A "Bunnings How To..." guide on building simple shelving units.
| Step 1. Timber The most difficult process in building shelving is choosing your timber and brackets. There are various options for timber and brackets depending on your design and the size and weight capacity needed for the shelving. There is a wide range of timber that can be used for shelving. White melamine, chip board or a dressed timber such as pine are available at Bunnings. |  |
Your choice will depend on if you want to paint or stain your timber. Measure your dimensions and then cut your timber to length with a handsaw or circular saw. Bunnings can cut your timber to length on request.
| Step 2. Brackets There are three brackets that are widely used for making shelving. These are: wooden brackets fixed to vertical battens, L shaped metal brackets fixed to the wall studs and metal brackets that clip into slotted metal strips fixed to the wall stud. |  |
Wooden brackets ‐ These brackets are a basic three piece triangle construction which is screwed or nailed into the wall. Inexpensive and easy to make.
Metal Brackets ‐ These L shaped metal brackets come in varying sizes, and styles and achieves maximum strength if screwed directly through the wallboard and into the wall stud.
Metal Strips ‐ This system achieves a high weight capacity with vertical metal strips that are screwed directly through the wallboard into the wall studs. The metal strips and brackets come in varying lengths and are very easy to install and adjust.
Metal Brackets ‐ These L shaped metal brackets come in varying sizes, and styles and achieves maximum strength if screwed directly through the wallboard and into the wall stud.
Metal Strips ‐ This system achieves a high weight capacity with vertical metal strips that are screwed directly through the wallboard into the wall studs. The metal strips and brackets come in varying lengths and are very easy to install and adjust.
| Step 3. Attaching the brackets Determine where you want the shelving to be positioned and mark the shelf line using a spirit level. If the wall is made of masonry, simply drill bracket pilot holes taking into consideration any electrical wiring. If you have plaster walls you have to source the wall studs as they offer strength and increase weight capacity. |  |
If you have plaster walls you have to source the wall studs as they offer strength and increase weight capacity. To find the studs, you can use a stud finder or simply tap
along the wall until you hear a change in sound. It is now a matter of attaching the brackets on the masonry wall (use nylon plugs) or into the wall studs with screws.
along the wall until you hear a change in sound. It is now a matter of attaching the brackets on the masonry wall (use nylon plugs) or into the wall studs with screws.
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