Built-in Garage Shelving

Garage Storage

You can never have too much storage in a house, and garages are ideal for storing extra items. However, much of the garage's square footage is occupied by vehicles, making wall space valuable. If you have a smaller garage like I do, placing storage along the walls can make it tricky to get in and out of your car. But there's one often overlooked area for storage—the ceiling.

Now I have never built shelves before but it was pretty straight forward. Just bought some 2x4s and started securing. Now you will need some basic tools and minimal supplies but this is a simple DIY. 

Tools

Miter saw  ~$200 - Amazon Link

Level  ~$10 - Amazon Link

Measuring Tape ~ $20 - Amazon Link

Circular Saw ~ $150 - Amazon Link

Total: $380

Materials

2.5 Inch Construction Screws - Cost: ~$10 - Home Depot Link

1 Inch Constructions Screws - Cost: ~ Amazon Link

2x4 Lumber - Cost: ~$50 - Home Depot Link

4x4x8 Plywood - Cost: $36 - Home Depot Link

Total: ~$96

Time to Build: 3 hours

Step 1: Mounting Support Beams

I didn't even cut the first piece, I just measured how high I wanted the shelf to begin, found the studs and secured the piece to the wall. Make sure the first piece is level since every other piece will be leveled to that piece. Secure the other wall piece to the studs. Level it to the first. Then I just add piece by piece leveling as I go. I decided to support the load to the ceiling versus the wall to maintain as much under storage as possible. There is a big enough gap for tots to fit in so I thought it would be fine. 

Step 2: Plywood Base

I actually waited around a month until I had access to a circular saw so I just stored items on the beams for the time being. When I eventually got plywood I cut it to size then cut out notches for the ceiling supports. Slide it in and screwed it down with 1 inch screws.  

Step 3: Success

If everything is secured properly it should hold around 500 pounds. Each screw can hold around 70 points and there is two screws in each ceiling support so 12 screws total. Technically 840 pounds but I would say 500 pounds to be safe. I did a pull up on the shelf so it seems good.  

Hopefully, this will inspire you to install custom-fit shelving in your garage, allowing you to fully maximize your space while keeping your walls clear for easier access.