Wire Shelving

A common argument that I have seen in many families is for space. No, I am not talking about the personal space or the bubble that one needs to maintain their sanity. I am talking about space to keep stuff ranging from books to clothes to jars… It could be anything. I for one am very paranoid about leaving things here and there and personally feel that there should be a defined space for every object in the house.

I believe that built in wooden furniture and cupboards are the best solution, but if you stay in a rented apartment like I do, then investing money into furniture is not a feasible option as there is a possibility that it may not fit in your next apartment. My wife introduced me to wire shelves and believe me when I say that these cheap alternatives to expensive wooden furniture have brought down the number of arguments that we have because of my paranoia to half.

You can get standard wire shelves from the market. But if you have time on your hand, want to get creative and really want to win your wife’s appreciation, then you could even install wire shelves around the house. It does not take too much of time, works out cheaper and you could customize it as per the space and requirement. With so many benefits listed out, I am sure you are eager for more information.

Installing Wire Shelving

Following are the steps to install your own wire closet shelf:

• Before you begin installation, prepare the area well. Paint the closet if required. Remove any unwanted screws or nails that you have driven into the walls.
• Mark a level line using a level guide along the wall where you want to install the shelf.
• Drill the holes for the anchor hooks. Make sure that you have read the manufacturer’s recommendations regarding the size of the hole that you have to drill.
• Tighten the anchor hook by driving in its screw.
• Now, hang the back of the wire shelf on a pair of anchors.
• A diagonal support is attached to the shelf end at both the sides to support the shelf.
• After raising the shelf to the right level, drill a hole at the bottom for the diagonal support.

Wire Shelving Tips

You should keep the following in mind while considering wire shelves:

• While purchasing wire racks, ensure that it includes a warranty against rust and deformation.
• If you are purchasing mobile wire shelving units, then ensure that you get locking wheels to avoid accidents and spillage.
• If the shelving is for the kitchen and is used to store small jars and tins which may tilt over or slip, you can use a ‘wire shelf liner roll’ which is a thick plastic sheet. As the sheet can be wiped clean using a damp cloth, you can clean the shelves with very little hassle.
• Chrome wire shelving are more popular and are available in almost all size and shape.
• If you require wire shelved for dry storage or cooler and freezer objects, then epoxy powder coated wire shelving would be ideal.
• You can add drawers and baskets to an existing shelf by using runner frames or hanging drawer glides.
• You can turn an ordinary wire shelf into a shoe shelf simply by turning the shelf piece upside down that is by pointing the lip upwards.
• To use corner spaces around the house or the office, you can either use a specially designed corner piece that attaches shelves on either side of the wall or you can use two straight shelves, one ending at the wall and the other ending at the edge of the first shelf. Make sure that you use corner support connectors.

Industrial Wire Shelving

Wire shelving is also very extensively used in various industries like food service, retail and general storage. It is always advisable to purchase your storage equipment from a dealer who specializes in the kind of storage required for your industry. You can pick from a variety of open and closed units, mobile units and even adder units which will share posts with existing wire shelving units using wire shelf chips. Shelves that can support up to 1500 pound of weight are available.

I hope that you have gathered enough tips to clean the clutter around the house, avoid arguments with your wife and also win her appreciation. What are you waiting for? Time to get into action and implement the tips…