Loading…
30
Found a 1978 study saying particle board shelves sag at 30 lbs, and I've been overbuilding for 20 years
I was digging through some old woodworking journals at the library last Tuesday and came across a 1978 study from a furniture research lab that tested 3/4 inch particle board shelves. The study found they start to bow noticeably at just 30 pounds of load over a 30 inch span, which made me go back and count how many bookcases I've built with a center support that probably wasn't doing much. Has anyone else found an old study or spec sheet that made them rethink a habit they picked up early in the trade?
1 comments
Log in to join the discussion
Log In1 Comment
phoenixk644d ago
Twenty years of center supports and I've probably been building shelves for ants this whole time. That 30 pound number is way lower than what I would have guessed too, so you're not alone in feeling a little silly about it. My own bad habit dates back to a shop teacher who told us 3/4 inch board would hold anything we could stack on it, and I never questioned it once. Guess the old studies are worth digging through after all, even if they do make us feel dumb for a minute.
5