DIY balcony shelving

The balcony should always be considered as additional space in our house, because if you organize it wisely, you will get more than a decent addition to the living area. Of course, it is unlikely that it will be possible to organize a full-fledged room here, but here is a corner for rest or work, a well-equipped pantry or a green garden - quite. This room must be furnished, and the rack will become an important element of the decor. By installing the rack on the balcony with your own hands, you will get a wonderful place to store many things - tools and conservation, things and books, a collection of decor and spectacular plants. The balcony rack will not take up too much space, because the shelves in it are open. In addition, changing the dimensions of the furniture, the shape of the shelves, you will get the opportunity to experiment with the visual proportions of your room - making it wider or pulling it up.

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Determining the required tool

At the very first stage, in order to make a shelving on the balcony with your own hands, you need to decide which design option you go on, and your composition of the set of tools and equipment will depend on it.

The standard set includes such devices:

• Roulette.
• Jigsaw or hand saw.
• Pencil.
• "Right angle".
• Electric drill.
• Screwdriver or screwdriver.
• Welding machine.
• Brush.
• Sandpaper or grinder.
• Hacksaw for metal.

Important! The rack will be assembled quickly only if all the preparation is completed in advance: you need to cut and process the material, as well as drill holes. To do this, you should decide on the entire tool so that you do not have to be distracted later.

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The criteria that a balcony rack should meet

When making a rack on a balcony with your own hands, you need to calculate in advance what load will be on this structure, that is, what exactly will be located on the shelves.

The main requirements for the design are:

• Safety - absolutely all fasteners must be very durable.
• Resistance to humidity - neither excessive watering of plants, nor flaws in the tightness of the structure should not affect the functionality and appearance of the rack.
• Optimum dimensions - the rack for the loggia should be roomy, while not occupying all the free space.
• The correct placement. The rack must be positioned so that its elements do not interfere with the passage of light - neither artificial nor natural.

However, it is not enough to know how to make a rack on the balcony with your own hands. It is extremely important to choose the right material for this furniture, because on the loggia (especially if we are talking about non-insulated and open) there will be an increased level of humidity and sharp temperature drops. Therefore, chipboard and wood are recommended to be used only on insulated and glazed balconies.

Important! Particleboard is extremely poor in moisture tolerance - under conditions of inadequate microclimate it warps very quickly. A great alternative to a shelf on a balcony will be plastic. Glass and veneered sheets are also suitable.

To protect against high humidity, wooden elements are varnished, and metal elements are painted.Also do not forget that a metal frame can withstand much greater loads compared to a wooden one.

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Varieties of shelving for a balcony

Do-it-yourself racks on the balcony can be different. Such furniture is divided into several types, depending on what function it will perform:

• Traditional - this type of construction differs in that it has a standard shape, the shelves in it are open. It is mounted along the entire wall of the balcony. On this rack you can store canned goods or any household items. Each shelf is attached using brackets.
• Low - ideal for open balconies. Often, such models are installed around the perimeter. Their upper part can be used to your liking: as a countertop, as a small sofa or as a shelf.
• Corner - this type of shelving is used by the owners of the loggias, saving space. Here the name itself speaks for itself. The design consists of corner shelves that are attached to two walls using brackets.
• Built-in - this option is suitable for balconies where there are niches. It is in this space that the shelves are made.

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Metal shelving for a balcony

Of course, wood is traditionally used for a comfortable and cozy house - this is an indicator of status and luxury. However, metal racks are superior to wood products in strength, and are also able to withstand fairly heavy objects. In addition, having made a rack on the balcony with your own hands made of metal, you can repair it locally, because any of its worn-out elements can be easily replaced.

Important! The metal rack can be made more durable by painting it. Thus, structural elements will be well protected from corrosion in the process of moisture (during regular wet cleaning or on an open balcony).

Work stages

Making a galvanized metal shelving requires a minimum number of tools - all you need is a hacksaw for metal, a screwdriver and tape measures. You can make a rack on the balcony with your own hands as follows:

1. Decide on the place of installation of the rack and its dimensions. You can provide a product with wider shelves at the bottom and narrow shelves at the top. Thus, you will have the opportunity to store heavier objects below without cluttering your balcony to the very ceiling.
2. Calculate the number of parts of the same length, cut the metal pipe according to the markup. Precise cutting will guarantee the stability and attractiveness of the structure. The main frame will require six three-meter chrome pipes with a diameter of 22 mm, as well as 8 fasteners - three-sided corner and clamping.
3. Get a standard plywood sheet for shelves - a thickness of 15 mm will be enough. Three sheets can be made from one sheet.
4. In the process of cutting parts, be sure to pre-align them - all corners of the structure should be measured using a bench square.

Important! It is not necessary to make such shelves to the entire ceiling height, because you must take into account the permissible loads on the floor slabs. Therefore, you can limit yourself to only 2-4 shelves. From the finished design can be obtained, for example, a beautiful shelving for flowers.

Mounting Methods

By the way, a metal shelving can be fixed on the balcony using the following methods:

• Separate from the wall - not too reliable fastening, as due to the displacement of the load it can tip over.
• To the wall - is a more reliable option and is most often used. For this method, fasteners are provided at the rear using a special bracket. At the end, the bracket is bent - it then clings to one of the posts and is pulled to the wall, firmly fixing it. In order to securely attach the metal shelf, use a hex key.

System assembly

Then the rack assembly works are carried out:

• Parts are inserted into metal fasteners so that a rectangle is obtained.
• Dimensions are necessarily controlled, since all fasteners are adjustable within 10-20 mm.
• Then the frames are fixed on vertical racks, moreover, you need to constantly check the diagonal and horizontal (level and tape measure will be required).

Important! You can also assemble a metal rack on the balcony with your own hands by welding, but carrying out such work on the balcony will be difficult. Moreover, the bolted construction is more practical and aesthetic, because the shelves in this case will be removable.

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Wooden shelving for a balcony

Do-it-yourself shelving on a balcony made of wood is a relatively simple and budget design. It is made according to the following algorithm:

1. Free the balcony from debris and things.
2. Carefully measure the space and make a plan for placing the rack, taking into account its height, number of shelves and purpose.
3. Get plywood and a pine beam: the beam should be a cross section of 50X50 mm, and choose the thickness, depending on the subsequent load on the shelf.
4. Get screws and mounting brackets.
5. Complete the frame: fix two beams on the supporting wall, for which, insert the dowels into the holes made by the puncher, and screw the screws into them.
6. Place jumpers between the vertical beams - their number will depend on the number of shelves.
7. On the opposite wall of the balcony, make the same frame of timber.
8. The lowest element will be a shelf, and under the ceiling, additionally place two beams.
9. Wood can be painted and varnished in order to protect the structure from wear, moisture and to give it aesthetics.

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Stock footage

If you think through the entire structure in advance to the smallest detail, then a beautiful rack will delight you with its practicality, spaciousness, and aesthetic appearance.