Hiya, I'm about to start a project putting shelving into an alcove. The shelves will hold clothes so in terms of weight we're looking at a few pairs of jeans per foot for example. I've got 34mm x 34mm pine batons to go along the back and the sides so that the shelf is supported on 3 edges. The MDF is 18mm and the gap is 154cm x 54cm. I've tried out the sagulator which says this should be ok but I'm not sure what level of support that tool assumes. Do you think supporting the shelves on 3 edges will be sufficient? Or is it essential to have another baton across the front edge as well? Thanks!
"Sagulator" I heard chippie on about this. So does that mean it regulates so there is no sag its a guideline? Of what to do? Well I'm learning. I'm allowed to ask
Ash, 18mm thick MDF over a 1.5m span? In a few months that will droop like Chippie's 'tache. MDF is a weird material - it seems to almost flow. It';s strong stuff, but will 'move' under it's own weight even. As said above, no harm in trying it, but be prepared to add more of your 34x34 as a batten along t'underside near t'front. I think what I would do is to leave the shelves 'loose' - no fixed down (I know that won't exactly help the sagging, but I'm pretty sure it's gonna sag anyways a bit...) Then, if it does sag to an unacceptable amount, remove the shelves, and screw & glue the batten to the concave side (the original 'up') and turn t'whole thing over.
Going back to the actual question rather than my preferences I would say that you need a support in the middle of that span just to support the weight of the MDF, it doesn't need to be much, just a triangular brace to stop it drooping.
I would definately put a batten/lip across the front. It thickens the shelf visually and looks so much more substantial even if it isn't needed.
Shelves have a knack for getting more and more piled onto them. I've built loads of mdf shelves and always add a front brace, unless really small span.
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