I would like to put some freestanding, open-backed shelves in my basement and secure them to the concrete wall. I believe the shelves I am considering are designed to be mounted to the wall through existing holes in the frame. However, the sanitary sewer pipe runs the full length of the available wall. Freestanding shelves would be about 4.5 in (11.5 cm) away from the wall. How can I secure these shelves?
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What size holes in the frame?– JACKCommented Aug 1, 2022 at 22:49
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1Use some sort of spacer.– Hot LicksCommented Aug 1, 2022 at 23:50
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1BTW, how is the problematic pipe arranged? Does it run along the floor, diagonal across the wall, or what?– Hot LicksCommented Aug 1, 2022 at 23:52
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"freestanding" shelves... designed to be mounted to the wall... Is this mounting for earthquake-proofing or is it required for structural support?– spuckCommented Aug 1, 2022 at 23:58
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The pipe is slightly diagonal across the length of the wall (20 feet). Probably drops a foot in that length. The mounting is more me being careful that nothing ever tips over from getting bumped, bad loading, etc.– dividedCommented Aug 2, 2022 at 0:58
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2 Answers
Get some 1/4 x 20 anchors for concrete, some 1/4 x 20 threaded rod and some washers and 1/4 x 20 nuts. Install the anchors in the wall even with the holes in the shelf frames. Cut the threaded rod about three inches longer than the distance between the wall and shelf frame. On end of the rod goes into the anchor, the other end with a nut and washer through the frame and then secured with a washer and nut. Cut of the excess rod so you don't get cut with it sticking out.
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3When cutting threaded rod I like to put a nut on first. After cutting the nut should clean the cut threads up.– crip659Commented Aug 2, 2022 at 0:17
I've done similar to this for wooden free-standing shelving in a utility room [& more recently a large storage wall in a junk room], leaving space behind for pipes, access, etc.
I did it with the biggest wood screws I could find [6" 12s if I remember rightly], a length of 18mm copper pipe & some Rawlplugs [plastic solid wall anchors].
The wall changes profile so to keep the resulting structure square to the rest of the room, some lengths of pipe were an inch, some as much as 3 inches. Mark & drill the wall for each anchor point, chop a short bit of copper pipe to fit, run the screw through the pre-drilled hole in the shelf upright, through the pipe, into the Rawlplug.
Use a drill-driver to set them all at equal tension.
They've been up 20 years; solid enough to climb up [they go almost up to the ceiling]. If needed, I can take them down in 10 minutes once the shelves are cleared, if I ever need full access behind [twice in those 20 years] & put them back just as quickly.
