How to Measure Shelving Between Two Walls

Discover the exact whereabouts of the wall studs in the area which the shelf will be installed using the stud finder and a pencil to write down where each stud begins and ends. Cut two pieces from the 2-by-4 stud that are a few inches shorter than the depth of the shelf boards you will be using. Position the stud pieces against the walls to which they will be installed and mark on them where the wall studs are located.

Predrill two holes into each place where the stud pieces will be positioned over a wall stud. Position the stud pieces back on the wall, where they will be used as brackets for the shelves, and mark the locations of these holes on the wall with a pencil, making sure that they will come in contact with a wall stud. Remove the brackets and predrill the holes into the wall, ensuring the presence of a wall stud each time. Attach the brackets to the wall with the 3-inch wood screws.

Measure the distance between the two walls where the shelf will be installed, bending the tape in the tape measure if necessary to get the entire distance. Cut the shelf board to be just slightly smaller than this distance for an easier fit. Position the shelf board on top of the brackets and predrill two holes down through each end of the shelf board and into the brackets. Attach the shelves to the brackets with the wood screws. Repeat as needed for additional shelving.