Tired Of Your Dated Wire Closet Shelves? Upgrade Them With One Genius DIY

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Many homeowners have closets with standard-issue, rather uninspiring wire shelving for storage. While it's functional, the aesthetic of these basic shelving systems is lackluster and, frankly, a little outdated, as the ubiquitous builder-grade selection for so many houses in the 1990s and early 2000s. But rather than look at unattractive wire shelving in her bathroom's linen closet, Molly Miller (@therenegadehome) shared on Instagram how she spent less than $75 on a clever DIY to hide ugly wire shelves and upgrade a closet with just some plywood and wood boards. By creating an L-shaped cover that simply slides over each wire shelf, her closet transformed from basic and dated to beautiful with substantial, stained wood shelves. This clever DIY can be made for your bathroom linen closet as Miller did, or use it in a bedroom to make your storage space look like a custom closet.

As long as you're comfortable with a saw and a brad nailer, this DIY will transform your space in a matter of hours (Don't worry, we have an alternate suggestion for those who are not so DIY-inclined, so keep reading). To prep for the project, measure the width and depth of the wire shelves you'd like to cover, taking the extra minute to double-check the dimensions of each one in case the walls aren't perfectly square. Depending on the size of your closet and how many shelves you have, you may only need a half sheet of ½ or ¾ inch thick plywood, like on the Instagram tutorial, or you may need a full 4x8 sheet for larger spaces. Aside from plywood, you'll need a hardwood board for the shelf fronts, wood glue, polyurethane, and a wood stain of your choice. Once you've gathered your supplies, it's time to get building these easy DIY wood shelf covers.

Start this simple closet makeover by marking the width and depth of each shelf on the plywood and use a circular saw to make the cuts. These plywood pieces will sit on top of the shelf. Next, use a 1x3 or a 1x4 (for a chunkier look and better coverage of the wire shelving, depending on the height of the front lip you are trying to cover) in pine, poplar, or other solid wood board that matches your aesthetic for the front-facing piece of the cover. Use a bead of wood glue and a brad nailer to secure the pieces together in an L-shape so that the top surface of the plywood and top edge of the wood board are flush. Once the glue is dry, patch all nail holes with wood filler, give the piece a light sanding, then apply your wood stain (or paint) color of choice, followed by a sealer coat of polyurethane for durability and protection. Simply slide them over each shelf for a totally transformed closet look.

If you aren't overly handy with power tools or don't have access to them, you can order premade wood shelf covers in standard sizing if that works for your space, such as these on Amazon. Alternatively, you can get them custom-sized by a vendor, like this Amazon seller, who will make them to order. Though you will pay a little more for these options versus DIYing, the covers will show up at your door, finished and ready to slide on in seconds. And there you have it: The affordable way to take your closet's outdated wire shelving to the next level with high-end-looking custom wood shelf covers.