Ready to hire?
Post your job in minutes, browse real reviews and choose who to speak to.Post a jobNeed some tips or advice?
Ask a questionCarpentry & Joinery
What’s the thinnest an alcove bookshelf be?
Anonymous user 09/03/2024 - 3.19 PM
I’d like alcove shelves to hold mainly books but also ornaments etc but have told they need to be fairly chunky to support the weight or else there will be bowing Alcove is 120cm wide and proposed shelves are 6.5cm height and 36cm depth Would prefer something slimmer But told not poss
Are you a tradesperson and able to answer this question?
4 Answers
Anonymous user
As thin as the books you wish to put on it
Answered23 February 2021
0
dg carpentry
Rating: 5 out of 5
Shelves can be as thin as you want them with 65mm thickness you have no worries.
Answered23 February 2021
0
Archer Furniture
Rating: 5 out of 5
Hi, The thickness you mentioned is good, but it depends on the supports for the shelves and the material too.
In an alcove the heavily books or load are best toward the ends of the shelves rather than the middle, this means you will need a support at the ends (into the wall or underneath), I would put a support to the back edge too. This would help prevent the shelf from sagging.
The span is not excessive, but you may find the weight the shelf itself at that thickness causes the shelf to sag, even without load.
We often make alcove shelves, but depending on the dimensions the shelves are made up in a different way to a single plank, to resist sagging and help spread the loading.
Answered24 February 2021
0
Anonymous user
True, is dependent on width of biggest book not the depth of alcove. As for thickness 65mm is huge, I’ve got 38 x 250 planed redwood shelves @ 1.2m long and they’ve not bowed in 15yrs
Answered25 February 2021
0