Ideas on how to assemble wooden frame for shed shelving

Discussion in 'Carpenters' Talk' started by free_flyer, May 1, 2020.

  1. free_flyer

    free_flyer Member

    Some progress...

    I have used this place before:

    http://www.sidtelfers.co.uk/

    So I asked them for a quote for the following 5 pieces of plywood (15mm) and they've come back to me with a price of £90 inc VAT

    • Plywood 2060mm x 400mm x 15mm (quantity of 3)
    upload_2020-5-4_18-30-33.png
    • Plywood 2060mm x 476mm x 15mm (quantity of 2)


    upload_2020-5-4_18-30-50.png


    Its more than I wanted to pay so I'm going to ask them to re-quote for 12mm plywood or 18mm OSB (any suggestions which would be most suitable ?).

    The price for two pieces of 12mm plywood from B&Q was £25 each (£50 total) but the sheets are too large to fit in the car.
     
  2. DIYDave.

    DIYDave. Screwfix Select

    That’s expensive for sure but you’ve gone up a thickness on the ply and although only another 3mm (compared to the BQ 12mm) it sure does put the price up

    These guys are an independent timber yard (as I suggested trying :)) so they will deliver, with an additional charge depending on order size

    I would still go for 18mm osb 3, 8x4 sheets, you need 2, get them delivered, should pay around £22-24 per sheet (plus delivery) but also get the CLS from them as well

    You’ve got the circular saw so cut them yourself, keep the offcuts, likely to come in handy for something in the future

    The quote from the timber yard will include a cutting charge and also a cost to the yard for wastage

    Will be cutting your sizes from 8x4 sheets but what happens to the offcuts ? Do you get them or not ?

    As I said, get another quote from them, 2 sheets OSB 3, 8x4s, delivered

    Surely gonna be better than £90
     
    free_flyer likes this.
  3. FlyByNight

    FlyByNight Screwfix Select

    What grade of ply?

    Shuttering, WBP, Chinese, Marine, Birch ...

    All the big warehouses tend to use chipboard for their shelving, except where it needs to look really nice when for some reason they often choose Birch ply.
     
    free_flyer likes this.
  4. free_flyer

    free_flyer Member

    Whatever is the most suitable and cheapest

    They are only shelves for a shed and only need to hold cans of paint, tools, bits and bobs etc

    It doesnt have to be ply, I was just told that ply is stronger than OSB but if OSB is suitable (or something else like chipboard. mdf etc) and cheap then that will do as well
     
  5. FlyByNight

    FlyByNight Screwfix Select

    Chipboard is cheaper than ply, and being much smoother than OSB better for shelves.
     
    free_flyer likes this.
  6. DIYDave.

    DIYDave. Screwfix Select

    OSB 3 will deal better than chipboard over the years with cold, moist air that your going to have in a shed

    Shelves are for tins of paint and tools in a garden shed ,,,,,, how smooth do they need to be ?

    This is turning into a big job (appreciate always several ways to do any job). :) And it’s always good to consider your options

    As I’ve suggested, get a new quote on OSB 3, 2 sheets, 8x4s

    Will be a lot cheaper than £90 quote for ply plus give you offcuts for future jobs

    Sheeeeeesh .............:confused:
     
    free_flyer likes this.
  7. free_flyer

    free_flyer Member

    Agreed and I've asked for a quote for CLS and OSB to be delivered by SID Teflers but not had a response yet

    I have a feeling they may not be interested/cant be bothered so I might have to chase them, but that could also mean they will quote high prices.

    It is turning into a big job/nightmare, in fact i've been meaning to sort the shed out for years and bought the cheap plastic shelves from screwfix but they are rubbish so knew at some point I would probably have to design my own.

    Ill be glad when I finally get it all over and done with !

    But whats causing the headache now is the lockdown, because its prooving difficult to get hold of the material
     
  8. DIYDave.

    DIYDave. Screwfix Select


    In fairness to businesses that are trading at present, it’s not easy for any of them to remain open whilst bringing in sweeping changes to their operating systems to comply with government and local council guidelines. Whilst many are also dealing with staff shortages and a huge loss of footfall

    We just need to be patient and reasonable and consider the wider picture that’s happening around us at present ,,,, (enough said) ;)

    A local independent yard to me that always offers superb customer service and are mega helpful are open part time but for deliveries only - no turning up at yard even taking social distancing into account

    They’ve now updated their website stating they will no longer be answering the phone, not calling back any numbers left, all orders must be emailed but be aware may take 2 weeks to process order and then further time for actual delivery

    They’re doing their best to provide a service of sorts but we have no idea what problems they are facing behind the scenes, whilst trying to offer a service to trade and public alike, the best they can

    Why don’t you just place order with Wickes ? You said a 2 week lead time
    (may be less) but at least materials are ordered, you know what this is costing you and you can concentrate on other jobs and/or just chill out !

    Plus we can stop discussing shelf materials :D and I can also get some
    work done ;)

    Pls update us though
     
    free_flyer likes this.
  9. free_flyer

    free_flyer Member

    Yeh I realise and understand the lockdown situation makes it difficult

    Im mainly talking about the previous experience I had with this company which was about a year ago, sometimes they responded and other times they didnt.

    I checked wickes several times yesterday and the slot for the 2 week delivery had gone

    When i last checked last night it was a 3 week delivery

    Im bored and sick of these shelves myself, sorry for stopping you geting your own work done :p

    Ive got wallpaper to hang in my daughters bedroom so will concentrate on that for now unless I get a response from the timber yard
     
  10. fff

    fff Active Member

    This design software is brilliant. It is exactly what I need but it looks like it operates on Windows only and I have a Mac. I am doing a similar project, trying to build some sort of frame on my balcony to cover washing machine and dryer. I need this type of software!
     
  11. free_flyer

    free_flyer Member

    Yep unfortunately Design Spark Mechanical is PC only (its a cut down version of the 3D CAD package Spaceclaim). I originally used Design Spark at work on a PC, but my personal laptop is a mac (10 years old now and on its last legs).

    I wanted to use Design Spark on my mac and found a solution. I installed Parallels which turns your Mac into a PC...

    https://www.parallels.com/uk/landingpage/pd/windows-on-mac/

    It runs at the same time as Mac OS so you can easily and quickly switch between Windows and Mac. To test it I installed the 14 day free trial and then installed Design Spark, it worked well so after the trial I paid the one off fee (with a discount code it was £70).

    Parallels installs Windows 10 during the installation so its easy to install and use. You are supposed to license Windows 10 but it still functions without the license (it just has a watermark on the windows desktop). If you did want a Windows 10 license you can get it cheaper (around £20) from here...

    https://www.kinguin.net/

    In fact later macs can run Windows without any extra software (other than a Windows installation)...

    https://support.apple.com/en-gb/HT201468
     
  12. fff

    fff Active Member

    Yes I have just spent the last couple of hours looking at options to get this software since seeing your post. I considered the parallels as a way of getting this software but would rather not have Windows. I have also been looking for some other CAD but nothing else seems as good. And certainly nothing free. I made a post
    asking for design software tips only last week. I could borrow a laptop and download it on there maybe. Thanks for the advice anyway and good luck with the shelves. I have some 2x4s along the hallway tripping everyone up, just waiting for the next project!
     
    free_flyer likes this.
  13. rogerk101

    rogerk101 Screwfix Select

    To the OP ...
    Have you done a google image or google shopping search for "shed shelves"?
    This thread has gone so over-the-top with unnecessary costs and complexities, that have just done the search myself. With half a minute of research, I saw dozens of shelving systems which are better and cheaper than everything I've seen discussed here.
    Am I missing something? Is this simply a case of keeping occupied during lockdown?

    (FWIW, I can really understand and relate to the pride of doing something oneself, but if that's the motive here, do something that you'll be proud of and maybe even hand down to your grandchildren. For example, my 27 year old son is crafting his 'covid 19 coffee table' as his masterpiece from the lockdown. He's using some fantastic old Brazilian hardwood that was cluttering up my garage waiting for a project like his. This will be a major point of pride for him for years to come. But some shelves in a shed? :confused:)
     
  14. free_flyer

    free_flyer Member

    If only it was that easy... yes I looked at buying pre-fabricated shelving and this would be my preferred route, but this is what I found:

    • The maximum height cannot be more than 1600mm which limits the options that are available, a lot of shelves on the market are taller than this and will not fit in the shed
    • It works out more expensive buying pre-fabricated shelves than building your own
    • The reviews for the budget end of shelves were mixed (flimsy, warped etc)
    • There is no flexibility to design them to meet my own requirements (some places offer customisation but at additional cost)
    For example, these are some shelves I was considering (from BigDug)...

    upload_2020-5-6_12-44-10.png


    See the price ? Thats nearly £300, just for some shed shelves and these are the 'budget' range (which gets mixed reviews) ! I don't want to spend that sort of money on shed shelves

    This is how they would look in the shed...


    upload_2020-5-6_12-43-15.png


    I was sure I could make my own shelves for half that price and I could tailor it to my own needs and they would be better quality

    For example, I designed the shelves to fit a lawnmower and cushions/pillows for a rattan sofa...

    upload_2020-5-6_12-49-28.png


    I would much prefer the hassle of not having to design and build my own shelves which is one reason I've put the job off for so long, but Im not paying stupid money for budget shelves

    I originally bought 2 sets of these from screwfix but they are rubbish...

    https://www.screwfix.com/p/solid-plastic-shelving-4-tier-610-x-305-x-1300mm/54805

    Another example of saving money is this kitchen cabinet I designed...
    upload_2020-5-6_12-53-42.png

    I wanted an additional cabinet to go with the existing kitchen cabinets (manufactured by Symphony).

    Symphony quoted £500 for this cabinet !!!! How can some chipboard (4 gloss panels and the rest melamine), some hinges, dowels and screws cost £500 !!!!

    The cost of the material to manufacture this cabinet doesn't come anywhere near to £500

    So I sent my drawing to a company that supplies and cuts wood and they quoted £250, half the price of the manufacturer. In fact the gloss panels were mdf, which is better and more expensive than the gloss chipboard the manufacturer uses.

    £250 is still expensive but thats partly because it was effectively a bespoke, one off design (rather than mass produced like Symphony will do).

    It just shows what a huge mark up these manufacturers make and how much of a rip off they are
     

    Attached Files:

  15. DIYDave.

    DIYDave. Screwfix Select

    Fully agree with you, build these shelves yourself, design them to your exact spec, and yes, the garage/shed shelve units I’ve seen advertised / looked at / my brothers got 2 different sets / are generally all rubbish

    The metal units are like thin baked bean tin cans with super thin shelves that will bow

    Plastic units are just rubbish on all fronts

    Unless you start to pay big money for better quality or go industrial standard racking

    When my local Homebase closed down they sold everything in the store, including A4 folders and stapler from the managers office, mops, brooms and dustpans from the cleaning team and yes, all the store racking and shelving as well. This stuff I looked at but had no use for but was heavy duty to the extreme and being sold off cheap (I did actually buy a used dustpan and brush, extra wide one for 50p) !

    So, build your own
    Timber is easy to work with
    Can be designed to your exact spec
    Easy to add to in the future
    Change shelf height if need be
    Ans other plus points I guess

    Looking at Wickes prices, and scribbling down on a bit of scrap paper, (that’s how I roll !) I get to just under £110.00

    That gives you 2 shelving bays
    2400mm long
    Each with 3 shelves at 400mm depth

    CLS 38x63x2.4m x 14 (shelf framing)
    CLS 38x63x3m x 4 (8x legs @1.5m)
    OSB 3 8x4 x 2 (6x shelves at 400mm)
    Screws, brackets (allowed £10)

    So that’s a lot of shelf, rock solid, easy to build, forever adaptable, last a lifetime, keep you busy for a few hours, etc all for around £110.00

    Plus my consultancy fees :D

    Could even save a bit more as using CLS for shelf framing is actually over the top for general storage (nothing wrong with over engineered though tbh)

    So could use roofing batten for shelf framing, on its edge, 25x38 (I think) comes in long lengths over 3m so economies of scale and minimise wastage

    But still use CLS for legs

    Ok, main problem at moment is obtaining the materials but that’s a different matter

    This thread is more addictive than Coronation Street :eek: (which I don’t actually watch, ever) so I need to find a new vice :)

    Keep the forum updated
     
    free_flyer likes this.
  16. free_flyer

    free_flyer Member

    Thanks DIYDave

    I already calculated the materials which came to £120 (cheaper and better than the budget pre-fabricated shelves which came to £289!)...

    upload_2020-5-6_17-31-9.png


    LEFT HAND SHELVING - CLS

    upload_2020-5-6_17-26-7.png

    LEFT HAND SHELVING - OSB


    upload_2020-5-6_17-28-44.png


    RIGHT HAND SHELVING - CLS

    upload_2020-5-6_17-27-18.png


    RIGHT HAND SHELVING - OSB
    upload_2020-5-6_17-29-48.png


    I have to agree that this is a sad post but not as sad as watching soaps like coranation street etc which I can't stand either

    Then again if we weren't in lockdown I wouldn't be building shelves, I would be doing my hobby which is throwing myself out of planes ! But I dont know when I will be able to start doing that again, which is even more frustrating when the weathers been so nice. Its a seasonal hobby and lockdown arrived just as the season was about to start, knowing my luck by the time lockdown ends it will be the end of the season :(
     

    Attached Files:

  17. G Roo

    G Roo Member

    Yes I agree it's been an interesting thread...
    and I've always found the best solutions to a problem should be simple, safe, efficient and fit for purpose...

    ... Bit like packing a parachute really...
     
  18. robgul

    robgul Active Member

    Simple solution that's really strong - I'm making 2 units to fit either side of my shed as the video but with 3x2 CLS which will be strong enough with an extra centre leg - getting the wood supplier to cut the OSB into strips, 3 from each board. My layout is designed to take large plastic bins and work like a giant chest-of-drawers. (Don't ask which supermarket the bins came from ;) )

    Rob
     
    free_flyer likes this.
  19. free_flyer

    free_flyer Member

    Thanks robgul, thats incredible.... its as if he stole my idea !

    Reassuring to see that others have been successful in using CLS and OSB to build cheaper but stronger shelving

    I've managed to get the CLS and OSB delivered so Im ready to make start. Just need to find the time as I work from home in the week and have my daughter at weekends

    Thanks for sharing
     
  20. free_flyer

    free_flyer Member

    First set of shelves almost done...

    Im going to replace some of the screws with coach bolts (just need a longer drill bit as the wood was splitting so used smaller screws temporarily) and also need to add extra screws in the OSB

    Cant say I enjoyed building it, especially all the marking up and cutting which was tedious and its difficult to cut everything square with just a circular saw and jig saw. Assembly was a bit of a pig, especially trying to get the six vertical legs square but it should do the job.

    Once I've finished sorting out the screws Ill empty the shed to see how it fits, then I'll move onto the next set

    Hope it will be ok outside for tonight !

    IMG_9217.jpg IMG_9218.jpg IMG_9219.jpg IMG_9220.jpg IMG_9222.jpg
     

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