Extra wide floating shelves - how to fix!

IvyFlood

Hello

I’ve had some floating shelves custom made by a joiner to fit in an alcove (next to chimney breast) in my home. They are an odd shape in that one edge is W48cm and the other is W30cm so the front length runs on a diagonal (if that makes sense!)

We had a guy round to hopefully put them up but he had concerns due to the width of the longer side as the brackets supplied are a ‘one bracket fits all’ type and probably not substantial enough. He said he’d look into it but suddenly came back and said he’s too booked up and can’t fit them till August!

My question is, have we made the wrong decision getting them made this way and is it impossible for them to be floating due to the size?! I’d rather them not sit on wooden ledges and not sure this is possible anyway as the chimney breast wall will be full of pipework to drill into.

The shelves themselves are made from reclaimed pine and aren’t that heavy but we will be putting books on them. The wall is solid brick behind.

Any advice much appreciated, surely it’s a simple solution!?

Tom99

What type of brackets are you trying to use?

The type I have used in the past, from say Ikea look like a substantial shelf but are actually hollow and very lightweight. They have a back-plate then a steel tube which slides into a pre-drilled hole in the shelf.

-taff

If you can't find a solution to the metal bar/two protruding metal dowels, you could use the two bits of wood thing, but put a deeper face on the front of the shelf to hide them.

EssexExile

Won't the joiner who made them fit them? Or at least offer advice.

konark

Can't put up a shelf until August! Wow! he's busy.

hemsk

Search youtube for "I'm Making Some Simple Floating Alcove Shelves [23]". The video you are looking for is 9;24 long and is on the Gosford Handyman Channel.

i made and installed the shelves myself. Took me the best part of a morning, but got them up in the end.

Difficult to say whether this solution will work for you, but could give you an idea on how to tackle the problem.

IvyFlood

Tom99 wrote: »

What type of brackets are you trying to use?

The type I have used in the past, from say Ikea look like a substantial shelf but are actually hollow and very lightweight. They have a back-plate then a steel tube which slides into a pre-drilled hole in the shelf.

They're just metal prongs, but the length of them looks too short to support the shelf

IvyFlood

EssexExile wrote: »

Won't the joiner who made them fit them? Or at least offer advice.

I did ask and they said although they said they used to fit them as well, they just don't have time anymore. They're more concerned with the quality of wood/end product than with the fitting of them!

IvyFlood

konark wrote: »

Can't put up a shelf until August! Wow! he's busy.

I know! Its a bit weird. Just don't think he wanted the job!

-taff

If they're not long enough, and you don't want to or can't buy longer, go and see a metal firm, they'll be able to make you a couple to your specifications.

maisie_cat

Those prong fittings come in different lengths, so just buy 2 different lengths. It is not unusual to have a shelf with differing depths along the length.