Potential sagging on cupboard shelving

[Paene Finitur]

We had cupboards built into our build, but now that we are in, they are a bit spartan and I'd like to take the first step of installing a fairly standard high shelf and hanging rail. I'm intending to use at least 1.5" battening on three sides for support and then make the shelf itself from 18mm ply.

 

I'm a bit worried that the width of the shelf - roughly 1500mm or two internal doors width and 400mm deep - will cause it to sag; particularly since the metal hanging bar will also be long and will need vertical supports dropping down off the shelf.

 

I tried out my parameters on the sagulator (useful tool) and sure enough it calculated the sag to be 3.05 mm total or 4.208 mm per m, which it categorized as excessive.

 

There is no central vertical bar between the doors that I can anchor to, so my options seem to be either a fairly ugly vertical support dropping down from the cupboard ceiling, or spaced brackets at the back/underside of the shelf.

 

Interested to know if anyone has come across anything like this and any potential solutions?

 

 

[SteamyTea]

Same problem going on here.

I like the ''sagulator"

 

 

[MikeSharp01]

18mm Marine play won't bend much over that distance and you can stop that by putting a bead of aluminium angle along the front. 

[Conor]

Our 1100mm shelves are sagging. Fully loaded with booze. My solution was to start drinking more of it. Still sagging. I'm a lightweight.

[S2D2]

Had something similar in a previous house, double the thickness and add the front edging strip set back slightly, rock solid.

 

It was, by chance, replaced with 18mm ply as a snagging issue which was horrendously saggy. That went in the bin and it was replaced again.

[Dave Jones]

middle leg, set back.

[ToughButterCup]

18mm will always sag - even with an aluminium angle front - it just sags at the back, but not the front.

 

36mm kitchen top will sag less

Almost Finished @Paene Finitur, almost ?

[Paene Finitur]

On 16/05/2023 at 08:13, Dave Jones said:

middle leg, set back.

I thought of having several arched brackets across the back. Could even make a feature of it though I worried they'd get in the way of the hanging rail - would have to measure up properly. Also, as some of the cupboard backs are partition, I'd probably need two rows of back batons, one above the other, to fix the back of the brackets to. I also thought of a descending middle section to attach to the ceiling, not sure I'll go for that though.

[Paene Finitur]

On 16/05/2023 at 08:20, ToughButterCup said:

18mm will always sag - even with an aluminium angle front - it just sags at the back, but not the front.

 

36mm kitchen top will sag less

The back should be supported by a full length back baton so I was more concerned about the front.

 

I'm thinking of using a hidden steel support across the front (https://www.metals4u.co.uk/materials/mild-steel/mild-steel-flat/flat-black/2257-p) covered by trim, routed at the back to allow the support to sit in. I saw this on a Charlie DIYte vid (see below). Note quite the same, but I'm hoping it will give some measure of support.

I'd be a bit concerned about the sheer weight of 36mm kitchen top; would probably need much bigger battening. Plus as I have to do six of these for different rooms, the cost is a factor too, although I did see 28mm for a reasonable price (https://www.diy.com/departments/28mm-matt-white-laminate-particle-board-post-formed-kitchen-worktop-l-2400mm/3663602636151_BQ.prd?storeId=) 

 

Quote

Almost Finished @Paene Finitur, almost ?

Yes, almost but never quite. 90% done and 90% to go!
 

 

[SteamyTea]