It might seem intimidating to build some DIY closet shelves to better organize your closet, but it doesn't have to be difficult. It's much less complicated than building a cabinet or a piece of furniture. Why? Because you've already got the inside of the closet walls as your structure. 

In this video, I show how I transform a builder-grade closet into a well organized closet using plywood. This video has over 1 million views, so it's a useful resource to visualize how it goes together. I'll explain the material used for this project so you can build the closet organizer yourself.

Closet Shelf Material

What material is best for closet shelves? The best material to use is cabinet grade 3/4 inch plywood. I prefer to use Maple or Birch plywood as the grain is smoother than Oak and it will paint well. What I don't recommend is medium density fibreboard (MDF) or particle board because these materials are not strong enough to hold up over time and they will sag. I don't suggest using construction grade plywood either, as it's too rough to get a nice, smooth finish on the shelves.

Plywood is sold in 4 foot (48 inches) by 8 foot (96 inches) sheets. Some hardware stores offer cutting services on their panel saw, which is very useful. I suggest getting the panel cut into smaller parts so it's easier for transporting and carrying.

The second piece of material is called "edge banding". The edge of plywood shows layers of wood, and this texture will show through the paint. An iron-on edge band is a thin strip of wood with adhesive on the back. By using a clothes iron, you can attach the edge banding to the edge of the plywood and make it look like a solid piece of wood. There will be some of the edge banding that needs to be trimmed off the edges and the easiest way to trim it is with an edge banding trimmer - a simple device with blades that cut off the excess material. All you need to do is run this along the edge and lightly sand the corner to get a nice smooth finish on the edge of the board. You can see how this is done in the video.

I use screws to attach the wall cleats and closet shelf parts. You don't need a pocket hole jig - I don't recommend these. Drill a pilot hole through one piece of wood, into the other to make a small hole before using the screw. I suggest using a countersink drill bit, which creates a recess for the screw head (a V shape so the wood screw head won't stick out).

Painting the Shelves

There are two types of paint you will need for this project. One is a primer and the second is the finish paint. Why? Primer is designed to soak into the bare wood and provide a grip for the paint to stick to - don't skip this step or you will have paint coming off shelves. Once the primer is dried, sand it with 220 grit sandpaper to smooth it out.

The finish paint should be a hard paint, not a typical wall paint. A hard paint finish will prevent things from sticking to it, such as book covers. Look for a product labelled as "cabinet paint" for the best non-stick, durable finish. Apply at least 2 coats over the primer to protect the closet shelves.

Building Closet Shelves

As I mentioned at the start, building closet shelves is easier than other types of projects because the walls provide structure. By screwing narrow strips of plywood to the wall, known as cleats, the shelves have solid support. Using a combination of wall cleats and vertical dividers, the shelves are supported on three sides, providing lots of structure.

I assemble the closet shelves twice. Once to cut and assemble all the parts the way I want them, then I take it all apart and paint the pieces. This makes painting much easier. After the paint has dried for a few days, I then assemble all the shelves. This might seem like more work, but if you've tried to paint closet shelves in place, while not getting paint on the walls or floor, you'll understand this is the smarter way to work.

I hope you find this helpful and I encourage you to give it a try. Building your own DIY closet shelves is a really satisfying project.