How To Remove Cabinet Shelves Held With Plastic Shelf Lock Supports

Locking shelf supports have a flat, bendable flap that prevents upward movement of the shelf, making it more secure than old-style pegs with no locking feature. Freeing the shelf ends from the supports is simple but sometimes can be tricky. The key is to unlock one clip at a time while maintaining upward pressure on the shelf. A helper can make things even easier.

Step 1

Grasp the shelf and shift it to one side as far as possible. This should open up a slight gap on the opposite end of the shelf.

Step 2

Apply upward pressure to the shelf with your hand, on the side with the gap.

Step 3

Depress the vertical tab on one of the shelf supports, using your finger or a screwdriver or similar tool, while maintaining upward pressure on the shelf.

Step 4

When the shelf slips up past the tab, continue to hold pressure so that it doesn't slip back down and lock again.

Step 5

Unlock the other tab on the same end of the shelf, maintaining upward pressure. The end of the shelf should slip up past the two supports. Angle the shelf upward and slide the other end out of its supports. Remove the shelf from the cabinet diagonally.

The inside faces of your cabinet should have two sets of vertical holes, about 1 inch apart, on both sides. Select the desired height for the shelf based on the holes.

Step 1

Insert a locking shelf support into the hole nearest the chosen height. The vertical tab of the shelf support should be pointing down.

Step 2

Count the number of holes under the support. Using that number, insert supports into the other lines of holes, matching the numbers so that the pegs are level with one another.

Step 3

Insert the shelf into the cabinet diagonally, above the shelf supports. Fit one end of the shelf into the supports on one side of the cabinet, then lower the other end onto its supports until the shelf locks into place. You'll likely hear a click as the locking tabs pop out above the shelf.