Hey everyone! I'm in the process of building a custom shelving unit with different sized cells, and I'd love your thoughts on the dowel pins to use for connecting the vertical pieces to the horizontal pieces. I'm working with 1x12 pine boards, which are about 3/4" thick. I'm concerned that the 1.5" dowels might be too short. I'm considering which diameter to go with as well: should I choose 5/16", 3/8", or 1/2"? Also, what length would be better, 2" or 3"? I'm thinking of ordering from Amazon unless I find something locally. Any specific recommendations would be awesome, especially if you have your reasons for choosing one over the others! Just a note, this shelving will be for a mudroom to hold shoes, jackets, backpacks, and cat food. Thanks for your help!
2 Answers
Your design sounds interesting! Typically, it’s best to keep your verticals as full-length pieces with the shelves in between. Dowels mainly help with alignment but don't add much strength. For some extra hold, consider using pocket screws under the shelves or at the back where they're less visible. That might give you the stability you need while keeping things neat.
I’m not sure about the exact design you’re going for, but I’d suggest using 3/8" dowels. For length, I think 2" would do the trick unless your vertical supports need to go deeper. If that's the case, you might want to get some dowel rods and cut them to the exact length. Good luck with your project!
That’s a solid plan! I was thinking 2" for the outer pieces might be best, and maybe 3" for the inner sections, just to be safe.
Yeah, my build is similar to Kallax-style, running the horizontals full length. I do have some screws in the outer frame for support. I just wanted to keep everything aligned with dowels since I’m familiar with that style.