32
votes
Accepted
How can I prevent the nuts in my shelving from coming loose?
If you use a product known generically as anaerobic thread locker, you will prevent the rotation of the fastener unless it is done by a wrench. Locktite™ is one such brand name, although many other ...
- 10.7k
31
votes
Accepted
How to remove a shelf fastener with a round head and no slot
That's an expanding plug anchor as is commonly supplied by closet system manufacturers. Pull the nail out by the head (a locking plier works well), then pull the plastic plug out.
Here's a ...
- 129k
31
votes
How do I make around-the-room shelves for a seriously skewed room?
The Easy Way
Fortunately, you're holding up a model train, not an actual train, so you can take some liberties.
The hard part is following the rounded, off-square corners; the easy way to work ...
- 25k
24
votes
How do I know whether a bookcase will rack/sag/twist if hung using butt hinges as a (non-secret) "door"?
Do you really think that will work?
Imagine you took the same model of bookcase, and screwed it to the wall edge-on* by driving screws through one sidewall of the bookcase into a vertical stud/...
23
votes
Closet system to be installed - boards in the way
Those 2x4's are almost certainly the remnants of a previous shelf support and are certainly not structural elements.
You can safely remove them.
- 6,273
23
votes
How do I make around-the-room shelves for a seriously skewed room?
You don't. You transfer cut marks.
You don't need to make a paper plan of your cuts. Just lay the shelves on each wall.
Don't attempt to span a whole wall with 1 shelf board, it should always be ...
23
votes
Accepted
Floor-to-ceiling bookshelf before or after carpet?
Before. I have done both and you can certainly do it either way but it is easier (and cheaper) more sturdy to fasten and shim the bottom to the floor without carpet in the way and because of the ...
- 47.8k
21
votes
Wall shelves, hooks, other wall-mounted things, without drilling? Double-sided tape maybe?
For lighter loads, I've become fond of 3M's "command" adhesive strips. These are designed to both hold well and release easily (though you do need to leave the pull-tab exposed to get that ...
- 27.5k
20
votes
Accepted
Did I make a major mistake on my garage shelves?
"Structural" applies to load-bearing walls and the like. I think you're safe. From what i can tell in the picture, unless you're storing engine blocks on them, you should be fine.
- 364
20
votes
Will floating pantry shelves built with 2x2s be ok?
"In a pantry" indicates that they could be hold up piles of plates and glasses, or 5-10 pound bags of flour, sugar, potatoes, etc, or just cans of soup or vegetables. That will, pretty ...
- 43.1k
19
votes
Wall shelves, hooks, other wall-mounted things, without drilling? Double-sided tape maybe?
The simplest solution to "shelves over a desk without drilling the wall" is a freestanding shelf - either supported directly by the desk surface, or from the floor just outside the edges of ...
- 201k
17
votes
Built-In Shelves/Bookcases - IKEA vs Built
I have experience with both. I'll try to answer your bullets and then some other thoughts.
Which adds more to a home's value? Well, typically bookcases don't add to the value because some people ...
- 27.7k
16
votes
How can I prevent the nuts in my shelving from coming loose?
The answer is simple: Lock washer.
It looks like a washer but it's split, and slightly bent to form a spring compression against both surfaces and locks them together. Hence, "lock washer." There are ...
- 293
15
votes
Securing a glass set of shelves to a glass wall
If we let OP do the parenting and focus on attaching a tube to glass in a harsh outdoor environment:
Get a security anchor base plate AKA "cable lock anchor". The linked one is just an ...
- 34.3k
13
votes
How do I make around-the-room shelves for a seriously skewed room?
I'd suggest going with the plywood over the particle board. Will probably be a lot lighter, and probably more dimensionally stable as well. Depending on your scenery goals, I might suggest using 1/2"...
- 3,773
13
votes
Did I make a major mistake on my garage shelves?
I think generally, shelves are non-structural. Structural use is building a house.
Although I bet those 2 could use your good-looking shelves as a sweet fort structure! That doesn't count.
My idea:...
- 6,593
12
votes
How can I prevent the nuts in my shelving from coming loose?
An even cheaper solution is locknuts, which are different to nyloc nuts.
Locknuts are simply second nuts threadded on at the same time as the main load bearing nut.
Then you oppose the two nuts by ...
- 10k
12
votes
How do I make around-the-room shelves for a seriously skewed room?
Just four simple cuts.
I would use slightly oversized brackets and leave a gap against the wall. It might actually make for a nice floating effect.
Set a shelf along one wall, leaving a uniform ...
- 129k
11
votes
Accepted
Reinforcing a shelf supported only by pins
The type of shelf pins shown in your photo are able to twist out of crappy MDF or particle board side walls when a lot of torque is placed on the pin due to excessive weight placed upon the shelf. ...
- 64.1k
10
votes
Reinforcing a shelf supported only by pins
Cleats.
Well, If I didn't simply add up what this expletive redacted liquor cabinet just cost me (not counting husky-containment and mopping time) and shoot it into the sun to be wholly replaced with ...
- 201k
10
votes
Accepted
Can I reuse mounting holes into a stud for a shelf?
Assuming that the screws don't feel loose when you remove them due to inadequate length or pilot holes that are too large, you can reuse the holes. I've done just that a thousand times with everything ...
- 129k
10
votes
Accepted
Wall shelves, hooks, other wall-mounted things, without drilling? Double-sided tape maybe?
One way around drilling for shelves is to glue a panel and to mount your shelves and other accessories to the panel.
For best load bearing, buy a 1/2 or 3/4in piece of plywood, or alternatively some &...
- 15.8k
9
votes
Accepted
shelf support removal
I have pretty much exactly the same shelf brackets.
They wedge in place, and the cylinder is NOT the secret to removing them. It stays put on the bracket.
A light tap from a hammer (preferably after ...
- 201k
9
votes
Will floating pantry shelves built with 2x2s be ok?
Your question will result in many varying opinions based on experience and speculation. Here's my assessment as a lifelong carpenter and former home builder. I actually use a similar strategy when ...
- 129k
8
votes
Reinforcing a shelf supported only by pins
I find it hard to believe that a few bottles would tear those pins out, unless either 1) the shelves are too short, resulting in a lot of torsional force, or 2) the pins weren't fully seated. Four ...
- 129k
8
votes
How to remove a shelf fastener with a round head and no slot
Get a pair of vise-grip locking pliers:
They clamp down and can turn ANYTHING. I used them to remove some one-way screws. Just be careful never to try them out on your fingers, unless you like the ...
- 81
8
votes
Accepted
Prevent sagging shelves in alcove
Assuming that the sag would only be in the middle of the front edge of the shelf you will have to add something stronger than the along the front edge length. A 1x2 on edge (actual size 1.5" ...
- 64.1k
8
votes
How can I cut pine shelves to size?
A couple of swipes with a block plane, which is an extremely apartment-friendly tool - low cost, quiet, makes shavings, not dust.
For not-very-extensive work such as this (or even more extensive work) ...
- 201k
8
votes
Securing a glass set of shelves to a glass wall
silicone.
that's how aquariums are put together, sheets of glass are joined with silicone at the edges.
You can always test it yourself: silicone each of those three pieces of glass to the wall, and ...
- 656
7
votes
Screws stuck inside of Anchors, with shelving unit in between.
The type of plastic drywall anchor that you show on those screws can be removed by holding the anchor with a pair of pliers and then back out the screw with a philips screwdriver. After the plastic ...
- 64.1k
Only top scored, non community-wiki answers of a minimum length are eligible