At first we had our closets bid out to see how much it would cost. After getting those back I quickly nixed that idea because those numbers were definitely not in the approved budget. I figured I could do them myself for significantly less cost in labor and supplies. Turns out, closets are NOT that difficult to do although they do require time and precision. Take a look at how I accomplished my DIY plywood closets.

Supplies for My DIY Plywood Closet:

• 4’x8′ baltic birch plywood (for my whole closet I used 15 sheets)
• 3/4″ MDF for spacing
• Ryobi nail gun
• 1″ nails
• Wood glue
• Table saw
• Chop Saw
• Level
• Tape Measure

Cuts:

• 4’x8′ sheets of baltic birch plywood. I then ripped them down to 16″ wide strips. I did 16″ because I could get exactly 3 strips out of each board.
• One sheet I ripped down to 3 1/2″ thick for my shelf hook.

My closet measurements are 12’ wide x 15 1/2’ long. I started up against the corner wall and worked my way out. This was easier for me so I didn’t have to plan the whole closet. I could just plan each section as I got there.

The first section I used 3/4″ MDF to space it from the wall. I did this because I am going to put a front piece on the closet as plywood isn’t pretty from the sides. I then lined the plywood right up to the MDF and nailed it in.

Next, I built the base. I used 32″ x 3 1/2″ strips of plywood to do this. I put one in the back and one in the front and then a 15″ piece of 3 1/2″ plywood in the center for support and on each end.

I glued all my shelf hook pieces to the wall and then nailed them for added support.

Sizing:

• Small hang up 36″ tall
• Medium hang up 40″ tall
• Tall hang up 60″ tall
• Shoe shelf 6 1/2″
• Boot shelf at least 10″
• Clothing shelf 16″ to 20″

Make sure to measure everything twice, cut once! Plus, a level is a good idea in any type of project like this.

After all of your boxes are built I then added shelf hooks to the sides and then I added my shelves. Once all of my shelves were in I used MDF to finish off the front of my closets. Once painted I will get a nice smooth finish!

Finishes

• Paint – Everything is Chalk White by Benjamin Moore
• Light – Progress lighting
• Island – Natural White oak from Foxwood Cabinetry
• Countertop – Porcelain from Dal-Tile
• Flooring – Vintage Beige from ADM Flooring
• Hanging Rods – White
• Drawer Hardware – D. Lawless Hardare