Do It Yourself Shelving For Garage Storage

July 2, 2014 | By Linda More

Are you using your garage for little more than parking your car? You’re missing out on the perfect place for storing everything from sporting equipment to Christmas decorations. If you’re thinking that there’s no space for garage storage then maybe you need some shelving to increase your storage space. Here are some tips to buying storing shelves for your garage.

Shelving can be found at any home improvement or hardware store. There are two basic types of shelving which includes prefabricated shelves and ones that can be made in your garage. The prefabricated shelving is usually self enclosed where as shelving kits are designed for mounting on your garage wall.

Shelving kits for building your own shelving is usually a inch length of plywood, brackets and strips to attach the brackets. The piece of plywood varies depending on the length you need. They usually come in standard sizes or you can have them cut (or cut them yourself) to fit your needs. While you generally won’t care about the aesthetics, you can buy them pre-laminated so spills are easier to clean up. The strips for attaching the brackets have several slots so the shelving can be easily adjusted once mounted. If you’re not affixing the strips to a stud then you’ll need appropriate anchors as well.

Make sure you heed the weight requirements of all equipment. Brackets and anchors will clearly state their recommended maximum weight range. It’s always better to err on the side of safety and get equipment that can hold more than less. You never know what you’ll be storing on the shelves in the future.

The depth of your shelving depends on what your needs are but the standard is between 19 and 25 inches. A good idea is to set out everything you want to place on the shelves and then determine what you need. If you’re still unsure then just stick to the standard sizes.

There is also floor or ceiling mounted shelving which can also be a huge space saver. 2×4’s are attached to the flooring or ceiling in an “L” shape and then the shelving is attaches to the 2×4’s.

Prefabricated shelving comes in a variety of styles and materials. If you’ll be storing lightweight items such as boxes of Christmas decorations, then plastic shelving will do the trick. They come in various sizes and they’re stackable so you can buy as many shelves and supports as you need. There is also metal shelving for your heavier items. They are great for durability but usually can’t be altered or added to so customization may not be an option. Prefabricated metal shelving should be adjustable so it can accommodate items of different heights.

Now that you have a rundown of shelving you’re ready to use your garage for more than just a car.

Source: Articledashboard.com

Category: How to Tips