Laminate shelves area great addition to any home because they add some extra space and storage. However, if your shelves are not adjustable, you lose some potential storage space.
The ability to move one shelf up or down gives you the option of storing larger items, or to custom set your shelf height to your needs. A good set of adjustable laminate shelves are easy to build if you use special mounting brackets designed just for this purpose.
Building Adjustable Shelves and Shelving – 6 Step Guide
Installing the brackets for adjustable laminate shelves is something anyone can do, as long as they know how to use a screwdriver and stud finder. Build this project in any room.
Step 1
Clean out your closet where you intend to build the new laminate shelves and remove all shelves already in place.
Step 2
Locate the studs in the side walls of the closet. Set the stud finder on the wall, move it slowly across the wall, and make pencil marks when it signals a stud. Choose two studs to use in the center of the side walls, if the walls contain no studs, simply use drywall anchors.
Step 3
Make two marks for each stud on the wall, one mark up high and the other down low. Draw a line down the wall with a ruler and pencil, using the marks as a guide.
Step 4
Set the adjustable shelf mounting brackets on the wall over your lines where you intend to install the brackets. Level the bracket with a carpenter’s level and mount it to the stud with wood screws and a screwdriver. Repeat this process for the second mounting bracket.
If the studs do not line up with your installation plans, place the brackets on the wall, mark their location with a pencil, remove the brackets, install drywall anchors in the wall on the marks, and then mount the brackets using the anchors.
Step 5
Install the shelf brackets in the mounting brackets. Place a shelf bracket in each mounting bracket at identical heights. You need four for each shelf.
Step 6
Take a measurement from the inside of each bracket and cut your laminate shelving boards to this length. Fit each board onto the shelf brackets to hang the shelves.
Tip: Use the shelf brackets with a hole in one side so you can screw the bracket to the shelf board for the sturdiest and most stable shelves.