Perspex strips to stop books falling off thin shelf?

Ian H · 24 Feb 2020

I’ve got a bookshelf with really shallow shelves, just 50mm deep.

I thought of adding some Perspex strips about 85x3cm and fixing them with one of these on each end:

Do you think the Perspex at 5mm thick would be strong enough to retain books over that length or should I be thinking to have the Perspex deeper with a couple of fixings along the bottom?

Thanks.

foxhole · 24 Feb 2020

Can’t make sense of that shelf on 50mm isn’t a shelf .
How about all the dimension?

Ian H · 24 Feb 2020

foxhole said:
Can’t make sense of that shelf on 50mm isn’t a shelf .
How about all the dimension?

This is it:

And the Perspex would go where the metal strap is to stop the books falling forwards:

It’s 205cm tall, 86cm wide, 70mm total depth with 50mm deep shelves.

HERTS P&D · 24 Feb 2020

Where will you get all the books from to cut down?

Andy

Ian H · 24 Feb 2020

HERTS P&D said:
Where will you get all the books from to cut down?

Andy

I got a load from the charity shop and cut a few, I was going to glue them on but then had the Perspex idea so I could put full books sideways.

plastic_peanut · 24 Feb 2020

If you are going to mount them all so the spines are visible I wouldn’t go down the Perspex route. I think this will detract from the finished look.
Can you not just create a book laminate with a small amount of glue. If you can create a tight fit to the shelf edge they shouldn’t move. They will hold themselvtin position.

Or have I got the brief wrong?

big-all · 24 Feb 2020

you could perhaps screw some books together say 4 books 80mm total width
outer 2 books open cover on outer edge
2 wood screws 60mm long in each end allined to miss the screw in from other end close the covers to hide
you could countersink the heads in to make sure the cover sits flat

Ian H · 24 Feb 2020

plastic_peanut said:
If you are going to mount them all so the spines are visible I wouldn’t go down the Perspex route. I think this will detract from the finished look.
Can you not just create a book laminate with a small amount of glue. If you can create a tight fit to the shelf edge they shouldn’t move. They will hold themselvtin position.

Or have I got the brief wrong?

Maybe wrong. At first I was going to cut the books and glue them on but the I realised on the lower shelves you would notice they aren’t real books.

With the perspex I could slip a real book on the shelf sideways. I could also put some photo frames or something on it.

Ian H · 24 Feb 2020

big-all said:
you could perhaps screw some books together say 4 books 80mm total width
outer 2 books open cover on outer edge
2 wood screws 60mm long in each end allined to miss the screw in from other end close the covers to hide
you could countersink the heads in to make sure the cover sits flat

I did screw a few together but it was only after I put them on a lower shelf that it was obvious they weren’t real books. I should have got the books first and spaced the shelves so you couldn’t see the depth of the cut books.

foxhole · 24 Feb 2020

Still lost , what’s the purpose ?

Ian H · 24 Feb 2020

foxhole said:
Still lost , what’s the purpose ?

It’s just thin shelves so they don’t obstruct the stairs.

EddieM · 24 Feb 2020

Piece of cake https://www.worldofwallpaper.com/ra...MIib_VwJzr5wIVh7HtCh1iTAIBEAQYASABEgJ6NfD_BwE

freddiemercurystwin · 24 Feb 2020

Ian H said:
It’s just thin shelves so they don’t obstruct the stairs.
View attachment 184604

No I still don't get it.

big-all · 25 Feb 2020

as the shelves have ends and are perhaps 90% decorative and not in the least practical not sure why you need ends ??
if this is fully design over function then glue or stick with double sided tape to the wall otherwise put a perhaps 7 degree angle on the shelves to hold the books back

Ian H · 25 Feb 2020

EddieM said:
Piece of cake https://www.worldofwallpaper.com/ra...MIib_VwJzr5wIVh7HtCh1iTAIBEAQYASABEgJ6NfD_BwE

Has it got 50 shades of grey on there?

diynot

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Perspex strips to stop books falling off thin shelf?

EddieM

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