it.
3) Once the brackets are installed, place the shelves on them. From underneath, use 5/8-inch wood screws to secure the shelves to the brackets through the hole at the tip of each L. (Fig. 1)
2.
Installing Shelving with Cleats
As with L-brackets, attach the cleats to the wall with screws placed every 16 inches along each cleat for heavy objects, or every 36 inches for lighter objects. This job is a little more complicated than with brackets. Following is a quick guide.
1. Measure 15-1/4 inches up the wall from the floor. Using a carpenter's level, mark a 72-inch-long horizontal line to indicate where the first cleat will be installed. Then draw four more lines, each 16 inches above the previous one. (Fig. 2)
2. Using a stud finder, locate and mark each stud. Draw a plumb line where the studs intersect the horizontal lines. Cut ten 1x2 cleats to a length of 72 inches. Drill pilot holes spaced along the cleat according to the location of studs and how much weight you need the shelves to hold (see above). Attach five of the cleats to the wall with 3-1/2-inch wood screws driven into the stud. (Fig. 3)
3. Cut five shelves measuring 12 x 72 inches from 3/4-inch plywood. Use a saber saw to cut a 1-1/2-by-3/4-inch notch in the center of the front edge of each shelf. Cut the same-sized notch at each front corner. Use glue and 4d finishing nails to fasten the remaining cleats, which will serve as front ribs flush with the back of the notches. (Fig. 4)
4. Cut three 1x2 vertical supports 80 inches long, and cut a temporary brace from a scrap 2x4 to 15-1/4 inches. Lay a shelf on the bottom cleat, and prop it by placing the brace behind the rib at the center notch. Check that the shelf is level from front to back. Put the center vertical support in place and screw it to the rib with a 1-1/4-inch drywall screw. Move the prop behind one side notch and make sure the shelf is level. Attach the corner vertical supports. Then attach the rest of the shelves, supporting the temporary brace on the shelf below. (Fig. 5)
