Safely Install Your Garage Ceiling Shelf

A garage ceiling shelf is a good solution for a garage that doesn’t have much wall space, but it takes a little more planning than a wall-mounted or freestanding shelf.

Check Your Ceiling Material
Depending on the construction of your garage, you may be limited as to how much weight you can safely hang from the ceiling. You don’t want to hang a shelf and put heavy items on it that might warp support joists. Opt to put heavy items in utility cabinets or on steel shelving if you're unsure, and store more lightweight items from your ceiling shelf.

Wallboard
If your ceiling is finished with wallboard you can still install a ceiling shelf. But unlike a wallboard wall where you could use anchors to mount things that don't match up with the studs, you'll need to make sure you only secure the supports directly into the studs to prevent the shelf from breaking the wallboard and falling.

Use Walls and Corners
While sometimes it may be necessary to mount the shelf in an open area of ceiling, mounting the garage ceiling shelf to a wall as well offers extra support. A corner installation is the safest because you can mount it to the studs in both walls as well as the ceiling.