Hi,
I'm looking to put together some scaffold board shelves in an alcove next to the fireplace in our living room - similar to this one http://www.rosesandrolltops.co.uk/2015/02/makeover-scaffold-board-shelves.html - however the alcove is a bit deeper than that one, so it will require double the depth of one scaffold board.
I've got two questions about it, and would appreciate advice!
1. Would wood glue suffice to stick them together and hold weight of its contents?
2. How would you go about attaching them to the walls? I really like the finish they've got on the above link, with the metal end plates being used as brackets, and I'd really like to do that or something similar, but it might not be possible with the double depth. Someone with more creativity and expertise may have an idea though!
Thanks in advance,
Jack
Are you a tradesperson and able to answer this question?
Hi Jack,
Usually to double the depth ie joining two boards would require the boards to be joined using biscuit joints. If the shelves are to hold a significant weight I would also reinforce the underside with a couple of slat battens. Hope this is of help
Answered12 January 2018
0
Anonymous user
Glue to hold them together would be potentially unsafe as it would need a really good glue and a lot of pressure to make them stay together.
If you want to go down this route I would use an adhesive called, 'Sticks Like Sh*t', honestly, it is! Then use some ratchet straps to get the pressure to hold them together and keep them together for at least 24hrs.
As for holding them to the wall, I advise against trying to use the metal bands if you want to put any weight on them. The bands are soft and easy to deform, they are only to protect the timber where it's cut.
The best way to attach them might be to use floating shelf type systems or to use some angle iron that looks suitably rustic/industrial.
You could use threaded bar or perhaps put metal bar into the wall as a biscuit and biscuit the boards onto that...
Hi Jack. The professional way to achieve what you want is to thickness, edge and join the boards using a router. Biscuit joints and glue don't give a true finish and leave the boards out of alignment. You can choose your style of finish from staining, washing or varnishing, but from the picture you like I'd say go with stain and oil. The metal edges can easily be removed and re-fixed by any professional and you can get floating shelf fixings which are easily compatible with this type of timber. Hope this helps.
Dean.
It does not matter if the two boards are jointed together in terms of taking the load you want to put on the shelves. The strength of each board will take the load put on it or spread across the two boards. The issue is if the boards deflect (bend) unevenly and this makes them look untidy. One way to solve this is simply to use the same type of brackets the article recommends to keep the boards straight along the wall but doubled up and reversed so that each pair binds the boards together. I would be cautious about using simply the metal bands screwed and plugged to the wall and then screwed to the board to take all the load. You would have to make sure they were never used for anything heavy duty like books. As a carpenter I would be uncomfortable doing any job that looked stronger than it was. Good house are built to last over 100 years and the best last more than 500. If you move out and the new occupants decide to use them as bookshelves then they might just fall down.
