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All closet shelving units can use some reinforcement. We’ll walk you through the easiest ways to reinforce your wooden and wire shelving units so they can hold the weight you need.
Every closet needs shelves. Whether traditional wooden shelves or closet wire shelving, they’re essential to any homeowner’s storage solutions. Wooden shelves are aesthetic and hold plenty of weight, but many homeowners choose a more versatile solution.
Closet wire shelving is cost-effective, easily customizable, and holds up to 75 lbs per foot. Unlike wooden shelves, they’re also easy to keep clean and impervious to the negative effects of moisture and humidity. Wire racks for closets are one of the most popular choices for homeowners, and it’s easy to see why with all its impressive benefits.
Other common materials are plywood, medium-density fiberboard (MDF), and melamine.
Here’s a brief overview of these materials:
Regardless of which material you choose, it’s helpful to have a plan to reinforce it if necessary. Melamine shelves and medium-density fiberboard can sag, similar to wooden shelves, so check out the section below about reinforcing wooden shelving units if that’s your material of choice.
Plywood shelves are less likely to sag, but they can become damaged if too much weight is placed on them. If you need to reinforce plywood shelves, check out our section on reinforcing wire shelving below.
Sometimes, homeowners accidentally place too much weight on their wire shelves. When this happens, the wire rack can rip out of the wall and leave a gnarly hole behind. You want to seal up that hole before you drill a new one.
To do this, you’ll need a putty knife, drywall compound filling, and 100-grit sandpaper. Use your putty knife to spread the filler over the holes and wait for it to air dry until it’s completely hardened.
Finally, use the sandpaper to sand down the filler until it’s flush with the wall. Then, you can proceed to the next section.
Wire racks for closets are designed to hold plenty of weight, but if you’re trying to store multiple bulky things on a unit, it’s a good idea to reinforce it.
The best way to reinforce closet wire shelving is using c clamps, braces, and brackets. You’ll need plenty of tools to complete this project, so make sure you raid your garage and have everything ready before you start!
Follow these simple steps to reinforce your closet wire shelving unit:
Expert Tip: If you had to putty over previous holes first, make sure to paint over the putty and allow it to dry before proceeding to the next step!
This should be sufficient reinforcement to keep any wire shelving unit secure. If you have custom shelving, you may need to rework these steps by adding an extra set of support braces.
While wire shelves are certainly a popular choice, they aren’t the only one. Wooden shelves still have their place in closets. They provide aesthetic appeal, acoustic benefits, and the ability to hold plenty of weight.
Whether you had a professional build and install the shelves for you or attempted to DIY the project, it’s still helpful to reinforce the shelves if you plan on using them to hold a significant amount of weight.
Unlike wire shelving, wooden shelves will begin to sag if they’re put under too much pressure. You’ll want to reinforce the shelves by following a few simple steps to prevent this.
First, begin by gathering the following materials:
Once you’ve assembled your tools and supplies, proceed with the following steps:
Sometimes, wire shelving is damaged beyond repair, and replacing the entire unit is best. Our team is dedicated to providing homeowners with the best storage solutions possible. We can help you find the perfect custom shelving and wire shelving units to suit your needs.