How to Make Shelves for a Shed

Measure the area you wish to place the shelves. Choose to make an entire shed wall into shelves or just a small shelf.

Construct a movable shelf by stacking concrete cinder blocks with holes on top of one another to the maximum shelf height you want. Make sure the stacks are at the ends of the shelf's intended length. For extra-long shelves, add another stack in the middle of the two end stacks to provide support for the wooden shelf pieces. Place several stacks side by side to make the shelves wider.

Measure and cut down the lengths of the 2-by-4-inch boards so they fit neatly into the holes in the cinder blocks. Use a carpenter's tool to cut straight edges. Avoid using boards that stick out more than an inch past the ends of the cinder block stacks, as storing items on the ends of the shelves, outside of the cinder block stacks may lead to unevenness and falling blocks and shelves.

Build permanent shelves by screwing individual shelves and support beams onto the exposed studs inside the shed. Measure the area you wish to place the studs; be sure to locate the ends of the shelf sections close to studs. If studs are not exposed locate them with a stud finder tool.

Measure and cut the plywood pieces to meet the length and width requirements you need for your shelves. Cut the plywood at 90-degree angles or use the carpenter's square tool to cut angles to follow the lay of the shed or objects on the shed walls.

Cut 2-by-4-inch pieces to make support beams to mount the plywood shelves. Cut the length depending on the width of the plywood shelves; you will want the support beams to extend from the end of the plywood to the wall, creating a triangle shape between the wall and plywood. Use the carpenter's square tool to measure and cut 45-degree angles into the 2-by-4-inch pieces so they will set flush against the plywood and the wall.

Attach the 2-by-4-inch support beams to the plywood first. Drive screws through the plywood and into the support beam at the widest point. Attach support beams at the ends and in the middle for long shelves. Attach the shelves to the wall studs, creating a triangle shape. Drive screws or nails through the bottoms of the support beams and into the walls; then drive through the top, back of the plywood pieces at an angle, into the studs.