This step by step woodworking project is about basement shelving plans. This article features detailed instructions for building sturdy wooden shelving for your basement. We all know how clogged can become our basements with boxes and bags, so this project should be on the must-list of any homeowner. You can place the shelves in your garage, basement or even create a closet organizer with little effort. We have designed the plans to keep the expenditures under control and to involve the least amount of work possible. It is an ideal project for a beginner as it requires basic tools and just 2x4s.
When buying the lumber, you should select the planks with great care, making sure they are straight and without any visible flaws (cracks, knots, twists, decay). Investing in cedar or other weather resistant lumber is a good idea, as it will pay off on the long run. Use a spirit level to plumb and align the components, before inserting the galvanized screws, otherwise the shelves won’t have a symmetrical look. If you have all the materials and tools required for the project, you could get the job done in about a day. See all my Premium Plans HERE.
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Basement Shelving Plans
Building basement shelving
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- A – 6 pieces of 2×4 lumber – 72″ long LEGS
- B – 15 pieces of 2×4 lumber – 20 1/2″ long SUPPORTS
- C – 25 pieces of 2×4 lumber – 96″ long SHELVES
- 34 pieces of 2×4 lumber – 8 ft
- 1 1/4″ screws
- 1 5/8″ screws
- 2 1/2″ screws
- filler, stain
- glue
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Hammer, Tape measure, Framing square, Level
Miter saw, Drill machinery, Screwdriver, Sander
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One day
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How to build basement shelving
Building the supports for the basement shelving
The first step of the woodworking project is to build the supports for the basement shelving. As you can easily notice in the diagram, we recommend you using 2×4 lumber for the components. Cut the components at the right dimension using a miter or circular saw. In order to lock the horizontal support to the legs, you have two alternatives. On one hand, you can drill pocket holes at both ends of support and secure them to the legs using 2 1/2″ screws. On the other hand, you can drill pilot holes through the legs and insert 2 1/2″ screws into the supports.
Irrespective of your choice, we recommend you to make sure the corners are square. Align the edges with attention. Adjust the height of the shelving unit to your needs. In addition, space the supports accordingly.
Building the vertical frames
Place the vertical supports equally-spaced to provide proper support for the garage shelving. You can adjust the width of the shelving unit to suit your needs. You can even add more vertical supports, if you want to cover an entire wall with shelves. A frame every 4′ is enough to support the weight.
Attaching the shelf slats
Next, you need to attach the 2×4 slats to the frames. start with the top and bottom shelves to lock everything together tightly. Use 2 1/2″ screws to lock the 2x4s to the frames. Place the slats equally-spaced and make sure the edges are flush. In addition, we recommend you to make sure the corners are square, each time you add a component to the storage unit. Check if the frames are vertical and if the shelves are perfectly horizontal.
Basement shelving plans
One of the last steps of the woodworking project is to take care of the finishing touches. Therefore, fill the pilot holes with wood putty and smooth the surface with 120-grit sandpaper. Locate the studs and drive a few 3 1/2″ screws, if you want to lock the legs into place tightly. Although it might not seem like, this design creates extremely sturdy shelves.
Top Tip: If you want to enhance the look of the project and to protect the wooden shelves from decay, we recommend you to cover the components with paint or stain.
This woodworking project was about basement shelving plans. If you want to see more outdoor plans, we recommend you to check out the rest of our step by step projects. LIKE us on Facebook and Google + to be the first that gets out latest projects and to hep us keep adding free woodworking plans for you.
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