What kind of wood for garage shelving?

mitchellc · Jun 24, 2020

I have stripped my garage bare of shelving to start fresh. I like the look and flexibility of wood shelves. Low profile shelving is really important, so rather than freestanding shelves, I plan to attach everything to the wall using Speed Brace brackets.

My current plan is to make all of the shelving out of 1” x 12” dimensional lumber. In a few places where I can afford a bit more depth, I will double them up for ~ 22” depth shelves. I’m also looking for something that will take a stain.

Is pine the most reasonable species for garage shelving, or should I be looking at hardwood? Regardless of species, what grade/type should I be looking for to preserve shape and finish long-term?

For cutting tools, I only have a jigsaw and circular saw, so construction will be pretty rudimentary.

matt_i · Jun 24, 2020

For starters I'd use 3/4" plywood. Buying 1x12" solid lumber is going to be $$$ eventually. The old lumberyard near me used to sell near-clear 1x2 for reasonable prices and I used that as a nosing to cap the rough edges of the plywood for a more finished look and to help build rigidity. I happened to use biscuit joints to improve glue area but it would be easy to use glue + screws too.

If you only had one or two and still wanted solid, there are pre-laminated solid wood panels (built of glued up strips which are more stable) at the box store.

yeldogt · Jun 24, 2020

Any mills in the area?.... you can often find local wood at reasonable prices.

The big box stores overcharge IMO for typical 1' and 5/4 stock ... plywood is a reasonable way to go with a cap .... it normally needs more brackets.

I would look around to see if any mills ......

I did a project for my niece and got all the boards from Ikea .... I was visiting and Ikea had all these lengths available. It was engineered -- Veneer ply with edge banding.

lilredex · Jun 24, 2020

I prefer those metal shelves, often free, put out on garbage days. They are usually 12 X 36 or 48" long and can be wall mounted and hung from the ceiling.

Have seen some 18" deep also.

Here is just a small sample of my setup.

exmaxima1 · Jun 24, 2020

1x boards will eventually sag. I would double up on the thickness, or add stiffener strips along the edges. And don't even think of using particle board!

1Garageman · Jun 24, 2020

I am getting ready to redo my garage area also. I might look at Facebook market, and craigslist for deals. Sometimes on there people are giving away old decks and other lumber. Also you can sometimes find deals on lumber from other dealers.

Anyway, I would definitely go wider than one inch, as they are saying it WILL eventually sag and drive you nuts!

Prospecter · Jun 24, 2020

"For cutting tools, I only have a jigsaw and circular saw, so construction will be pretty rudimentary."

This is GJ! Tool purchasing opportunity! You NEED a router, laser level, tablesaw, compound miter saw, impact driver, drill, biscuit joiner, pocket screw jig, dowel jig, sawhorses, new workbench, portable lighting and power center, etc! Probably a welder, too! This will all give you something to store on these shelves you are building!

On the other hand, I am a little concerned. I have some 2x3 framed 24" OSB shelves in my basement that have only lasted since 2001. Probably going to start sagging any day now. They're a little rough, but very serviceable. Held together with drywall screws. Not pretty. Not fancy. But they work ok. Nowadays, I go the route of a previous poster and go to local mills. I've used a lot of rough sawn pine that I put through a portable planer purchased on CL for $65. (See what I mean about the tools?)

Stuart in MN · Jun 24, 2020

Cut the shelves out of 3/4" plywood, and glue/nail a 1x2 edging strip on the front edge to stiffen them up.

PhantomEB · Jun 24, 2020

Stuart in MN said:
Cut the shelves out of 3/4" plywood, and glue/nail a 1x2 edging strip on the front edge to stiffen them up.

Truth!

It’s been 5 years for me so my numbers may be a little off. If your box store has a cutting option in the back like my Home Depot does, use it!

I would get a couple 4x8 sheets of 3/4” plywood and ask to be cut into 11 and 15/16. Closest you gonna get into identical widths of shelving, way easier to cut to size without a table saw.....

I think I will be visiting mine again for more shelving once the laundry and storage rooms are drywalled up.

Kaizen · Jun 24, 2020

As said plywood. Higher priced has better surface and less voids. Here is a bookcase I made using the hardwood edge discussed above. About 4 feet wide. 15 years no bend. Get the rockler shelf pin jig for shelves. I did use biscuits and glue so no showing fasteners. Norm Abraham’s had a new yankee workshop episode where he built this. Again all ply except hardwood on edge.
Get plywood blade and a straightedge. Use cut list optimizer on line. Screw and glue us fine. Don’t build too wide. Make one and decisions based on that experience for new tools or such. Really. It needed for this but pocket screws and biscuit joiner would help

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3v0 · Jun 24, 2020

I agree with Stuart in MN regarding plywood and stripping. I have made shelves out of many types of sheet goods including peg board. The strength is in the strips. I often cut a dado along the top of the front strip in the rear and round over the front. Even if the rest of the shelf is **** wood the front strip makes it look good.

In my machine shop I have shelves constructed like this with the back resting on the top perlin and chains on the front hanging from the ceiling. Very economical storage.

EDIT: These have 2x4's in the front and at right angles running to the back. That lets me store heavy items.

nadogail · Jun 24, 2020

Craig's List, Garage Sales, and with the wave of bankrupt companies coming cash will be king.

Do not scoff at using wood from old decks or even pallets.

mitchellc · Jun 24, 2020

I don’t mind paying for decent materials; only a few sheets of plywood would be needed, and I don’t have a truck so convenience takes precedence. There’s a lumber store about a mile away that has 3/4” A1 mahogany, birch, and red oak. Any of these the right choice, or should I look for another species somewhere else?

Graham08 · Jun 24, 2020

Stuart in MN said:
Cut the shelves out of 3/4" plywood, and glue/nail a 1x2 edging strip on the front edge to stiffen them up.

The 1x2 is key. Melamine also works well and you don't have to worry about finishing it. The 1x2 edge keeps it from sagging between the shelf brackets.

Menard's carries melamine shelf boards in 18" and 24" widths, 8 feet long. I've used them in two different shops with the 1x2 edge and have been very happy with the result.

karoc · Jun 24, 2020

I know you said wood shelving,but if you don't put some kind of lip on the edge they will sag some. Another choice is those wire shelving that get at HD that's for doing closets etc. Probably little more expensive than wood but then the wire shelves you don't have finish them.

Lynden · Jun 24, 2020

mitchellc said:
Low profile shelving is really important, so rather than freestanding shelves, I plan to attach everything to the wall using Speed Brace brackets.

What are your reasons for choosing Speed Brace brackets? They're very expensive compared to other metal brackets. I've been happy with the Everbilt brackets I used for all of my shelving. My shelves are 3/4" plywood, 20" deep. A 1-1/2" x 1-1/4" board (ripped 2x4) is glued and screwed along the front of each shelf. I used 18" brackets for the 20" shelves.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-18-in-x-16-in-White-Heavy-Duty-Shelf-Bracket-14835/202824731

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Fastcap...vy-Duty-Shelf-Bracket-FC-SB15X18PRM/301943184

mitchellc · Jun 24, 2020

I spent too many hours looking at brackets, and decided on the Speed Brace because they offer the most clearance since they do not have the kickout/cross brace. Working with a minuscule garage space (reference the garage build link in my signature), these cutouts will be really valuable in my application. For example, installing an overhead shelf at 6’ that I will need to walk under would make me tilt my head (or equally likely, hit my head) when installing using a traditional triangular brace.

I’m okay spending more to get something I’m (hopefully) completely happy with for years to come.

MoonRise · Jun 24, 2020

Graham08 said:
The 1x2 is key. Melamine also works well and you don't have to worry about finishing it. The 1x2 edge keeps it from sagging between the shelf brackets.

The reinforcing strip at the front edge of the shelf REDUCES the sagging potential.

It does not necessarily ELIMINATE "Shelf Sagging Syndrome". :evil:

Online calculator tool to help you plan out shelves.

https://www.woodbin.com/calcs/sagulator/

Article on shelf 'design'.

https://www.finewoodworking.com/2007/01/05/engineer-shelves-with-the-sagulator

And remember that a loaded shelf will often "creep" and sag/deflect more over time.

Plywood is pretty stable. Doesn't move around with humidity as much as solid wood.

You don't need 'fancy' plywood with grain-matched surface veneers. Of course, go right ahead with cabinet-grade 'fancy' plywood if you want to.

theoldwizard1 · Jun 24, 2020

1by lumber looks nice and is a lot less likely to sag as bad as plywood with the same load and span. The cost of 12" wide board is prohibitive ! Use two 1x6. Don't bother trying to glue them together. Just make sure the outer board has 2 screws holding it to the bracket.

I used similar brackets for some shelving in my garage, but mine had the 45° "kicker" between the vertical and horizontal sections. Assess the weight you plan on placing on those shelves and space the bracket accordingly.

mitchellc · Jun 24, 2020

MoonRise said:
The reinforcing strip at the front edge of the shelf REDUCES the sagging potential.

It does not necessarily ELIMINATE "Shelf Sagging Syndrome".

Online calculator tool to help you plan out shelves.

https://www.woodbin.com/calcs/sagulator/

Article on shelf 'design'.

https://www.finewoodworking.com/2007/01/05/engineer-shelves-with-the-sagulator

And remember that a loaded shelf will often "creep" and sag/deflect more over time.

Plywood is pretty stable. Doesn't move around with humidity as much as solid wood.

You don't need 'fancy' plywood with grain-matched surface veneers. Of course, go right ahead with cabinet-grade 'fancy' plywood if you want to.

Great resources! Just the type of info I need to finalize the design and get a sense that I’m making informed decisions (just like this thread!).

For the Saginator, in the “span” measurement, should I input the total shelf width or the distance between supports? I modeled a 48” wide shelf, which I plan to mount with brackets at every stud (so typical 16” centers). Inputting 16” span resulted in a favorable output; 48” very bad.

As for using nice plywood vs. melamine or equivalent... With hobbies I tend to defer to a dangerous cocktail of overkill and overthinking. Just last night I read everything I could find through casual searching to get the right screw depth for mounting all of the shelves.

u2slow · Jun 24, 2020

Been building mine as 2x lumber framed 'panels' skinned with 1/2" plywood. Build sizes than make good use of the material. (i.e. 4 or 8' long; 12, 16, or 24" deep) Attach to wall, then add a front upright with blocking in between. Easy to change or move things around as needed.

For sturdier shelving, use lumber as the surface too. You can use up a lot of scrap or 2nd-hand (free) wood that way - old pallets, etc.

Hank11 · Jun 24, 2020

Try this search and see if you can find something that is within your skills and tools, then go for it.

Google image search:

"Shop shelf plans"

Hank11 · Jun 24, 2020

And I have built multiple shelves over the years that resemble this:

http://www.modernbuilds.com/diy-garage-shelves

The host is a bit off putting and there's an ad involved but the idea is well presented.

rayra · Jun 24, 2020

mitchellc said:
I spent too many hours looking at brackets, and decided on the Speed Brace because they offer the most clearance since they do not have the kickout/cross brace. Working with a minuscule garage space (reference the garage build link in my signature), these cutouts will be really valuable in my application. For example, installing an overhead shelf at 6’ that I will need to walk under would make me tilt my head (or equally likely, hit my head) when installing using a traditional triangular brace.

I’m okay spending more to get something I’m (hopefully) completely happy with for years to come.

Starting to read like a stealth ad for the Speed Brace product, whose HQ happens to be ~90mi from Seattle. Would you happen to have any connection to this company?

Beyond that, you seem to be picking the most expensive materials for your whole project, while seemingly knowing little about common materials.

mitchellc · Jun 25, 2020

rayra said:
Starting to read like a stealth ad for the Speed Brace product, whose HQ happens to be ~90mi from Seattle. Would you happen to have any connection to this company?

Beyond that, you seem to be picking the most expensive materials for your whole project, while seemingly knowing little about common materials.

No connection to Speed Brace or any other building supplier company. Another user asked why I chose them over something else so I provided an answer. If it's uncouth to reference specific products or suppliers on GJ, I'm happy to speak to products generally.

I've been a renter in medium to large cities over the last five years so knowing about common materials has not been a priority until now. My material selection process has been to work backwards from functional requirements, which for shelves, includes strength, durability, and the specific aesthetic of stained wood. For brackets, the requirements have been to be black, to be low profile, and to have a load rating that will far exceed anything that I will need to store. Since I will not need a large amount of anything for my small project, I'm fine using pricier materials when doing so means hitting all of the requirements.

Shiftless · Jun 25, 2020

3/4 inch thick MDF coated on both sides with Melamine makes fine shelves as long as you glue and screw on 1x2 face frame strips and keep the spans really short. These vises aren’t light.
Melamine is tough and easy to wipe clean.

Elsewhere I have shelves made from 2x12 construction lumber supported every 32 inches. Boxes of porcelain tile, a spare cylinder head, a transmission, no sagging there either.

Plywood makes great shelving too. If I was going to build plywood shelves, I would start with inch and an eighth subfloor plywood and get the lumberyard to rip lengths in the size you want. Then glue and screw 1x2s to the front edge. That would require fewer supports so the cost of the wood would be offset by fewer supports.

I used melamine MDF to save time painting and get a more durable surface compared to almost any paint.
.

mitchellc · Jun 25, 2020

Those shelves look great Shiftless. Cool vice collection and great scotch selection. Pretty much always have a bottle of Laphroaig 10 on hand.

Shiftless · Jun 25, 2020

Thanks
Not everybody enjoys those peat monster single malts.
Love it or Hate it. RIGHT?

jeep63 · Jun 25, 2020

I have made several different sets of wood shelving out of 2x4s and 3/4" plywood sheets. You can make it as wide/long as you want and the positions are fully adjustable.

Pretty simple design and you can make them varying heights across a wall. Not fancy, but functional.

MoonRise · Jun 25, 2020

mitchellc said:
Great resources! Just the type of info I need to finalize the design and get a sense that I’m making informed decisions (just like this thread!).

For the Saginator, in the “span” measurement, should I input the total shelf width or the distance between supports? I modeled a 48” wide shelf, which I plan to mount with brackets at every stud (so typical 16” centers). Inputting 16” span resulted in a favorable output; 48” very bad.

As for using nice plywood vs. melamine or equivalent... With hobbies I tend to defer to a dangerous cocktail of overkill and overthinking. Just last night I read everything I could find through casual searching to get the right screw depth for mounting all of the shelves.

The "span" is the distance between supports.

Overkill for a structure is a Good-Thing. :rocker:

mitchellc · Jun 25, 2020

Shiftless said:
Thanks
Not everybody enjoys those peat monster single malts.
Love it or Hate it. RIGHT?

I’m firmly in the Love it” camp.

jeep63 said:
I have made several different sets of wood shelving out of 2x4s and 3/4" plywood sheets. You can make it as wide/long as you want and the positions are fully adjustable.

Pretty simple design and you can make them varying heights across a wall. Not fancy, but functional.

Those seem to be pretty heavily laden and I don’t see a lot of support. Good sign!

MoonRise said:
The "span" is the distance between supports.

Overkill for a structure is a Good-Thing.

Awesome, thank you. In that case 16” spans are definitely overkill but I am okay with that. If any of my shelves failed, it would likely result in stuff falling on my car or plumbing/pump for my house’s fire suppression sprinklers... I’ll invest in peace of mind.

With that, I’ve decided to move forward with a first batch of shelves using 3/4” plywood with a 1” x 2” facing board nailed to the leading edge of the shelf. Using wood rather than alternative materials simply because I want to be able to stain them.

I’ll update progress in the garage thread linked in my signature. Appreciate everyone’s help!

Ralf11 · Jun 25, 2020

OP, you are in Seattle which is part of the largest forest in the world by several criteria.

Doug Fir is the main species here, and is an xlnt structural lumber.

If you like boards, use boards; otherwise just rip up plywood sheets.

If you need pretty you can glue caps onto plywood shelves - if you own a planer. Stain it; use cabinet grade, etc. - more work = more pretty

MoonRise · Jun 25, 2020

Mitch,

Since your wall studs are probably 16" on center, and you are putting shelf brackets into those studs, then the shelf brackets will end up being 16" OC.

Use adequate "structural" SCREWS to hold the shelf brackets to the studs. As in lag screws or their 'modern' replacement, like GRK RSS (Rugged Structural Screws, I didn't name them :lol:

).

https://www.grkfasteners.com/products/rss-rugged-structural-screw

No predrilling (usually) needed with the GRK RSS, so that is an advantage over lag screws.

Remember, the shelf edging goes with the big dimension vertically for best deflection resistance. And fasten the edging solidly to the shelf (glue and screw. or glue and brads to hold the strip in place while the glue dries, or glue and clamp until the glue dries).

A 'nice' but not 'fancy' plywood is Baltic Birch Plywood. Decent face veneers and consistent inner plies with no/minimal voids, you can often leave the edge as-is if you want to. Comes in 5x5 sheets (1525mm x 1525mm actual), and metric thicknesses (but might be listed as a nearest-equivalent inch dimension).

https://www.woodworkerssource.com/b...-birch-plywood-why-its-better-when-to-use-it/

What out for the Chinese version, I have heard from some that it is not the same thing. If it's a 5ft x 5ft sheet, it's probably the real thing. If it is bigger than that, it is NOT Baltic Birch and is probably Chinese.

There is another version of the nice-consistent-inner-plies-plywood called ApplePly ($$$ though).

Or you can just go with some B-C ply. Or A-C. I'd probably not use CDX, even if it is 'just' garage shelves. :spit:

https://www.ezwoodshop.com/plywood/plywood-grades.html

Just some more info for you.

mitchellc · Jun 25, 2020

I had time this afternoon to duck out to the local lumber yard. I picked up a sheet of 3/4 ACX, 1x2 hemlock for the edging, and some stain. Decided to start small with less fancy materials and see how it looks.

Moonrise, I picked up another screw from the same suppler as the brackets that have a sheer strength of 300 lbs, which seemed to be more than enough for anything that I will be storing (vs 1200 lbs shear rated for the GRK fasteners). I‘m intrigued by the GRK fasteners so I’ll see if they’re available locally.

nzjkb5 · Jun 26, 2020

I don't know what kind of weight you need to support, but these brackets are about one-tenth the price I find for Speed Brackets, and are lower profile. I have about 50 of them in use.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbilt-10-in-x-12-in-White-Shelf-Bracket-15254/202034279

PhantomEB · Jun 27, 2020

Post 35 is what I used in the laundry and junk room. Gf hates them but I reply no shortage of shelving here is there!

yeldogt · Jun 27, 2020

I have a row of deep shelving along one wall -- it's designed to hold the rubbermaid totes. Since they stick out the need angled supports or I have used rod to the ceilings. For that kind of thing you need to lay it out.

For a general shelf above a bench I do like the stronger brackets and regular lumber .. no angle brace.

It really does depend on what you want it for .. 2x lumber is strong ..But, it takes up a lot of space and most time the strength is not needed.

Kaizen · Jun 27, 2020

mitchellc said:
I had time this afternoon to duck out to the local lumber yard. I picked up a sheet of 3/4 ACX, 1x2 hemlock for the edging, and some stain. Decided to start small with less fancy materials and see how it looks.

Moonrise, I picked up another screw from the same suppler as the brackets that have a sheer strength of 300 lbs, which seemed to be more than enough for anything that I will be storing (vs 1200 lbs shear rated for the GRK fasteners). I‘m intrigued by the GRK fasteners so I’ll see if they’re available locally.

Lots of glue as well. Titebond 3 is my favorite

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BigGarage · Jun 27, 2020

My two cents. I know you want to fasten them to the wall but I'll show you mine anyway (they are fastened to the walls at the top but are supported by the floor).

They are 1" x 12" and the supports are 2" x 12" with routed 3/4" grooves for the shelves to slip into. I don't know what type lumber, just Home Depot stuff.

Dennis

lilredex · Jun 27, 2020

BG...

Its Pine.

What kind of wood for garage shelving?

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