DIY Tiered Bathroom Shelving

How to Build DIY Tiered Bathroom Shelving

1. 1 Cut the Shelf Bottoms

   

   Use the BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX* 5-1/2 in. Circular Saw to cut the sheet of 3/4"plywood perpendicular to the grain at 24”. Use the resulting 24 x 48” piece to cut the following pieces for the shelf bottoms:

   • 16 x 24”
   • 12 1/4 x 24”
   • 8 1/2 x 24”
   • 4 3/4 x 24”

2. 2 Cut Plywood Into Strips

   

   Cut six 3” wide strips from the remaining 48 x 72” piece of plywood, using the 20V MAX* 5-1/2 in. Circular Saw. This is your building stock for the legs and shelf sides.

   TIP: Ensure straight cuts by clamping a straightedge to the plywood sheet. This helps guide the edge of your circular saw.

3. 3 Cut the Legs

   

   Cut the two front legs from the 3” stock at 55 3/8”. Mark a 15° angle on both ends of each leg so the angles run parallel to each other. At the top end, measure over from the corner and make a mark at 1” along the top edge. Make another mark 1/2” down from the opposing corner. Connect the marks to create a line that clips off one of the corners at 15°.

   At the bottom end of the leg, measure up from the corner and make a mark at 13/16”. Draw a line between the mark and the opposing corner. The entire width of the board is angle-cut at the bottom end. Make the cuts with the 20V MAX* 5-1/2 in. Circular Saw.

   TIP: The bottom angles allow the feet to stand flat on the floor. It's OK if these angles aren't perfect. You can sand them to fit flat after the unit is built.

4. 4 Cut the Shelf Pieces + Back Rail

   

   Cut the following pieces from the 3” wide stock:

   • (8) pieces, 25 1/2” long for the front and back pieces
   • (2) pieces, 16” long for the bottom shelf
   • (2) pieces, 12 1/4” long for the second shelf
   • (2) pieces, 8 1/2” long for the third shelf
   • (2) pieces, 4 3/4” long for the top shelf
   • (1) piece, 25 1/2” long for the back rail

5. 5 Sand Everything + Assemble the Shelves

   

   Sand all the parts smooth with the BLACK+DECKER MOUSE® Detail Sander and 120-grit sandpaper, rounding all sharp edges. Apply glue to all four edges of the bottom piece of the first shelf, and to the ends of the two side pieces. Fit the front, back and sides against the edges of the bottom piece, with the sides fitting inside the front and back.

   Use a 1/8” pilot bit and the BLACK+DECKER 20V MAX* Lithium 2-Speed Drill/Driver to drill two pilot holes, evenly spaced vertically, 3/8”from each end of the front and back pieces and into the side pieces. Drill additional pilot holes, 3/8” up from the bottom edges of the front, back and sides, spacing them 6” apart, into the edges of the bottom piece. Drive 1 1/4” screws into the pilot holes. Repeat the same process for each shelf.

   

   Depending on what type of screw you're using, pilot holes should be just slightly smaller than the screw.

   The idea is to allow the hole to be big enough for the screw to pass through without splitting the wood, but at the same time, small enough so that the threads grip firmly.

6. 6 Cut the Leg Angle

   

   Lay down the legs flat in pairs. Position the back leg on top of the angled front leg so that the top end of the front leg corresponds and flushes with the top end of the back leg. Use a pencil to trace a line on the front leg where the pieces overlap, marking the long, vertical angle needed to flush the front leg with the back leg. Cut along the line with the 20V MAX* 5-1/2 in. Circular Saw.

   TIP: Cutting the leg angle will likely take some trial and error. Place the shelves on the front and back legs, as if they were already attached, to simulate how the legs fit together at the top. Cut the angle on the front leg accordingly. Don't worry too much if your angles aren't perfect. Most of these joints will be covered by plywood braces.

7. 7 Screw the Legs Together

   

   Drill three evenly spaced pilot holes through the tapered top of the front legs to penetrate into the back legs, using the 1/8” bit. Apply glue to the rear edge of the front leg, and fasten it to the back leg with 3” screws. Repeat the same process to join the other leg pair. Let the glue dry as directed.

8. 8 Brace the Leg Joints

   

   Cut two 6” squares of plywood, using the 20V MAX* 5-1/2 in. Circular Saw. Place each plywood piece flush with the top of a joined leg pair. Trace the outline of the two joined legs onto the plywood square, and then cut along the lines to create the brace. Drill pilot holes, and screw each brace to the outsides of the legs with three 1 1/4” screws going into each leg.

9. 9 Finish the Parts + Mark the Shelf Locations

   

   Finish all the parts with paint or stain, as desired. Seal stained wood with two coats of aerosol lacquer to protect it from moisture. Let the finish dry completely, as directed. Use a carpenter's square and pencil to mark the shelf locations on the inside faces of both leg pairs. First, mark the back leg at the following locations, measuring up from the bottom of the leg:

   • 5 1/2”
   • 19 1/2”
   • 33 1/2”
   • 47 1/2”

   Then, hold the square at each mark so it is aligned with the back edge of the back leg and crosses the front leg at an angle. Draw along the top of the square to represent the top of each shelf.
   

10. 10 Assemble the Unit

    

    Position the brace between the leg pairs so that it’s flush with the tops and back edges of the legs. Drill pilot holes through the braces on the outsides of the legs. Fasten through the braces and legs and into the back rail with two 3” screws at each end. Position each shelf between the legs so it is flush with the back edges of the legs and its top edges are on the location lines on the legs. Drill two pilot holes through all four legs, and screw through the legs and into the shelves with 1 1/4” screws.

    TIP: Assemble the unit on its back. This helps to square the shelves as you work.