What wood for 1.4m built-in wardrobe shelf with hang'g rail?

[Grinner]

Hi All,

I've had a bit of a search around the various forums and can't really find the right answer to my question, so hopefully you can help me out.

I have a built-in wardrobe, with two sliding doors and a shelf across the internal space with a hanging rail beneath attached to the shelf via three points at left, centre and right (2 screws into the shelf at each point). The shelf is 1m 40 wide; 40cm deep front to back; 2cm high and rests on wooden strips at the left and right sides running front to back, and a further supporting strip across the back of the wardrobe too. The supporting wood is 7cm high and 1.5cm wide but I'm afraid I can't comment on material.

The shelf looks to be made of something like ply, pale brown untreated but I'm no wood specialist so I could be entirely wrong!! Either way, the shelf is bowed in the middle and raised at the two back corners (due to the bowing). I can't very easily comment on the weight attached, but it/the rail needs to support about 25-30 or so clothing items, from light shirts to heavier suits.

I'm looking to get rid of my free-standing wardrobe (I know, cardinal sin, but I need the space) but before moving the rest of my hanging clothes into the built-in wardrobe, I would like to replace the shelf.

Q1: If I am looking for a new shelf, should I seek hardwood?
Q2: Is there any particular type of hardwood (or any other) that you would recommend?
I'm not too concerned about the material as long as it's fairly light in colour and it can't be too rough as the top of the shelf also holds a few small piles of light clothing, which I wouldn't want to get splintered or torn.
Q3: Are there any tips you would offer for the best way to fix the shelf to prevent the new one also sagging/bowing in the middle?

I've had a look at one of JasonB's links to SL Hardwood, but don't really know what I'm looking for... can somebody offer some advice please?

Many thanks in advance,

Owain

 

[Jasonb]

Keep the shelf you have but add a vertical division down the the middle of the wardrobe, 1400 span is too big fot the load you have.

for this you could use a sheet of melamine faced chipboard (conti board) this is pre finished in white or wood grains and available from the sheds.

If you want to try and calculate the thickness of shelf have a look at the sagulator

jason

 

[gregers]

or you could use 18 mm mdf and then lip the front with some pine strips.

 

[Grinner]

Hi Guys,

Thank you both for your time replying - and the link to the Sagulator - looks like a very useful tool!! And the woodbin site looks to be very interesting too.

I must admit, the concept of the vertical divider, whilst it will provide the additional required support, is probably less ideal for me than the MDF solution.

Sorry to be a little ignorant, but just to clarify ... with regard to the MDF solution, if I understand correctly, I could get 18mm thick MDF for the shelf, and then add one or more horizontal pine strips across the width of the shelf, left to right, attached at the front and presumably underneath?

Should the pine strips be of a particular thickness or depth? What would be the best way to attach these, something like wood glue / no more nails or screws/bolts etc? Is there any particular type of pine I should ask for (or avoid) in this scenario?

Also, again at the risk of showing my complete ignorance...
- should the pine strips be as long as the shelf, or do they just need to go a certain distance either side of the mid-point to prevent the sag in the centre?
- would I need to drill into the MDF to create screwhole recesses to attach the rail, or are there any specific wood screws that prevent the need for (or are better than) drilling?
- if I do need to drill into the MDF, is there a particular type of drill bit that would be recommended, or just any wood bit?
- I'm sure the answer's yes to MDF, but just so that I know what to expect, are the pine and MDF both likely to be available from the main DIY shops - e.g. B&Q etc. or would I be better going to a timber yard etc? Is one more likely than the other to offer me the wood cut to size, or should I expect to do that myself?

Many thanks,

Owain

 

[big-all]

assuming the hanging rail is suspended from the shelve 1.4m is to much i still think 25mm mdf will sag even fronted with a bit of 2x1" planed wide side showing to give maximum support

without transferring the load to somwhere else i think you will have to reduce your clothes hanging up

one way to help would be the heavy stuff at either end and light stuff in the centre to move the greatest weight to the sides !!!

you could if you wanted support the shelve from above !!!!