Making shelves in the garage with your own hands: practical tips, recommendations

The main purpose of a garage is to store cars. However, this does not prevent car owners from using it for other purposes: storing canned goods, tools, household appliances, unnecessary items, and car parts. Over time, mountains of various household supplies accumulate in the room. The garage is slowly turning into a chaotic dump, and there is less and less space. This is a sign - it’s time to properly organize the space by installing shelves in the garage. They will allow you to rationally place things, save useful space, and improve the interior of the room.

A garage with a convenient storage system when everything is in its place

Making garage shelving with your own hands is quite simple. You need to prepare tools, buy some materials, and free yourself a few hours from work. In this article we will look at detailed instructions, some tips, and recommendations for arranging such a structure.

Shelves with storage shelves

Welded or bolted shelving: which is better?

Permissible loads on homemade shelves in the garage

Before planning the shelves for the garage, you need to determine a more convenient way to attach them. Today, the two most popular methods are welded and bolted. Welded technology is usually used for metal structures, bolted - for wooden structures. Both technologies work well. Such garage shelves are easy to use and can withstand heavy loads. However, they have some disadvantages.

One of the options for shelving with a frame made of profile pipe and plywood shelves

Welded shelves are non-removable. If the layout of the garage or its purpose changes, simply disassembling the product will not work. Transporting welded shelves is also inconvenient. Their weight can exceed one hundred kilograms. The main advantage of this design is its reliability. Welding seams firmly fix the elements together. It is not at all easy to achieve their destruction.

It is better to connect a wooden garage rack using nails rather than self-tapping screws, so they are less likely to come loose

Bolted racks are less stable. They cannot provide sufficient rigidity. For stability, the structure must be additionally secured to the wall. However, this method of fastening has a significant advantage – mobility. The shelves can be disassembled, assembled, and made into hanging shelves of various sizes. It is impossible to give a definite answer to the question of which technology is better. Each person will have their own parameters that are important.

Manufacturing process: step-by-step instructions

Preparing the work site. Making a rack is a dusty job. Need a lot of space. To do this, it is better to remove the car from the garage. Tools and expensive items should be covered with film. Next, you need to prepare the tools and put them nearby. It is advisable to enlist the help of a friend. Together, the work will be completed as quickly as possible.

Preparing a plan. For ease of work, it is better to draw a plan of the rack in advance on a simple piece of paper. You should also note the measurements of each shelf there. When preparing a plan, you need to take into account the specific things that will be stored on the shelves. It is not necessary to make a standard design. Several different elements can be combined in one system.

Holders and mesh shelves

Installing mesh shelves on the side wall of the garage is a quick option for light items

Purchase of basic raw materials. It can be wood, metal, plastic. When choosing, you should take into account the characteristics of the material, its maximum load, and practicality. When purchasing, you should not save money by choosing low-quality raw materials. It will not last long and will bring a lot of problems during operation.

Cutting frame elements. The main elements can be made of a wooden block, a steel angle, or an ordinary pipe. Racks, amplifiers, crossbars are cut using a jigsaw or circular saw.

We start making the rack from the base

Applying markings to racks. Vertical elements need to be marked. This will help in the further installation of the crossbars.

Making grooves for shelves using a router

Drilling holes. Using a drill, make neat holes on the markings. This is typical when using bolted fasteners. When choosing a welded frame, all elements are joined with seams. Without proper experience, the seams may turn out unsightly.

It is also important to follow safety precautions when working with welding. You should read more about this in the instructions for the welding machine.

We install the shelf in the grooves and additionally fasten it with self-tapping screws

Making the shelves themselves

For them, plywood, boards, and chipboard are usually chosen. It is important to follow the measurements exactly.

Assembling the frame, fixing the shelves on the frame. The frame is assembled gradually: first the side posts, then the crossbars, then the amplifiers. Only then the shelves. They are fastened with bolts and self-tapping screws. The fastening must be strong.

Installing the rack on the base

Giving an attractive appearance. The finished rack can be painted, decorated with designer forging, or covered with film. The choice of designer accessories is purely individual. At the same time, you just need to remember about practicality.

Deciding on the design

Scheme of a simple garage shelving

Making your own garage shelving is quite easy. The most important thing is to clearly define your own desires and needs, plan the design and type of construction in advance. Anyone can do such tasks, especially if they have a great desire to do something with their own hands.

Drawing of a rack made of pipes with wooden shelves

The design of the racks has three elements: vertical posts, shelves, crossbars. In some cases, transverse tightening is used. They are not required. They are needed only to increase the rigidity of the frame. To determine the exact design option for the future rack, follow these recommendations.

• The depth and height of the shelves are arbitrary. These parameters are selected only based on the purpose of the niche. Each shelf can be designed to store a specific type of item. It is better to decide all this in advance;
• The distance between the vertical posts must be selected based on the rigidity of the material. For very heavy accessories, the distance should be about 1.5 meters. For long racks, you need to prepare intermediate vertical racks. They will make the system more resilient;
• The lower shelves should be at some distance from the floor. Approximately 50-70 cm. Heavy objects should be stored on them. The optimal height of the remaining shelves will be 37 cm. This is the most rational height, often used in the manufacture of any furniture structure.

Drawing of a metal rack for a garage

It is always easy to decide on design features. Garage owners simply take into account the dimensions and features of the things that will be stored in the structure.

Option for a small garage with a workbench

It is a little more difficult to choose a product design. The garage is intended for practical purposes. However, this does not mean that its interior should be boring and ugly. You can easily create an attractive interior in your garage for little money. In particular, you can decorate the shelving design with regular paint. Today there are paints designed for any material. The color for painting should match the overall color scheme of the room. Colored plastic boxes for storing accessories and tools will become a kind of decoration. They are inexpensive and allow you to create perfect order.

Transparent and multi-colored plastic boxes for garage shelves

Layout, diagrams, drawings, ideas

In the garage you need not only a rack, but also a workbench and a stand for hand tools - all kinds of keys and other small things, of which there are a lot and it is difficult to come up with a specific convenient storage place.

The workbench can be made in the center of the rack. This is convenient - everything you need will be at hand, you won’t have to constantly go to the shelves.

Garage shelving with workbench is convenient

The workbench can be part of the system, or you can make two separate modules, between which you can install the required table. If you don’t like this arrangement, you can change the configuration - at least put it at an angle.

As for the tool stand. There is a factory option - a perforated sheet of metal with holders hung on it. The idea is very good except for the price.

Comfortable))

As usual, there are also several homemade projects (what would a garage be without them) on the same topic. The ideas are simple to implement, maybe not so elegant, but convenient:

• On boards, chipboard sheets, plywood, place nails under each tool. To avoid confusion about where to hang something, trace the instrument in place and paint it with some color. Everything is in order and in its place
• For heavier equipment - large keys, etc. You can use a mesh onto which you weld hooks from wire. Nail the mesh to the wall.

  
  Option for heavier and bulkier tools

• Make a bar with holes cut in it into which tools are lowered. This tool stand is very easy to make with your own hands.

And if desired, all this can be put on wheels - to make the tool stand mobile. This is the case if during the warm season you prefer to work with the machine outside.

You can easily roll back to where you want

Well, for inspiration... so that all the tools are in place))

Full order))

Choosing material

Durable metal shelves for the garage

DIY wooden shelves in the garage

The choice of base material plays a huge role in the design, stability of the frame, and practicality of operation of the structure. The rack can be made from different raw materials, which have their own advantages and disadvantages. Let's look at the main types of materials and their features in the table.

Metal rack, collapsible with plastic containers

Types and purpose

Professionals recommend carefully considering all the details for making shelves and racks with your own hands, this also applies to the type of construction.

Most products are needed to store tools or parts of various sizes.

At the same time, there are several types of classification, the first of which talks about the design features:

Open. Necessary for quick access to a certain thing. The open type of shelves is divided into wall-mounted and hanging. Wooden or metal bases are hung on the wall using corners, the fastening of which can be dismantled or permanent. Special anchors must first be installed on the wall to hold the entire structure.

It is recommended to divide into cells for certain types of tools or small parts. For example, it is possible to sort different types of screws.

Common materials used are wood or metal. In rare cases, the structure can be made of plastic. However, based on practice, the ideal option would be to implement a combined type design.

The following assembly options are suitable for making your own:

Removable or mobile. The shelves form a rack with wheels on the lower tier. The mobile base will ensure optimal load distribution.

• Permanent. The shelving system is designed for specific areas that need to be pre-allocated. To do this, you should initially create drawings that involve dividing the garage into several parts. The standard option includes one-time assembly and fastening of the integral structure with brackets.
• Collapsible products. They are convenient because they can be expanded and easily dismantled in case of replacement or renovation of the premises. The height and number of shelves can be adjusted, and it is also possible to rearrange the shelves to a new location.

• Attic shelf. Hanging shelves are made of a corner and a metal profile, which serves as a base. The entire structure is usually attached to the ceiling or beams, thereby saving space in the garage compartment. For fastening, you will need to install special hooks; they need to be driven in or welded to the ceiling beams. This way they can be easily disconnected if necessary.
• Rotating products. These structures are not intended for storing large items. Their main advantage is saving time in searching for suitable parts. For example, self-tapping screws or nuts.

When choosing a product, you should start from the parameters of the room. It is also necessary to remember that the more, the better, the more spacious and convenient.

The benefits of making it yourself

Many people ask a completely logical question: is it better to make shelves in the garage on your own or buy a ready-made option on the market? Let's look at the main advantages of creating a garage storage system yourself.

Collapsible racks have an aesthetic appearance and are convenient for installation and dismantling

Possibility of developing a unique design. For many car owners, a garage is a real pride. I don’t want to put ugly furniture in it. Standard shelves are also not very attractive. In this case, you can take on the work yourself, coming up with a unique design. Ideas for implementation can be found on the Internet. But it’s better to give free rein to your own imagination.

The idea of ​​arranging a garage from the inside with your own hands

Making hanging shelves and racks on your own is not as difficult as it seems. Any man with at least minimal experience working with tools will be able to do this task.

The manufacturing process will not take much time. Lack of free time is the main reason why car owners buy garage furniture in a store. However, manufacturing a storage system does not require a huge amount of time. It’s enough to set aside a few hours and call a friend for help.

Homemade shelves and racks for the needs of the garage owner

Shelves can be made according to your personal plan. Only the car owner himself knows what size, depth, height he needs the shelves. Finding the perfect option in a store is almost impossible. Everything is standard in hypermarkets. It’s better to put in a little effort, spend time, but create the most practical thing possible.

Small financial costs. Warehouse furniture is quite expensive. Even the simplest models will cost a large sum. Do-it-yourself production is the best solution to save money. Many of the necessary spare parts can be found on your farm.

Wardrobe built into shelving system in garage

Hanging shelf with studs for garage

Hanging shelf with studs for garage

If you want to save useful space in the room, you can make a hanging shelf with your own hands and attach it to the ceiling.

Materials required for the manufacture of the structure

1. Material for flooring the bottom of the shelf. You can use plywood, fiberboard sheets (the thickness of the material should be more than 2 cm).
2. Large anchors (4 pcs.).
3. Hex nuts - couplings for couplers (4 pcs.).

4. Regular nuts (12 pcs.).
5. Hairpins (4 pcs.).
6. Large diameter flat washers (8 pcs.).
7. Grover washers (4 pcs.).

Tools for work

1. Drill with a drill bit for wood. The diameter of the drill must match the diameter of the stud.
2. A hammer drill for drilling holes in the ceiling for mounting anchors. The drill should be slightly smaller than the diameter of the anchor.
3. Wrenches, their markings must match the size of the nuts used.
4. Jigsaw.
5. Screwdriver.
6. Bubble level.

Work order

Hanging shelves

Step 1. To begin, cut out a shelf of the required width and length from a sheet of plywood or fiberboard.

Hanging shelves

Step 2. To enhance the strength of the material, you can attach a metal profile equipped with internal stiffeners to the ends of the slab.

Shelf manufacturing process

Step 3. Holes for the pins are marked along the edges of the shelf. It is worth knowing that it is advisable to drill 5-7 cm from the edges of the slab. If the holes are located too close to the ends, the material may crumble under the weight of the items placed on the shelf.

Step 4. After the holes are drilled, you need to attach the shelf to the ceiling and use a pencil to transfer the location of the holes to the ceiling. This way the structure will be positioned without distortion and you won’t have to worry about the studs becoming deformed.

Holes for anchors are drilled in the ceiling and dust is removed from them. The anchors are driven into the concrete all the way and the nuts are tightened.

Anchor bolt

Driven anchor

Long metal studs connect to anchors placed on the ceiling. The connection is secured using coupling nuts. It is also advisable to secure the connection with an additional regular nut, which is screwed onto the thread of the stud.

Anchor attachment

Anchor fastening.png

Attaching an anchor to the ceiling

Step 5. After the studs are firmly fixed to the ceiling, the period of installing the shelf begins. A nut is screwed onto the stud, then a washer. After this, a shelf is strung on the ends of the studs.

The pin is secured

The shelf is fixed using a Grover washer and a control nut. The washers protect the shelf holes from breaking under loads. The bushing serves as protection against loosening of the fastening nut. You can use two nuts for safety and greater structural strength. The final adjustment of fastening fittings is carried out according to the level.

Hanging a shelf

Hanging a shelf

Fastening the ring nut under the shelf

This hanging shelf will significantly save space in the garage. The only drawback is the mobility of the structure. You can eliminate it using a special metal corner. One edge of the corner is attached to the wall, the second - to the base of the shelf. This way the entire suspended structure is fixed. Also, a metal corner will strengthen the shelf, which will affect its durability.

Required Tools

Necessary tools for making shelves

To ensure that the process of making shelves takes a minimum of time, you should prepare the tools in advance. You won’t need much: a set of wrenches, pliers, hacksaws for wood, metal, a hammer, a screwdriver, a hammer drill, a jigsaw, an angle grinder. Almost any good owner has all of the listed items. The selection of basic materials will depend solely on the choice of each individual. It can be plywood, metal pipes, bars, chipboard, plastic, and much more.

Popular options for shelves for storing tools in the garage

Preliminary preparation

You should start by preparing a drawing. You can do it yourself, using, for example, frames offered for sale as a basis. It is necessary to calculate the overall dimensions of the shelves and the parameters of the base for them.

Moreover, their dimensions should be based on preliminary measurements of the space in the garage. If you take these measurements correctly, you can consider that half the job is already done.

Shelf drawing

• At the same stage, it is necessary to think about how the shelves will be connected to the frame, and the frame itself will be further strengthened by attaching it to the walls or floor.
• An important parameter here will be the height, since, in the case of low ceilings, it is advisable to make the frame height up to the ceiling, leaving no free space.
• Determining the distance between shelves is one of the important design points, since it is this that determines the rationality of distributing things across levels.
• Traditionally, the lower ones are made the most spacious: large and heavy equipment is placed on them; in addition, they are often used to store wheels and rims.
• Usually the following rule is used - the higher the shelf, the less weight should be placed on it and, accordingly, its height is lower. This can be explained quite simply – by increasing the stability of the rack as a whole.
• We should also talk about the depth of the shelving. Shelves that are too narrow make the entire rack impractical, and shelves that are too deep make it much more difficult to access. The optimal depth is 50-60 cm.
• The width is usually determined by the tensile strength of the material from which the shelves are made. There is no need to make the rack too heavy by making shelves more than 1.5 m wide (this will require too thick iron or wood so that they do not sag under the weight). Usually the width is about 90-150 cm.

Let's look at the most popular shelving devices that you can make yourself.

Homemade options

A simple shelving system can be made independently if it is not possible to purchase a finished product. There are many freely available diagrams that will make your work easier. If you have at least a little knowledge of carpentry or own a welding machine, it will not be difficult for you to make some pretty good shelving yourself that you can proudly display in your garage. The main thing is to decide which material is best to use. As mentioned above, shelving is usually made of metal or wood.

To make a wooden rack, the first thing you need to do is draw a design drawing. Determine exactly where in the garage it will fit. Its length directly depends on the height of the garage, and the width of the shelves depends on the things you will put on them. Let the length of the shelves not be more than 90 cm, otherwise they will bend. You don’t have to be a talented artist to draw a drawing; a schematic image of the future product will do.

A high-quality rack needs high-quality natural boards. Oak or pine are perfect. You can also use chipboard, PVC wall panels or plywood. It is better not to use a board made from shavings; it will not last long, will quickly get wet from the slightest moisture and will not withstand heavy loads. It will be nice if the humidity of the board is not higher than 12%.

The lowest board - the base on which the entire structure will rest - must be thick, strong and wide enough. For strength, cross beams can be nailed onto it. Next, we need walls that will be attached to the side of the base. If you want to save on wood, replacing the board with thick plywood is an inexpensive, readily available alternative. Marks are placed on the sides - shelves will be installed there. The height is your choice. The shelves are carved from the same wood. If additional strength is required, the shelves will need to be secured with timber.

Whether to install a back wall is entirely your choice. It all depends on your taste and the appearance of the wall to which the future rack will be attached.

When all parts of the structure are in hand, processed and cleaned, proceed to assembling the structure. It can be glued with glue, attached with nails or screwed in with self-tapping screws. Initially, install the lower base on the desired wall and install the rear damper on it, if required. On the side boards, where marks for shelves were previously left, holders made of plastic or metal are fixed. Metal ones are much stronger. If there are no holders, then the shelves can be screwed to the sides. The side walls are attached to the bases, and then, holding them from the inside, the shelves are screwed from the outside with self-tapping screws.

This is an example of the simplest wooden shelving unit. It can be installed in other rooms besides the garage. The design will look harmonious and perform its task anywhere.

For a steel rack, you initially need to have the appropriate equipment, for example, a grinder for cutting metal and a welding machine. Don't forget about safety precautions when working.

The choice of consumables for metal structures is much larger. Corners, profiles, pipes will do.

For a metal rack, a profile or corner is cut according to previously sketched drawings. A grinder is used to cut blanks for stands, lintels and shelves. The cut and peeled elements are collected. Side frames are created that need to be assembled correctly, since the structure may be disproportionate and uneven. To do this, the frames are laid flat on the floor, checked that their diagonals are even, and then welded.

Next, vertical beams are attached to the assembled frames

You can choose any height.

The structure is painted to prevent corrosion. Paint or a regular primer is suitable for this. If necessary, future shelves - wood or chipboard - are also painted, but before doing this, they are antiseptic. After the paint has dried, holes are drilled in the racks, a shelf is placed on top and a self-tapping screw is screwed in from below so that it goes through the metal and is fixed in the wood. For stability and strengthening of the structure, it can be installed on the wall.

This is another example of a simple and universal metal shelving unit that will accommodate any items. If possible, do not limit yourself to the simple option, make a separate rack for tires and wheels - a very necessary attribute in the garage.

What are they made from?

As already mentioned, garage shelving is made of wood and metal. Wooden ones are lighter in weight, it is easier to work with wood, but they do not withstand such heavy loads. Metal ones are heavier (many times heavier), but you can lay an elephant on them.

One of the layout options

Lumber costs less than metal. But don’t think that the costs will be small: you will have to buy graded wood without knots, and this is the “elite” or “premium” class with a corresponding price tag. So it won't be very cheap.

Made of wood

Operating conditions in the garage are far from the best - high humidity, frost, alternating freezing/freezing, and sometimes heat. Not very good for wood. Therefore, all material must be treated with antibacterial and protective compounds before work. Use wood products for exterior use, as conditions in an unheated garage are more similar. You can choose a product that simultaneously tints the surface being treated and your product does not need to be painted. After processing, the materials are dried and only then work begins.

How to connect bars

When connecting parts of a wooden rack, you can use standard methods for carpenters - quarter-foot or half-foot. If this is difficult for you, you can also butt nail and use metal angles and/or overlay plates to reinforce the joints.

Another point: it is better to connect with nails, not with screws. The result is more stable and fewer connections become loose. If you choose the option with reinforcement with plates, they can be mounted with self-tapping screws.

Wooden garage rack

Now in terms of size: for racks they usually use 50*50 mm timber, for crossbars you can use the same timber or a little thinner - 50*30 mm. Flooring is made from:

• boards with a thickness of at least 21 mm;
• moisture-resistant plywood with a thickness of 10 mm;
• laminated chipboard;
• OSB.

The cheapest are boards and plywood. Laminated chipboard is much more expensive, but it does not need to be painted, which is a good plus. In order not to spend a lot, you can take the first and last sheets in a pack at the bases - they are scratched and are much cheaper.

Wooden shelving for the garage - drawing with dimensions

Another point: chipboard shelves have an open side cut. If it is not treated, as humidity increases, the chips will swell and the shelf will begin to warp. To prevent this from happening, coat the edges with silicone. With this treatment, nothing will happen to the chipboard.

Metal

If you decide to make metal shelving for the garage, the choice of materials is wider - there are two options for rolled metal, plus standard solutions for warehouses (perforated corners). You can also use metal parts intended for other purposes - for example, steel cable racks or cable channels that are used in communications are suitable.

Cable channels and shelves - convenient and not very expensive

So, what is the frame of a metal garage shelving made from:

• From a metal corner with a metal thickness of 3-4 mm. The width of the corner shelf is 25-45 cm, depending on the planned loads. Durable, but metal-intensive material, weighs a lot, and is expensive.
• Profile pipe (rectangular in cross-section). With less metal consumption (less wall thickness), compared to a metal corner, it has better elasticity characteristics (more difficult to bend), and is more resistant to torsion. Approximate dimensions for racks are 50*50 mm or 40*40 mm, for crossbars 50*25 mm or 40*25 mm, respectively.
• The racks are made from corrugated pipe, and the crossbars are made from angle iron. The thickness of the metal is 2-3 mm, the width of the shelf is 25 mm or more. Unfold the corner so that the laid flooring looks like it is in a “nest”.

Take a closer look at how the corners are positioned

The flooring on the shelves is made from the same materials as for a wooden rack (board, plywood, OSB, chipboard), only sometimes non-standard options are added, which are used with a wooden frame because of their high weight - sheet metal.

The board remains optimal for most regions - a reliable, not very expensive material. You need to take wood, without knots (with a minimum of knots) with a thickness of 21 mm. Treat with antiseptics, then paint.

The advantage of metal shelves is high reliability with a small thickness, the disadvantages are price, weight and “loudness”. They also need to be painted, but first clean them of rust, then go over them with a rust converter and primer, then paint them, preferably in two layers. Also, by the way, the metal frame must be processed. Then the rack in the garage will not rust.

Peculiarities

The garage space can be used in different ways, but the general pattern will be the desire to arrange all objects as conveniently as possible so that they do not take up much space and do not clutter the space

It is especially important to keep this room in order if you have a car.

For a car enthusiast, you need space for the car itself, for its wheels, tires for winter and summer, materials for repairs and other useful little things. In addition, all minor repairs are usually carried out in the garage, so all the main tools are located in it, access to which should be as simple and convenient as possible.

The easiest way to organize everything you need in the garage are shelves of various designs and racks. The convenience of the shelves is that they will fit in any garage, because they can have various options: hanging, corner, for one or several shelves, wide, narrow, long, small. All this allows us to classify this element as one of the most important details, without which arranging the storage area for necessary things is impossible.

Due to the wide variety of designs and materials from which shelves can be made, you have the opportunity to purchase them in specialized stores or try to build them yourself.

The advantage of the purchased option is that you will definitely receive a well-made item and will not need to make any effort for it. The positive side of homemade designs will be the choice of material that is suitable for a particular garage, adjusting the dimensions to the existing dimensions and implementing any design option for the product.

On the shelves in the garage you can store tools that are not needed too often to perform certain jobs.

It is important to provide space for liquid products needed both for the car and for other work. In this case, the shelf can be closed or have a side so that the container does not turn over and fall from it

When planning to make a shelf with your own hands, it is important to be guided by the basic principles of its placement in the garage - safety in operation, so that the dimensions and design are convenient to use and do not pose a risk of injury. In addition, it is important to correctly calculate the dimensions of this product so that the shelf does not sag, thereby creating the risk of breakage and the entire contents falling onto the floor, car or person. In addition, it is important to correctly calculate the dimensions of this product so that the shelf does not sag, thereby creating the risk of breakage and the entire contents falling onto the floor, car or person

In addition, it is important to correctly calculate the dimensions of this product so that the shelf does not sag, thereby creating the risk of breakage and the entire contents falling onto the floor, car or person

When planning the manufacture of shelves for a garage, it is best to resort to standard sizes - a length of a meter or a maximum of one and a half, a width of 30 centimeters for several tiers and up to 60 for single tiers.

If the area of ​​the room has not yet been fully developed, you can plan in advance to attach additional shelves to those that already exist; do not secure the shelves tightly, so that you can change their height and location if desired. Taking into account all these nuances, you can independently create convenient and functional storage areas for a variety of things that will be located in the garage.