How to divide up a storage cupboard

s100_2

Would appreciate any basic DIY advice - i'm a total beginner - so simple terms please!

I have one of those storage cupboards on the landing ( it used to have a boiler/tank/something in it - and this has now gone) So basically am left with empty space.
I would ideally like to divide it into half, with shelves on one side and then leave the other half empty ( so can store ironing board etc) with maybe just one shelf right at the top of the empty half.

Is there a Website for complete beginners i can refer to? what materials will i need and where to start??!!!

Thanks in advance for any help!

Js_Other_Half

I bought some freestanding IVAR shelving from Ikea and more or less built it into a cupboard I had - saved me the hassle of trying to attach anything to the walls.

http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?storeId=7&langId=-20&catalogId=10103&categoryId=15886&cattype=sub

hth

Dora_the_Explorer_5

I bought a freestanding pine shelf rack from B&Q, think it was £15. It was a much quicker and easier solution than faffing about with buying wood, sawing wood, buying brackets, drilling holes, fixing to wall. It took 20 mins to assemble with a screwdriver and the shelves can be moved up and down which is handy. I think Ikea have something similar, but every town has a B&Q.
Don't worry about being a beginner - we all started somewhere and we've all had DIY disasters! Good luck

rafi_2

For safety do you still not have to fix the rack to the wall in case it topples over when loaded?

(Sorry - another beginner!)

Dora_the_Explorer_5

In theory yes you do, in practice I haven't as I live on my own, I'm not risk averse and no visit to A&E so far! But I do make sure the heavy stuff is on the lower shelves.

jobbingmusician

Hello from another complete DIY inexpert!

I think the 'buy a set of shelves' idea is quite a good one, but sod's law you won't get a set to fit. So what you want is a vertical bit of wood down the middle and shelves coming off it one side, I think - with an extra shelf on the other side?

One thing it will be useful for you to know is whether the wall at the back of the cupboard is strong enough to screw brackets to. I don't know how to find this out either, except by asking a 'handy' friend!

Working on the 'buy a set of shelves' idea, you could MAKE a set of shelves. Just measure up and go to a local wood yard. Better still, phone around first to get prices and find a wood yard which will cut the wood to size for you. You have the option of making a sort of set of shelves (think of starting with an 'H' shaped structure and adding more shelves to make a sort of ladder shaped structure) or fixing brackets to the wall for shelves.

If you make a ladder shaped set of shelves you should probably screw an 'x' shaped metal thing to the back. This is a reinforcment which runs from corner to corner to stop your shelves leaning sideways and going skew-wiff (is that spelt correctly? I've never seen it written down, before!) You can buy these at DIY stores.

Screw the shelves into the side bit(s) by using metal corner things you can buy. Imagine a right-angled pyramid with the base cut off. If you look up into the inside, 2 of the sides have a hole in them for a screw, and the 3rd side is for reinforcement - these are what you can use to attach shelves to an upright to make a set of shelves which will fit into your cupboard. One side of the 'H'/ladder will be an upright bit of wood, and the other side could be another bit of wood or could be the side of the cupboard, depending on what your cupboard is like and whether you can screw into it!

If you want 4 or 5 shelves and can screw into the wall it might be worth using a SCANDEX system, where you have 2 metal thingies with slots running down the back wall, with brackets which slot into these, then the shelves fit on to the brackets. Scandex is a high quality make: there will be cheaper alternatives.

If you can't screw into the wall, I'm not sure how you can do the single shelf on the other side except by using the joints mentioned above, so that one side goes into the upright of your ladder, and the other into the cupboard itself.... Someone else may have a better idea!

hope this all makes sense.... :rudolf: :xmassign:

s100_2

Thanks for all the replies!

I have decided to go with a combination of the above - bought IVAR fom ikea today - the sizes miraculously seemed to be exactly what i needed!

And will also have to get the single shelf on the empty side - there is a strong wall at the back so i'm hoping this won't be too complex!

:rudolf: