A Guide to the Best Garage Shelving – Free Up A Parking Spot
Garage shelves are a great way to keep your garage decluttered and in order. Not only does organizing your garage shelves help you keep things neat, but also safe by taking equipment and tools out of the way.
Nothing is more frustrating than trying to work in a cluttered garage. There are many solutions for storing your tools and supplies; however, the least expensive and most reliable is shelving.
You can store whatever you like on the sturdy surface provided by flat lengths of hard material with shelving. From seasonal gear to power tools and paint cans, a sturdy shelf can withstand the weight of any item, keeping them organized and safe from damage.
Types of Garage Shelves
You can store a wide variety of items in garages. You will find children’s toys, wood, car accessories, sports equipment, tools, and everything else in a typical garage. These different things require different types of garage shelves to keep them organized safely.
Typically, you distinguish garage shelving by the material forged from and its style, whether mounted to the ceiling/wall or freestanding.
You can base the garage shelves’ pricing on the quality, material, shelf size, and brand. Let’s look at the different types of garage shelves.
Related: Garage Cabinets and Other Storage Tips For The Best Garage Ever
Wooden Shelves
Shelves made from wood are easier to work with and cost less than shelves made from other materials. Hardwood, such as maple or oak, is commonly used in wood shelving. Most people like to use a chipboard or a ¾ plywood to make their shelves, however.
Softwood, such as pine, can easily bend and break if they have to bear the weight of heavy loads.
Generally, wood shelves are great for storing lightweight items, so avoid placing heavyweight equipment or tools on them.
Wire Shelves
Although wire shelves can be inexpensive and durable, they do not hold small items securely. Most wire shelves have spaces and holes between the little rods that form the main shelf. Small items can easily fall through these holes.
Parts bins and paint cans are the sorts of items ideally stored on a wire shelf.
Metal Shelves
Metal shelves have the necessary reinforcement for holding heavy items such as car parts, heavy tools, and large cans of paints.
Shelves made from metal are more expensive than those made from wood. They are the most durable and are excellent for storing heavy items.
Adjustable Rail Shelves
An adjustable rail shelf is a type of shelf affixed to a system of hangers, giving it the freedom to move around, be repositioned, and rearranged following the size of items you will be storing.
These shelves are mostly made from metal to help you store large items like wood, tabletop tools for woodwork, and even car parts.
What to Consider When Buying a Garage Shelf
Capacity and Dimensions
Even though every storage space is different, you should adhere to standards when selecting a shelf. A wall-mounted or freestanding shelf unit should be between 12 inches deep (if storing small items such as hand tools) and 16 inches deep (for larger items like book boxes).
For convenience, purchase shelves with spaces that are just right in size to hold boxes adequately without being too deep to extend into the surrounding space or conceal any gear stored in the back.
With ceiling-mounted units, ideal dimensions should be 2 feet by 3 feet and larger in that ratio if you will be storing bulky items such as sporting equipment.
The length of your shelf can vary based on your spatial specifications. You should take your ideal shelf measurements and search for prefabricated shelving that comes close to this length.
With residential garage spaces, 3-foot, 4-foot, and 6-foot lengths are most common. For weight-bearing, be careful of shelves that claim to hold as much as 500kg. The chances are high that a single shelf can hold between 50 to 200kg. Most shelf packages indicate the capacity on the label. You should opt for multiple shelves if you have many items to store rather than overstraining one shelf. Too much weight on your shelf can damage the shelf or even your property.
Note- with garage shelving kits; you can make your shelves as long as you desire.
Type of Mount
With garage shelving, there are three common styles, which are ceiling-mounted, freestanding, and wall-mounted.
- Ceiling mounted shelves- these shelves are fixed in the ceiling studs using long adjustable metal rods. They are perfect for keeping equipment occasionally used/seasonal items out of your way. Steel gadgets can serve as reliable and safe storage for up to 250kg of weight. To reach these types of shelves, you will require a step stool or a ladder.
- Freestanding shelves- with freestanding units, you have more mobility and flexibility because you do not fix them to any surface. However, they can take up a lot of floor space and obstruct other activities in the garage. You can make them from metal, wood, or a combo of both.
- Wall-mounted shelves- these are attached to studs at regular intervals with the use of metal brackets. For maximum strength and stability, the wire, metal, or wooden shelf is then firmly fixed to the bracket for maximum strength and stability.
Installation
All you need to do for freestanding shelving units are assemble (if required), put in position, and begin organizing your belongings. Freestanding units do not warrant any form of installation.
Ceiling and wall-mounted shelves need more careful positioning into studs, which are the beams serving as structural support in a building frame.
Wall studs usually have about 16 to 24 inches of spacing between them and start from ceiling to floor. As soon as you identify where the studs are, follow the manufacturer’s guide and proceed to install the shelves. Consider a least a foot of spacing between wall-mounted units for enough storage capacity and flexibility as you can manage. Ceiling shelf units should be adjustable so they can suit your height requirements.
To install adjustable rail shelves, you also need to find the studs. After you locate the studs, attach the metal track to the studs firmly with screws. You can use certain rail tracks with the drywall as well as concrete walls. Take note of the instructions before making your purchase as some tracks are not compatible with steel studs, only wooden studs.
After positioning the tracks properly, secure the brackets into the slots and stack your shelves on it.
DIY Ideas
If you like a good DIY, a great project to take on is a storage shelf. It is a fun activity, and you can get as creative as you want.
Making a DIY shelf helps you get the exact measurements you require, and if you already have some of the materials you need in your garage, you can save some money. Let’s take a look at these great DIY ideas for shelves.
DIY Shoe Storage Shelves for Garage: An Easy, Fast, and Versatile Project
This project is an intermediate level DIY for shoe storage shelves. You will need some plywood, wood screws, a power drill, circular, and a few other tools.
Begin by marking and cutting the wood following instructions. You want to make sure you measure your wood correctly to end up with a neatly finished product.
Once you are done cutting according to instructions, begin to assemble the parts. Trim any excesses to ensure that your rack comes out looking as neat as possible.
Click on the link above to see other instructions.
DIY Fast and Easy Built-In Wall Garage Shelves
If you have an ugly wall in your garage, this project is especially for you. The tools you will need include; stud finder, 1 x 2 furring strips, shelving, chalk marker, and saws, among others
What you are going to do here is to find the studs first, and once you do, mark up your wood and cut, following the tutorial.
Mark out the area on the wall you want the sides of your shelf to be. Secure the cutouts together firmly against the wall following the instructions in the link above. If you stick to the tutorial, you should have a wonderful built-in wall garage shelf.
Best DIY Kits
If you do not want to stress over making a shelf from scratch, some kits can simplify the process. Here is a line-up of the best DIY shelf kits you can find.
Industrial Wall Mount Iron Pipe Shelf
This industrial, iron shelving bracket weighs 22 pounds, with dimensions 1 x 12 x 52 inches. It is very easy to assemble.
Custom Work Bench and Shelving Storage System
We have a 2 x 4 shelving storage system, which is an easy fix when it comes to custom shelving. It is simple to assemble and requires only a screwdriver and a saw. Its dimensions are 34.5 x 96 x 36 inches, and it weighs 7.2 ounces.
Custom Shelving and Storage System Shelflinks
You can assemble all the hardware contained in this product with just a screwdriver. The 16″ deep shelves made from the heavy-duty structural resin and you can also ex or modified based on storage requirements. Product weight and dimensions are 7.2 ounces and 5.13 x 14.56 x 11.13 inches, respectively.
Related: 10 Best Garage Bike Storage Ideas To Keep Your Space Organized
Best Free Standing
If you will rather have an already made freestanding garage shelf, here are some great products for you to check out.
Seville Classics UltraDurable Commercial
Here is a steel wire shelf with chrome plating for corrosion resistance and wheels for easy transport. Its dimensions are 48″ W x 24″ D x 72″ H (76″ H with wheels), and its total capacity on the levelled ground is 3000 lbs.
Topeakmart 3 Pack Heavy Duty 5 Tier
This product is a heavy-duty storage shelf that can hold up to 300 lb per shelf. It’s dimensions are 82.8 x 11.8 x 59.1 inches. You can adjust the storage shelves according to personal requirements.
DEWALT 4-Foot Tall
Have a look at this massive industrial metal more shelf. It can hold 4,500 lb, and its dimensions are 49.63 x 18 x 47.63 inches. The manufactures built this shelf to last, and the coated steel will not fade or chip away during use.
Best Wall Mount
Wall mount shelves are incredibly convenient and very sturdy. Check out this great lineup of wall mount shelves!
FLEXIMOUNTS 2-Pack 2x6ft Garage Shelving
This great storage unit can hold up to 400 lbs in weight. Its measurements are 2 × 6 is a great minimalist design.
DIY RhinoMini Universal Shelf Kits
Weighing 6 pounds with 96 x 20 x 16 inches as its dimensions, these are commercial-grade garage shelves made available for purchase by homeowners.
15-Inch Steel Wall Shelf for Garage
Forged from durable steel and coated with a scratch-resistant finish, this shelf boasts low profile brackets that maximize storage area to accommodate large items. Individual shelves can support as much as 200 lbs, and coldly told heavy accessories such as sporting equipment. This product is 45″ x 15″ in size and 200 lbs in weight.
Best Ceiling Mount
For a fancier storage unit, try one of these unique ceiling mount shelves.
FLEXIMOUNTS 4×8 Overhead Garage Storage
This product is made from heavy-duty steel construction, securing up to 600 lbs safely. It’s 22” to 40” ceiling dropdown gives you up to 105 cu. ft. of storage. The dimensions are 96 inches L x 48 inches W x 22-40 inches H.
FLEXIMOUNTS 2-Pack 2x6ft 24-inch-by-72-inch
Take a look at this sturdy shelf design with velcros preventing the brackets from bending or falling. The heavy steel construction allows it to hold up to 400 lbs, and the high-quality screws provided reinforce its safety. This product weighs 59.9 pounds, and each shelf can take 100 to 150 lbs.
NewAge Products Pro Series Black 2′. x 4′.
This product weighs 25.2 pounds and has its dimensions as 48 x 24 x 33 inches. Its solid frame is forged from high-quality steel with a c-shaped front perimeter beam, allowing the shelf support up to 600lbs in weight.
It is ideal for spaces such as garage corners, above door rails, or on top of windows and will keep your seasonal items, outdoor equipment, and sports gear out of the way and off the floor.
Best Adjustable
Like a versatile shelf? We’ve got something for you. Find your dream unit below.
Fleximounts 3-Tier Storage Wall Shelves
Suitable for securing solid concrete walls or wall studs, the heavy gauge steel construction ensures security for up to 150 lbs per shelf. The dimensions for this product are 50 x 13 x 3.5 inches, and it weighs 29.4 pounds.
Black Heavy Duty Steel Welded Storage Rack
With a 1,000 lb. capacity per shelf, this 72″ Height x 77″ Width x 24″ Depth heavy-duty wire deck steel shelving is perfect for storing large items.
Conclusion
Garage shelves are a great way to maintain order and keep garage junk sorted out. Be sure to find a shelf that suits your specific needs. Consider the weight of items to be stored, your preferred material, and, of course, your budget when purchasing a shelf.
You should pick a functional, durable shelf over a pretty aesthetic that probably couldn’t hold a pencil. Above all, remember that every garage has different needs, so know your space before making that big, hopefully not too big, purchase!