Replies

1. 
   esch5995 | Dec 06, 2021 10:07pm | #1

   If you are talking true floating shelves with no side support significant steel supports would be require to make a 20" deep shelf. In essence it would need to be a steel shelf encased in wood. Of course anticipated load would be a factor but any shelf that deep would be subject to a potential load of substantial proportion and could lead to catastrophic results.

2. 
   pantalones868 | Dec 06, 2021 11:12pm | #2

   I've made brackets for that . Rods welded to bar stock. The shelves were
   1 1/8" thick. Thick for thick rod so I had alot of surface for my weld. The bracket was mortised (hidden) into the back of the shelf and securely mounted to the wall. Holes bored into the back of the shelf and then slipped over the rods with a bit of epoxy to lock them in place. If into a wall you need backing behind the sheet rock to carry the weight. If a masonry wall then lags and anchors will work. I've done 12" shelves and 16" this way and once a live edge mantle over a fireplace. That type of bracket is available commercially -I didn't know so I made mine. Maybe they weren't available when I did them, that look eventually became popular. The rods have to be dead square to the bar stock and that was the hard part for me...I'm not a very good welder. I don't where I saw those brackets,maybe Hafela. If I was doing it again I'd buy the bracket. Come to think of it the first time I did a set of shelves like that I used big heavy angle brackets and built the shelf over and around the brackets. The bracket was attached directly to the wall framing and then plastered over. The other way was better.

3. 
   Khenke61 | Dec 07, 2021 06:29pm | #3

   Thanks much. I’m not a welder, and agreed on the potentially catastrophic results, which is what my gut was telling me. Switching gears to alcove shelves, or built in shelves. I have side walls I can work with, I’ll anchor a cleat on each side, then slide my shelf over that. The request was for floating shelves, so thats what was stuck in my head. Thx again for sharing your experience. Much appreciated.

4. 
   pantalones868 | Dec 07, 2021 08:14pm | #4

   Well other people are welders. You don't have to do everything yourself. Thats what fabrication shops are for.. Shelves cleated to side walls is a big step down. I've done lots of work for architects and designers. They sketch out an idea, have no idea what's involved to accomplish the task. The fun is trying to figure out how to make some hair brained idea work. In your case massive floating shelves.

1. 
   esch5995 | Dec 07, 2021 08:24pm | #5

   If you look at the photo he posted that space would have looked silly with floating shelves it is way too narrow with deep sidewalls that would have made floating shelves look ridiculous. I think his plan to use the side walls to mount cleats that are hidden within the shelves themselves is a much better idea both asthetically and structurally.