Replacing Wire Shelves With Wood

Hey there all you DIY enthusiasts! Today’s post is all about how to replace those plain old wire shelves with some custom-looking wooden ones. And let me tell you, it’s going to be a game-changer for your pantry or closet space. So, let’s get started!

First up, we have this gem:

What is it?

It’s a DIY project that involves removing those boring wire shelves and replacing them with some custom wooden ones. Think about it, why settle for cheap wire shelves when you can have the trendy wooden ones that will not only add an amazing aesthetic appeal to your space but also improve storage by providing more shelf space.

Why?

So you’ve just moved into your new house or apartment and the closet or pantry space offered is limited. The wire shelves just scream cheap and nasty while the wooden ones give a high-end and stylish look that will impress anyone who walks into the room. Besides the aesthetics, wooden shelving offers more storage space that is easier to organize and is more durable in the long run. Cut out the frustration with tangled wire hangers and toppled-over items and opt for some wooden shelving.

Different Types of Wooden Shelves:

There are different types of wooden shelves you can choose from when planning your DIY project.

• Reclaimed Wood: This type of wood gives your space a rustic feel and contributes to a more eco-friendly environment because it is re-purposed timber. It comes at a higher cost and requires more maintenance, though.
• Pine: This is more affordable, easier to work with, and preserves well. It’s best for a classic look, but may need regular staining to maintain the finish.
• Mahogany: This type of wood gives off an elegant look and is also durable. However, it comes at a high cost, and it’s challenging to find it in predictable widths.
• Birch: This is an excellent option if you want a more modern look for your space. Birch is reasonably priced, and it’s beautiful grain that doesn’t need the sealer.

Benefits and Advantages of Wooden Shelves:

When planning to have a DIY project that involves shelving, you want to know what advantages there are in choosing wooden shelves compared to the conventional wire ones. Here are some of them:

• Increased Space: Wooden shelves create more storage room, and the customization aspect of the shelves ensures efficient use of the space available.
• Personal Touch: With wooden shelving, you have the liberty to get creative, and you design the shelves as per your preference.
• Eco-Friendly: It is more eco-friendly to use wooden shelves since they are reusable and biodegradable, while wire shelves may end up polluting the environment since they end up in landfills.
• Durability and Strength: Properly maintained wooden shelving is more durable and can withstand heavier loads over time compared to their wire shelf counterpart.
• Great Aesthetics: Wooden shelves have a better aesthetic appeal than regular wire shelves, giving your room a modern and high-end look that you can be proud of.

How to Make DIY Wooden Shelves:

Making your DIY wooden shelves is an easy and affordable way to customize your space with wooden shelving. Here is a simple way to go about it:

1. The first step is planning- measure the space you intend to install the shelves and pick the type of wood that will suit your preferences and budget.
2. Prepare the wood, ensuring it is square and cut it to the desired length. You can use a jigsaw, circular saw, or handheld saw to do this at home.
3. Use your measuring tape and square to mark the spot where you want to drill holes. This layout process is vital for ensuring the shelves sit level and are uniform all through.
4. Drill the holes where the brackets will sit. Make sure they are straight and level to create a durable and sturdy support structure.
5. Smooth the edges of the wood shelves using sandpaper to get the professional look to fit into your room’s decor. You can use grinders or even sandpaper to give your wood a natural finish and seal it with polyurethane or a cover polish of your choice.
6. Finally, put the shelves in place and hold on your newly-made, stylish wooden shelf theme.

Tips:

In every DIY project, the minor details always count. Here are a few tips to help you get the best out of your wooden shelf project:

• Plan, Plan, Plan: A well-executed plan ensures that you don’t overspend or buy more than what you need, and ensures that the wooden shelves fit in perfectly with your space.
• Appropriate Tools: If you have the proper tools, you can construct the shelf of your dreams like a pro! A saw, drill and level are crucial for the project
• Different Woods Require Different Tools: Always research the wood you are planning to use since it might require specific tools for customizing or cutting
• Custom Measurements: Customizing measurements to match your room is vital to ensuring utmost optimization of space.
• Consider Paint and Strain: It’s also important to consider paints, finishes or stains to enhance the wood’s look and the overall decor of the room.

And not forgetting this fantastic example:

What is it?

This DIY project involves converting wire shelves into personalized wooden shelves. With a few tweaks and additions, you can achieve an elaborate wooden space using wire racks as a foundation.

Why?

Frustrated with your wire shelves? Wanting a stylish, affordable and easy-to-achieve look? It doesn’t have to cost a fortune or be heavy on your energy levels; you can switch up your wire shelves to make it look like custom wood shelves, adding timeless sophistication to your rooms.

Different Types of Wooden Shelves:

There are different types of wooden shelves you can choose from when planning your DIY project.

• Floating Shelves: These are rectangular and don’t have visible brackets as the hardware is hidden which can create the illusion of a floating shelf.
• Corner Shelves: These are usually triangular and fit perfectly in corners, giving your room more space and creativity.
• Wood and Rod Shelving: This is a rack system that is both practical and stylish. By mixing wood and metal in the rack system, you can efficiently use that empty space in the closet or pantry with shelves made to meet your space exclusively.
• Industrial Shelving: These shelf systems are made of sturdy materials like steel and timber, and will give your space an urban chic appeal. While it might be heavy on the wallet, it’s a great choice if you want a unique and durable look.

Benefits and Advantages of Wooden Shelves:

When looking for new shelves, it’s better to know the advantages of wooden shelving, as it has a range of benefits that you should know of, which include the following:

• Eco-Friendly: Wood is a natural product, and it is both recyclable and biodegradable, making wooden shelving more environmentally sustainable
• Durability and Strength: Wooden shelves are strong and durable, and with proper care, they may last a long time, even generations.
• Craftsmanship and Aesthetics: Wood provides infinite decorating options with endless colors and designs, making your space unique and personalized.
• Wood is Timeless: Wood is a classic, timeless option for furniture and shelving, and this is attributed to its natural beauty that allows it to blend perfectly into any living space. This is unlike the metal or wire shelves, which can look outdated and worn over time.
• Availability: Wood is a reasonably priced material that is readily available, especially in stores that specialize in construction materials and hardware.

How to Make DIY Custom Wooden Shelves:

Here are a few steps to help you customize wire shelves to wooden shelves without having to stress yourself.

1. The first step is knowing what materials you’ll need ahead of time. This will make the whole process more efficient and save on any unnecessary time wasted.
2. Then deconstruct the existing wire shelves by removing them from your house, taking note of the measurements while you’re at it.
3. Then mark and cut your new wooden shelves to the corresponding sizes decided upon.
4. Sand down and finish your wooden shelves with your preferred color or coat, ensuring it achieves the desired aesthetic you’ve been aiming for.
5. To install, use brackets to connect the wooden shelves onto the pre-existing wire shelves to create a durable and reliable shelf system.
6. Make sure to anchor your shelves to the wall to support its weight, and Voila! You now have stylish, personalized wooden shelves at a minimal cost of time and money.

Tips:

When converting wire shelves to wooden shelves, here are some tips you need to keep in mind:

• Choose the right materials: You can use pine, driftwood, oak, or cherry wood. It all depends on the aesthetic appeal you’re after and your budget.
• Use the right tools: Wire shelves require different tools from wooden shelves, which means you may have to buy new tools or rent them out as the project requires them.
• Measure and plan: Measure the spots designated for the shelves to ensure that you customize them to fit precisely into the area allotted, no matter how little or big.
• Safety comes first: Ensure you follow safety measures when you use new tools and equipment, and protect your hands using gloves and your eyes using safety glasses.
• Finishing is Everything: Remember, the finishing of the wood is crucial to its overall look. You want the wood to have a good finish, so don’t rush it.

And finally, this excellent example:

What is it?

This DIY project entails creating wooden built-in shelves with a professional finish for your room or pantry.

Why?

The idea is simple: to turn your cluttered pantry into a neat, organized and aesthetic space. The increasing trend of minimalist home decor and organization has seen wooden built-in shelves come to the fore. They not only add appeal to the space but also provide more storage room that is well-organized to make it easy to find whatever you need.

Different Types of Wooden Shelves:

The different types of wooden shelves that you can use when planning your built-ins are:

• Natural wood: To get the most out of natural wood, you need to select proper and long-lasting wood, like walnut or cedar wood. This wood type can be costly, but it increases both the style and appeal of your room.
• Painted wood: Painting the wood gives the shelves a unique and distinct look that can be bright and playful or more subdued and classic, depending on the paint color you use.
• Stained wood: This wood will retain its natural color but will have a sleek finish that accentuates the wood’s grain’s beauty. The wood is applied with a wood stain that seeps into the open pores of the wood, adding great depth to the wood.
• Flexible wood: This wood is designed to bend to your will and can be shaped to fit any specified shelf space for optimal and personalized use of the storage place.

Benefits and Advantages of Wooden Shelves:

The benefits of having wooden built-in shelving are numerous and include:

• Aesthetic appeal: Wood is aesthetically beautiful and blends with almost any other design or decor style in a room.
• Eco-Friendly: Wooden built-ins are eco-friendly, especially if the wood used is made of recycled materials, since the wood is biodegradable and reusable.
• Durability: These shelves are incredibly durable and can withstand impacts or heavy loads. This makes them the perfect choice if you’re handling bulky items that require sturdy support.
• Customization: You can customize the shelves to fit into whatever space you have available. This not only ensures the efficient use of space available but also helps you utilize even those areas in the pantry or closet that you would have thought were unproductive.

How to Make DIY Wooden Built-in Shelves:

Here are the steps on how to create your wooden built-in shelves:

1. First, you need to come up with a plan for your shelves- you don’t want to start something without a clear direction.
2. Then, remove the preexisting shelves in the pantry closet to make way for your new, stylish wooden ones.
3. Measure the space to ensure it fits the dimensions you are considering while keeping in mind any changes or updates you want to make to the pantry’s current look.
4. Choose the right tools and materials for the job. You will need a saw, drill, level, and measuring tape. As you go along, you may need a sander or paint for the final touches.
5. Cut the wooden planks to the right dimensions, sand them down, then paint or stain them to your liking.
6. You can now install your new wooden built-in shelves, starting with the highest shelves and working your way down. Attach the shelves high enough to fit the items you plan to keep on them, then anchor them into the wall to reduce the risk of accidents.

Tips:

Here are a few tips to ensure that you get the most out of your DIY wooden built