# Melamine shelving in closet, but there's a catch...



## tbiM20 (May 27, 2014)

I've had the funkiest home reno project over the past 6 months. I'll spare you the details, but we're stuck on this one project. I've a closet that needs shelving. The closet is about 26" deep, 72" wide with a centered 32" door. The shelves on either side are going to be 16"x26".

The shelves cannot be supported by the back wall of the closet. No studs and we'd hit shower surround if we screwed into the drywall. So, furring strips on two sides. But that darn gravity, I just can't see them supporting any amount of weight like that. With melamine, I don't know that we can just put some screws through into the furring strip... won't the shelf bend over time, or rip out? (melamine was the only thing that didn't cost a million dollars and came in wider planks for this space).

So, I'd love to hear some solutions. It's just a utilitarian closet for some ink supplies so it doesn't have to be pretty (though obviously I'd prefer it to be), but it will have to carry a bit of weight. Thanks a million times in advance!


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## nealtw (May 27, 2014)

Welcome to the site.
Are you sure the shower is right there, there should be a wall between the shower and a closet.


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## bud16415 (May 28, 2014)

I have been using the wire shelving in the new house and I&#8217;m as cheap as they come. What I found is actual wire shelf is a good value compared to buying wood etc. where the cost comes in is all the other stuff they sell to attach everything together. I have been attaching a piece of wood for a cleat and just setting the wire shelf on that. They have been working pretty good. 

If you go with what you are talking about (melamine) and you feel you will get a dip over time add a lower rail screwed in from the top running lengthwise to stiffen it.


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## tbiM20 (May 28, 2014)

nealtw said:


> Welcome to the site.
> Are you sure the shower is right there, there should be a wall between the shower and a closet.



Thanks, and yes unfortunately. We just re-did that bathroom and realized all the strange ways it was built (the drywall on the opposite wall of the bathroom was attached to cinderblock via scraps of the exterior siding, and the slab was not filled where they ran plumbing... just a hole covered by the tub. So it's been a bit crazy fixing or managing these "details"). The back wall is drywall + faux wood paneling so no one is going to punch through it... contractor friend said it's okay to leave but no screws into it.



bud16415 said:


> I have been using the wire shelving in the new house and Im as cheap as they come. What I found is actual wire shelf is a good value compared to buying wood etc. where the cost comes in is all the other stuff they sell to attach everything together. I have been attaching a piece of wood for a cleat and just setting the wire shelf on that. They have been working pretty good.
> 
> If you go with what you are talking about (melamine) and you feel you will get a dip over time add a lower rail screwed in from the top running lengthwise to stiffen it.



Thank you. We considered wire but the extras as you mentioned put us off of it.

I might not have been completely clear, my issue is that the shelves will only have support on the back and one side, leaving a "floating" corner with no support that I worry would sag or cause any screws holding the shelf in place to rip out.


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## nealtw (May 28, 2014)

Your best bet is free standing units
http://www.costco.com/storage-cabinets-shelving-units.html


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## bud16415 (May 28, 2014)

I converted a really small bedroom into a really big walk in closet last winter and none of the walls were up to the job of attaching really heavy duty rods and shelves. I could have ripped down the old plaster and built out from the studs that are there to the locations I needed to attach stuff but for a closet it was too much work.

I attached studs floor to ceiling to the walls and even some midway in the room with holes drilled thru to take pipe as rods and let the floor take the load and then built off of those outside the wall studs to hold the wire shelves without any of the fancy hardware. When I painted the walls I also painted the new stud work and it looks nice I think. 

I screwed into the floor and ran a header along the ceiling to have something above to attach to with screws. Then used some liquid nails where it looked like it would help. 

She has 12 foot of clothes hanging down both sides with shoe and box storage above now. There is a lot of weight in that room and it&#8217;s all transferred to the floor. 

Just some ideas.


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## tbiM20 (May 28, 2014)

nealtw said:


> Your best bet is free standing units
> http://www.costco.com/storage-cabinets-shelving-units.html



Thanks, I will look into what's available around me. No Costco, but there is Lowes, Home Depot, Sears, Kmart, Walmart.



bud16415 said:


> I converted a really small bedroom into a really big walk in closet last winter and none of the walls were up to the job of attaching really heavy duty rods and shelves. I could have ripped down the old plaster and built out from the studs that are there to the locations I needed to attach stuff but for a closet it was too much work.
> 
> I attached studs floor to ceiling to the walls and even some midway in the room with holes drilled thru to take pipe as rods and let the floor take the load and then built off of those outside the wall studs to hold the wire shelves without any of the fancy hardware. When I painted the walls I also painted the new stud work and it looks nice I think.
> 
> ...



I kinda like that idea. Put a 2x4 against the back wall and connect to it support for the 2 floating sides of the shelf?


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## bud16415 (May 28, 2014)

Yep nothing says your framing has to be inside the wall. You will lose 2 inches is all.  

Post up some pics of what you come up with.


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