2x4 Freestanding Garage Shelves

Mark the rung positions identically on every upright — a story stick (one upright marked, then used to transfer to all the others) beats measuring each and guarantees level shelves. Glue and screw the four 17" rungs between pairs of uprights with 2-1/2" screws.

Build one support per roughly four feet of shelf run. Sag in a 2x4 shelf is set by support spacing, not board strength — closer supports for paint cans and totes, wider is fine for light bins.

Mark the leg-support positions on four shelf boards. Screw two boards to the TOP shelf level and two to the BOTTOM first, outer boards flush with the inside of the uprights — that skeleton establishes the unit's shape while it's still light enough to adjust. Square it (match the diagonals), then fill in the remaining shelf boards, two screws per leg per board.

Last and most important: screw through the back uprights into wall studs with the 3" screws. A loaded rack this tall must not be able to tip — anchoring is the difference between shelving and a hazard with shelves on it.