Supporting shelves in a cabinet

[bodgermatic]

So I've charged ahead and built myself into a corner, so to speak I've constructed the cupboards below from 18mm MR MDF, supported by 40mm framing. I wasn't particularly confident about building the face frame and then offering it up, so I built it as I went along, screwing it to the framing from the face (hence the filler). The good news is that everything is square and level, the bad news is that I've realised that I don't really have a plan for supporting the shelves that go in the left hand cupboard. I get the creeping feeling that I should have planned for this, and that I've made life more difficult for myself. The shelf span is 650mm and the shelves are 18mm MDF as well. I've seen these at Screwfix, but they look a bit weedy, and they'd require me to drill 3 (5?) holes level around the inside of the cupboards.

 

[Chems]

Pocket hole screws on the shelfs would do the trick. Do it from above and you can fill your holes. There is a thread in General section about the strength of pocket hole screws, I can attest for the strength of them as well. HTH!

 

[matt]

I use the metal pegs (similar to the Screwfix concept but just straight lengths of metal peg). Drill a series of holes using a template and you're away.

The template I use is made of perspex. I mark up the position of the first hole and score a straight line then drill the first hole, hold the template in place with one of the aforementioned pegs, drill the hole at the other end of the template and hold it in place with a second peg, then drill all the holes inbetween. I then move the template along to do further holes if necessary, using the last peg from the previous series as a hold for the template. Repeat exactly the same method for each set, ensuring the position of the first hole is in exactly the same place, and they'll all be on a level, even if the spacing of your holes in the template are not exact.

(PS. I use a cobalt drill with a depth stop - it's fast and clean. Also... if you use a similar method for an adjacent cupboard space, don't forget to position the holes fore or aft of the holes "next door")

 

[Tony Spear]

You could use simple hardwood battens with the shelves sitting on top.

As the carcass is MDF you'd need to drill through from the outside so you can screw through into the battens, countersink and fill exactly as you've done for the carcass.

 

[joiner_sim]

Would a bookcase strip not be the answer?

http://www.screwfix.com/cats/A333041/Ir ... ase-Strips

 

[bodgermatic]

Thanks for the sugestions, guys. I think I'm leaning towards metal pegs for support, I don't anticipate moving the shelves at all, and I think they'll be the least visible means of support. That said, if I were doing this before I'd assembled the cab (as I should have :roll: ), I'd definitely be using the shelf strips.

 

[joiner_sim]

One of my workmates you can buy the shelf strips that dont have to be fitted flush, just then its a case of notching out and around the strip.... :roll: