Book shelves under the stairs

[becbec]

Hi

I have a large area under my stairs where I would like to have bookshelves. I haven't done woodwork since school (a long time ago) but I was thinking that as there are so many gadgets around to help these days, that I may be able to do this myself.

The space that I'm working with is triangular under the stairs and rectangular under the landing. Obviously I couldn't put the shelves straight across as there wouldn't be enough support so I was thinking of putting 3 vertical supports and running the shelves between these. So....

.... How do I fix these supports at both ends ie the floor and the ceiling - which is not solid.

Would it be best to make frames and then attach them to the back wall? If I did this how would I do the joints - could I just screw the bits of wood together?

I want them to look good - maybe I'd be best getting an expert. Any good joiners in the Liverpool area?

Also I have a beautiful broken bed that needs fixing and there is no way that I could attempt this myself with out ruining it.

Help and an expert required - please!

Thanks

Rebecca

 

[noseall]

Also I have a beautiful broken bed that needs fixing and there is no way that I could attempt this myself with out ruining it.


Rebecca

ooer missus

 

[becbec]

The bed broke of its own accord, possibly down to the ****e glue or poor joints, and it occurred total out of the blue surprising us both (as you can imagine).

Honestly, we were asleep when it happened.

 

[Scrit]

ooer missus

I'd take no notice. He's really all right when you get to know him (not that I have, if you know what I mean)

I have a large area under my stairs where I would like to have bookshelves. I haven't done woodwork since school (a long time ago) ........
........ The space that I'm working with is triangular under the stairs and rectangular under the landing. Obviously I couldn't put the shelves straight across as there wouldn't be enough support so I was thinking of putting 3 vertical supports and running the shelves between these. So....

.... How do I fix these supports at both ends ie the floor and the ceiling - which is not solid. ........

........ Would it be best to make frames and then attach them to the back wall? If I did this how would I do the joints - could I just screw the bits of wood together?

A more "advanced" approach might be to make a "flying " shelf which has no apparent means of support (it is actually supported from the back). Here is a thinner (28mm), shorter example of what I mean, iyt is not supported from the ends:

You could make something similar by making-up a "sandwich" of something like 3 layers of 12mm MDF glued together although if you were to use 2 layers of wood veneered 15mm Contiboard glued around a 12mm layer of MDF and then edged them with matching solid wood lipping (as sold by even B&Q) then you'd get a "wooden" shelf with no visible means of support. The internal structure is a bit like this:

You can buy ready-made wall hangers like these from Hafele:

although a similar arrangement can be fashioned by drilling the wall at 2 to 3 degrees above horizontal and fixing in threaded studding using either Araldite or epoxy mortar. Or if you're not certain then I make these for people to install themselves - and I'm in Lancashire, too. (which I suppose makes me a woolly-back......)

Also I have a beautiful broken bed that needs fixing and there is no way that I could attempt this myself with out ruining it.

If it's not getting personal, could you tell us what exactly is broken or even better post a piccy. That way you'd hopefully get some useful advice.....

Scrit

 

[becbec]

Will take photos pronto!

 

[JohnD]

And of the broken bed, please

 

[becbec]

here are photos of the bed:

This is the headboard.

Here are photos of the space under the stairs:

Anyway Scrit, seeing as you're a wooly back and not too far from us perhaps you could give us an estimate - there is lots of other stuff we need doing as well


baabaabye [/img]

 

[Scrit]

Hi Rebecca

Well your bed at first sight looks like it may just be the joints which have dried out so that it's pulled apart. It might be as simple as pull completely apart, clean-up and reglue the joints then cramp up and leave to set. Can't see any obvious damage, although a visual inspection of the actual bed would confirm that.

Scrit

 

[becbec]

Yes I think it has dried out, but there is some damage to the joint and the wood has been torn(sorry there is probably a technical term for these things)

I think that it could be taken apart then stuck back more securely but I don't want it to happen again - I was wondering whether it could be reinforced??

 

[masona]

Wood glue are stronger than you think although you could some brackets and extra screws in out of sight area

 

[becbec]

It might be as simple as pull completely apart, clean-up and reglue the joints then cramp up and leave to set.

Pulling the bed apart does not really seem like a simple option here; at the other end the joints still attached although I'm guessing slightly damaged due to being pulled away at the other end.

Wood glue are stronger than you think

And yet it fell apart! Do you think that it hadn't been made too well in the first place?

 

[Scrit]

How old is the bed? If it's more than 40 years old the glue is possibly hide glue which means that the glue can be softened for dismantling. Hide glue is the reason that antiques can be repaired - it is very strong so long as it remains dry, but moisture does cause the glue to revert to a fluid state and then crystalise (and turn to powder) as it dries out again. The fact that some the glue joints have failed indicates that it might well have hide glue joints. Any idea if the bed has been stored anywhere damp?

Scrit