Planning Shelving
There are many forms of shelving available, some for mainly decorative effect and others that are more functional. It could be that you want to display valuable items up out of harms way, or may be you want to display books or dvd's in an alcove. Whatever the need one day you are going to require additional shelving.
There are a few things that need to be considered before buying or making your new shelves. What type of wall are the shelves being fitted on, is it brick or is it a studded wall, what is going to be stored on the shelves, take into account the size and weight of the items and also the clearance needed between additional shelves. The shelves not only need to stay up, but not sag due to the weight of the items placed upon it.
Shelves require supporting at varying distances, depending upon the material being used and the weight of the load.
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Safety
When working with MDF always wear a face mask when cutting or drilling it.
Check for electrical cables when drilling into walls.
Don't overload shelves.
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Recommended Shelf Spans |
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Material |
Thickness |
Light Load |
Medium Load |
Heavy Load |
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Chipboard |
16mm (5/8") |
750mm (2'6") |
600mm (2') |
450mm (1'6") |
| Block board |
18mm (3/4") |
800mm (2'8") |
750mm (2'6") |
700mm (2'4") |
| MDF |
18mm (3/4") |
800mm (2'8") |
750mm (2'6") |
700mm (2'4") |
| Solid wood |
18mm (3/4") |
800mm (2'8") |
750mm (2'6") |
700mm (2'4") |
| Glass |
6mm (1/4") |
700mm (2'4") |
700mm (2'4") |
700mm (2'4") |
If the wall is a solid masonry constructed wall the shelves can be fitted anywhere, but if it is a partition wall, ideally the brackets need to be fastened to the studs which make up the framework of the partition. If this is not possible due to the positioning of the studs then special fixings can be used to fasten the brackets to the plasterboard.
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Tip
When using special fixings to fasten a shelf to a plasterboard wall, take care not to put too much weight on the shelf, as it may pull the fixings through the plasterboard. |
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