How To Build Closet Shelves: Easy Tutorial In One Hour

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Are you tired of dealing with a messy closet? Building closet shelves with plywood might be the perfect solution for you. Not only will it help you organize your closet, but it can also save you money compared to buying expensive closet systems.

In this step-by-step tutorial, I’ll show you the process of how to build closet shelves and transform your cluttered closet into a well-organized storage space. Lets take a look at the new closet space we made at the ranch house.

Simple DIY Closet Shelves

During our ranch kitchen renovation, we realized we needed more storage for pantry type items so we decided to convert a nearby hall closet into a kitchen pantry with wood shelving.

The original closet was dark, had a closet rod and a thin top shelf. The side of the closet was wasted space and not functional.

Once you have removed everything from the closet, make a list of supplies that you can purchase at your local home improvement store.

Materials Needed

1. stud finder
2. measuring tape
3. pencil
4. level
5. 3/4 inch plywood
6. 1×2 pine cut to shelf length
7. wood glue
8. brad nailer and nails
9. 3″ wood screws
10. circular saw
11. bin primer
12. paintable caulking
13. wood filler
14. pure white paint (satin finish)

Step 1: Measure and Plan

The first step in building closet shelves is to assess your closet’s dimensions and layout.

Determine how many shelves you need and mark the walls with a pencil or painters tape to determine a visual of where the shelves will be.

Be sure to take into consideration what type of items will be stored in the closet to create the bottom shelf at the appropriate height to accommodate taller items that will be on the floor.

Questions to consider during the planning stage:

• How much space do you have for shelves in your closet?
• Do you want to include a hanging rod for clothes?
• What are the dimensions of your closet space?

Step 2: Find the Studs

Locating the studs behind the wall will help ensure that your shelf brackets are securely fastened to the wall. If you cannot find the studs, you will need to use drywall anchors to hold the shelf braces in place.

This step is crucial to make sure your shelves are secure and will not collapse.

Step 3: Cut The Shelves To Size

Purchasing a large sheet of plywood and cutting your shelves to size is the cheapest way to build shelves.

Cut your shelves to size with a circular saw and use a sanding block to sand off any rough edges.

Step 4: Cut The Shelf Brackets or Cleats

We used 1×2 pine strips to create our shelf brackets (also known as cleats). We wanted a floating shelf look which means the brackets are not shown.

We cut the pine strips to the length of the side walls and back wall.

Step 5: Attach Shelf Brackets To Wall

The next step is to nail the pine shelf brackets to the sides of the wall with a nail gun to hold in place. Be sure to use a level to make sure the brackets are straight. You don’t want crooked shelves!

Next, reinforce the brackets with 3″ wood screws to the wall. Depending on your closet and if you are using drywall anchors, you will need to pre drill a pilot hole for the anchor.

We screwed the pine shelf brackets directly to the studs.

Step 6: Place Shelves On Top Of Brackets

Place the shelves on top of the brackets to ensure they fit. Once you are sure they fit, remove and apply wood glue on top of the brackets and place shelves back on top of the brackets.

Be sure to whip any excess glue that may seep from under the shelves.

You will notice that the brackets are on all sides of the closet which provides extra support.

Finally, nail the shelves to the brackets.

Step 7: Add Pine Face Frame To Shelves

We opted to add a face frame to each shelf as the plywood is somewhat thin and we wanted a more custom look.

Be sure to sand any rough spots on the wood before priming and painting. You may need to sand again once the primer dries as well.

We cut a 1×2 strip of pine for each shelf that we nailed to the front of each shelf to give a finished look and also hide any gaps between the shelf and the wall.

Step 8: Prime and Paint

The last step is to caulk (use paintable caulking) any gaps between the shelves, wall, face frame and fill any nail holes.

This small closet went from non functional to a DIY custom closet on a dime that is now perfect for kitchen pantry items. These simple shelves took under 1 hour to make plus painting and dry time.

The entire closet is now modern, fresh and looks great!

Once the caulking is dry, add your second coat of paint. If you opted to not prime and apply 1 coat of paint prior to installing the shelves, you will need to follow the priming and 2 coats of paint.

If you are new here and haven’t downloaded our latest “project toolkit” freebie, you can find it below!

Is It Cheaper To Build Your Own Wood Shelves

Building closet shelves with plywood is an excellent way to maximize your closet space while saving money. Whether you have a linen closet or a master closet, these easy closet shelves will provide ample storage and is by far the biggest bang for your buck.

What Kind Of Wood To Use For Closet Shelves

Plywood or MDF is probably the cheapest wood to use for shelves. Poplar and pine are also affordable choices. If you have a bigger budget, oak or cherry wood will look a bit more custom and if you are looking for a stainable wood, these two are good choices.