Fix This Build That do you have metric measurements for your plans available? I just purchased your pack of plans and being an Aussie i am not used to imperial
Paul Lobwein and Muhammad, it all depends on the size of your garage and how big you like to build it. The right tools to build shelves like those are a must, especially for the minor saw ( you can find it at Lowe's or Home Depot for around $200 dollars USD) I've started to build mine about a year and half ago, because we have so much stuff already in the garage it literally took me longer than expected. *** By the way, please keep in mind that wood will split if you use the wrong screw. Which I am using two drills, one to make pilot holes and the other one to put in the screw. I'm sure after you've done all the work the last thing you want is a split wood, not fun at all! *** So my measurement for the shelves that I build was 6ft tall X 17ft wide X 1ft 7in deep, 6ft tall X 14 ft wide X 1ft 7in deep, 7ft tall X 6 ft wide X 3ft 5in deep. It all depends on your need and storage. By the way, make sure you measure the height of your bins first before you start cutting and putting everything all together! Hope this works for you!
Totally get this. Last video I watched, the dude takes his 2x4s to his jointer and from there, to his planer. There's me, in my garage with a drill, circular saw and a sander 🤣😂
gSuuP no doubt . Idk how many times I’ve watched a tool bench build and the first thing they say to do was “now run all your boards thru your planer..”. I’m like “peace”
Hint: buy the storage bins first and size the shelves to fit them. Also, to make things super strong, those shelf spacers that you used to set the distance between the shelves can be left in place so that the spacers carry the load rather than trusting the shear strength of the screws. But now you’ve whet my appetite to go make shelves! Thanks for the inspiring video.
Those construction screws will do the job (maybe 70 lbs shear strength per screw), but if you're concerned you can go with structure screws or just low cost nails which have far greater shear strength.
Or metal brackets, up under the beams of each shelf, to take off the edge from the weight. A lot of things can be done without having to go through a lot of trouble. I'm actually making something very similar right now, but smaller and more modular so that they can be stacked, moved or assembled however depending on space without having to break the whole thing down.
@@PhilPic01 Why go to the trouble of buying brackets? Everyone has off-cuts and odds and end 2x4 pieces. Easiest and cheapest would be to cut some 2x4 x4" supports pieces, clamp against the shelf, and pound 3 nails through to the leg. Cost, $0.25 worth of nails, some scrap wood, and 3-4 minutes of time including cutting time. Might not look 'sweet', however almost no one but you are every really even going to notice it.
And if that's not possible. Apply upward pressure on the timber when approaching the end of the cut to ensure the timber doesn't fall into the saw blade, thus creating kick back.
I understand that sometimes we don't want the waste part to drop onto floor. What I do is to support both sides, but make sure the waste side is slightly lower (about 1cm) so that gravity will pull it away from saw blade.
One thing to keep in mind is that over time people always end up with more weight on shelves than they realize. I like to cut 2X4s to exact length to put between each shelf vertically. Like leaving the spacers in. That way the weight is carried by the 2X4 instead of screws. It seems like it's overkill, but it's better than having an overweight shelf collapse.
I came here to comment this. Building shelves only supported by screws isn’t the proper way to do it. The exterior legs shouldn’t be load bearing but rather only to attach the spacers. 2x4 have tremendous compression strength and unfortunately, this project is a miss.
About to start a build like this, looking for the right way to do it. Your comment confirmed my instinct, I actually thought he was going to leave the spacers in. Thanks two year old comment!
Come on guys this project is legit, have you ever tested how much weight it takes to shear a wood screw? 12 screws per shelf could hold the space shuttle. Good project for beginners.
This is exactly what I was thinking and I know zero about carpentry. I need a shelf that can hold a motorcycle engine or two. That shelf he built, all that's holding it up is some tiny screws... I wouldn't trust it at all. I need to be able to put 3000lbs of stuff on that shelf.
@@velianlodestone1249 I always pick up good 2x4s and 4x4s at construction sites and they would be more than happy if you took it away from their sites as they have to pay to scrap it. Plan ahead and save more :) 8 made the same shevles with no plywood, just cutouts from skids and spare wood trimmings from here and there. Maybe youd just need to buy a few 2x4s for the longer sections.
From my years of working in rough framing, the way we would prevent kickback when cutting (often twisted and wet lumber) was to have the spacer closest to the saw on the "long side" be slightly taller than the rest. This means as the lumber is cut, it drops down slightly onto the spacers on the run-out side. This prevents pinching and also moves the already cut pieces out of the way slightly.
Several below have mentioned the structural aspects of using just screws to take the shear load of the shelves and whatever you store on them! Simple suggestion, you show making some spacers to easily set the height of each shelf. In contrast, just make a couple extra sets of spacers and then rip each of them in half (effectively a 2x2) and permanently install them in place while still being able to use them as spacers in your pre-assembly. This way you have solid wood supporting the vertical loads (plus the additional screws to install them!) rather than relying on screws only (which typically have terrible shear strength). Just one piece of advice from one engineer to another :-) Love your videos
For a stronger shelf joint, see the OSHA standard on how to make wood ladders for construction sites. The current design of screws into end grain of 2x4 is a weak joint type. When the wood splits over time the joint can become significantly weaker. Another strong joint option is joist hanger brackets.
I got supplies for a my shelves (72"x24"x84") 2 OSB, (13) 10' 2x4, and screws $68 from my Lowe's. this is a great first wood project for me!! Thank you for your video, very helpful tips and tricks
On my shelves, I was able to load them with over 300 lbs... I glued the plywood to the 2x3 lumber and it really increases the strength. I wish I could post photos... I built ten shelf units and some of them are probably loaded to near 1000 pounds.
Good job Brad. My Dad built ladder style shelves back in about 1960 and I did the same thing in my garage when I built my new house (26 years ago). They just sit between the brick piers down both sides and I can still fit cars in. I only used 2 x 1s for the ladders as they’re all anchored into the brick walls so plenty strong enough. I had to replace the longer original MDF shelves as the sagged a bit - put in radiata and they’ve held up fine.
I really appreciate how simple you make these projects. I'm going to use this instruction, use treated wood, make extend it out some from 16", make only one tier, and adjust the leg height and make a potting table for my garden outside. Edit: I think I'll make it two tiers so I can keep the pots or soil bags on the bottom tier.
Thank you for the kickback accident - that will help me avoid a scary situation - at my age. s little scary incident could be more than the old ticker can handle. LOL I am very jealous of all that floor space.
I really like using a stud finder. Especially since I can try it out on myself first and make sure it works. The kids still laugh but the old lady just rolls her eyes.
A small stack of rare earth magnets is like 4 dollars at Home Depot in the fastener section. I been using them for over 20 years. They have a package of six 1/4 inch solid ones or a package of three 1/2 washer design. I have found it easier to use the six as they are easier to pick off the wall when you are ready to move them.
@@Swiat34 ha ha, yeah, you can't call yourself a Dad until you've done that trick. And you can't continue to call yourself a Dad unless you do that trick.. Every time you hold a stud finder in your hand
The reason why you are getting a kickback is because you are supposed to leave the shorter side of the 2×4 or anything else and it should be left suspended so it can just fall off. When you don't do this, as you make the cut, the lumber would buckle towards the spinning blade causing it to make contact with large enough surface area to be able to kick itself back instead of cutting through, I hope this helps.
Grear video. I hired two workers to make shelves in my garage about five years ago to hold and organize my husband's smoker and three grills and accessories. I only wish I had them find a solution for the problem areas -- the electrical boxes, the pipe, and the mound on the corner of the garage. Still, we can get both cars in and that was my priority. Looking forward to more of your videos.
I’ve built shelves like these and they are awesome. One suggestion is to run a 2x4 support in the center of the shelf down the entire length, rather than short supports going front to back. The theory is that will add more support against sagging along the full length, where short pieces will only combat sagging in the 16 inches front to back.
I like your idea. I would like to use it in my build but can you tell me how to build the shelf on the ends ? Do i build ends as he has done in this video, with a small front-to-back piece of 2x4 ? Appreciate the advice. Thanks, Gerry from Raleigh, NC
I built an almost identical set of shelves some 25 years ago. Now, I notice significant sag in the 2 X 4’s. If I had to do it again, I would add vertical supports in the center of each shelf.
*Mind blown 🤯! These garage shelves are the DIY storage solution I've been searching for! Can't wait to transform my cluttered space into a super-efficient haven. Thanks for the step-by-step guide, you just earned yourself a new subscriber 🛠🔧🔝*
That Sponser shout out actually just helped me out a lot. A little diy skin coat and dry wall tools and rust have been ruining my days. I didn’t even know there what’s a soak! I’m literally watching rest of this video after I go get some this instant.
This is a great guide for a beginner like myself. Building the top shelf first (and working on it upside down) makes things so much easier. Thank You for that. I've been watching this a few times and maybe the 4th time I got the whole "me nail gun" doh! Great channel!
What I like about this and so many other "cheap to build" garage shelving is the the beautiful and very pricey power tools they're built with. It kind of reminds me of how much a guy can save on meat by hunting with a new rifle, new clothing, new truck, etc. Seriously, I like your video very much, thanks.
Built something like this with different plans I got maybe five years ago. Idk that they're cheaper to build than buy these days, but Boy do I love them. Want to say I spent around $50 a shelf. It's easily double, maybe triple that, today lol.
Really useful, practical advice. Love the trick about using spacers to facilitate one person assembly; also allows fine-tuning to ensure level. Thanks! Subscribed!!
I want to commend you for showing the kick-back. Most would edit that out, bu8t the realistic, and responsible, thing to do would be to do what you did and leave it in. Great job.
While I love your videos, today I want to compliment you on the way you do your sponsor ads. It’s genius to have the actual video happening simultaneously because we won’t skip the ad that way. Plus, even the ad is enjoyable the way you present it. Well done, sir.
Excellent instructions and tips. I've always assembled a different way (assembling the side legs like ladders then adding the rest, right side up) but I like your assembly steps better because it makes it easier to keep everything aligned and steady. Thanks.
Only just found this and it's really helpful. I have used a circular saw for the first time recently (previously made do with a mitre saw and jigsaw) and I got a kick back which scared the living daylights out of me. I thought it was something I did wrong so thank you so much for explaining how it can happen. Subscribed.
Awesome build! I'm currently remodeling my garage, insulating and building new benches and storage. This will work out great for my storage needs. Thank you so much for the free plans.
One of the BEST (easiest to understand) garage shelving video on RU-vid!! Between this video & Johnny Brooke's overhead storage video mu gagarge won't know what hit it. Great video Brad💯💯💯. Dirty Jersey out!!
Thanks for your video and for some great tips. I wasn't aware that a garage floor sloped. After measuring with a level it indicated I needed to make the "downside" legs 3/4 inch longer. I was reluctant to have different lengths on the legs but when I tipped the unit up to put it in place the shelves were perfectly level. That was pretty cool, thanks!
“Pro tip” with the circular saw- never fully support the material on both sides of a cut. The downward pressure of the saw will like cause it to bind. As well it’s never a bad idea to anticipate where a kick backed saw will travel and avoid putting your off hand there. Happy Building 10 fingered Friend’s!
Nice work Brad, these projects are always in need. Will for sure be looking at building something like this in our new place. Also nice teaching moment, so glad you left that in there. It can happen to anyone and bringing awareness to it is great. Much respect for that.
I built 6 of these a few years ago. One thing I did was use some kind of rubberized paint for the last 3-4 inches of the legs to seal the wood for years from any kind of water damage.
The old shelves, shown at 2:18, were a superior design, because they had load-bearing 2x3 studs in between shelves, carrying all the weight and discharging it onto the floor. In the new design, the weight is carried by the screws. Under load, the old shelves would just compress the studs, with no damage. In the new shelves, when sufficient load is applied, the screws are going to split the wood and the shelves will collapse. You can improve the new design adding the missing 2x3 acting as load-bearing studs.
Thank you for making these videos, they are simple & you always give great tips on safety. I had never picked up tools or worked with wood until I started watching your videos.
This looks simple enough. I'll be using the braces that other commenters suggested. But what I really came here to say is Wow in two decades of working on two houses, it never occurred to me that you could simply use a magnet to find screws and thus locate studs. Wish I'd known that sooner. Thanks
Thanks for this cause I have been looking for shelving ideas for the garage and this hit every point...down to the SLOPE! this nobody ever talks about.
Great job! You could also use adjustable feet to account for the slope in your garage. That's also good for keep the wood off of the floor if you get any kind of moisture.
Nice simple build. Good clear instructions. I built something like this a couple of years ago. I used 3/4 plywood for the shelving. Personally not a fan of OSB for anything. The set I did the two bottom shelves that were a full 8 foot in length. Then two more shelves that were 4 foot in the length on one end. That allowed me to put peg board on the wall above the open end. The second shelf up I measured up from the floor where the end of it would be comfortable to use as a work table.
I try to double check the blade depth with the cuts. I had a lot of kickback when cutting up pallet wood due to different sizes. The blade adjustment really helped!
I made these a few weeks ago..man are they strong. I could park a car on it. I might make a smaller version for tool / bin storage and leave this one to hold large Osmium parts I may have. 😁
I have water drainage issues in my garage when we park our cars when it rains, so it would be a good idea to install adjustable feet to the legs of the shelf to keep the wood out of the moisture and to perfectly level the shelf to prevent things from rolling off the shelf and onto your cars.
Great basic shelf design. I make mine in a similar way but make the 2x4 frame a little larger to inset the osb panels. I run my supports sideways instead of vertical to eliminate needing to fire up the table saw. I run an additional support on the ends to support the shelf.
Just finished the framing on my set of shelves built this way. Sheeting tomorrow Toe nail it. Planning on building 1 more 8 foot set and possibly a third in the basement. We recently had a pipe break and the water damage would have been minimal if I had shelves before
When I was cutting 2x4’s and deck boards to raise the height of my trailer sides I got kick back too! I adjusted the blade depth to just a tooth under and had no more problems! I also got my jawhorse from Rockwell out and that help support it
I have watched this 3 times and I will probably watch it again once I start building this shelf I really need 3 shelves and I can’t afford the 145.00 metal shelves so I am starting on the first one tonight !!
These are great. Lots of organization to still do. I've built other shelves but these look more sturdy. And since I'll be building by myself... Looks easier to do. And thanks for the free plans. I'll be adding them to others that I've already purchased from you.
Nice, so much better than the plastic ones that are weak and don't hold up. Not overkill at all on the cross braces, without them that 7/16" osb will definitely give over time with any weight at all on it.
Hello . I had already experienced the kickback with my hand-held circular saw. I have respect for every saw, but especially for the saw. You built a beautiful shelf. I like it. Lovly Regards Natascha
Wow some of these comments… man, everyone is a critic. I used this as inspiration and built a shelving unit that cost about $70 in materials and took 1 evening to put together. Turned out great and now I have most of my garage stuff organized and off the floor.
Thanks. I was wondering how to build a bookcase using 2x4. Your video showed me how I can build one and modify mine to be only using 2x4's for the whole build. i.e. I needed a strong bookcase because I was also going to attach a desk (2x4's) onto one of the shelves.
Great effort. I use the orange tools too and appreciate the warranty. It is always best to support a cut as close to the cut as possible to prevent kick back. The big box stores will rip the sheets on a panel saw for free of 50 cents a cut which is great for a person who wants a perfect cut and lacks the confidence or experience to do it themselves, plus sheets cut into 16" strips fit into mini vans and cars easier. I wear ear as well as eye protection in the shop to preserve as much hearing as I can. For indoor use sheet rock screws are inexpensive and work well. Again, great video!
Good job with the project and video. I like to staple a small piece of rubber or foam sill seal under each leg to prevent moisture wicking up from the concrete.
Great video Brad and nice shelves as well, thanks for showing some mistakes and correcting them as well, not alot of people do show their mistakes. Take Care and Stay Safe, Barry (ENG)
Hey Eng. Your design has shelving's sheer load is on a few screws? Scab vertical studs (the 2x4's you used to set the space between shelves during the build) between shelves and max load would increase dramatically. Just like the shelving unit you replaced.
I remember early on reading/watching vids where the approach was to never support a structure with screws. This is for common sense stuff, not picture hanging, low weight/stress things. Of course I was primarily looking at aquarium stands where a simple small 100g tank weights half a ton. Your common 8d nail is much stronger than your average screw in shear. And all your weight is in shear here, not so much tension. As others have said, you should have left those spacers in. Even if you didn't have an extra couple of 2x4's, you could have cut the ones you have into 4" supports and put them directly under each shelf. Use nails, and you've got some seriously strong support. But I've subbed.
Hey Brad, I enjoy your videos. I like it when you use different methods to do things (using a chop saw and a skill saw to show there are different ways to "skin a cat"). I have noticed that your projects move around when you assemble them like when you screw in pieces. Do u know those holes in your work bench are dog bench holes for pegs? If you use dog bench pegs you can butt up your work pieces against them so they won't move. Just trying to help. Keep on making quality videos bro!
Thanks, Alex. You're likely referring to the DIY type projects and I don't use the bench dogs or fancy clamps on those for a reason. I'm trying to show folks they don't need all the fancy. But if you look at my more involved furniture pieces you'll see me using all of those :) They work great!
Good idea to use the clamps. I just finished off some shelving 2 weeks ago. And it came off really good for a first time project but a few of the shelves were just a bit off but it was built out of reclaimed fencing material. I had to rip the 4x4's to 2x4's and used the fence boards for the shelves.
5:49 you can see the wood splitting because he didnt make a pilot hole. It doesnt matter if the screw is self tapping, you should always make a pilot hole.
As others have said, not supporting the other side of the 2x4 will avoid the kickback, and I think doubling up the 2x4s might contribute to the kickback as well, due to the near certainty that the 2x4s will not be perfect and will therefor be under tension when you clamp them together.
