A custom walk-in closet can transform your daily routine and maximize every inch of your storage space. With plywood, some unique pieces of hardware, and a day or two of work, you can store your clothes, shoes, and accessories however you want with a low-cost closet solution. Follow This Old House general contractor Tom Silva and host Kevin O’Connor as they build a series of storage units for a 6-by-8-foot walk-in closet with an 8-foot ceiling.
Planning Your Walk-In Closet Project
Start by measuring your closet’s height, width, and depth. Then, as you design your storage configuration, you’ll want to consider these factors:
- Obstacles: Windows, doors, and power outlets can affect your design depending on where they’re located in the closet.
- What you’re storing: Consider your wardrobe and storage needs and consider decluttering before you begin the project. You may need hanging space for long and short items, shelves for folded clothes and accessories, drawers for smaller items, racks for shoes, and specialized storage for your ties, belts, or jewelry.
- How you organize: Everyone has their own way of organizing the closet, so think about what’s most convenient for you. You may want items you wear and use often in a convenient spot and others tucked further away.
For the project in the video, Silva designed a matching set of four basic boxes to go on each side of the closet and maximize usable space.
Materials and Tools for the Walk-In Closet Storage
To build the walk-in closet storage system in the video, you’ll need the following materials and tools:
Materials
- 1 5/8-inch drywall screws
- 1/2-inch plywood for cabinet backs
- 2-inch drywall screws
- 3-inch screws
- 3/4-inch plywood sheets
- Closet rod hardware
- Fold-down wardrobe lifts
- Iron-on veneer edge banding
- Slide-out pant racks
- Slide-out shoe racks
- Veneer edging tape
- Wood glue
Tools
- Circular saw with clamp-on straightedge
- Clamps
- Clothes iron
- Drill/driver
- Hearing protection
- Jigsaw
- Level
- Measuring tape
- Pencil
- Random orbit sander
- Router with a 3/4-inch straight bit
- Safety glasses
- Sanding block
Building the Storage Units
Silva and O’Connor followed these steps to construct their walk-in closet storage system.
Cutting and Preparing the Plywood
First, Silva cut the plywood pieces to size with a circular saw and clamp-on straightedge.
Smooth shelving looks more professional, both on the surface and on the edges. Silva prepared the plywood by adding iron-on veneer edge banding to the plywood edges with a veneering tool, though you can also use a clothes iron with steam off for the job. Finally, he sanded the veneer flush with the plywood with 120-grit sandpaper.
Routing Joints and Dados
You’ll use multiple different types of powerful joints for your closet shelving, potentially including these:
- Rabbets: Rabbets are grooves on the ends and sides of the wood. They’re stronger than butt joints, even if the gap between the boards is more noticeable.
- Dados: Dados are slots cut across the grain. Unlike rabbets, they’re located at the center of the material, and are common to make where shelving will go.
- Haunch cuts: These are cuts you make so each shelf can fit snugly in a dado joint.
Silva used a router with a 3/4-inch straight bit to cut rabbets along the top edges of each vertical side piece. Then, he routed stopped dados for shelves and dividers. These dados don’t go all the way across the board. Finally, he switched to a jigsaw to make haunch cuts in the front corners of each shelf.
Assembling the Cabinet Boxes
Once Silva finished cutting the parts and joints, O’Connor joined him for assembly. They both screwed the cabinet parts together with a drill/driver and 2-inch drywall screws.
The duo also attached a 1/2-inch plywood back in this step using 1 5/8-inch drywall screws, as well as fixed closet rod hardware to the inside surfaces of the lower cabinets.
Installing Specialty Hardware
Other specialty hardware can make your closet space more functional and versatile. Silva and O’Connor added these pieces to their project:
- Wardrobe Lifts: These lifts are special, counter-balanced closet rods that mount to the inside of the upper cabinet. You can use them to bring higher-up clothes down to an accessible level.
- Shoe racks: The shoe racks Silva and O’Connor slid out from the lower cabinets. Each shoe rests on its own stake to keep things organized.
- Pant racks: Pant racks slide out at waist height for easy access to folded shorts and slacks. They also reduce wrinkles.
Installing the Storage Units
Once you’ve built your storage units, it’s time to install them in your closet. With a helper to guide you, carefully transport the assembled units to their proper place and check to make sure they’re level and plumb.
Silva fastened the units together with 1 1/4-inch screws to create a more cohesive structure. He also used 3-inch screws to secure the units to the wall studs to keep them firmly anchored.
Customizing Your Storage System
Your storage system’s basic structure might be similar to Silva and O’Connor’s, or you can customize it with a different layout and set of hardware. Some custom options you might consider adding include:
- Built-in hampers to contain dirty laundry
- Drawer units to keep smaller items organized
- Extra shelves for quick access to folded items and storage boxes
- Hooks and specialized anti-tangle organizers for belts, ties, and scarves
- Pull-out ironing boards to put away clean laundry as soon as you press it
Finishing Touches
To complete your walk-in closet storage system, finish with a few decorative touches.
Sand any rough edges or surfaces for a smooth finish, then paint or stain the shelving to match the rest of your space. This protects the wood, makes the units more polished, and protects your clothes from getting snagged on rough surfaces.
Some homeowners also add LED strips or puck lights to their shelving to improve visibility, highlight a specific area, or make the closet feel more sophisticated.