Installing garage shelving is three jobs done in order: plan the layout (measure the wall you can really use and pick a 0.5m or 0.6m depth that lets the car doors open), assemble each bay, then anchor tall bays to the floor or wall before loading the heaviest items low. Steel Power shelving uses bolted upright frames with clip-in beams locked by safety pins, and the official instruction video and PDF are on the instruction page.
This guide walks through each stage with the real sizes and ratings from the Steel Power range, so you can plan once and build once. Prices are as at 31/10/2026.
Shop the range: single shelving bays · connecting shelving runs · installation service
Step 1: Plan the layout before you buy
Most installation problems start at the tape measure, not the spanner. A wall that looks like it holds three bays often holds two once you allow for the meter box, hot water unit, internal door swing, roller-door track and the arc of the car doors. Our guide to measuring a single or double garage covers the full method; the short version is:
- Measure with the car parked where it normally sits. Open the doors fully and mark the floor at their widest point. The gap between that mark and the wall decides your maximum shelf depth.
- Measure the wall at shelf height, not along the skirting, and mark every fixture with its height as well as its position.
- Look up. Check the ceiling height at the wall and where the roller door and motor sit when the door is open before choosing a 1.8m, 2.0m or 2.4m unit.
- Plan in straight runs. Each bay needs its full length on one wall; a bay cannot wrap around a corner.
Choose depth, height and length from real bay sizes
| Depth | Rated load (as listed) | Heights | Bay lengths | Frame steel (as listed) | Price (as at 31/10/2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.5m | 200kg per shelf, evenly distributed (800kg per 4-shelf bay) | 1.8m, 2.0m | 1.2m, 1.5m, 2.0m | Uprights and beams 0.6mm, panels 0.4mm | from $99.99 |
| 0.6m | 300kg per shelf, evenly distributed (1200kg per 4-shelf bay) | 1.8m, 2.0m, 2.4m | 1.2m, 1.5m, 2.0m | Uprights and beams 0.7mm, panels 0.4mm | from $165 |
As a rule of thumb, use 0.5m-deep bays on a wall you only walk past and 0.6m-deep bays on a wall you stand and work at. That extra 100mm is often what decides whether a car door still clears the uprights. If one wall needs more than a single bay, a connecting run lets neighbouring bays share uprights, which the product pages note reduces the number of uprights needed for a long line of shelving.
Step 2: Check the floor and the wall
Shelving is only as stable as what it stands on and what it is tied back to. Before assembly:
- Check the slab for level and fall. Put a spirit level along the line where the feet will sit. If the floor falls towards the door, plan to pack the low feet with thin steel or plastic shims so all four feet bear evenly.
- Find your fixing points. For a brick or concrete wall you will need masonry anchors; for a timber-framed, plasterboard-lined wall, locate the studs with a detector and mark them at the height you will brace to. Never rely on plasterboard alone.
- Keep services clear. Leave the meter box, switchboard, power points and taps accessible once the shelves are loaded.
Step 3: Assemble each bay
Steel Power shelving is built as bolted upright frames with clip-in beams locked by safety pins. The installation instructions set out three stages:
- Bolt the frames. Bolt the cross braces to the legs to form the two upright frames, using the bolts and nuts supplied. The instructions list 20 nuts and bolts per unit.
- Clip in the beams and place the shelves. Clip the beams into the slots on the uprights, then place the shelf panels on the beams.
- Lock every beam with safety pins. Insert the safety pins through the beams and legs so each beam is locked in place.
A few habits make the job smoother. Unpack everything and check it against the parts list in the instructions before you start. Assemble close to the bay's final position, because a fully built unit is awkward to carry. A second person helps hold the upright frames while the first beams go in. Once the bay is standing, check it is level and plumb, re-check that the frame bolts are tight, and confirm every beam has its safety pins before anything goes on the shelves. The shelving and workbench installation page has the video and both instruction PDFs.
Adjusting shelf heights later
Because the beams clip into slots rather than being fixed permanently, shelf heights stay adjustable after installation. Unload the shelf, remove the safety pins, move the beam to the new slots, and re-insert the pins before loading it again.
Step 4: Anchor tall bays before loading
The most common shelving accident at home is not a shelf failing but a loaded bay tipping forward when someone pulls a heavy box off a high shelf. Our step-by-step guide to anchoring steel shelving to a concrete floor or wall covers fixings in detail. In summary:
- Check the height-to-depth ratio. A widely used rule of thumb is to anchor any freestanding unit taller than about four times its depth. A 2.0m bay at 0.5m deep is 4:1; a 2.4m bay at 0.6m deep is also 4:1.
- Floor anchoring uses masonry anchors rated for concrete through the foot holes, with the front feet the priority.
- Wall bracing ties the top of the frame back to studs or masonry with a bracket or strap when you cannot drill the slab. Long connecting runs can be tied back at several points.
- Buy fixings to suit your floor or wall. The package contents listed on the product pages cover the uprights, beams, shelf panels, safety pins and bolt-and-nut set, not floor or wall anchors.
Step 5: Load it the right way
Per-shelf ratings assume the weight is spread evenly across the whole shelf. Steel Power lists 200kg per shelf on 0.5m-deep bays and 300kg per shelf on 0.6m-deep bays; check the listing for the exact unit you buy. Put the heaviest items on the lowest shelves, spread weight across the full shelf rather than piling it at one end, and keep the top shelf for light, bulky things you use occasionally. For how per-shelf and whole-unit figures relate, see our explainer on per-shelf vs total-unit load ratings.
Prefer someone else to install it?
Steel Power lists an installation service in two regions. The Shelf Installation Service is charged per bay, from $40 (as at 31/10/2026), with options for Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast or Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, ground floor or upstairs; the listed options include rubbish removal. Longer runs have their own listings: Connecting Shelf Installation from $75 (as at 31/10/2026) and Connecting Shelf & Workbench Installation from $85 (as at 31/10/2026), both charged per unit. Choose the option that matches your area and floor level when ordering.
Shop the range
- Single shelving bays: 0.5m-deep from $99.99 and 0.6m-deep from $165 (as at 31/10/2026).
- Heavy-duty shelving for working walls and heavier loads.
- Connecting shelving runs for long walls.
- Extra shelves and uprights if you want more levels later.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Steel Power shelving bolted?
Yes. The upright frames are bolted: the cross braces bolt to the legs with the supplied bolts and nuts. The beams then clip into the slots on the uprights and are locked with safety pins.
Do I need to anchor garage shelving?
Anchoring is the surest way to stop a loaded bay tipping. As a rule of thumb, anchor any unit taller than about four times its depth, and it is worth anchoring any bay in a garage that children use. Use masonry anchors in concrete, or brace the top of the frame back to studs or masonry.
What if my garage floor is not level?
Some garage slabs fall slightly towards the door. Shim the low feet with thin steel or plastic packers so all four feet bear evenly, then check the uprights are plumb before tightening and loading.
How do I change shelf heights after it is built?
Unload the shelf, remove its safety pins, move the beam to the new slots and re-insert the pins. Do this one level at a time and never with weight on the shelf.
Which depth should I choose for a garage with a car in it?
Measure from the wall to the widest point of the fully opened car doors. On walls you only walk past, 0.5m-deep bays usually leave more door room; on a wall you work at, 0.6m deep gives a bigger shelf and a higher listed rating of 300kg per shelf.
Can someone install it for me?
Yes, in the listed service areas. The per-bay installation service covers Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sunshine Coast, and Sydney, Newcastle and Wollongong, from $40 per bay (as at 31/10/2026), with separate listings for connecting runs and shelving-and-workbench systems.