counter top basin shelf question

[ellen1965]

Hi all, as a newbie to the forum not sure if this question has been asked b4 etc.
I want to make a 'floating shelf' for my counter top basin, but can only source 120mm concealed supports and i dont think these are robust enuff , as the basin itself is 25kg, plus wooden shelf plus water makes for a heavy load.
I have looked at cistern brackets and other shelving brackets also.
The shelf needs to be about 500mm long by minimum 360wide by 30mm deep.
Any ideas???????

Thanks for any help,as im a bit lost for ideas (plus im a women doing diy!)Ellen

 

[Jasonb]

The short fixings that screw to the wall are, as you say not upto the job.

Whats the wall made of and whats the finish going to be, may be able to advise, though its a lot of weight.

Jason

 

[Deluks]

Will all end in tears (a wet face) or a wet floor!

Unless you get something fabricated in steel and buried in the wall/behind tiles.

 

[ellen1965]

thanks for getting back,
it is possible to bracket behind tiles, and it will be screwed into a brick wall.
one of my problems with shelf brackets is that i cant find them deep enuff and im not sure if they need to extend the full 360mm. thats why i figured concealed brackets were better as the info with these brackets state they can hold 82kgs.
Not sure if this makes any sense.
thanks ellen

 

[Jasonb]

One way of supporting floating shelves is to set metal rods into the masonary using resin and then slide the shelf onto these. If you had several lods along the length of the shelf you may just get away with it but the weight is a lot more than most shelves will be expected to take. See this and the next two pics

I would think about having a small boxing around the basin trap and this could be used to hide brackets with some diagonal bracing, or even make a small cupboard like this one I did last year.

Jason

 

[ellen1965]

Thanks for the info, hadv a look at photos cheers. Think i am going to have to go the shelf bracket route (if i can find any long enough).
Ellen

 

[Symptoms]

ellen - the best solution is one based on Jasonb's first suggestion, ie. rods. Use 12mm dia studding (threaded & maybe stainless steel but galvanised would do). Drill and fix into wall as Jason suggests (although you could use the barrel sections of Rawl bolts to bite into the brickwork in combination with the long lengths of studding). Drill holes into the wall edge of the shelf (centres to match the distance the rods are apart) to allow shelf to slip onto the rods - remember the rods are going into the holes. For added security a couple of nut pockets could be bored into the lower surface of the shelf to align with the studding; then slip in a couple of nuts, tighten with spanner and the shelf will be pulled tight to the wall - rigid and secure enough for your basin. This is a standard/common way of fixing shelves like this.

 

[ellen1965]

Thanks all for your help. Will give it a try. In typical women DIY style i had my weights wrong. The basin it self only weighs 12 kg so hopefully we have a solution thanks to you guys.
Thanks Ellen