So I am getting started on a new project soon. Part of which involves installing floating shelves, made of reclaimed framing lumber. The architect drew them up to be installed by kerfing the back edge to accept 1/4×3.5×5 steel angle, with the wall leg of the angle to be covered by tongue and groove wainscot.
i was wondering if anyone might have some better options for this, for a couple reasons.
1. Only two of the shelves will be on walls with the wainscot, so the bottom leg will be exposed on the rest of the shelves, rendering them no longer “floating”
2. How do I make a kerf that deep?
3. Wouldn’t that be prone to splitting, making a kerf that deep into the edge grain?
any ideas would be appreciated. Thanks!
Replies
Floating shelves.
Find the studs in the wall. Dirve 1/2" lag bolts into the stud leaving enough sticking out to almost equal the width of the shelf. Cut off the heads of the bolts. Drill matching holes in the shelves. Slide them over the bolts.
Just did this myself. I used a lathe to get the holes drilled horizontally at a perfect 90 degrees. A filler is needed if the hole is not snug to the bolt, or the shelves can pull out, get sloppy and/or can drop forward at the front edge.
aaron
Mikes idea is sound. I might add this-drill out the holes in the shelf, oversized. Epoxy or use something that sticks to everything, like PL Premium to holes/headless lags to bridge the gaps and to allow you to shim level the shelf temporarily until it dries.
No one is perfect in drilling location or angle.
Thanks. I was thinking drilling the studs, and using threaded rods and epoxy. The lags should cut that work in half.
Mike and Calvinv are right
Mike and Calvin are right on. And definitely drill the mating holes in the back of the shelf oversized. It's almost impossible to get the bolts lagged in perfectly level and straight on with the holes drilled in the shelf. Use lots of adhesive, and drill the holes a bit deeper in the shelves so the adhesive doesn't all squeeze out the back onto your (unfinished?) wood.
"architect ......1/4x3.5x5
"architect ......1/4x3.5x5 steel angle.....
good grief, time for a new archy?
unless ya storing engine blocks on them shelves, ? (if so, hope you have at least 2x6 studs for 1/2" bolts)
or is that '3.5 x 5' using centimeters?
The steel angle is specced to be bolted into full depth blocking on a 2x4 wall.
I just used a piece of 6x6x1/4 angle on another project, and it took just about all I had to hold a 3 foot section up and bolt it in on my own.
one section of the shelves are designated to be patron counters(this is for a coffee shop). Wondering if she might have been nervous about people putting weight on them.
patron counters(this is for a coffee shop).
how deep a counter?
The counters are 9 1/4 deep.
Here is a drawing of the details
As in all shelf related inquiries, the first question that needs to be asked is, " what are the shelves for?" Patron counters certainly require a different design solution than does a shelf for a Barbie collection.
I think your architect is on the right track. But, since no one can usually see the bottoms of patron shelves, I'd suggest that you simply rabbet in the steel angle to the shelf stock rather than using a dado. On the walls without paneling, you can put the steel behind the sheetrock or whatever the normal wall covering is.
As to the steel rod or lag bolt idea professed by others... This being a commercial establishment you may be likely using steel studs. If so, lags aren't going to work. (I don't like the idea anyway.)
Personally, I'd rethink the reclaimed framing lumber idea and start thinking about using torsion boxes.
The walls are wood framed with 1/2 inch plywood sheeting on the interior, then covered with 5/8 drywall.
the majority of the shelves are only 4 inches deep, and are designed for displaying tea boxes, mugs, etc. there is one 10 inch deep shelf, and then the patron counter pictured above.
The drywall is already up, so burying the angle is out of the question, I feel pretty confident about the lag idea for most of the shelves, I like the idea of rabbeting the patron counters as well.
floating shelves
Hi Aaron,
We've done a bunch of these over the years. Are you the Aaron in PGH? If so, Rockler on Mcknight rd stocks the blind shelf hardware. Or you can get the hardware it online. Get some washers to shim the brackets (makes more sense when you see the hardware). Give me a call if you have any questions.
Kevin
I would just mount to the stud. Use these mantel shelf mounts.
https://rightonbracket.com/product/fireplace-mantel-bracket/
Drill a hole deep enough so the shelf sits flush with the wall. Then bam. No more worries about weight capacity and tricky lag bolts.
This bracket will require you to plaster over the wall and keep the "floating" look you want
Since drywall is up...this type of bracket would be a more expensive retrofit. But the structural concept is sound...and better than lag bolts IMO. Instead of paying $35 or so for these, just weld up some rebar to some 3/16" plate stock for a fraction of the cost. Plus the rebar will knit well with adhesive in shelf pockets.
This thread indicates the fallacy of poor planning. In this instance it would be not considering finish details during frame construction. While there is (almost) always some type of construction solution at any point in project, the most structurally sound and cost effective ones get restricted the futher down the road you get.
Since the original thread was in 2013 I feel confident that the shelves have been up for nearly 7 years and are holding just fine. I've installed lots of large, heavy mantels using cut off lags and haven't lost one yet.