Cheapest Garage Wall Shelves

[YeahPete]

I believe I built what I believe to be the cheapest garage wall shelf solution out of furring strips and 1/4" plywood. It held much more weight than I thought it would.

Image of the completed shelf:

I also made a youtube tutorial of the details and building the shelf.
<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/RQ5Lg76HkuA" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Let me know what you think.

 

[Marctrees]

All depends on weight you plan to load them.

In any case though... the little individual blocks are way inferior in strength, prone to easily split, compared to a continuous piece.. and for what... to save less than $1 ?

While also wasting time.. to hang the separate little blocks would take longer than continuous.

But looks good for lighter loads.

Never saw you check front to back level.


Marc

 

[dwasifar]

Although I do appreciate this as sort of an abstract exercise in "how cheap can it be done?", I have several observations.

First, maybe I missed something in the video explaining it, but that is not 1/4" ply as stated in the description. It looks like 1/2":

Not to nitpick, but if the point is that it's strong using scant materials, then doubling the thickness of the shelf matters.

Second, you'd have gotten more support strength out of your added braces if you'd attached them edge-on rather than flat.

Third, furring strips are notoriously warpy. It may be just something about your camera lens, but it looks like your shelf sags along the front edge, and that may be why.

Again, I appreciate this as kind of a proof of concept, but if I need utility shelving I'm a lot more likely to just rip a sheet of OSB into long strips and fabricate the brackets from part of the sheet.

 

[YeahPete]

Thanks for the comments.

I guess I forgot to say my goal was to create shelving that was both stronger, 1/2 the price of wire shelving, while still being easy to assemble, and I accomplished my goal. We all know there are ways to make it straighter and stronger. I'm not going for the strongest shelf I am going for the cheapest while still outperforming the wire shelving.

You've got a good eye, thickness of the plywood was 1/2". I had it laying around so long I thought it was 1/4" for some reason. I guess I should have measured .

I think it's easier to work with the smaller pieces. My saw has the measurements marked and you can even use your scrap pieces for this which is what I did making it free over using an entire long piece. I would argue it's easier to hang the separate pieces over a long piece because you do not have to worry about bowing and pre-drilling the holes in the right spots potentially missing the studs and when you put very long shelves you don't have to mess with full 8' pieces.

Did not check the level. But I just checked it font to back it is perfectly level. The plywood is slightly bowed here. I used old warped plywood that I got in a craigslist trade.

There is a slight bow in the center due to either the furring strips or the ply being warped. I usually put the bow facing up but I just didn't think about it this time.

I thought about using plywood or osb for the diagonals but the furring strip seemed cheapest and easiest.

You're right about furring strips being warped. I bought a big batch an used the warped pieces for shorter lengths and kept the straight ones for the long runs. I am not rich so yes I need to save every dollar.

Thanks again for the comments I appreciate you all taking the time to check it out. Feedback on the video is welcome as well. Like was it too long too boring ect... I'm thinking about making 2 videos for every project a long video and a short one.

 

[taumac]

One thing you can do is add a 2x4 on the wall where the studs are. I have these from floor to ceiling in my garage. The other is to use these.

They are super cheap and usually under $2 to $3.

I’ve build a lot of shelves in my garage out of simple 2x4 and 3/4 ply. Super strong and less than wire shelving.

 

[dwasifar]

Now you've kind of inspired me. I need some shelves in my workshop, I might run the numbers once I'm done to see how close I came to yours.

 

[Frost]

For cheap, but strong open/cantilevered shelving, this is a really good design.

Once you make a jig to cut the angles for the brackets, they are very quick to put together and as shown in one of the pictures they are strong enough to climb up.

https://woodgears.ca/shelves/

 

[YeahPete]

For cheap, but strong open/cantilevered shelving, this is a really good design.

Once you make a jig to cut the angles for the brackets, they are very quick to put together and as shown in one of the pictures they are strong enough to climb up.

https://woodgears.ca/shelves/

I'm not a fan of the gap behind those shelves and those shelves require a lot of cutting. I do like a lot of Mathis designs though.

 

[38Chevy454]

One thing you can do is add a 2x4 on the wall where the studs are. I have these from floor to ceiling in my garage. The other is to use these.

They are super cheap and usually under $2 to $3.

I’ve build a lot of shelves in my garage out of simple 2x4 and 3/4 ply. Super strong and less than wire shelving.

That is what I do also, the formed steel brackets with 3/4 plywood. Except i just screw the shelf bracket directly to the wall studs. No extra 2x4 needed, just angle the top screws in a little to catch the wall stud.

 

[taumac]

That is what I do also, the formed steel brackets with 3/4 plywood. Except i just screw the shelf bracket directly to the wall studs. No extra 2x4 needed, just angle the top screws in a little to catch the wall stud.

Yep I did that without the 2x4 but after few years and moving things around and adjusting shelf heights I ended up leaving tons of holes in my drywall. For me adding the 2x4 made it easier to mount brackets.

 

[dwasifar]

Now you've kind of inspired me. I need some shelves in my workshop, I might run the numbers once I'm done to see how close I came to yours.

So I finally built those shelves, and here's what I came up with:

Materials were roughly two sheets of 23/32" OSB at about $16 apiece (I say roughly because about half of it was from pieces I already had), a few chunks of 2x4 from my scrap box, glue, and various fasteners (nailgun nails and brads, and six screws to attach the finished units to the wall). So let's say $35 in materials to put up a total of 24 8"x28" shelves, or roughly $1.50 per shelf.

The shelves are removable (except for the four at the corners) but fit snugly enough to stay put. I think the OSB will handle the 28" span without sagging, but if a shelf does sag I can flip it and/or attach a reinforcing rib on the underside.

 

[rcktsled]

Well done, dwasifar! You made use of that entire wall and got a ton of shelf space.

BTW, what kind of ceiling light fixture is that?

 

[dwasifar]

BTW, what kind of ceiling light fixture is that?

Haha, I was wondering if anyone would ask.

It's one of these:

Three of these:

And six of these:

Looks a little weird but it's a great way to get a lot of efficient light for not much money. I've assembled and deployed about a dozen like this in the basement and workshop, and it lights the place up like a sunny day. Far brighter and more reliable than the cheap fluorescent shoplights I used to have.

 

[dwasifar]

It occurs to me that I forgot to do the direct comparison to OP's cost. He was costing by linear foot, $1.33 per linear foot of 16" deep shelving. Since my shelves are 8" deep, that makes the math easy.

I have 24 shelves, 28" long. That's 56 linear feet of 8" shelf, which would be equal in area to 28 linear feet of his shelves. $35 in materials divided by 28 is $1.25. So mine come in just a tad bit cheaper. But you have to build an entire unit to realize the savings, not just a single shelf.

 

[rayra]

what sort of lightweight brick-brack does the OP intend to put on those shelves, besides empty boxes?

I've got tools, ammo cans, car parts, gallons of paints and sealers and a variety of other heavy goods. Any sort of shelf that is solely made from sheet products is not going to hold up without sagging. Even for something like canned / jarred foods.
You need to have some sort of frame structure to support the shelf and too, then, you can use thin sheet goods without trouble. I've made out full-length garage wall shelves with 2x4 frames and 4-5' spans. And recently some rolling shelves and other mods using 2x3s, topped with 7/16 OSB (speaking of cheap)

Too, with a table saw you can readily rip thinner sheet goods in 16" strips (that's 24 linear feet out of a full sheet), or 18" and get 16LF

An 8'L x 7'H x 16"deep shelving unit can be made with (11) 2x3s or 2x4s and (1) 4'x8' sheet product of your choice for <$60 plus hardware.
For that you get 32sq' of shelf space, 85cu' of volume and shelves nearly as strong as a Gorilla Rack costing 4x as much.

/I have to wonder if the OP was pulling our legs with that flimsy thing.

 

[dwasifar]

what sort of lightweight brick-brack does the OP intend to put on those shelves, besides empty boxes?

I've got tools, ammo cans, car parts, gallons of paints and sealers and a variety of other heavy goods. Any sort of shelf that is solely made from sheet products is not going to hold up without sagging. Even for something like canned / jarred foods.
You need to have some sort of frame structure to support the shelf and too, then, you can use thin sheet goods without trouble. I've made out full-length garage wall shelves with 2x4 frames and 4-5' spans.

If you look through the open doorway in my first picture, you'll see a shelving unit made out of 2x4s exactly like the ones in your pictures.

 

[Marctrees]

As long as shelving is designed and built for the intended load it is all good.

That can vary from engine blocks to oil cans.

Just don't use 2x2's for rain barrels.



Marc