DIY shelving: a universal furniture design

Order in any room is the arrangement of each thing in its place. It can be provided only if each item has this place. In this case, the rack will provide invaluable help. It is convenient to place items for various purposes on it. It is not always possible to purchase a ready-made structure (they are not satisfied with the size, price, quality, etc.), but making a rack with your own hands is quite affordable.

The main advantages of the rack are spaciousness, simplicity of construction, ease of use.

How to assemble a rack and where you can use it

Shelving is a structure consisting of open shelves. It can be used for a variety of purposes. In the office, this will be a convenient place for storing documentation and other materials that are often used in work. Any folder is easy to find and return to its place.

Slanting walls of the rack make it very original

The racks are collapsible, but at home stationary models are acceptable. The racks can also store household items and appliances, the results of creative activity, etc. There are no restrictions, only dimensions are important. In order to take into account the dimensions of the items intended for storage, correctly calculate the load, capacity, it is worth making do-it-yourself shelves-racks.

The main advantages of this type of furniture are:

• simplicity of design;
• ease of use;
• spaciousness;
• acceptability of installation in premises of almost any purpose;
• saving space.

There are several types of structures for home use:

• non-collapsible frame racks;
• frame products are collapsible;
• console options.

The main elements of the rack are vertical supports and horizontal parts that function as shelves.Most often, the structures are collapsible, but stationary models are also quite acceptable at home. Prefabricated structures are mounted using various fastening materials, non-separable ones - using welding.

Installed racks in living rooms must match the interior of the room

Welding is a reliable method of fastening, but it requires certain professional skills and a welding machine. Therefore, information on how to make a wooden rack is more often in demand. This is a more affordable model. The blanks can be done independently, or you can order by providing information on the required dimensions.

Various options for do-it-yourself wooden shelving

A wooden shelving structure is theoretically quite simple to manufacture. To avoid problems in the course of practical implementation, you must first make a drawing, which should reflect the height, width and depth of the future product, the location of the crossbars, taking into account the fastening method.

Helpful advice! When making measurements of the part of the room where the rack will be installed, it is imperative to take into account the width of the protruding plinth, molding and other possible decorative elements.

It is convenient to use a timber for the main posts and cross-members; shelves can be made of boards, wood-based panels, plywood.

Shelves made of plywood are durable and aesthetic

Chipboards are often used for the manufacture of this type of furniture. Do-it-yourself chipboard racks are the most affordable option. Significant savings in time and money in manufacturing are achieved due to the absence of a frame from individual elements (vertical posts, horizontal crossbars). Sawing, in the absence of appropriate equipment, is best done in special workshops, where you can order high-quality processing of the end parts.

On the proposed photos - do-it-yourself racks from chipboard. Models for living rooms have interesting design elements in the form of original shelves, additional strips, color combinations of elements. Designs for purely technical purposes look simple. Sometimes the upper and lower shelves are reinforced with additional transverse strips for greater rigidity of the product.

Plywood racks are aesthetic and rather durable. Most often these are options for utility rooms, household rooms. With creative imagination, you can create such a model for any room, including the guest room. A do-it-yourself plywood rack is usually made on a wooden frame, but if the plywood is 10-15 mm thick, then an option is possible by analogy with the chipboard structure.

In a classic-style living room, the most appropriate will be a rack made of timber and boards

Tips to help you make a wood or wood-based shelving unit:

1. If there is no access to the structure from both sides, the depth of the shelves should not be more than 500 mm.
2. When planning a model to the ceiling, you need to think about the ability to get to the upper shelves. Alternatively, a permanent wooden ladder can be made and attached to the side wall.
3. If the shelves are more than 600 mm wide (regardless of the material of manufacture), it is worth attaching them to the horizontal frame frame - this will prevent sagging.

If you want to decorate a wooden rack, you can use stain, tinting varnishes, craquelure and other types of surface treatments.

Material requirements for wood and wood-based shelving

Even having correctly calculated the dimensions, having made a detailed drawing, having perfectly assembled, you can still not get a solid product. The reason will turn out to be the most commonplace - low-quality material or material that does not meet the operating conditions.

The moisture content of the boards for the manufacture of the shelving should not exceed 12%, otherwise the structure may warp

Basic requirements for the wood used:

1. The moisture content of the material should not exceed 12%, otherwise the product may warp.
2. It is allowed to have cracks and chips that do not affect the integrity of parts under load.
3. The processing must be of high quality: smooth cuts, a polished surface. These indicators affect not only aesthetics: irregularities may not allow a high-quality assembly, a rough surface threatens injury, albeit insignificant (splinters, scratches).

It is possible to make a reliable do-it-yourself rack that meets the expected characteristics of the boards only if the above requirements are met.

As for chipboard, here, when assessing the material, you need to pay attention to the quality of the coating. Lamination is suitable for arranging items with a smooth bottom surface. For heavier, non-ideal surface elements, it is better to choose melamine. Veneer, including artificial, is best used for shelving that requires decorativeness.

Precisely cut materials to avoid skewing of the structure

In addition, you need to pay attention to the quality of the cut: chips and irregularities do not allow you to reliably process the butt. Therefore, there is a threat of vapor and moisture penetration, which will inevitably lead to swelling of the material.

When planning a plywood rack, you need to consider:

• sheet thickness, it must be at least 9–10 mm;
• type of wood;
• type of bonding (it is desirable to have layers with a perpendicular arrangement of fibers).

Helpful advice! The purchased wood material must be marked. Its absence may indicate the absence of a certificate for this product.

For wet rooms, it is better to mount shelving made of wood rather than wood materials. If you make a rack from the latter to the basement (with your own hands), even with a high-quality protective treatment, traces of swelling and delamination will quickly appear on it.

Original design options for kitchen shelving

A special area is the kitchen. This is a living area, a room with a certain interior. At the same time, the humidity level in it is quite often increased.

For kitchens made in a classic style, a wooden shelf is suitable

There are special requirements for a kitchen rack:

• use for the manufacture of only moisture-resistant materials;
• high quality surfaces that allow the use of special detergents;
• design design of the structure.

The do-it-yourself shelving options for the kitchen offered in the photo have a wide variety of designs:

• racks-partitions dividing the kitchen room into zones;
• console options that take up virtually and visually little space;
• mobile products, on wheels;
• racks of special design - island table.

For classic kitchens, a wooden shelf is a good option. But for modern rooms in high-tech styles, minimalism, you can make a metal rack with your own hands. It is better to use a corner (steel or aluminum) as a frame, and the shelves are made of glass. You can buy material for the frame at any store that sells metal products.

Kitchen racks can be very original, for example, from ordinary drawers

If it is impossible to make a welded structure, the corner can be connected with bolts. Metal is a tough material, but without a protective coating it will corrode.

It is better to purchase tempered glass with a smooth surface, which will facilitate the cleaning process. It is very important to take a careful measurement. This is necessary in order for the glass blank to fit correctly into the metal frame. For massive shelving, it is recommended to use a steel corner - aluminum is more suitable for small structures.

If the glass does not fit into the metal frame, but is superimposed on it, it must be aesthetically pleasing and securely fixed (you can use glue) and high-quality grinding the cut points.

Economy option: tool rack made from old water pipes

A certain set of tools is available in almost every home. Quite often, men strive to equip at least a small workshop, where it will be possible to perform at least simple repair work. The rack in this case will be the best storage place. Significant funds are usually not allocated for the arrangement of such a room, so the use of used materials will be the best solution.

The pipe rack model will become more interesting if the shelves are strung on vertical supports

In the workshop, you can make a metal rack with your own hands. It is recommended to use old water pipes as a base (frame).

Required tools:

• a hacksaw for metal or a jigsaw with a saw for metal;
• threading dies or pipe die;
• construction hair dryer.

Related article:

Furniture in the hallway: the rules of selection and correct placement

How to choose options based on the shape and size of the room. Features of the arrangement of furnishings. Wardrobe as the main element of the interior.

The manufacturing sequence can be as follows:

1. Make a drawing of the future design.
2. Clean the pipes from traces of paint with a construction hair dryer, remove traces of corrosion (if any), apply a new coating to the pipes.
3. Cut the pipes into the required lengths.
4. Using dies or pipe die, cut threads in the right places.
5. Using fittings, starting from the bottom up, connect the rack structure.
6. Cut out the shelves from the existing material (you can take fragments of used furniture), attach them to the frames using metal screws.

A tool rack should have not only shelves, but also drawers of various capacities

This model of a pipe rack with your own hands can be made more interesting if the shelves are not attached to the pipes, but put on (strung) on ​​vertical supports, having previously made holes in them (in the shelves).

Helpful advice! It is better to place the shelves of the tool storage rack at different distances. The bottom step will be the highest, then the step will decrease. If the reduction is of a constant size (for example, 15 cm), this will add aesthetics to the product.

Shelving design: photo ideas for a modern interior

The main function of the shelves is to store items for various purposes. When installed in living rooms, an important requirement is imposed on this type of furniture - compliance with the design style. Sometimes the rack is made with the aim of making the interior brighter.

When installing shelving in living rooms, they must match the interior of the room

An excellent element of the hallway design can be shelf for shoes... The shelf model is most suitable for these purposes:

• traces of moisture dry easily on shoes stored in such conditions;
• shoes, even dried, do not tolerate an enclosed space;
• it's always easy to find the right pair.

A do-it-yourself shoe rack can be made from pallets, timber and slats, from boards, wood-based panels, from metal products. For a small hallway, it is appropriate to use a compact console model - to lay and fix the shelves on metal or wooden bases protruding from the wall. If your own imagination does not suggest any options, you can find and carefully study the photos on the Internet, where you will like some ideas.

Photo projects, which show the types of racks for toys, will also help to decorate the children's room. There are no restrictions for creative expression and creativity.A do-it-yourself toy rack can be made of wood, chipboard, plywood. The metal is used only as a fastening material. These can be slide racks, houses, various vertical and horizontal structures, made in bright and pleasant shades. When making a toy rack, the following points must be considered:

• the design is stable (better attached to the wall);
• it has no sharp protruding corners;
• all shelves must be accessible to the child.

Do-it-yourself flower rack designs suggested in the photo are impressive with a variety of ideas. They combine decorativeness and specific functionality. The different depths of the shelves allow all plants to receive the same amount of natural light; backlights decorate and make up for its deficit in the dark.

DIY wooden shelving for zoning space

Today, many give their sympathy to housing with a small number of partitions, where kitchens and living rooms, offices and bedrooms are combined. It is possible to carry out zoning of such rooms with the help of racks. This is greatly facilitated by the openness of these structures.

With the help of shelving, you can beautifully and original zoning of premises

One of the options can be a do-it-yourself wooden rack. The drawing for this design is especially important, since it is necessary not only to calculate the dimensions and outline the location of the main parts, but also to take into account the places of fasteners. Lack of thought in this case can negatively affect aesthetics.

The design assumes a double-sided shelving: one part in relation to the other is in a mirror image. Two more vertical posts are attached to the two main vertical posts from different sides. The material and workpieces of the latter may be identical to the main one, or may differ from them (it all depends on the desire), but the additional racks must necessarily be the same.

Then you need to fix the shelves. You get two racks with one vertical base. The shelves can be positioned at the same level, or they can be displaced on one side, necessarily subjecting them to a certain pattern. The difference in shades of the sides of the rack will help to highlight the areas brighter.

Helpful advice! The depth of the shelves of this type of furniture should not exceed 300 mm, since the structure will look massive, heavy and attract undue attention.

This option can also be used for household premises. For example, having made such a rack with your own hands in the pantry, it will be advisable to use one side for pickles and jams, and the other for storing boxes with different contents. The ability to approach from both sides will make the use more comfortable.

Very wide shelving used for zoning can greatly reduce the floor space

How to make a do-it-yourself rack for large round items

When making a rack for large items, it is very important to correctly calculate the load capacity and dimensions of the structure. If the struts and cross members begin to buckle or crack over time, the unit will need to be removed for safety. Therefore, in order to avoid this, it is necessary to choose a durable material and calculate the dimensions, taking into account the quarter of the circumference of the objects intended for placement.

A great option for storing tires and other rounded things can be made from pipes. The design is extremely simple: four main vertical posts and several crossbars (depending on the planned number of tiers). The shelves for such types of products are conditional - these are two (or four, depending on the diameter of the items being placed) pipes that make up the horizontal frame.

Considering that there are not so many tires for a private car (6–8 will presumably be stored on pipe racks), the lower tier is enough for them, on the rest you can lay out discs, free round containers, various bays, etc.

Making a rack for wheels with your own hands does not require a lot of time and money, but it will allow you to free up a significant amount of space by arranging large-sized items, the storage of which is complicated not only by their size, but also by the features of the shape. Their storage without a specially equipped place is extremely difficult.

DIY universal collapsible shelving

Any assembled rack can be considered as collapsible, since when the steps are performed in the reverse order, the structure will turn into a set of blanks. It is convenient to have a rack on the farm that can be assembled and disassembled without additional tools. It is better if it is small in size so that it is easy to store and transport disassembled.

Such a model is often used when performing short-term or seasonal work, for the temporary, orderly storage of certain items. During the period of seasonal harvesting, a collapsible design of a rack in a cellar with your own hands can become quite in demand. It is convenient to use plastic pipes as a material for manufacturing. They have a low price, are easily mounted with a soldering iron, are lightweight, and are not subject to corrosion. If you don't have your own soldering iron, you can rent it for a very small fee.

Materials and tools required for the manufacture of a collapsible shelving structure:

• plastic pipes;
• fittings for plastic pipes: corners, tees, crosses;
• pipe knife;
• soldering iron.

PVC pipe racks have a very original and unusual look

The frame of the shelves is made using corners. Cross pipes are laid and brazed using tees. Instead of tees, crosses are inserted at the corners of the shelves. They serve a double function: they fix the pipe inserts that make up the shelf and are part of the prefabricated vertical support. Two crosses between the shelves are connected by means of pipes of a smaller diameter, which makes them collapsible. The sections of the lower pipes can be closed with plugs.

Do-it-yourself plastic garage racks made of metal for open spaces, pavilions are applicable, since they are resistant to the effects of precipitation.

Helpful advice! Plastic pipes, having a high level of strength, are to some extent exposed to ultraviolet radiation. Shelves made of this material should not be left in the open sun for a long time.

DIY garage racks: location options, sizes

A room that practically cannot do without a rack is a garage. Therefore, it is worth dwelling on garage shelving structures separately. The proposed photos of shelving in the garage with their own hands demonstrate various models: wooden, metal, collapsible, stationary and even with pull-out shelves for storing metal sheets. Upon closer examination of the photo, it is quite possible to understand the manufacturing technology.

If the size of the garage allows, it is better to make the rack to the width of the entire wall

The question of how to make a rack in a garage with your own hands correctly is no less relevant. A few tips to avoid mistakes when designing a structure:

1. If the size of the garage space allows, it is better to make the rack in the entire wall. This will provide a lot of storage space and make the use of the garage more comfortable: objects will not lie under your feet.
2. The garage is most often an unheated room, so the material will be exposed to temperature extremes.If you plan to make a rack in the garage with your own hands from wood, it is better not to save on its quality and processing means.
3. It is advisable to make the distance between the shelves different, since in this case the space of the structure is more efficiently spent.
4. It is better if the upper shelf can be reached without additional devices (ladders, ladders, bedside tables, etc.). The available rack height contributes to a comfortable and safe use.
5. The free area in front of the rack must be at least 1 meter. Otherwise, it will be difficult to pick up and put bulky items.
6. If the area of ​​the rack is poorly lit, it is worth making a backlight. A convenient and inexpensive option is an LED strip.
7. It is recommended to place items on the rack in the following sequence: on the lower shelves - overall, on the middle ones - often used, on the upper ones - rarely used.

Compliance with style: do-it-yourself loft shelving

If the room is decorated in a loft style, a rack with shelves can be a good design addition. This design will not require any special materials, the main thing is the shape and size of the elements. Looking through the photos depicting the racks made in this style, you will notice that no multi-level or staggered arrangement of shelves is unusual for them.

To make the structure look more massive, a rectangular frame usually consists of several blocks. Metal or wood is used as a material. An interesting option is a rack of metal pipes connected by corners. The lower parts of the pipes, which are legs, are fixed to the floor using flanges. The design is complemented by a ladder that is hung on the upper shelf with curved upper ends.

Loft-style shelving can be made of metal pipes connected by corners

A loft-style rack can be made from a steel corner with a size of at least 50x50 mm. It is advisable to make the frames for the shelves from a smaller corner. When making such a shelving structure made of wood, the timber for the frame should also be chosen with a large section, and for shelves - less by 15–20 mm. A massive base is typical for furniture of this style.

It is possible to assemble metal racks from a corner both by welding and using bolted connections. The protruding fasteners will only enhance the styling.

Fast and inexpensive: do-it-yourself profile rack

For the manufacture of shelving frames, a metal profile is often used. This material has a number of undeniable advantages:

• high level of strength provided by stiffening ribs;
• resistance to temperature extremes, corrosion;
• ease of processing (does not require special tools, scissors for metal or a hacksaw are enough);
• affordable price.

Due to the properties of the profile, a structure of any complexity can be made from it.

To make a rack from a profile with your own hands, you need to calculate the total length of all parts of the rack, purchase the required amount of material and self-tapping screws for the connection. A structure of any complexity can be made from a profile. The following materials are suitable for the manufacture of shelves:

• plastic,
• tree;
• wood materials;
• sheet metal;
• gypsum.

The option should be chosen in accordance with the operating conditions of the rack. Any of the above shelves can be easily attached to the profile frame. This material is most suitable for creating modular structures. A few tips on how to make a profile rack strong and stable:

• use a double profile for shelves over 0.9 meters wide;
• if the structure exceeds 1.8 meters, it should be fixed to the wall;
• do not use a profile with a metal thickness of less than 0.6 mm.

Helpful advice! If the rack is planned to be operated in rooms with high humidity levels, you should purchase a galvanized profile.

DIY book rack: library and interior options

According to their purpose, book racks are of two types:

• to maintain a home library;
• for storing a small amount of books and creating an interior.

A timber rack will be a reliable structure for a large number of books

For the first option, it is advisable to construct along the wall from bottom to top. The most affordable option is from coated chipboard. Side posts are cut from the slab along its maximum length (usually 2.7 m), transverse posts should not exceed 100 mm. The shelves are attached to the side supports by means of metal furniture corners installed from below. If the rack seems to be unstable (this is possible when the depth of the shelves is less than 400 mm), it is better to fix it to the wall.

A self-made bar rack can serve as a reliable design for a large number of books. At a high height (above 2 m), the cross-section of the vertical supports must be at least 70x70 mm. As a material for the frame of the shelves, you can use a bar with a section of 40x40 mm.

For the manufacture of shelves, taking into account the style features of the interior, the Internet offers interesting ideas. For example, it can be a chipboard rack with two flat vertical supports (300 mm wide) in one plane and one vertical perpendicular of the same dimensions located between them. It is to it on different sides that the shelves are attached. The other two perform a decorative function and prevent the shelves from sagging - in the places of contact, the shelves and supports are connected.

Designer book shelves come in a wide variety of shapes and designs.

An original bookcase with your own hands can be made as follows:

1. A rectangular box is being executed.
2. Then, by internal partitions (vertically - in one piece, horizontally - in fragments) it is divided into 6-8 identical squares.
3. In turn, each square is divided by vertical or horizontal partitions (of the same type in one sector), creating many small shelves.

The proposed model can be made both of wood and wood materials.

For small rooms, for example, bedrooms, where a small number of books are stored, console options made of wood are suitable - shelves no more than 600 mm wide, attached in the center to a beam protruding from the wall.

Rational use of space: do-it-yourself corner shelving

In small rooms, it is advisable to place a corner rack. Structural modeling must be approached with a certain level of knowledge:

• take into account the correspondence of the proportions of the rack to the overall dimensions of the room. A too large structure visually takes up a lot of space;
• when drawing up the drawing of the rack, try to make the corner zone as accessible as possible, it should not be blocked by the racks.

You can make a small corner shelving unit with rounded shelves to add to your main furniture. Shelves of this shape are convenient for the bathroom, hallway. Using metal and glass, it is possible to organize a lightweight and aesthetic design. If you take a square shelf as a basis, you can make a rack on wheels that can be easily moved and returned to its place, in the corner of the room.

Corner shelving will be a great solution for small spaces

The corner structure can be used when making do-it-yourself tool racks. A tree or metal profile is suitable as a material for the frame. A fairly common option is a rack along three walls with two corner fragments. The design is spacious, but it should be borne in mind that for comfortable use, the distance between opposite sides should not be less than 100 mm.

Helpful advice! The depth of the corner shelves must not exceed 500 mm. Otherwise, getting objects from distant corners will be problematic.

DIY Combined Jar Rack

The basement is a place where only the owners are. In this regard, there is a tendency to equip it with second-rate or second-hand materials. When making a basement rack, this approach is unacceptable. Even with properly arranged ventilation, it is impossible to provide full ventilation. Increased moisture levels are unavoidable and even desirable for storing fresh vegetables such as beets and carrots.

It is better to use boards in the basement rack, it is safer to put glass jars on them

These conditions must be taken into account when choosing a material. Dense wood (oak, ash) is expensive, more often affordable pine is used. Even with good processing, this material will rot over time.

It is better to make a rack from a corner in the basement with your own hands. To create a frame, dimensions of 45x45x4 mm or more are suitable. You can fasten the corner with bolts, such connections are easier to view for integrity.

It is better to use boards as shelves; it is more pleasant and safer to put glass jars on them. Metal frames for shelves should be turned upward so that the boards can be laid perpendicularly. The thickness of the boards should be 30 mm with a corner size of 45x45x4 mm.

Small decorative rack is a bookcase

The formed rim will prevent the cans from sliding off. It is not recommended to fix the boards. This will allow, if necessary, to easily replace individual of them, in the summer you can freely lift them into the open air for drying and processing.

A rack for seedlings is made in a similar way. For its better development, greenhouse conditions are necessary, and this is warm humid air and constant watering. The combined structure, made of a metal corner and a board, will be comfortable and will last a long time.

Exclusive interior furniture: DIY bookcase

Whatnot is the same rack, only smaller (length is important), where shelves can only be fixed on racks. This is a free-standing, non-fixed structure. Particular attention is paid to its decorative design. That is why it is better to make a bookcase yourself from wood. An available option is decorative pine shelving. This material is inexpensive and easy to process.

The rack very effectively divides the room into several zones

If there is no tool for the manufacture of decorative elements (carving, turned parts), you can make a base, and order the parts. As an artistic treatment, it is recommended to use toning, applying compounds that "age" the tree. The bookcase can be painted white, black, or any other color to match the style of the room.

Having made a wooden rack with your own hands, having decorated it in an interesting way, you can get a wonderful piece of furniture - a bookcase for souvenirs, photographs, books and other items that you want to keep in sight.

The advantages of making furniture with your own hands, in particular shelving, are as follows:

1. This is an opportunity to fulfill all requirements, wishes, to realize your own dreams and creative ideas.
2. Individuality, originality of the design. Even taking an idea from the Internet, each creator will bring his own special features to it.
3. Moral satisfaction.
4. Cost savings. Most likely, this is not even savings, but an opportunity to obtain a high-quality, reliable product at low cost.

The main condition is the presence of desire, in which case you can safely get down to business. The information presented in the article will help you quickly and efficiently create the necessary rack model.