DIY Rustic Pipe Shelving and Amazon Basics 4-Shelf Cart

I needed some shelving for my basement office/kitchen/brewing room/mancave (a little bit of a multi-purpose room I guess!)  I went with two different types of shelving.  On one wall I made a rustic shelf using 1/2-inch black pipe and planks.  This type of shelf is fully customizable can be built to meet your needs and available wall space.  Other names for this type of shelves are farmhouse shelving, industrial shelving, and black iron pipe shelving.  To get started measure the wall space and the items that you would like to store.  Next, create a sketch of the shelf and create a parts list.  You will likely need the following fittings: floor flanges, elbows, tees, floor flanges, and caps.  If you put the pipe through the shelf like I did, you should also buy washers to support the boards.

You will also need lengths of pipe.  Pipe is available on Amazon or at your local hardware store in a variety of pre-cut lengths.  If you project calls for very specific lengths, you can get it cut to a custom length at most locations that sell plumbing supplies, including Lowe's and Home Depot.

Here is a video that shows how I built my shelf:

You will need pipe wrenches to secure the pipes and fittings.  If you aren't familiar with using adjustable pipe wrenches, I made this video to show you how to use a pipe wrench:

You will need some tools to build your shelf including pipe wrenches and a drill with 7/8" spade bit if you plan to put the pipes through the boards. Below are some options from brands that I recommend based on my positive experience using them.

You will also need drill bits, wall anchors, and screws if you plan to attach the shelf to a wall.  I highly recommend either attaching to a stud or using hollow wall anchors like the ones I did, they are much stronger than plastic drywall anchors.   You will likely want to stain or paint your boards as well.

The other shelving unit I built was much simpler to assemble and is actually a cart with locking caster wheels.  This Amazon Basics A 4-shelf storage unit with metal wire racks on 3'' caster wheels is a great option.  Its available in multiple configurations including black or chrome silver; three, four, and five shelf configurations of various heights, and stationary or mobile units with either feet or casters.  It's quite sturdy and rated for 70 pounds per shelf.  Assembling my shelf only took about 10 minutes and didn't require any special tools.  Here is a video that shows how to assemble this shelf:

I am very happy with this shelf and how it functions as a cart as well.  It rolls very nicely, even when loaded and includes two locking casters.  This is the exact shelving unit/cart that I built: