Wood for Shelves

[DiscoStu]

I am sticking up some shelves in the workshop - nothing fancy, just to stick some stuff on. What's the best option in terms of strength?

MDF, Ply, Chipboard, OSB?

I doubt that MDF will be good as I've used it elsewhere and it does tend to bow! They won't be holding loads of weight, but a few bottles of car cleaning stuff and it soon mounts up. Shelves will only be around 300mm deep and 1000mm long.

Just wondered what would be best. I'm thinking ply is probably best?

 

[RobinBHM]

cheap chinese production 18mm ply would be my 1st choice -if you dont mind the odd void in the lams.

 

[JSW]

My workshop is wall to wall shelves, all made from the recycled household doors that were the bane of my life for years (damned ugly) Sapele faced egg box construction, ripped them down the length to around 13-14", then re-inserted a lath into the now open edge, glued and clamped overnight and voila, perfect shelf material.

The egg box construction maintains the rigidity, and even loaded up with tins of paint etc, they barely bow and certainly not since I have 3 to 4 brackets holding each one up.

Added bonuses are a) Free, and b) extremely light.

 

[Adam9453]

I would go with cheap 18mm ply and with a strip of timber screwed to the underside of each shelf along its length to counteract bowing.

 

[ardenwoodcraft]

+1 for the ply and bracing strip. If they don't have to look pretty there's no point in spending a fortune on them!

 

[AndyT]

I would use whatever comes to hand as salvage - floorboards, flooring chipboard, mdf, osb, ply, old door stiles - it's all useable.
If you get a bit of sag, just add a batten along one or both edges, as already suggested. Roofing battens would be ok and are cheap/common.

If you really can't find anything for free, then your best bet is probably Ikea shelving units - they will cost less than the price of the materials, with all the donkeywork done for you.

 

[DiscoStu]

Pretty much what I was thinking guys. Thanks

 

[Paddy Roxburgh]

If you really can't find anything for free, then your best bet is probably Ikea shelving units - they will cost less than the price of the materials, with all the donkeywork done for you.

Yeah, but, but, but, no

 

[thick_mike]

Try nosing around Bargain Corner at IKEA if you have one nearby. They have all sorts of quality sheet materials disguised as broken wardrobes or kitchen work surfaces. Most have a damaged inch on one corner, which is no problem for your use. I did all my kitchen work surfaces for £14.50. Really solid, good quality surfaces.

 

[John15]

Most of my shelves are treated gravel boards from the local outdoor timber merchant. They are dirt cheap and strong, and with a light pass through the planer they look fine.

John

 

[Yetty]

Scaffold Boards offer a lot of timber for the money. They're in a fairly ready to use form after removing the metal ends, and are generously thick, wide and long. Shouldn't sag too much as shelves!

Wickes sell them http://www.wickes.co.uk/Products/Building-Materials/Timber/Timber-Scaffold-Boards/c/1009002

 

[Dee J]

Solid timber has better directional strength that any sheet material - so basically planks. Old, recycled, whatever you can get.

 

[AJB Temple]

+1 for scaffold boards. Ungraded and without metal ends they are cheap and thick if you need robustness. Gravel board come in 4m lengths for about £5 each (I have just used 20 for £4.60 each). I would happily cut up a sheet of ply and if I wanted it to look pretty put an edge on it.

 

[whiskywill]

Most of my shelves are treated gravel boards from the local outdoor timber merchant. They are dirt cheap and strong, and with a light pass through the planer they look fine.

John

But, doesn't the gravel blunt the planer blades?

 

[JonnyW]

I know this is not a cheap option, but I've put up miles of block board shelving in offices on spur shelving supports. Extremely strong stuff and with good quality spur shelving, can take a tonne of weight.

Although again the spur shelving route is not your cheapest option - adjustable though.

Jonny

 

[RogerS]

Use the Sagulator to help you decide thickness, supports etc based on the loading.

 

[DiscoStu]

I did use Spur shelving and was always going to as it is flexible and strong. I also think it's not badly priced (got mine from screw fix). I ended up using some spruce boards as I happened to find some in my timber rack. Still got a load more sorting to do but it's getting there.


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[JonnyW]

I did use Spur shelving and was always going to as it is flexible and strong. I also think it's not badly priced (got mine from screw fix). I ended up using some spruce boards as I happened to find some in my timber rack. Still got a load more sorting to do but it's getting there.


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I admit it's been a long time since I stuck up spur shelving. I remember it was a horrendous price.

Regards

Jonny

 

[Setch]

Mercers and Sons are the best place for spur shelving - cheaper than anyone else I've found and quick to deliver.

 

[DiscoStu]

Screw fix was about £13 for 10 brackets and £9 for two 1.5 meter spur. So pretty reasonable in my book? You get pretty good discount for quantity aswell.


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