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Click Image to enlarge.
5. Fasten each brace to the apron, flush with the top,
with four 1-5/8-in. screws. Space the braces at the
ends and middle of each full sheet.
Click Image to enlarge.
6. Nail the shelves to the apron and to the braces with 2-in.
nails spaced every 8 in. Make sure joints meet at the center
of the 3/4-in. braces.
Nail on the shelves
and add the trim
Lay the shelves in place so joints fall over
the braces and nail them to the braces and
the apron with 2-in. brads spaced every 8
in. As with the apron, start somewhere in
the center of each wall so you’ll have factory
edges abutting each other at joints
and the saw cuts will be hidden at the
ends. Angle the nails slightly at joints so
they hit the center of the braces.
Add trim to the raw plywood edges for a nice finished look. Trim also strengthens the assembly and stiffens the shelves. Cut the brace trim to fit with opposing 45- degree bevels at each end. Then glue and nail them to each brace with 2-in. brads (Photo 7).
Starting at one end of each wall and working toward the other, cut the shelf edging to fit (Photo 8). Overlap plywood joints by at least 2 ft. for better support. The plywood will be a little wavy, but it’ll straighten out as you nail on the trim.
Click Image to enlarge.
7. Cut the 1x2 brace trim pieces to fit with opposite 45-degree bevels
at each end. Glue and nail them to the braces with 2-in. brads.
Click Image to enlarge.
8. Cut the 1x2 edge trim to length, and glue and nail
it to the front edge of the shelf with 2-in. brads.
Editor’s Note
You can easily customize this shelving
to fit special items like golf
clubs, hanging clothes or anything
else that’s best stored in a cabinet
or on open shelving. Just assemble
a cabinet box like the one we show
here so that the sides fall over the
wall studs. Go as narrow as 16 in.
or as wide as 4 ft., but make sure
you can attach the cleats directly to
wall studs. Attach those cleats to
the back of the cabinet with 2-in.
screws placed every foot just as
you did with the braces, and then
screw the assembly to the wall.
The cabinet sides replace the
45-degree braces and supports the
shelf. A simple unit like this one
takes no more moxie than the
shelves required. If you’re interested
in drawers or fancier cabinetry
work, you’re only limited by your
cabinetmaking skills.
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