How to Build Closet Shelves
To build closet shelves, screw cleats to the back and side walls into the studs, rest 12–16 in deep shelves of 3/4 in plywood or MDF on them, and add a support every 36–48 in. For a full closet organizer, build a tower of shelves in the middle and hang the long top shelves between the tower and the walls. The same method works to build a shelf in a closet of any size, from a coat closet to a walk-in.
Closet shelf dimensions
| Item | Size |
|---|---|
| Shelf above a rod | 12–16 in deep (30–41 cm), 2–3 in above the rod |
| Shelves for folded clothes | 12 in deep (30 cm), 10–12 in apart |
| Shoe shelves | 12–14 in deep (30–36 cm), 6–8 in apart |
| Shelf thickness | 3/4 in (18 mm); 1 in for spans over 48 in |
| Support spacing | every 36–48 in (90–120 cm) |
For the rods themselves, see closet rod height.
Step by step
- Measure the closet wall to wall and decide the layout: hanging space, a tower of shelves, or both.
- Mark a level line for each shelf and find the studs.
- Cut cleats from 3/4 in plywood or 1 × 3 lumber and screw them to the back wall into every stud, and to both end walls.
- Cut the shelves 1/8 in shorter than the wall-to-wall distance so they drop in, and glue a 3/4 × 1 1/2 in strip on the front edge: it hides the cleats and stops the shelf sagging.
- Set the shelves on the cleats and screw them down. Add a bracket or a divider under any shelf longer than 48 in.
- Hang the rods below the shelves on sockets fixed to the end walls and the tower.
Building a closet organizer
A tower of shelves in the middle turns a plain reach-in closet into an organised one: it carries the ends of the long shelves, holds folded clothes and shoes, and splits the hanging space into short and long sections. Build it like a narrow bookcase, 12–16 in deep, stand it on a plinth and screw it to the back wall. Our closet organizer plan sizes the tower, the top shelves and the wall cleats from the width and height of your closet:
Check a long shelf before you load it:
Frequently asked questions
How deep should closet shelves be?
12–16 in (30–41 cm) for shelves above a rod, 12 in for folded clothes in a tower; deeper shelves hide things at the back.
What wood is best for closet shelves?
3/4 in plywood or MDF with a solid wood strip on the front edge. Melamine is fine for short spans; it sags over long ones.
How do you support a long closet shelf?
With a cleat on the back wall screwed to every stud, cleats on the end walls, and a bracket or a vertical divider every 36–48 in.
How high should the shelf above a closet rod be?
2–3 in above the rod, which is usually at 66 in for a single rod or 82 in for the top rod of a double hang.