How To Build Adjustable Shelves – This tutorial shows you how to make wall shelves in minutes! These simple wall brackets allow you to add shelves anywhere!
The angled ceiling in my son’s playroom has always confused me. It is one of the largest rooms in the house, but it feels so small because of the few feet of space in the middle. You can see how low the walls are in his Lego construction.
How To Build Adjustable Shelves
Legos scattered everywhere don’t help! I made a lot of space for all the loose pieces like IKEA Lego tables and minifigures. But there is no better place to display all of his dragons, mechs and other constructions.
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I made this built-in wardrobe with double doors behind the door leading to the playroom, and the corner wall above it is perfect for some shelving. I’m planning a built-in bookcase, but all those corners are giving me a headache! Additionally, adjustable wall shelves will be more useful in his ever-changing collection.
I dug out the vertical standards I removed from the wall last year when I built these DIY garage shelves. While not the most attractive solution, they fit perfectly in this cramped space and were free! Here’s how to install them!
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Painting the walls now is much easier than taping the shelves later. Obviously you can skip this step if you already have the color you want!
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I recently built a climbing wall on the other side of this room and painted it the same color as my son’s favorite walls. So I decided to use the color for the rest of the room (even her closet!).
The texture of these walls is very large, so it is difficult to get clear lines. You can read all my tips for painting textured walls here. My trick was to turn the larger lugs just a bit and it worked really well on this slanted wall.
To support the weight of the entire wall shelves, vertical standards must be attached to the studs. To find pins (or use one of these ways to find pins without them), mark the edges with a pencil.
If you don’t have the necessary studs, you can use hollow anchors to attach the shelves to the drywall. Make sure the anchors are suitable for the weight of the items you plan to place on the shelves. I recommend crank bolts or Molly bolts for strength.
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All vertical brackets must be installed at the same height so that the shelf bracket openings are even. I’m working with a sloped wall, so all my standards are different lengths.
I lined them up with the top of the cabinet so they were all the same height. But you can also use a long level to draw a pencil line along the wall where the vertical standards should start.
I used a 24″ standard on the short side of the wall and two 36″ standards on the high side. This allows me to create one long shelf at the bottom and a shorter shelf at the top.
Hold the first standard on the peg in line with the bottom line. Use a 3-inch screw to drill through the standard bottom hole and stud.
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Then use a level to make sure the standard is perfectly level. A magnetic level like this is very useful because it can be attached to the side of a metal standard and turned with both hands!
Repeat this process for the other standards. You’ll only need two for short wall shelves, but three will do for those wider than three feet. Otherwise, the middle part of the shelf will start to bend.
The only screws I had were brown and not up to the white standards. I used a small brush and painted them white to blend better. You can also paint it standard to match the wall!
The best thing about these adjustable wall shelves is that you can move the brackets according to your needs. I spaced these shelves about a foot apart to accommodate his larger Lego creations and moved the smaller ones to his rocket bookshelf.
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Insert the shelf bracket into the holes of the standard part with the end facing up. Place them in place and use a hammer to secure them. Otherwise, they can fall off very easily!
Make sure the brackets on each standard are the same height. I count from the top or nearest bolt to make sure they are even.
If you’re using pre-made shelves like this one, you can skip this step! But if your space requires shelf lengths that aren’t evenly divisible by 12, you may need to shorten the shelves to fit.
Measure the span of the wall to be covered. There may be a little overhang, but don’t put anything too heavy on the legs or the shelves will topple over!
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My top shelf faces the sloping ceiling on one side and the door panel on the other. To get accurate measurements, I put the tape on the bracket and read the measurement at the top of the tape measure.
Use a jigsaw or circular saw to cut the shelves to size. Such a circular saw helps to keep the cutting line straight. You may need to add edge tape to the end of the shelf to hide the inside of the chipboard.
I could cut the bevel to match the bevel, but if we move the shelf down it looks weird. Also, I didn’t want to figure out the exact angle of the ceiling! π
Check the alignment of the shelves on the brackets. When all the standards are set to the correct height, the shelf should sit firmly on the brackets without tipping over.
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One of the disadvantages of these adjustable wall shelves is that the boards can be easily moved. If there is a wall at one end holding them in place, this is not a problem, but if the ends collide, they can shift.
These little shelf clips sit on the bracket and have rubber feet that hold the shelf in place with friction. For a more durable solution, you can also remove the legs and screw them directly into the shelf.
You can also cut small slots in the bottom of the shelves like this blogger did. The brackets fit into the grooves and prevent the shelves from moving.
I am so glad I decided to build these adjustable wall shelves for my son’s room instead of making a custom bookshelf! Instead of spending days cutting, fitting, sanding, and painting the built-in unit, I was able to install it in minutes.
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Now he has tons of new storage for all his toys! The hardest part is getting him to throw everything away after he’s done playing!
They are perfect for storage! I had to use vertical standards with several double holes in my sunroom to hold the extra weight of the product. Singles would be a great option for such a project. I never thought of using this setup in a game room. I think I will add it to my son’s room. I think they look better than the other shelf. Thanks for the idea, keep it up! In this post, I’ll show you how easy it is to add custom shelving to your cabinets and furniture with just a few basic tools!
I don’t know about you, but I’m undecided. One of the things I love about installing adjustable shelves is that I can move them around as often as I want to fit my needs.
So when I’m ready to add shelves to my DIY and furniture projects, I almost always add adjustable shelves.
Adjustable Shelf Bracket
The best part? I find them easier to install than stationary shelves! Next, I’ll show you how to add custom shelving to your furniture and cabinets.
There are very few tools and materials needed to add adjustable shelves to new OR existing cabinets. You only need a few things!
I use a Kreg rack. There are several brands that produce similar devices. Craig recently updated the shelf fixture design, so you’ll see two different fixtures in this post. Don’t get confused – they are the same, one of them is a new version, so it looks a little different.
Shelf studs and shelf stud fasteners, some come in two common sizes: 5mm and ΒΌβ³. Knowing what size fixture you are using is important to know what size rack pins to use
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