I'm working on building some shelves using 18mm (3/4") underlayment panels. The dimensions for my shelves will be around 120cm long and 18cm deep, supported by 5mm shelf-pins on each side with no middle support. I plan to pocket hole and screw the shelves for added stability. What weight do you think I can load these shelves with before they start to sag? Are we looking at a maximum of 5kg, or could I push it to 15kg?
2 Answers
A trick to increase your shelves' strength is to add a lip. It can seriously boost how much weight they can hold. For heavy loads, consider cutting dadoes in the back and sides. And just so you're aware, a standard sheet of 3/4" plywood is pretty heavy—around 74 lbs—so be prepared for that when you're assembling everything!
Check out this cool tool called the Sagulator—it helps you calculate shelf sag based on your dimensions and material! It’s a solid way to get a specific idea of what to expect with your weight limits. Just be mindful that, while an 18mm shelf can handle some weight, anything longer than 80cm without extra support is pushing it.
Super useful! I just played around with it, but I couldn't find my exact type of plywood. Guess I'll need to estimate based on what's available.
Haha, the Sagulator is a lifesaver! I’m glad you mentioned it. Just keep in mind, with longer spans, you definitely want to consider some extra support.