Get matched with top closet pros in Gallipolis Ferry, WV

The differences between a built-in closet and a walk-in aren’t that different from a built-in wardrobe and a walk-in closet. It’s fairly simple—a walk-in closet is a closet you can physically enter, stand in, and walk around in. A built-in (whether wardrobe or closet) is more akin to covered shelves installed into a recess in the wall. Another big difference is walk-in closets almost always have traditional full-size doors, while built-ins either have no doors or use sliding doors.

You can budget a little less money for how to build a closet with wire shelves than with wood shelves. Some people don’t like the aesthetics that wire shelves provide, though, meaning they’ll gladly spend a little more to add wood shelves to the build. If you decide to buy pre-made wire shelves instead of building custom-sized wood shelves, you’ll be restricted in the closet shelving dimensions you can use.

If you’re on a tight budget, the least expensive material you can buy for DIY closet shelves is chipboard, a.k.a. particle board. This inexpensive material is made from a pulp of sawdust, resin, and glue that’s pressed together under high temperature and pressure. As you can imagine, it’s not very sturdy and might buckle under your blue jean collection, so you should only use it if you’re storing very light items. 

How many days it takes to remodel a closet will also depend on the scale of the project. Small changes like installing a prefab kit will eat up an afternoon and no more, while a total renovation could require several days to a week. If you’re planning for the latter, plan to secure other sleeping arrangements while construction is ongoing.