Maximize my shelf's strength

Improvolone

I'm putting up some shelves, for both practical and decorative reasons. One shelf is 4ft, one is 6ft, and the last is 8ft long. The odds of me sinking both brackets of the 8fter into a stud are pretty slim I'd bet. I'll be using some nice heavy drywall anchors, but how else can I make sure the shelf won't rip out? Should the bracket be the same depth as the shelf (8 inches)? I haven't bought the brackets yet, but I've been eyeballing some iron ones, so I'm not really concerned about their strength. Should I use 3 brackets on the longer runs?

matt has a problem

8 inch brackets might be slightly long, the tips could extend a little past the shelf. 6 inch brackets should be fine though. the 4 foot is fine with 2 brackets, the 6 doesn't necessarily need 3 unless you're putting heavy things on it, but 3 wouldn't hurt, and the 8 should have 3 both for weight and to prevent the middle from sagging. As for wall anchors, use a toggle bolt if you really want to be sure the shelf won't rip out of the wall. Or just buy a stud finder, they're usually around $20, to be sure you hit a stud with each bracket.

Iron brackets are kind of overkill, the drywall would give out long before the bracket did under a heavy load.

Improvolone

Ah, but the iron backets are so pretty.

Hmm. I'm not entire sure how much stuff will be on these shelves. I know my books will be, maybe I'll just keep that heavy stuff spread about.
Hmm.... I'd love to avoid a third bracket visually, but I'd hate to have a sagging shelf.

matt has a problem

The alternative to three brackets on the 8' shelf is sort of a counterbalance with two brackets, set them both two feet in from the sides so the middle span is only 4'. You have to be careful to keep the weight on the outside of the shelf about the same as the weight in the middle though, or the shelf will either sag or flex. If iron brackets are pretty and you can afford it, go for it, nothing wrong with it being aesthetically pleasing.

proXimity

Let me tell you this- you WILL mount the brackets into the stud. Drywall is super weak, and if you put anything heavy on it, it will pull out. Finding the studs is not hard, though.

I'm assuming you're building these from scratch. What are you using as the shelf material itself? If you're using solid wood, you could probably get away with two brackets on the 8 footer, by doing what matt said, and put the two brackets closer to each other and be mostly fine. If the material is plywood or MDF, you're probably going to need more than two brackets.

PracticalProblemSolver

Improvolone wrote: »

how else can I make sure the shelf won't rip out?

Screw the brackets into studs, depending on your shelf material probably every other stud, 4' gets two, 6' and 8' gets three. Don't be that guy who puts up a shelf then someone grabs it or falls into it and rips the whole thing off the wall.

LewieP's Mummy

You can also reinforce the front of the shelves by adding a piece of 2"x1" under the front edge of the shelf, underneath it, so that the 2" side is vertical and flush with the edge of the shelf, and glue (using wood glue) and screw the 1" side to the underneath of the shelf.

Improvolone

proXimity wrote: »

Let me tell you this- you WILL mount the brackets into the stud. Drywall is super weak, and if you put anything heavy on it, it will pull out. Finding the studs is not hard, though.

I'm assuming you're building these from scratch. What are you using as the shelf material itself? If you're using solid wood, you could probably get away with two brackets on the 8 footer, by doing what matt said, and put the two brackets closer to each other and be mostly fine. If the material is plywood or MDF, you're probably going to need more than two brackets.

Pine.

RUNN1NGMAN

If you haven't bought your stuff yet, you should check out Elfa shelving. It's a little expensive, but that shit will not fall out no matter what you put on it. The way it's mounted, with the top rail and the suspended brackets gives it a lot more strength even if you don't mount it in a stud.

mts

where are the brackets in relation to the shelf? are tehy in a fixed position?

honestly i think stud finders don't work very well unless you have a high end model. i usually go with the good old thump test

Improvolone

I haven't even painted the shelves yet, let alone mounted the hardware. My initial idea was to put them on the ends of the shelf, but bumping them in on the 8fter might be a good idea. I don't see the 6, or even 8ft shelf totally loaded with books and metal statues, so this is all more precautionary than an immediate threat.

mts

for an 8ft shelf you will probably want at least 3 brackets to prevent sagging.

i would try and hit at least two studs and then use some heavy duty drywall anchors on the other. if it doesn't matter where the shelf ends up just hit the studs and make it all symmetrical

Phisti

Really really really try not to mount a shelf with just drywall anchors. Studs are your friend, find them, use them (in a non-homoerotic way, unless you are into that sort of thing).

Studs are generally 16" or 24" on centre... (usually 24" in residential construction - cheap bastard builders) so ideally a shelf would be a multiple of those lengths + a bit at either end (ie. shelf would be 8'2" long to allow end brackets to not be centred under the edge of the board).

When stud finding centre your efforts around these intervals and you are most likely to be rewarded.

Blake T

How deep is your shelf?

If you inset your supports by a foot / foot and a half and the shelf is 4/5ths of an inch you shouldn't have any noticeable sag.

But find the stud. It will solve all of your problems.

mts

Blaket wrote: »

How deep is your shelf?

If you inset your supports by a foot / foot and a half and the shelf is 4/5ths of an inch you shouldn't have any noticeable sag.

But find the stud. It will solve all of your problems.

yea. it will depend on shelf thickness and depth for how many brackets you will need. i would probably go foot and a half in, but that is just me

Improvolone

Let's say I get one 8ft bracket on a stud and am only using two brackets not offset on that shelf.
How does that sound?

Blake T

Find the other studs.

There should be at least four along an 8 foot distance.

It's now like a relationship thread where you are asking for advice and everyone is saying ask the girl out but your response is, "How about I don't and see if things get better!"

Improvolone

I'm looking at this also from a design point of view though. Aesthetically I'd rather each shelf have one bracket on each end flush with the edge.
But if I shant, I shant.