Plans for shelving?

[western woodie]

Hi everyone,

I'm about to embark on building some built in robes ... I know how I'm going to build the hanging part of the wardrobe, relatively easy as walls on 3 sides!

I also have to build some shelves for jocks, socks, jumpers etc (more boxes that large open shelves) ... anyone have any plans on how to build simple shelving? The only sticking point is that I'm not a great fan of MDF, don't mind using it for the shelves themselves supported by "real" wood!!!!

Appreciate any help, pointers

Regards, WW

[Ozkaban]

Hi,

this might not be exactly what you are after, but following a reonvation to my house I fitted out three wardrobes with pre-cut melamine sheeting.

I ordered it from a mob in Sydney called Bills Board Factory, but these places exist all over (I initially confused Inglewood with Ingleside in syd :doh:). You just fax them the cutting list and they work it out. Everything cut perfectly, and edged on the sides you want. The only drama I had was the house wasn't as square as the boards :no:.

I put in an upright, put some cleats on the walls and then screwed/dowelled the shelves in. It was about as hard as an Ikea kit and it worked great. In hindsight I should have used two uprights as the cleats don't look that good, but they are mostly hidden by the doorframes anyway. The three wardrobes cost me a shade over $200 using 19mm melamine.
EDIT: At the time, this was the same price for the the uncut boards purhased from bunnings.

I know melamine isn't the fanciest choice, but it is smooth, the finish looks OK and it's sturdy enough. Works well enough for wardrobes.

Cheers,
Dave

[Glennet]

This is the one I'm building. Each bay will have a pair of doors. Luckily there was just enough carpet left over to line the shelves.

[Ozkaban]

That timber edging really brings it up a level or 3. Looks nice :2tsup:

[western woodie]

This is the one I'm building. Each bay will have a pair of doors. Luckily there was just enough carpet left over to line the shelves.
Glen ... looks great, how did you make the shelves themselves, just glued and screwed MDF or did you make joints etc, if so, which ones? I'm going to have the make a shelving unit that is about 2m high and 2 metrs wide and 2 depths (long story) ...

Craig

[Dengue]

Beautiful, Glenn, well done! How did you join the timber edging to the melamine? how did you get the timber to match the width of the melamine?

regards,
Jill

[Glennet]

Glen ... looks great, how did you make the shelves themselves, just glued and screwed MDF or did you make joints etc, if so, which ones? I'm going to have the make a shelving unit that is about 2m high and 2 metrs wide and 2 depths (long story) ...

Craig

Here are a couple more shots showing details plus an overall view.

The partitions, shelves etc. are melamine covered chipboard. The tassy oak edging is fitted by routing a slot along the edges of each and using a plywood tongue. I routed a few mm off the edge of the chipboard first to get rid of chips from the sawing. The timber was brought to the correct size on the thicknesser.

[GraemeCook]

My wardrobes about the same scale as Glenn's except that I used sliding doors which are much easier to fit than hinged ones. I also agree with him that melamine coated chipboard is most suitable - you do not need the weight, cost or extra strength of MDF.

Also like his sliding shelves.

I fitted 6 x 150mm drawers topped by 300mm shelves in each bay of my wardrobe. In retrospect I should have put in two more drawers (and one less shelf) in each bay. Drawers are more efficient storers. See picture:--

Cheers

Graeme

Oops! Sorry about that - do not know why the wardrobe is laying down on the job, and do not know how to fix it.

[Glennet]

except that I used sliding doors which are much easier to fit than hinged ones.

If you have a body like mine you avoid mirrors in the bedroom :o

The shelves are technically for shoes but we don't have many pairs and the chest of drawers is a future project.

[GraemeCook]

If you have a body like mine you avoid mirrors in the bedroom :o



Except the ceiling !

Beware of naked paratroopers.

[Dengue]

I have been designing my BIR for the past month, and Glen's design helped clarify my thoughts a lot. I have attached my design in case someone might be able to use some of it or get some ideas.

You will see Glen's influence. It is an unusual design in that it is for a 2700H ceiling, and does not require dual clothes rail like Glen's, as I don't need it. A 1500 long rail is adequate for my clothes.

It has two sliding doors, 2300H x 1050W. I had to be sure the overlap of these doors did not occur at a sliding shelf, or you would never be able to open it :)


regards,
Jill

[GraemeCook]

Hi Jill

As you may have guessed from the photo my ceilings are 3.35 metres. ( 11 ft vs Jill's 9 ft). The vertical dimensions of my hanging area are very similar to yours - single rail on my wife's side, double hanging on my quarter.

We also have three shelves above the hanging rail - the bottom on is used constantly, the top two hold stuff we rarely (read never) use. The doors are mirror glass with 2.4 m high mirror (mirror comes in 2.44 x 1.22 m sheets) with 90mm top and bottom rails. Exterior dimensions of the sliding doors is 2.6 x 1.0 metres, and after 15 years they are still going well.

Going ceiling height with the wardrobe simplified construction, gave us extra storage, eliminated the dust trap on top and is visually/aesthetically better, in my biased opinion.

Cheers

Graeme