DIY: Q&A - Shelving

Q: When putting up shelving in chipboard and solid wood, how far apart should the shelf supports be for longer lengths?

A. The distance between brackets and other supports depends on the material and depth of the shelf and the load it’s expected to carry. Roughly: 16mm chipboard, 750mm for light loads, 450mm for heavy. Solid wood (800mm) 800mm for light, 700mm for heavy.

I want to make some colourful Perspex® shelving with a waved edged but I’m not sure how easy it is to cut. Can I do the work myself?

A. Perspex® can crack if you’re don’t take it slowly, but if you have a circular saw for straight cuts and are efficient with a jigsaw for the wavy edge, you could cut your shelving out of a Perspex® sheet. When you have cut one shelf out, use the first as a template for the second. Buff off the edges of any roughness to finish.

Can I hang shelving on an old lathe and plaster wall? It’s just for a few light ornaments.

A. To be completely stable, you really need to secure the brackets to a stud. To find one behind lathe can be tricky. With a small drill bit, try some exploratory holes if the ‘knock test’ doesn’t produce a change in sound. Look for previous fixing points too. A stud detector is a handy piece of kit to add to your tool kit.