# Box shelf. What do you think of this design?



## milkman (14 Feb 2012)

shelf.jpg by markuspalarkus, on Flickr

Hello all, I'm making some box shelfs that need to take books. They'll be fixed along one side and the back, into brick wall.

I was going to use studs as well, tensioned at the front to try and beef up the stiffness and wondered what people thought of the design. The top and bottom 'skins' are going to be glued and pinned, the back and side baton screwed to the wall and the studs will I think use anchors, not sure yet but I'd really welcome any ideas.

I had thought of those proprietary fixings from hafele but they don't look long enough for these shelves.

Anyhow, hope this is of interest or worthy of comment. 
Thanks

Marko


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## Shultzy (15 Feb 2012)

Looks ok. I would miss out the centre rail and put the cross rails in at 300mm intervals. I would rout a groove in the cross rails and put them over the top of the studs. I'm assuming you will lip the front and side edges, if so make sure the nuts are nyloc so they won't come loose.


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## milkman (16 Feb 2012)

Thanks Shultzy,
Impatience got the better of me and I started but am doing one as a run through then two more if it comes out okay so will ditch the middle rail for those. Liking the crossrail groove idea. Time to get the router out then!

I'll update this as a work through in case it's of use to people.

Mark


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## Jacob (16 Feb 2012)

I'd miss out the cross rails as they add nothing to the strength, but include the middle lengthways piece.
You wouldn't need to pin them so firmly to the wall unless this is a really heavy load bearing scenario. It looks bomb proof already. Just end supports would do it, like any other shelf. 
It's only a shelf, not a motorway bridge!


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## Hudson Carpentry (16 Feb 2012)

If this is going to be ash veneered then surely it would be far less hassle, quicker, stronger and cost the same or less if you used real ash!! A sheet of 6mm veneered MDF will be more then real ash.

When I have done floating shelfs I have always used solid timber, used 10mm steal rods drilled into the bricks or studs.


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## milkman (17 Feb 2012)

Ash cheaper than veneered MDF? Mdf sheet was about £30 if I remember right. Also I don't have the capabilty to dimension sawn stuff.

Well any way its started now.

M8 studs won't be very stiff over 280mm so I want them in tension via the locknuts The cross pieces are to counteract the tension from the studs. Its supposed to be carrying books so the tension on the studs will produce a fair amount of bend in the rails.

I've only made a floating shelf within an alcove before whereas this one is unsupported at one end hence angst about how strong it will be.

Now I think about it stiffness in the width will be important so I'll definately go for the full width cross pieces and groove.


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## Hudson Carpentry (17 Feb 2012)

milkman":2uk9tw8n said:


> Ash cheaper than veneered MDF? Mdf sheet was about £30 if I remember right. Also I don't have the capabilty to dimension sawn stuff.



Certainly even if you brought it PAR. you need 2.5 meters of 1-1/2x6" or for better stability 4m of 1-1/2x4". You will not pay £30 for it even PAR. Ash is one of the cheaper hardwoods and is around the same price as Redwood (softwood largely used for building construction).


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## milkman (17 Feb 2012)

That’s worth knowing, its natural to think of any hardwood being on a scale of expensive to very expensive! cheers!


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## Hudson Carpentry (18 Feb 2012)

milkman":3p1fri0h said:


> That’s worth knowing, its natural to think of any hardwood being on a scale of expensive to very expensive! cheers!



Yes. its even more thinkable when you see the list prices in cubic which can make the list price £1000's. Saying that my local timber yard charges £11 for a meter of 2x2 Oak Air dried, these kind of places can put you off. I pay less than half that for Kiln Dried and so will most on here.


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## woodaxed (24 Feb 2012)

Im just wondering if the end will sag after a while with books on it, I dont know to much about this type of work so was asking as much to learn from it


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## milkman (26 Jun 2013)

UPDATE: This fell by the wayside but have finally finished and fitted these, more on them here:

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/advice-needed-on-an-unobtanium-fixing-t71487.html


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