ClosetMaid ShelfTrack Maximum Load - Tips, Tricks and plenty of traps

It all started with a simple quest, so my saga begins. Granted Tim Allen's character on Home Improvement is much handier than I, but I had installed the indoor system. How much tougher could the garage system be....

To make this quicker to use, I will give you the tool list first, then the steps with the traps and tricks interspersed.

Tools you absolutely need.

• A good rubber mallet.
• A good non flimsy tape measure - you have to be within 1/16" inch for this system to install.
  
• A small line level or level that will sit on the track without you holding onto it.
  
• A ruler with a built in level.
• An electronic stud finder.
• A comfortable ratcheting screw driver.

Hardware you need.
_{(CM = ClosetMaid)}

• CM Mounting Hardware #3587 for studs/concrete
  
• E-Z Toggle Self Drilling Drywall Toggle Bolts
  

Parts required:

• (1) track either 40" for 4' wall covered or 80" for 6' of wall covered
• (1) std for every 16" of wall being covered
  
• or (3) stds for the 4' shelf, (5) stds for the 6' shelf
  
• (3) brackets for 4' shelves and (5) brackets for 6' shelves.
  
• (3-4) CM Add-a-rack #3774 - you can return them once you get your system up
  
• Time -- Lots of it until you get the "hang" of it.

Optional stuff

aka why Tim Allen is better than me at this...

1. A bit of tape to tack the line level to the header
2. A cordless drill with 1/8" bit.
3. Drywall patching compound
4. Paint that matches your garage wall
5. Painting supplies

The Main Trap:

The reason why this system is such a bear to hang is because of the little grabber v's that come out of the back of the shelf. This is probably why they can hold so much weight when installed on studs, but it also requires that you precisely hang the standards at intervals that are exactly 1" divisible (unless you have a handy rubber mallet, more on that in part two...)

Planning

Measure out how much of the wall you want to cover.

Sections are typically 4' and 6' - the width of the available shelves (#3570? & #3571 respectively).

Each drawer column requires x2 dedicated standards 16" apart. If you want two columns, you'll need 4 standards (2 cols x 2 stds each=4) and so on. You'll need to mount the innermost standards next to each other no more than 1/16" apart.

The racks on the tops of drawers can't hold much weight, so you're better off planning on using that for short light items.

Add-A-Rack (#3774) baskets can be hung next to each other in columns so you need only one additional standard per number of columns. For instance you want 3 columns, you'll need 4 standards (3 columns + 1 additional).

If you have one or more horizontal obstacles to work around, get our your tape measure first and premark around that 16" apart. You are trying to see if you can get the standards on studs and still meet all the other recommendations for placement.

Hanging Bins (#3772) require a little over 16" of horizontal shelf space to mount to above. But they can be made to fit between your brackets spaced 16" apart. They also don't interfere with the items when mounted to shelves.

If you have a vertical obstacle on the bottom, you'll need to use shorter standards.

If you have a vertical obstacle on the top, you'll probably end up installing an additional track somewhere below the obstacle. The gotcha is that you'll need to line up the slots precisely if you plan on shelves crossing standards mounted on both tracks. You can try to leave installing the lower track until the end. Better yet you can designate that area as a separate section when you plan your shelf widths and simply not cross shelves across the sections.

If you have big vehicles and limited room, consider mounting shelves only near the top and using the Add-A-Racks for where you lack room.

For fire safety reasons, you should keep about 2' distance from the topmost shelf to the ceiling.

The shelves carry a disclaimer on their max weight - it is a theoretical maximum even if you mount everything on studs.

Buy one or two extra standards and brackets for each length used and simply return the unused items.

Installing the system.

The Track

• You'll want to mount the track up probably about 10-12" below the top of the wall. In my case I had to mount it 2 1/2" from the top because of the lack of height in our garage. We have a room over the garage & part of the wall has a 1' high section of cinder block. Otherwise I couldn't fit the 84" standards above the cinder block area. My instructions will assume that you are using the 80" track.

Traps-T0:


You'll need the levels for this, don't try measuring from the top of the wall along a few points, as ceilings are never perfectly level to the ground.

If the track isn't level, you will find it extremely difficult to get the shelves in properly because the standards will follow the track and not level themselves.

Don't measure and mark 8" center to center holes, it's a waste of time. I did that and measured twice with both my ruler/level and tape measure. The holes are not precisely stamped in the track that I measured. I found this out after I had predrilled the holes precisely 8" apart and then attempted to screw in the track and discovered the holes were off for some holes by about 1/16" up to 1/8". There is no room for error on the track. Misalignments can also be caused/compounded by your wall - especially if you have plaster.

The part of the track that is an upside down U is the top. The ledge is the bottom of the track. The standards have cutouts that go over the ledge of the track. The U part of the track holds the standards in the track.

Why I don't recommend using a cordless or drill driven bit for this.

1. I can always tell in our house where a cordless was used when I try to remove a screw. I end up hacking the darn thing off then drilling the piece out - why?? Because the screw head is always stripped. Then I have the lovely job of repairing doors, plaster, etc.
2. If you make a mistake and strip the screw head, well guess what you are when it comes to trying to remove the screw from the solid metal track or standard...
3. You can't feel if you've hit a stud, air or a protective plate with a cordless and then guess what else you could end up doing. e.g: repairing a water leak, shocking yourself or worse

T Steps.

1. Find the stud nearest the center of the header
   
• Mark it using your leveling ruler with a vertical line at least 4"
• Make sure you can still see the line after you mount the header.
  
2. Now find the studs outward on both sides and mark them the same way.
   
   • At a minimum you have to mount the header on studs every 16".
   • I was able to mount the track every 8"+/-.
     
3. Predrill with a 1/8" bit in the centermost hole (your first mark).
   
   Tricks-T3:

   • Usually you can tell if you've hit wood by the ease of which your drill works.
   • Easy - nothing but air/drywall.
   • A little harder to drill - it's a stud.
   • Extremely hard to drill - stop it's probably a protective plate covering electrical or critical item.
     
4. Attach the first screw to the centermost hole (first marked).
5. Attach your line level to the track.
6. Level the track and then mark hole to the left of the first one attached.
7. Optional: Predrill the left hole.
8. Attach the second screw to the left hole.
9. Level the track again, now mark the hole to the right of the first one attached.
10. Predrill if desired.
11. Attach the third screw to the right hole.

The track will only level out after you have attached the third screw. However keep checking the level as you measure/predrill/attach the other screws. Starting at the center then working your way outward allows this to be a one person job -- if you can hold the track against the wall while you drill and attach the first screw. That was the easy part!

Mounting the standards

aka Let the fun begin!

Tricks-S0:


Attach one screw per standard.

Leave the screw holding down the standard a little loose until you have successfully installed all the shelves in your system.

Try to use the same height hole in each standard along the section of your system. It makes the system more flexible when you install the shelves.

The hole that is the second up from the bottom gives you the best pivot point in 84" standards so you can wiggle them about in order to get some shelves installed.

Once your system is installed go back and tighten the standards up - you only need the wiggle room in order to get the shelves v-notches to go around the standards.

Insert standards at about a 45 degree angle from the track then bring towards the wall. That will allow the top of the track (U) to grip the top of the standard.

You want to try to have the standards that will hold the ends of the shelves in studs.

For 6' shelves, standards should be within 1-4" from the end of the shelf.

For 4' shelves one standard should be in the center, and the other two 16" on each side.

These instructions assume you are using the 84" standards.

S Steps.

First Standard

1. Start at left end and insert the first standard into the track lining up with the vertical stud line mark you made in step T-2.
2. Find the hole in the standard that is the second up from the bottom and mark it through the standard.
3. Gently swing the standard to the left or right without moving it in the track and verify that a stud is at that mark.
   
   • If not look for the nearest stud at that same height and move the standard over to it.
     
4. Predrill the hole if desired.
5. Attach the standard using the stud screw.
Tricks-S5:

• If the stud screw installs easily at first then gets more difficult, then you are at the stud.
• If the stud screw won't install completely, stop you've hit a protective plate or other critical item. Find the next hole up in that standard and try again.
• If it is easy and starts to squeek as you get near the tightening point, you're in drywall and you'll need to remove the screw and insert an E-Z Toggle anchor.
  

The rest of the standards.

6. Measure off 16" from left end of the last standard using your tape measure.
7. Insert the next standard's left edge on the track along your 16" measurement.
   
• Try to do this while holding the tape measure up.
• After the second standard you can use the Add-A-Rack basket as your "third" hand.
8. Tap lightly to wiggle the standard if necessary to line it up.
Why you need to have the standards 16" apart

• More likely to attach to studs.
• Required for the installation of the drawers - warning don't try to use the interior system's drawers they don't fit.
• Required for the installation of Add-A-Rack basket.
  
9. Get one of your Add-A-Rack baskets and install it.
   
• Insert the bottom part of the rack about 1-2 slots up from the point where you attached the screw on the standard.
• Do the same on the unattached standard.
• Now apply pressure to clip in the top parts.
10. Locate the same level hole as in the previous standard, attach the screw at that point.
    
• Follow Tricks-S5 from above to determine if you need to switch to an anchor or another hole up in the standard.
11. Leave the Add-A-Rack basket in and add the next standard & Add-A-Rack using the same steps (S6-S10) at the same height, until you have finished with that section of your system.
Add-A-Rack Tips:

• You'll need to leave them in until after you have installed your second row of shelves, which is why you need more than one.
• Install them at the same height slot.
• You can use them to hold your tape measure up while you install the next standard.
• They are very handy to keep your screwdriver and rubber mallet in while you install the system.
• They also have some slop in their manufacture. But you'll still be within the 1/16" required in order to install the shelves.


Later post the shelves - oh joy oh joy!

TAGS: garage | closetmaid | product review |shelftrack | Home Improvement