I built a hefty 8’x2′ shelving unit for my basement for about $100. This is the corner that the shelf was built to fit into, with a 2×4 for scale. I would have used a banana, but we’re fresh out.
This simple mitre sled jig made cutting the pieces easy.
The block on the table saw fence sets the length of the piece that I’m cutting, but stays out of the way while cutting to avoid kickback.
The block on the mitre sled acts as a feather board, keeping the stock pressed firmly down while cutting. This really helps with longer pieces.
Each shelf consists of 1/2″ plywood over a simple 2×4 frame. The front and back are 96″ long, the end caps are 24″ long, and the middle supports are 21″ long.
In this shot, you can see that my basement floor is about 3″ out of level over the 8′ length of the piece. I propped it up with shims, then screwed on some temporary legs once it was level. This gave me a level surface to base the rest of the build on.
Next, I attached the five main legs. Each leg is a different height to account for the slope of the floor. The end result is that all of the legs are the same height relative to the shelves
With the legs attached, I built the second shelf in the same way as the first, and prepared to attach it to the frame.
To help with positioning, I clamped scrap blocks at the appropriate height on each leg. This gave me something to set the shelf on before I screwed it in place.
Note that from this point forward, all height measurements were taken from the bottom shelf, rather than from the floor.
With the guide blocks in place, the second shelf was easy to install.
The third shelf was installed in much the same way as the second.
I built the fourth shelf in place, because I was working alone and didn’t feel like throwing out my back while lifting it into the air. I used temporary blocks to position the middle supports at the correct height.
The top two shelves are half the height of the bottom two, since big stuff tends to be heavy, so it makes sense to keep it near the bottom.
The bottom shelves can accommodate a large Rubbermaid or two small Rubbermaids stacked on top of one another. The top shelves can accommodate a small Rubbermaid.
I had bought some hardware to lag the unit to the wall, but it’s heavy enough that I have to put my full body weight into moving it, so I don’t think it’s going anywhere.
