Floating shelves: Install noggin around pipework?

[ag90]

Hello,

I am looking to install two floating shelves on an internal wall in our kitchen. They are fairly heavy shelves and need to take the weight of a few books, so installing into the plasterboard is out of the question.

I've mapped out the studwork (image here), unfortunately they are not in the right places for the fittings even if I were to attach a sister stud. There is a noggin that could be used for the lower shelf, but nothing for the upper shelf.

There is also pipework from the radiator running up the wall that I need to avoid. So if I were to install a new noggin for the higher shelf, I'd need to tackle that.

As far as I can tell my only option would be: Install the noggin, but on the left side where the pipework is, drill a hole in the noggin for the pipework to go through. Then cut the noggin in half at the centre of the hole and glue it back together around the pipework before attaching to studs

Is this option likely to be suitable for heavy shelves? Or is there anything else I could do?

As it's an internal wall with a big mirror on the other side, I could install the brackets on the outside of the other side of the wall and the mirror would conceal them. But I don't know if that's any better than installing into plasterboard.

Thanks
Andy

 

[freddiemercurystwin]

 

[ag90]

Thanks @freddiemercurystwin

 

[robinbanks]

can you show a picture of the shelves?

Seems like you’re not averse to taking a section of plasterboard out; make it a big section, affix eg 2x1 battens to the sides of the studs 22mm back from the face and screw in a sheet of 22mm ply
If you cut the ply taller than the hole, insert the top end, push up, set the bottom in place than slide down then the ply will also support the plasterboard joint when it comes time to refit. Use a multitool to cut the plasterboard out for a neat job. Use a magnet to find the screws. If they’re nails use a punch to drive the nail through the plaster board

Fill over when done, sand and paint

You now have a section of wall backed by ply and can screw anywhere into it other than near the pipes, to support the shelves,

Blue batten, yellow ply