Ask The Trades - Floating Shelves......Again ?!

Mr_Mike

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Floating Shelves......Again ?!
Sep 28^th, 2006, 2:37pm

Hi all & particularly Jasonb if his brains are around to be picked so to speak....

O.K. I have a customer that wants 2 x 3600mm shelves at almost ceiling height either side of her hallway. 25mm MDF, paperback deep and no brackets on show. One wall is brick, the other studwork. The shelves are just to take paperback books.

Have read several threads, particularly from Jasonb, outlining his method of bedding M12 threaded rod say 4" to 6" into a 14mm hole in the wall and say 2/3rd's into the shelf itself....eh voila, floating shelves. They look great & I've made floating shelves for alcove spaces, but not using threaded rod & not 3.6m long before.....

My questions are :

1/ for 25mm MDF would you recommend 8, 10 or 12mm steel rods ? I don't have a drill press but have a drill guide.....and errr....my super chippy skills to ensure the holes are drilled square !?

2/ what resin do you recommend to bond the rods in with.....? how long does it take to go off ?

3/ for ease of fitting them and machining them to size, I was thinking of 3 x 1200mm shelves (to make the 3600mm). Would 2 x rods per shelf suffice ? Also, am concerned about getting all 3 perfectly flush in a row, with no gaps. Any advice there (apart from making sure all holes are drilled spot on square / level and the rods are bedded in perfectly level ?) Was thinking of a simple 2x4 jig with 2 holes for the drilling, but if the hole in the wall is to be made 2mm bigger than the rod (presumably for the resin), would that not make it more difficult to get the rods perfectly level ? Would I be better going for a 2.4m & 1.2m length together ?

Would this be safe enough for the studwall too ?

Questions, questions..... Smiley

All methods and advice appreciated !

Cheers....Mike

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jasonB GDPR opt-out	Re: Floating Shelves......Again ?! Reply #1 - Sep 28^th, 2006, 4:35pm See reply on SF Forum J
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TIMBA-WOLF Board Moderator Offline Timba-Wolf..... Var@*sh, should be banned!! Posts: 7158 Total Thanks: 15 For This Post: 0 KENT,(under a tree!!!!) United Kingdom Gender: Trade: Joiner	Re: Floating Shelves......Again ?! Reply #2 - Sep 28^th, 2006, 5:11pm OI!! JB , NO SWEARING this is the public section!! Quote: See reply on SF Forum LOL
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jasonB GDPR opt-out Total Thanks: 15 For This Post: 0	Re: Floating Shelves......Again ?! Reply #3 - Sep 28^th, 2006, 5:47pm I'm more worried about being known as an expert on floaters Jason
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Mr_Mike GDPR opt-out Total Thanks: 15 For This Post: 0	Re: Floating Shelves......Again ?! Reply #4 - Sep 28^th, 2006, 5:48pm Thanks for your help JB. Have replied on the SF forum
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Mr_Mike GDPR opt-out Total Thanks: 15 For This Post: 0	Re: Floating Shelves......Again ?! Reply #5 - Sep 28^th, 2006, 6:23pm ....just a thought.....do you think think the 6-12-6mm laminate will be strong enough from the 6mm point of view ? She's pretty adamant she doesn't want the shelves more than 25mm thick. I guess with an even load it should be fine......right ? Just call me Mr Worry
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jasonB GDPR opt-out Total Thanks: 15 For This Post: 0	Re: Floating Shelves......Again ?! Reply #6 - Sep 28^th, 2006, 6:39pm The 6/12/6 will possibly be a bit stronger than solid 25mm, you are basically making a torsion box. You can always run the sizes through the sagulator Jason
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Mr_Mike GDPR opt-out Total Thanks: 15 For This Post: 0	Re: Floating Shelves......Again ?! Reply #7 - Sep 28^th, 2006, 7:28pm Hmmm....have driven myself potty before with that 'sagulator' matrix.... Will put together a mock-up and see how it get's on
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sg123

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Re: Floating Shelves......Again ?!
Reply #8 - Dec 3^rd, 2008, 7:26pm

Hi Jason B,

You mentioned in answer to Mike's floating shelf enquiry that the answers were on the SF forum - do you know how I get there as I would like to use the same method to put some up.

Steve

Quote:

Hi all & particularly Jasonb if his brains are around to be picked so to speak....

O.K. I have a customer that wants 2 x 3600mm shelves at almost ceiling height either side of her hallway. 25mm MDF, paperback deep and no brackets on show. One wall is brick, the other studwork. The shelves are just to take paperback books.

Have read several threads, particularly from Jasonb, outlining his method of bedding M12 threaded rod say 4" to 6" into a 14mm hole in the wall and say 2/3rd's into the shelf itself....eh voila, floating shelves. They look great & I've made floating shelves for alcove spaces, but not using threaded rod & not 3.6m long before.....

My questions are :

1/ for 25mm MDF would you recommend 8, 10 or 12mm steel rods ? I don't have a drill press but have a drill guide.....and errr....my super chippy skills to ensure the holes are drilled square !?

2/ what resin do you recommend to bond the rods in with.....? how long does it take to go off ?

3/ for ease of fitting them and machining them to size, I was thinking of 3 x 1200mm shelves (to make the 3600mm). Would 2 x rods per shelf suffice ? Also, am concerned about getting all 3 perfectly flush in a row, with no gaps. Any advice there (apart from making sure all holes are drilled spot on square / level and the rods are bedded in perfectly level ?) Was thinking of a simple 2x4 jig with 2 holes for the drilling, but if the hole in the wall is to be made 2mm bigger than the rod (presumably for the resin), would that not make it more difficult to get the rods perfectly level ? Would I be better going for a 2.4m & 1.2m length together ?

Would this be safe enough for the studwall too ?

Questions, questions..... Smiley

All methods and advice appreciated !

Cheers....Mike

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Dolallytap GDPR opt-out Total Thanks: 15 For This Post: 0	Re: Floating Shelves......Again ?! Reply #9 - Dec 4^th, 2008, 2:58pm A guide to Floating shelf construction
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jasonB GDPR opt-out Total Thanks: 15 For This Post: 0	Re: Floating Shelves......Again ?! Reply #10 - Dec 4^th, 2008, 5:52pm Screwfix thread as follows http://www.screwfix.com/talk/thread.jspa?forumID=22&threadID=44696&messageID=456... Jason
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