Guide
How to build custom shelving that fits your space
The short version: to build shelving made to your measurements, measure your space, choose a material and thickness for your load, keep each shelf within its span limit, plan the anchoring, then get a cut list, cut the parts, and assemble. Here is each step, and how Kamba does the hard parts for you.
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Measure your space and set the dimensions
Decide the width, height, and depth from the space you have and what you will store. A depth of 28–30 cm suits most shelving.
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Choose the material and thickness for your load
18 mm MDF is the usual reference board for home shelving. For long spans or heavy loads (books, records, tools), move to a thicker board or to pine, which is far stiffer. Thicknesses on sale differ from country to country, and the builder offers you the ones your shops stock.
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Keep each shelf within its span limit
A shelf that is too wide sags over time. Span is not one number: in 18 mm MDF, 30 cm deep, the builder adds a center support from 48 cm of width for everyday use, and from 40 cm for a heavy load. A stiffer material goes further before it needs one.
Figures for France, where 18 mm MDF is on sale. Your country may stock different boards, and the builder tells you which spans yours allow.
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Plan the anchoring
In every plan for a storage unit, a wardrobe or an under-slope unit, the anti-tip brackets (small L-shaped parts) are listed, at every height, and the assembly steps tell you to fit them. From 68.6 cm tall, above a height of 4.5 times the depth, and at any height in a child's room, fitting them is required, not just recommended. Plan the wall fixing before you build. For fixing to the wall: see the guide “Fixing furniture to the wall”. If in doubt, have a professional come and look.
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Get your cut list and shopping list
Turn your design into an exact cut list (every part with its dimensions) and a shopping list of materials and hardware. This is what you take to the store.
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Cut the parts (or have them cut)
You can cut the parts yourself with the cut list, but we recommend having your boards cut to size at a DIY store: it is more precise and saves time. Either way, the cut list tells the store exactly what to cut.
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Assemble, step by step
Follow the assembly order: build the frame, add the shelves, fit the back panel if there is one, and fix the anti-tip hardware. Work on a clean, flat surface.
How Kamba does this for you
Kamba turns your dimensions into a calculated plan in minutes. You enter the width, depth, material, and expected load; Kamba checks the span, adds a center support when needed, requires anchoring where it must, and produces the cut list, shopping list, hardware, and step-by-step assembly instructions as a PDF. Steps 2 to 5 are handled for you, so you can go straight to building.
Have a question about building with Kamba? Read the FAQ