Installing built-in closet shelving is an easy project that will make a big difference to your home.

However, I’ve seen many DIY closet tutorials out there, and most of them are building closet systems that are way too complicated or expensive. A well-organized and functional closet doesn’t need fancy racks or drawers. That stuff is expensive, complicated, and often breaks down the road.

Simply having the right layout with lots of rack space and some well-placed shelving is all most people need to get the best use of their closet. So that’s what I’m going to focus on in this tutorial.

Here’s how to build your custom closet the easy way – that also happens to be highly functional, low-cost, and great looking.

Tools required

• Circular saw
• Miter saw
• Tape measure
• Clamps (x2)
• Table saw (not required but will speed up the cutting process)
• Pencil
• Stud finder
• 4′ level or longer
• 2′ level
• 4″ Paint Roller
• Paintbrush
• Caulking gun
• Brad nailer or power drill (Brad nailer is faster)
• Respirator
• Multi-tool (optional)
• Square

Required Materials

• 3/4 inch thick MDF (comes in 4’x8′ sheets)
• 2-inch long brad nails or wood screws
• 180 or 220 grit sandpaper (doesn’t matter which)
• Oil-based primer (can substitute water-based)
• Water-based paint
• Caulking

Step #1 – Cut the shelves and shelf supports

Once you’ve planned your closet (which I talk about below), the first step is to get some 3/4″ MDF sheets and cut them down into shelves. The depth of those shelves is going to depend on your closet, but I recommend staying between 12″ and 16″.

The fastest way to cut the MDF is to use a table saw, but not everybody has one of those. Another good option is to use a circular saw and a straight edge.

To get straight cuts with your circular saw, use a straight edge (which needs to be at least 8′ long) or another straight piece of wood. Then clamp that to the table to use as a guide as you cut with the circular saw. The video above demonstrates this much better than I could explain.

You’ll want to cut shelves and shelf supports. You’ll also want to cut out any vertical dividers you may be building into your closet. The best way to do this efficiently is to plan and draw out your closet before making any cuts and then create a detailed cut list that tells you exactly what to cut.

Start by cutting the biggest pieces first (such as long shelves), and then use what you have leftover to cut the smaller pieces like shelf supports.

Step #2 – Sand the shelves

Since MDF is smooth and consistent, you only need to sand corners that you’d like to round off. I usually sand the front edge of the shelves on both the top and the bottom, so there are no sharp corners on the shelves. Sharp corners are more likely to chip and get damaged with use, so rounding the corners makes the shelves a bit more durable. Plus, it just looks better.

To sand the shelves, use 180 or 220 grit sandpaper. It doesn’t really matter what grit you use since you are just doing a quick pass on the edges of the shelves to take off the corner.

Step #3 – Paint the shelves

The fastest method for painting the shelves is installing the shelves first and then using a paint sprayer to paint them after installation. However, there are two downsides to this approach. First, it requires you have the appropriate paint sprayer. Second, the more you paint inside, the more fumes you and your family have to breathe in.

So, if you opt to paint the shelves by hand (like I did in the video above), now is the time to do that.

The best way to paint MDF is to use one coat of oil-based primer and then two coats of paint. It’s important to use an oil-based primer because the moisture in the water-based primer will cause the MDF fibers to rise and create a rough surface. Once you “seal” the surface of the MDF with a coat of oil-based primer, it’s OK to use water-based paint to finish it.

Also, if you don’t like working with oil-based paints (like me), you can use a water-based primer as well. You’ll need to lightly sand the surface of the MDF between coats of primer and paint to knock off the fibers that raise due to moisture getting into the MDF.

Step #4 – Prepare for built-in shelf installation

While the paint is drying on the shelves, now is a good time to get ready to install your closet shelves.

First, patch any holes in the wall that you may have from removing the old shelves. If you want to paint the closet walls, this is a good time to do that.

Once the walls are ready for shelves, take a 4′ level and draw horizontal lines where you want to put your shelves. You will use these lines as a guide while installing the shelves.

Next, take a stud finder and locate each stud location where you will be mounting your shelves. This is important because you want to be nailing or screwing into solid studs while mounting your shelves. So, find the center of each stud, then take your 4′ level and use it to draw vertical lines that cross the horizontal lines you drew earlier. This will indicate where to put the screws or nails for each stud.

If you have any vertical dividers of MDF to install, make sure to mark where those will be located as well.

For more details on how to locate studs, read this article on mounting a TV.

Step #5 – Nail or screw the shelf supports to the walls

Now that you know exactly where to put the shelves and the location of the studs, it’s now as simple as nailing the shelf supports that you cut earlier to the wall while using the horizontal lines you drew earlier as a guide. You’ll also want to install any vertical boards (used as separators) at this point as well.

If you’re using a brad nailer, nail two or three 2″ long brad nails per stud location to secure the shelf supports to the wall. If you’re using screws, use a single 2″ long screw per stud location.

The supports should run the entire length of the shelves and also support the sides of the shelves. If your shelves are longer than 36″, or if they don’t butt up against a wall or vertical board, then you’ll need to install shelf brackets as well to hold up the shelves. I recommend watching the video above to get a better idea of what I mean.

Step #6 – Hang the closet shelves

Now that you have the supports secured to the wall, now it’s just a matter of grabbing the pre-cut shelves and placing them on the supports. If you did a good job measuring, this will go quickly. But most likely, you’ll have to make a few small cuts to get everything fitting just right. Use a circular saw to make those small adjustments.

Once everything fits nicely, grab your brad nailer and tack the backs of the shelves down to the shelf supports, using one nail or screw every ten to twelve inches. All this is doing is holding the shelf in place so it doesn’t get pulled off.

If you want, you can call the project finished right here. But if you want your installation to look just a bit better, continue to the next step.

Step #7 – Caulk and paint the shelves (optional)

Take a caulking gun and some cheap caulking and caulk every gap and nail hole. Everywhere one board meets another or where a board meets the wall. Run your finger along each area you caulk (while wearing gloves, of course) to create a smooth caulked corner.

Once the caulking dries, go back and paint over the caulking. And that’s it!

Now you get to enjoy the extra storage and convenience of a neatly designed closet!

Tips for planning and designing your custom built-in closet shelving

The design of your closet will make a big difference in how functional your closet ends up being. Obviously, the last thing you want to do is go through all of this labor, only to regret where you put things. So here, I’ll talk about how to design your custom closet, so it fits your needs.

Tip #1 – Figure out how much rack space you need, then install shelving everywhere else.

Most closets will need some rack space to hang clothes in. So, before planning your closet, figure out how many linear feet of rack space you need or want. This will give you a good starting point to design the rest of your closet.

Stacking multiple levels of rack space tends to be the most efficient use of space but may not work for shorter people who can’t reach the top rack.

If you stack your rack space, make sure you can still hang your longer garments without them dragging on the floor or messing with your rack space below.

Once you figure out how much rack space you need, your next goal is to fit as much shelving and storage as possible with the remaining space.

Tip #2 – Leave space for larger items such as laundry hampers and shoe racks.

Not everything will fit neatly on a 12″ shelf, so it’s important to really think through what you will be storing. I recommend going into your existing closet and just sitting in there for a minute while evaluating everything. Ten or fifteen minutes just thinking and visualizing can make a huge difference to the usability of the final product.

It’s often best to leave some extra space between the floor and the bottom shelf on any wall for bigger items.

Tip #3 – Draw a diagram of your closet

To effectively design anything complicated, it’s always best to do it on paper first. If you have some software to design your closet with, great. But if not, a few pieces of paper, a straight edge, and a pencil will work just fine.

To create a diagram that is to scale, I recommend the following scale: 1inch:1mm. So, measure the walls and write down your measurements in inches. Then, while drawing your diagram, pretend that one inch = one millimeter. That means that an 8′ tall closet (which is 96″) will only be about 4 inches on your drawing (96mm) – the perfect size for a 11×8.5 piece of paper.

Tip #4 – Create a detailed cut list

Before going out to buy materials, you’ll want to figure out how much MDF you will need. The best way to do that is to create a detailed cut list from the diagram you drew so you know the size and quantity of MDF pieces.

To figure out how much MDF you need, calculate the total area of MDF for each piece on your cut list. The calculate the area, just multiple the height by the width. So a shelve that is 12″ deep and 60″ long would have an area of 12×60 = 720 square inches. You can then divide the number you get in square inches by 144 to get square feet, so 720 square inches = 5 square feet (720/144=5). A 4’x8′ sheet of MDF is 32 square feet. Calculating the area will give you a rough idea of how many sheets of MDF to buy, but it is not an exact science. How many sheets you need will also depend on how long your shelves are and how efficiently you cut them out of the MDF.

Key dimensions when designing your built-in closet shelves

You can build your closet however you want. That’s the benefit of a custom closet, after all. However, here are a few dimensions that will help you get started.

Here are the dimensions I used for this project. As you can see, I left a little more room on the bottom rack for taller garments.

Here are the dimensions for mounting the closet rods below.

Here’s a picture of a kid’s closet with 15″ deep shelving. However, the top shelf is only 9″ deep to allow room to squeeze stuff up there. 15″ deep shelves are great for most bins and larger items.

Comments and Questions

Have a question or want to share a tip for others about built-in closet shelving? Leave a comment below. I’d love to hear from you.

The post Built-in closet shelving the easy way (step by step tutorial) appeared first on DIY With Dan.

There are three main things you need to consider when choosing a TV wall mount.

1. What style of mount do you need?
2. Do the VESA Dimensions of your TV match the mount?
3. Can the mount support the weight of your TV?

There are hundreds of TV wall mounts to choose from, and choosing the right one will make it easier to install and improve your TV watching experience.

So in this article, I’m going to talk more in depth about each of the three things I mentioned above. I’ll also cover a few more considerations and some tips for saving money.

If you just want to see which TV wall mounts I recommend, scroll to the bottom.

Let’s get started…

#1 – Which Style of TV Wall Mount Is Best for Your Situation?

There are four main TV wall mount styles:

1. Flat Mounts – The simplest type of mount. These mounts attach your TV flat to the wall.
2. Tilt Mounts – These are similar to flat mounts except they give you the ability to tilt your TV down. They are good for when you mount your TV high on the wall.
3. Articulating Mounts – These are TV wall mounts that include an articulating arm. They allow you to pull the TV away from the wall, rotate it side to size, swing it side to side, and often give you the ability to tilt up and down as well. They are usually the most expensive.
4. Pull-down Mounts – These are designed for mounting your TV high on the wall above a fireplace. They give you the ability to pull the TV down and out for viewing and then move it back up so it sits neatly against the wall.

In most cases all you need is a tilt mount or a flat mount. These are the lowest cost options and the easiest to install. You can pick one up for at little as twenty bucks.

However, in some cases you might need additional functionality.

If you are mounting the TV high on the wall above a fireplace, then you might consider a pull-down mount so you can pull the TV down to have a better viewing angle. These are pretty unusual though, since most people go with a tilt-mount above the fireplace and just deal with looking up at it.

Articulating mounts are another common mount option that is sometimes required. Here are some scenarios that may require an articulating mount:

• If you are mounting your TV in a corner.
• If you are mounting your TV in a recessed section of the wall or in a cabinet and you want the TV to set further away from the wall.
• If you need to access the connections behind the TV often.
• If you need to rotate your TV side to side for a better viewing angle or so you can watch your TV from different sides of a room at different times.

Unless there is a clear reason to get an articulating mount or a pull-down mount, I recommend going with a tilt mount or a flat mount because they are less expensive, easier to install, and use less materials.

#2 – Do the VESA dimensions of your TV match the mount?

All modern TV’s have four screw holes on the back of the TV that are designed to connect to wall mount brackets.

The VESA dimensions include two dimensions: the horizontal distance between the screw holes and the vertical distance between the screw holes.

VESA dimensions are measured in millimeters.

To find the VESA dimensions for your TV just do a quick google search that includes your TV model number and the phrase “VESA dimensions.” Or, measure the distance between the mounting screw holes on the back of your TV with a tape measure.

Once you know the VESA dimensions of your TV, you can select a mount. TV wall mounts typically fit a wide range of VESA dimensions, so all you need to do is make sure your TV is within that range.

This is all pretty standardized and most TV wall mounts will likely work with your TV, but it’s always worth double checking.

#3 – Can the mount support the weight of your TV?

All TV wall mounts have a weight rating. So simply find out how much your TV weighs and check it against the weight rating of the mount.

Most newer TV’s are relatively light and this won’t be a problem. But if you’re mounting an older TV or a larger TV it’s likely much heavier and you’ll want to pay special attention here.

The weight of the TV is especially important when using an articulating or pull-down mount, since these are required to deal with larger forces.

If you’ve found a TV Wall Mount that checks all these boxes, go ahead and pick it up!

Where should you buy your TV Wall Mount?

You could just go to a local Home Depot, Best Buy, Walmart, or Target to pick up a mount if you need one today.

However, TV wall mounts are far less expensive when you buy them online. For example, a typical tilt mount at Best Buy will run you about $100, but you can find one that will work just fine for $25 on Amazon.

If you just need a flat mount, then I recommend just picking this one up right here.

Other Things to Consider When Choosing a TV Wall Mount In Case You are a Perfectionist

Just in case you want to be really sure you get the absolute best possible TV wall mount for your situation, here are a few more things to consider…

#1 – Do you need a low-profile TV wall mount?

If your TV sticks out too far from the wall, it can look really bad. It will often allow you to see behind the TV and all of the wires.

So in many cases it will look a lot better if you get a low profile TV wall mount.

In general, flat TV wall mounts have the lowest profile. Tilt mounts stick out a bit further, and articulating mounts stick out even further because there has to be room for the articulating arm to collapse.

And of course, even between different manufactures, certain tilt mounts will stick out further from the walls than others.

So, if you think this is important for your installation then be sure to find a low-profile TV wall mount.

#2 – Are you going to be installing your TV yourself?

Some TV wall mounts give you the ability to adjust how level the TV is after you install it. This is especially helpful if you aren’t super handy and will be mounting it yourself (which I show you how to do in this step by step video).

The cheaper TV wall mounts don’t give you that ability so you’ll have to mount it perfectly level or deal with a crooked TV. It’s not that hard to get it level, and again, I show you how to do it in that video I linked to above.

#3 – Are you mounting the TV to a recesses section in the wall or inside of a cabinet?

In some cases you will be mounting your TV in a mounted cubby in the wall or a cabinet and you’ll want it to set away from the wall so the TV is flat with the front of the cabinet or wall.

In this case, you’ll want to get an articulating wall mount with a long reach. Make sure it is at least as long as you need it to be so it sits out far enough.

Recommended TV Wall Mounts (with links)

Here are the mounts I recommend for each category with links to each.

The links below are affiliate links. That means I receive a small commission if you click on them and buy (which I really appreciate). This does not cost you anything additional and it allows me to put out more free information like this.

• Basic Flat mount
• Flat mount with built in leveling
• Super low-profile flat mount
• Basic Tilt Mount
• Tilt mount with built in leveling
• Articulating Mount
• Pull-down Mount

The post The Quick Buyers Guide For Choosing a TV Wall Mount appeared first on DIY With Dan.

Wall mounting a tv is an easy project that just about anyone can handle. As long as you have a drill, a few basic hand tools, and the ability to follow directions, you can do this.

A pro can mount a tv to the wall in about thirty minutes. But if this is your first time, expect it to take you about an hour. Maybe more, maybe less depending on your skill level and where you are mounting your TV.

The links below are affiliate links. That means I receive a small commission if you click on them and buy (which I really appreciate). This does not cost you anything additional and it allows me to put out more free information like this.

You’ll need the following tools…

• Power drill
• Tape Measure
• Phillips Head Screw driver
• 3/16″ or 7/32″ metal or wood drill bits (it’s best to have a full set)
• 24″ level
• Pencil
• Stud finder
• Socket Set (comes with a socket wrench and socket adapter)

Optional tools to speed up the job…

• Socket adapter for power drill
• Impact driver (not recommended unless you do a lot of DIY projects)

Step #1 – Choose a TV Wall Mount

Go here for an in depth guide on selecting the right TV wall mount for your situation.

Step #2 – Unbox the TV Wall Mount and TV

This is an obvious step, but regardless, it needs to be done. So do it.

Sometimes the TV wall mount will require some assembly. Just follow the directions that came with it and assemble it if necessary. Should take about five minutes.

Step #3 – Attach the wall mount brackets to the TV

Your TV wall mount comes with several components: A part that mounts to the wall, one or two parts that mount to the back of the TV, and a bunch of screws and washers of different sizes (most of which you won’t use).

Find the part(s) that mount to the back of the TV, then find the screws that fit your TV. On the back of pretty much every TV manufactured in the last fifteen years there are four screw holes. These are designed to attach a mount. Find the screws that came with your TV wall mount that fit in those screw holes and attach the brackets to the back of the TV.

Again, your TV wall mount will come with directions. Don’t be above reading the directions or try to save time by skipping them. That will usually just cause you to make mistakes and have to read them anyway. I’ve mounted hundred of TV’s and whenever I use a new mount I always read the directions.

Step #4 – Temporarily attach the wall part of the bracket to the TV.

Now, take the part of the TV wall mount that mounts to the wall, and attach that part to the brackets you just mounted to the TV.

NOTE: This is only temporary so you can get a critical measurement.

Step #5 – Measure from the bottom of the TV to the top screw hole on the bracket.

Now that the entire wall mount bracket is attached to the TV and the TV is setting on the ground, measure from the ground to the center of the top screw hole on the part of the bracket that attaches to the wall. Read that last sentence slowly.

Write down the measurement for future reference and then detach the wall portion of the mount from the TV.

If this is confusing to you, watch the video above. It will clear things right up.

Step #6 – Determine where to mount the bracket to the wall.

This is where people mess things up, so take your time here. First, find where you want the TV to sit side to side. Usually you will center it on the wall or over a piece of furniture or something. To do that, find the center of where you want the TV to sit and mark a line with your pencil.

Now, figure out how high you want the TV to be mounted. If you’re mounting over a cabinet or shelf, you’ll usually just mount it about 4-6″ above that feature. Consider where you will be sitting when watching the TV. Many people will mount the TV way too high which makes it uncomfortable to watch.

Once you figure out about how high you want the TV to sit, mark a line on the wall where you want the bottom of the TV to line up.

Now you should have two lines. One that marks the center and one that marks the bottom. And you have a measurement written down from step #5.

What you ultimately want, however, is to know where to attach the screws. So, take the measurement from step 5 and measure up from where you want the bottom of the TV to sit and then mark another horizontal line on the wall. This horizontal line will tell you how high to screw in the screws. We’ll call it the screw line.

Then, using a level, translate the centerline you marked earlier so that it crosses the screw line and makes a cross.

Now you should have a cross on the wall that indicates the center of the tv and the screw line. Good work.

Step #7 – Find the Studs

Studs are the wood beams that run vertically in the wall and serve as the structure of your home. They are usually 2×4’s or 2×6’s. And, they are what you will want to screw into.

Take your stud finder and use it to locate the studs. You’ll want to find two or three studs that are closest to your center mark.

Pro tip: Instead of just marking the center of each stud, mark both edges of each stud. Again, watch the video above if you are confused.

Step #8 – Pre-drill for the Lag Screws

Grab your level and line it up with the screw line. Then, get your level perfectly level and use it to mark lines that cross each stud location. Again, these lines are there so you know exactly where to drill.

Once you have that lines drawn and you know where you want to screw in, hold up the wall mount bracket to make sure everything lines up and you can in fact screw right there.

If everything is ok, carefully pre-drill a hole on each stud at the marked locations in the center of each stud using a 3/16″ wood or metal drill bit.

You should now have two holes in the wall that are drilled into the center of two different studs.

Step #9 – Attach the Wall Mount Bracket to the Wall

Use the lag screws to attach the wall part of the bracket to the wall. Before tightening the screws all the way, make sure the bracket is perfectly level. Also, make sure to use the washers that are meant to be used with the lag screws.

Once the top two screws are tightened down and the bracket is level, attach the bottom lack screws to lock in the bottom of the bracket. You’ll probably want to pre-drill again before doing this because sometimes the lag screws can break in a stud.

Step #10 – Hang up the TV!

Now that you have one part of the bracket attached to the TV and the other part attached to the wall, all you have to do is pick up the TV and hang it on the wall. For larger TV’s you’ll want to grab a friend to help you.

That’s it! Now, it’s time to work on hiding the wires. There are multiple ways to do this which I’ll discuss in the future tutorial.

Mounting to Other Surfaces

What if you are mounting to brick or metal studs?

If you are mounting to metal studs, check out my other tutorial here.

If you are mounting to brick or stone, then you will use the same exact process, but you will need to have the appropriate sized mason drill bit and some stone anchors. Most TV wall mounts come with stone anchors (they look like large drywall anchors).

The post How To Wall Mount a TV Perfectly Every Time appeared first on DIY With Dan.