Heavy Duty Shelves in a Garden Shed

[wizer]

Well, I say garden shed, it's actually a 'summer house' but same construction.

I want to turn it into a wood store. But when clearing it out earlier I found that the framework is a little on the flimsy side. Seeing as I had some shelves fail on me last week, I was wondering on the best way to beef up the framework. Should I just screw thicker timber to the uprights and\or add noggins? How chunky ? I'm using those metal adjustable bracket thingies.

 

[chris_d]

Hi wizer,

I might be being stupid but I can't visualise what you are working with. Are you using the frame of the summer house itself to support a rail and bracket shelf system or are you talking about strengthening a stand-alone shelf unit that just happens to live in the summer house?

Cheers,
C

 

[Benchwayze]

Wizer,

Were I considering storing timber across bearers I would be inclined to build a stand alone system, with hardwood bearers captured between double uprights,

I don't have sketchup so the best way I can explain is:

Have the rear uprights vertical and the front uprights sloping back (I.e. wider at the bottom than the top.) You could also make the bearers adjustable up and down by drilling holes and using coach bolts as pegs.

HTH

John

 

[wizer]

Thanks guys. I was actually talking about beefing up the summer house's framework to take metal adjustable shelving (does that stuff have a name?). A stand alone system is possible but I think it's a bit overkill for what I want to store and might take up more room than I'd like.

I'll take some pics tomorrow to illustrate what I'm talking about.

 

[chris_d]

I understand now. Provided that the studs of the existing framework are restrained at both ends and the shelving risers (metal strip with the array of holes) are fixed to the shallowest face of the studs then the moment induced by the loaded shelves will be easily resisted. If they aren't restrained then there isn't much point in attaching sturdier timber uprights to them.

Noggins will provide lateral resistance and might be useful in the scenario where the shelves are fully loaded and you accidentally knock or push them along their length.

However, I'd be more paranoid about the pull-out stength of the screws that you propose to use to attach the risers, since these will have the greatest effect in countering the moment. If your studs are either 4x2 or 3x2 then you can use 3"+ screws which will be fine.

Good luck,
C

 

[wizer]

the frame work is more like 20mm x 40mm

 

[matt]

metal adjustable shelving (does that stuff have a name?).

Spur is the brand for the original metal bracket shelving. Lots of copies these days and other variations.

My garden shed is really awful quality and I would not hang on the sides. All the shelving sits on the floor so all the force is downward. Have you considered old shop fittings? The ones where the shelves are adjustable in the way that you want but uprights etc are all mounted on a freestanding unit? Like this.

 

[chris_d]

I see your predicament now! Definitely add larger studs (min 3x2), fixing them to the plinth, eaves plate and existing studs. Although you've got me worried now that the structure of the summer house may not be rigid enough to take such a high load on one wall - it could have the effect of trying to push the summer house over. May be the free standing option is better.

 

[wizer]

yep makes complete sense. I'll still put the shelves up but not load them with nearly half of what I was. When I get some time later in the year, I'll make a proper free-standing 'solution'

Cheers chaps.