Introduction: Shelf for Your Locker at Work, School or Home.
My dear wife scored some used lockers for our home. The kids and I have lockers in our work/school as well. In all cases we enjoy the size, look and sturdiness but find the height inconvenient for some items. I have seen a few purchasable locker shelves but they seemed rather flimsy for the price. I found my solution to be simple, sleek, sturdy and cheap. I found my parts from a Home Depot and Dollar Tree but know you could do just as well online or at used stores.
Step 1: You Will Need - Screws &Thread Posts
Each shelf will need:
- 4 x Screws
- 4 x Thread posts
I purchased my hardware from Home Depot but they're rather generic and easy to come by. I used a 8-32 thread for the screws and post. The cheapest screws were longer than I wanted. In turn I just purchased enough thread posts to cover the screws. You could do just as well with nuts but found these had a better distance per buck. Googling around I found you can get a nut/bolt kit for around $8 with more than enough hardware.
Step 2: You Will Need - Shelf
I found the locker shelf needed to be less than 12 inches wide and 11 inches deep. While your locker could very well be a different dimension I've seen a number of DIY sites and lockers that all have this measurement. While I scanned a few cheap solutions my local Dollar Tree sold white boards that seem to be the ideal fit because:
- The 11.8" x 10.6" size was at perfect fit.
- The material was thinner and stronger than plywood, particle board, etc.
- The whiteboards had round edges that alleviated me from cutting out the corners.
- Whiteboards were smooth and not visually harsh.
Step 3: Slide Screws Into Locker Sides
My lockers have 4 holes on each side that line up. Slid the screws into each one.
Step 4: Attach Thread Post(s)
Most folks will just need four. Due to compensation issues I went with four extra.
Step 5: Insert Shelf
Sunny side up or down; it's your call. I was hoping for whiteboards with skulls and chainsaws. Available options were flowers and sunshine. My daughter was happy but my son and I flipped over to the industrial side for our lockers.
Step 6: Rinse and Repeat
They were easy enough to install and I have far better use of space for about $2 per shelf. Wish I had done this sooner!