How To Build Garage Shelves
Organization in our homes is something that can make our daily routines a little less hectic.
No more looking around for things as you frantically start your day, and having a place to store items deters from building into piles, or even getting lost.
The thing about storage, we always need it but never seem to have enough.
Storage organization is especially important in the garage, as this space can quickly become a dumping ground for what we don’t have space for inside our homes.
We’ll show you how to build, assemble, and hang easy-to-install wire metal racks as a garage wall shelving solution, so you have a designated space for boots, shoes, tools, auto parts, boxes, or whatever else you need help storing.
Even better, metal racks for garage storage can be custom-fit to suit your specific needs.
Let’s get started on this versatile garage wall shelving solution!
Let's Make It
Equipment
- Stud Finder
- Drill
- Level
- Pencil
Materials
- 4-Piece Metal Garage Wire Shelving (Top brace, support arms, triangle brackets/beams, wire shelves)
- Rubber Caps (Usually come with wire shelving)
- Construction Screws
Mark Wall Studs
Use a stud finder to locate the wall studs behind the drywall. The stud finder will beep or light up when you’ve located a stud.
Mark the edges of both sides of the stud to determine the location of the centre of the stud.
Info: When mounting hanging wire garage shelving, it is essential that you secure the shelving to a wall stud, and not simply the drywall. The drywall itself won’t be strong enough to support the structure.
Fasten Top Brace
Position the top brace of the hanging garage shelves so that the overhanging section is at the top.
Using the premade holes in the garage wall shelving brace, use a drill to fasten one side of the brace to the center of a wall stud using a construction screw.
Don’t screw it in all the way, though, so that the brace can be easily levelled.
Secure The Garage Wall Shelving Top Brace
By placing a level on top of the garage wire shelving brace, ensure the brace is level (horizontal), and then fasten the remaining screws into the wall studs.
Only screw into the areas that have a stud. Fasten each screw through the brace and into the wall until the brace is firmly secured to the wall.
Tip: Most premade holes in garage wiring shelving braces account for the general distance between wall studs. Wall studs are generally spaced 16”-24” apart, from center to center. If this is not the case, you can always drill extra holes in the brace using a metal drill bit.
Attach Support Arms
There are two grooves on the garage shelving brace that connect it to the support arms. Start by sliding the top end of the support arm in first.
Align the bottom section of the brace with the notch in the support arm.
Info: The support arms attach to the brace like a railroad track, allowing you to move them freely to the desired position, and provides the opportunity to add more support arms depending on what the metal racks for the garage will need to hold.
Place the desired number of support arms on the support beam. In our example, we are attaching two support arms.
Tip: If it’s a heavier load, adding more support arms will ensure the garage shelving is stable. The great thing about garage wiring shelving is that you can customize it to meet your specific needs!
Secure Garage Shelving Support Arms
Use a drill and construction screws to attach the support arms to the wall.
We recommend attaching the support arms to the wall studs, which run vertically. Use the markings made earlier for the support beam to identify where the studs are located.
Info: Fastening the support arms to the wall studs adds to the strength and durability of the hanging garage shelves.
Secure The Brackets
Attach the triangular garage shelf brackets onto the support arms.
With the flat side of the triangle facing up and angled side down, simply slide the triangular brackets into place using the notches at the back.
Secure them into the desired cutout on the support arms. They will lock into place.
The garage shelf brackets are what will hold the wire shelving.
How To Hang And Position Garage Shelf Brackets
Evenly space the garage shelf brackets until you have reached the desired amount of shelves.
Make sure the brackets are at the same height on the corresponding arms. You can always determine the brackets’ position by counting the notches to make sure they are even. One, two, three, four… time to organize the garage some more!
Tip: The shelves are very forgiving and easy to reposition if you make a mistake. They can even be moved if necessary after the wire shelving is attached, so there’s no need to stress!
Install Metal Racks
Place the metal racks on the support arms, with the overhang on the garage wire shelving facing downwards.
Start by sliding the front of the garage shelf brackets (pointed end of the triangle) through the overhang on the metal racks.
How To Hang And Install Racks For Metal Wire Garage Shelves
With that done, the back bar of the wire shelving will now be behind the hooks on the garage shelving brackets.
Pull the whole shelf forward until the back bar is locked into place against the hooks on the back of the brackets.
How To Build Garage Shelves
When correctly installed, the shelf will have the front of the garage shelf brackets slightly poking through the overhang on the wiring shelf, with the back bar of the shelf locked into the hooks.
Repeat this process until all of the garage wire wall shelving you desire is secure. Try to envision how you’ll be using the shelves, and space them accordingly. For example, if the shelves are for boots, make them boot-height!
Again, they’re easy to move around, so if you don’t nail it the first time around, no need to worry!
Tip: You can move the whole shelf at a time if necessary, keeping the wire shelving attached to the shelf brackets as you move them. Just slide the triangle bracket out from the support arm, put it where it needs to go, and lock it back into place.
You can also add and take away shelves as you see fit. This high degree of customization and versatility is why wire garage shelving is such an excellent storage solution!
Connect Rubber Caps
Attach rubber caps on the ends of the wiring shelving. In our example, each shelf will need four caps on each side, for a total of eight caps per shelf. Simply slide them over the ends of the shelves with your hands.
The number of rubber caps needed may vary depending on your specific wire garage shelving. Simple place a cap wherever there is exposed metal.
Info: The rubber caps help protect against the metal’s sharp edges, and the shelves can even rust if the caps aren’t attached.
So, do yourself a favor and protect yourself, others, and your newly-built hanging garage wall shelving with the rubber caps!
And with that, you now know how to build, hang, and install garage shelves! Pretty easy, huh?
Your newly acquired DIY skills will help organize the items in your life to make things easier to find, it will save on space, it’s incredibly budget-friendly, and will also keep your home uncluttered and looking its best!