DIY: Garage Shelf

Place pencil marks on your garage wall where you want the shelf to begin and where you want it to end. Begin at the first mark on the left hand side and, moving to the right, locate a stud by hammering a nail into the wall about every 1 1/2 inches until the nail sinks into wood---that is the stud. Clearly mark the location of the stud with your pencil.

Repeat the action with the mark on the right hand side, moving toward the left until you locate a stud. Mark the location of the stud. Using a level, make certain the marks are level to each other. Move one mark up or down as necessary to make the marks level.

Mark the beginning and end of the studs by using the nail and hammering it into the wall about every 1/4 inch, on each side of the original marks, until the nail no longer sinks into wood. Use your pencil to mark the last places your nail sunk into wood.

Line the first bracket up with the mark on the left hand side of the wall. Center one of the top holes in the bracket over one of the marks you have made to ensure the bracket is placed over the stud. Make certain both top holes on the metal bracket are located over the stud. Insert your first wood screw into the bracket. Ensure the bracket is level while marking the rest of the holes in the bracket. Insert wood screws in all of the holes on the bracket. Repeat for the second bracket.

Place your piece of wood or wood composite over the top of the brackets to create your shelf. Insure the wood hangs fairly evenly over the sides of the brackets. Do not leave more wood sticking over the edges of the brackets than the length of the wood between the brackets. Install screws through the holes in the underside of the brackets into the wood shelf. Use wood screws that are are long enough to go through the metal bracket, but short enough that they will not penetrate the full thickness of the shelf you have chosen.