Library shelves

[iublue]

I am going to be making some shelving units for a library. They want adjustable shelves. I am not comfortable using pins because of the weight factor loaded with books. Thought about routing a groove and using shelf standards like these.

http://www.rockler.com/brass-shelf-stand...ect-length

Do they make a heavier duty version without going the commercial route?

Any other options?

TIA

[Admiral]

Sort of not the answer to your question, but the issue with shelving, in my experience, is not whether you use pins (or pins with wide flats) or inset standards like you link, but in the construction of the shelf itself. Span can't be too wide, width has to be snug to both interior sides, and you have to stiffen the shelf with a frontpiece, presuming you are using plywood, and even if you're using solid stock for the shelving (and in cases with large spans, a backpiece). I've built a half dozen shelving units, some in place for over 20 years, full of hardcover books, using pins, with no failures or deflections. Right now I'm looking at the built-ins in my study that are 15 years old, chock full of books, and the pinned shelving is still straight as the day it was made.

[cputnam]

What is your span width? What kind of wood? Do the shelves have support edging; if so how deep?

[Guest]

You don't need anything stronger than the adjustable shelf standards you linked. I have used a lot of those over the years and I've never had an overload failure. There are two built-in shelf units in my den. The shelves are 54" wide and are supported by the adjustable standards exactly like the ones you linked. They are loaded with books/magazines edge-to-edge and have never sagged or failed. The shelves are made of 3/4" plywood with a 2" hardwood strip glued and nailed to he front edge for rigidity. They have worked fine for 25 years.

[fredhargis]

I had a bookcase with 48" shelves and used those brass standards you linked, never had a problem and my wife has quite a book collection. With a 48" wide shelf, I also put one of those standards centered along the back (the front edge had a 1 1/2" x 3/4" edge to stiffen it, shelves were 3/4" plywood) and we used it for over 10 years before I built a smaller replacement. No sag, no failure. That said, I've never had a problem with the shelf pins either, but I've never had a shelf wider than 36" on them.

[MichaelMouse]

Most library shelves are 24 or 30 inches. No real reinforcement needed at 24 with 3/4 stock. Think that, and the fact that stock comes 4 or 8 foot making no waste are valid design criteria.

[barryvabeach]

First, make sure you consult the sagulator http://www.woodbin.com/calcs/sagulator/
second, even the pins would work, since if the shelfs are a tight fit, the shelf pins bear mostly shear loads - meaning that for the shelf to fall, it would have to cut through the shelf pin like a shear cutting through metal.

[Cooler]

Just an observation from my experience in Barnes and Noble. All the fixtures seem to have been stained with gel stain. Anywhere there is any wear the light wood color shows through.

I would suggest a penetrating stain, or a penetrating stain plus gel to avoid that.

I built a "free lending library" bookcase for the local Starbucks. I used melamine particle board. Despite the fact that I used rather robust construction, and the melamine finish, the edges took a beating and the bottom 4" of the unit is slightly damaged from the mopping and (I guess kicking). I would definitely make a riser of some sort, like the kick panel on kitchen cabinets to protect the bottom of the book case. I would check the vacuum cleaner that they use to be sure they can get under the lower shelf or the vacuum will damage the shelf.

I doubt that you can ever make a bookcase for a public environment that will fully stand up to the abuse, and the more you try the more it will look like it belongs it Walmart.

[KC]

IMO the 'spoon' type pins will hold whatever you want to put on the shelves, and look way better (again IMO). If using the pins, get the little insert collar thingies for a more finished look and tighter fit of the pins.

[Lynden]

You could make or buy sawtooth shelf supports. I like the look.

https://www.google.com/search?client=saf...h+shelf+support