Does this look stable?

[viscousmemories]

I decided to save myself some money (and more precisely satisfy what I was looking for) by building my own shelving using bricks and boards purchased at Home Depot. I like how it looks, but I live in fear of the desk collapsing under its weight. Especially if I fill it up with books. Please see the attached photos and tell me if you think it looks stable.

TIA.

[Dingfod]

We always used cinder blocks, they have a wider stance.

[Clutch Munny]

Dunno, chief. I'm not real confident in the shear strength of pressboard, though the metal rim of the table is good.

I wouldn't load it with books, myself. Also, I'd consider clipping that toenail.

[viscousmemories]

...they have a wider stance.
:snicker:

I thought about it, actually. I also looked at half-blocks. I just thought bricks would be more stylin.

[viscousmemories]

Also, I'd consider clipping that toenail.
:glare:

Yeah, particleboard + screws + hollow aluminum frame doesn't fill me with confidence either. :chin:

[Dingfod]

Bricks do look better, but cinder blocks have neat holes in them you can stick things like that rolled up Magna Carta copy you just bought at a flea market inside.

[inland wave]

Vm,
NO,NO,No!!! Please build your bookcase separately so you can utilize it, otherwise you will have a big mess on your hands....Like desk falling apart, cpu unit crushed, etc...BTW it would be better to add another row of bricks in the center to help with balance/support especially when it comes to big heavy books. It would really be awesome by itself, are you going to stain the wood?

[Miisa]

I also really like the look, but fear for the integrity of that desk under the shelves makes me shudder.

[freemonkey]

I was going to say that you should double the width of your brick supports, because they will be easily unbalanced. But then I notice this was built on top of your table-desk. So, in that case, doubling up on your bricks is not a good idea. All that weight worries me, and adding books will make it worse. If you can find some wood blocks you'd be better off.

I say, go with inland wave's suggestion to build it separately.

OR, do you have any thrift stores in the area? I always see desks and bookcases at those places.

Is that back scratcher between the monitors?

[viscousmemories]

Okay, I'm convinced. I'll do some rearranging.

Not likely I'll be staining the wood, iWave. I haven't even got around to staining my pine bed frame.

[viscousmemories]

I went to every thrift, consignment and home furnishing store within a five mile radius yesterday (okay maybe not, but a lot of them!) and couldn't find anything like what I was looking for. My problem is that my room is small, my bed is huge, and my closet is full, so everything else that needs a home in my room needs to fit in this 6' x 4' space. So basically the only way to go is up! Hmm... wood blocks. :chin:

[Ymir's blood]

Are you allowed (assuming you care) to put screws in the walls? If so, hardware stores sell metal tracks and shelf hangers. Since you've already got the wood, it wouldn't cost more than a couple of bucks, most likely.

Of course you could go even cheaper and just nail the boards to the wall for extra support.

[freemonkey]

I went to every thrift, consignment and home furnishing store within a five mile radius yesterday (okay maybe not, but a lot of them!) and couldn't find anything like what I was looking for.

Well, it usually takes several trips to find what you're looking for. Not good when you're busy or have an immediate need. My experience is usually that I got there 5 minutes too late, so that the guy in line in front of me has my perfect "thing" (like the antique oak file cabinets, for $20, for instance).

My problem is that my room is small, my bed is huge, and my closet is full, so everything else that needs a home in my room needs to fit in this 6' x 4' space. So basically the only way to go is up! Hmm... wood blocks. :chin:

YB has a good solution with the brackets. Its easy to do. This summer I took out a bunch of Ikea-style wood ones, but I think I gave them away. I'll look in my garage today.

[viscousmemories]

I like the brackets idea a lot. I'm rapping the wall in search of studs as we speak.

[freemonkey]

OH, well. I just looked in the garage and I could not find the wood brackets. IIRC, I put them all in a big box and drove them straight over to Goodwill. Sorry. :sadcheer:

[Kevlar]

You just need some extra support at the back of the table, and possibly reinforce the table with 2x4s glued and screwed to the bottom. You can cut some 2X4 legs to length and screw into place against a 2x4 reinforcement. Or you could stack three colums of cinder blocks near the wall (preferrable directly under your upper brick columns), then set the back of the table on them, and then shim it with something so that the table rests evenly.

[godfry n. glad]

Actually...I'm with Ding on this, the wider stance of cinder blocks is much better. As it is with bricks, you'll have to double them to get the stability in carrying the load, and it still won't be a stable as the cinder blocks.

For years, I had floor to about 7' using block and board...always built from the floor up; that brick and board on the table is a no go, for sure. Any side to side jostle will send the whole lot tumbling, and the table jostles all too easily. That advice was good, too.

For the wall above the table/desk, use brackets. And don't skimp and get cheezy ones, either. Decent strong brackets, anchored in studs.

[Caligulette]

Get a loft bed, and make a library underneath.

I am glad you're not going to leave the shelves as they are, as I was having trouble with visions of the desk edge suddenly flipping up and catching your chin in mid-post.

[Dingfod]

Trouble? I was looking forward to it.




Okay, not really.

[Deadlokd]

Wow, someone needs to send you Accidents in the Home! How Unsafe Building Practices Led to Little Johnny Losing His Teeth! series of videos.Yup, I second what everyone else has said. Go for wall brackets if you can. Failing that, rebuild your table with some decent support underneath the chipboard and some sturdy legs. Then use wood instead of bricks to build your shelf.

If that contraption falls down on top of your two computers you'll be tempted to brain yourself with one of the bricks.

Nice to see that cable clutter is universal.:yup:

[lisarea]

To get the wider stance of cinderblocks with more stylin', you could try glass bricks. I made some bookshelves in the bedroom out of boards and glass bricks just because it is way more classy and shit. I don't remember whether I caulked them to the boards, but I sort of intended to at some point.

Mine are low, but if they were up higher, I'd definitely attach them to the wall with brackets, too. And especially especially if I had a couple of fancypants monitors sitting right under them. (Actually, a couple of months ago, I kind of launched myself across the bedroom from being a spaz and landed face first into the top shelf, almost but not quite dumping the whole setup on myself. So maybe I should secure them a little better anyway.)

Maturin has the exact same 'desk,' BTW.

[Listener]

I'd put some steel toecaps over that toenail if I were you!

[BrotherMan]

What a bunch of babies. :crybaby: vm is all about posting dangerously. And that set up is perfect. It's not going to topple immediately, which only enhances the anticipation of doom. I love it, vm. I absolutely love it.

And just in case you're not into having all your stuff toppled into a pile of plastic shards you could shore up the back side of the table. If you want the cheap way, and I know you like cheap, clothes rack size dowels work in a pinch. Just be sure to secure them to the table.

For my cheap college style bookshelving I liked using old milk crates.

[Dingfod]

I wouldn't go barefoot around that table with all that junk stacked on it, something might fall on your toes. Oh, wait, it looks like something already did.

* Dingfod kids, he kids


Shore it up is good advice, stack up books high enough to shore up the back of the table.

[Chris Porter]

http://chrisporter.huntingthesnark.com/images/BrickBookcase.jpg
Go with wider cinderblocks. They would be lighter than the bricks, too.

[JamesBannon]

I took one look and went :egad: It will collapse if you load it, no doubt about that. Like IW I would suggest a separate shelving unit using a doubled brick pillar, especially at the ends, fashioned like a wall bond for greater stability.

[Plant Woman]

Is there an adhesive that you can bond all those bricks together? Also those boards are going to bend with the weight of books on them so the wall bracket idea you could place towards the center to keep the boards from sagging and add stability to the whole thing. They aren't expensive and if you can't find a stud to screw into, you buy the wall anchor thingeh-muh-bobs.

I echo the advice to beef up the table.

[Shelli]

What everyone else has said and one more thing, vm. Why do you have two monitors on your desk?


http://chrisporter.huntingthesnark.com/images/BrickBookcase.jpg
Go with wider cinderblocks. They would be lighter than the bricks, too.That looks cool. Is that yours?

[Dingfod]

Gorilla Glue can bond almost anything together, even wood to brick.

[Deadlokd]

It looks like he has two computers Shelli. Some of us have to make do with one.:P

[Shelli]

Okay, next question then. Why two computers side by side?

[viscousmemories]

One is a server, the other is a desktop computer. The reason for the two monitors, though, is because Windows has the built-in capability to extend your desktop across two monitors, thus giving twice as much screen real estate.

[Shelli]

huh, cool. :thankee:

[ChuckF]

I have some Christmas advice: quit being a cheap asshole and buy a fucking desk.

I know you're going to be all like
But Chuck, I'm not a cheap asshole!
:whine:

An' I'm gonna be like
Buy a fucking desk!
:drillsgt:

Happy Holidays, pussy! :santathrust:

[Chris Porter]

What everyone else has said and one more thing, vm. Why do you have two monitors on your desk?


(snip image)
Go with wider cinderblocks. They would be lighter than the bricks, too.That looks cool. Is that yours?

Yes, my old apartment.

[JamesBannon]

Is there an adhesive that you can bond all those bricks together? Also those boards are going to bend with the weight of books on them so the wall bracket idea you could place towards the center to keep the boards from sagging and add stability to the whole thing. They aren't expensive and if you can't find a stud to screw into, you buy the wall anchor thingeh-muh-bobs.

I echo the advice to beef up the table.

Even if you did bond the bricks together PW, having them stacked that way means there is no lateral strength in the column (meaning that it is simple to collapse simply by pushing it from the side). That is why, for instance, you will never see a wall built that way with brick. There are always interlocking bricks to give it lateral stability.

[Cynical-Chick]

I went to every thrift, consignment and home furnishing store within a five mile radius yesterday (okay maybe not, but a lot of them!) and couldn't find anything like what I was looking for. My problem is that my room is small, my bed is huge, and my closet is full, so everything else that needs a home in my room needs to fit in this 6' x 4' space. So basically the only way to go is up! Hmm... wood blocks. :chin:
Milk crates on the wall, my friend.

[Plant Woman]

Oh I see what you mean James. Thanks for making it more clear.

[Pendaric]

I think you should leave it just exactly as it is and load it up. Then post pictures of the resultant train wreck. Always fun to look at.

[Count]

No, but this does

http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d27/Anomie_/horsestable-02.jpg

[Crumb]

That's one happy looking horse.

[Count]

That's one happy looking horse.

It's laughing at the brick/chipboard desk construction :smugnod:

[viscousmemories]

:glare:

[viscousmemories]

Okay, here's the new and (improved?) shelving. The bricks in the middle are probably unnecessary since the brackets are rated at 150# per set, but I have to do something with them, so I threw them in there for extra support.

It's not pretty, but it'll work.

Word of advice: The $10 Zircon studfinder was virtually useless.

At $40 the 18v cordless Ryobi drill, on the other hand, was a priceless help.

I threw in a picture of the bed, too, so you can see the space problem I'm contending with.

[Pinecone]

I like the new bracket shelves. Put some stuff on them in rainbow color theme of course! If you have any more bricks you can use them for book ends!

[Plant Woman]

Much better!:phew:

[ChuckF]

Well that's a little better but you're still :whine:

Buy a damn desk, you hippie! :shakecane:

[Ermintrude]

Dunno about planks on bricks but I once did it with planks on bottles - the weight on the shelves hold the bottles down or you can always fill them with water or sand.

[viscousmemories]

Thanks peeps. I guess I'll get rid of those bricks. I won't be putting a lot of stuff on there anyway, and they're pretty ugly like that. Hmm... I still have about 8 ft. of wood left, maybe I'll make a narrow bookcase for corner of my room. :chin:

Oh, and I will be buying a new desk Chuck. I looked at them today, I just wasn't ready today to shell out the $250-$450 (used) it will cost to get a big heavy natural wood desk like I want.

[Count]

I threw in a picture of the bed, too, so you can see the space problem I'm contending with.

Oooh, perhaps you could save space by building a smaller bed out of bricks and chipboard?
No don't thank me, happy to help! :D

[viscousmemories]

:glare:

I just bought that bed a few months ago, and it's the first "real" bed I've owned. (Which is to say it's a queen-size on a wood frame instead of a full-size on a collapsible metal frame).

[BrotherMan]

That looks a lot better, vm. You done good.

And because sometimes I can't help myself...

http://www.freethought-forum.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=3239&stc=1&d=1198718715

[freemonkey]

much, much better, vm. I think the shelves with brackets look better than they did with the bricks. Cleaner looking.

Did you put any brackets near the middle if that long lower shelf? One or two would help distribute the weight of the contents and keep the shelf from bowing.

P.S. don't feel so bad about waiting so long to get a big boy bed..... I'm older than you and still don't have a dining table. :meh:

[Deadlokd]

Fine, let's get back to the OP. Spoilsport Freemonkey:P.

vm, if you move the floor lamp near the wall and push your bed over, you'll gain a few more centimetres of space.

[freemonkey]

Fine.

vm, if you build a platform of shelves with bricks and plywood and put the bed on top, you'll have oodles of space under your bed.

[Deadlokd]

:rofl:

[viscousmemories]

I have a stack of bricks under the middle of the bottom shelf now, but you make a good point. I should just get another bracket and use the bricks elsewhere.

[Deadlokd]

In fact, if, every morning, you tilted your bed up and nailed it to the wall you'd get even more space. Then all you'd have to do is lower it back down to the floor each night. Pure genius me.

[viscousmemories]

I just ran out and bought another bracket. Soon the pile of bricks will be gone.

[Joshua Adams]

I was going to suggest you use some books or something to prop up the shelves, and then use it to display your lovely brick collection.

[viscousmemories]

Damn, where were you a few hours ago? That would've been gold.

[freemonkey]

did you get rid of those bricks already? I was going to suggest an upper storage bunk for your bed. :wink:

[Deadlokd]

Why not use your DIY skills and just extend your bedroom? Knock a wall out, slap some bricks together and Bob's your Uncle. Unless he isn't. But srsly now, it's a great idea. You have the bricks for the walls, the planks for the roof and the skills to pull this off.

[Count]

Why not use your DIY skills and just extend your bedroom? Knock a wall out, slap some bricks together and Bob's your Uncle. Unless he isn't. But srsly now, it's a great idea. You have the bricks for the walls, the planks for the roof and the skills to pull this off.

I just snorted out loud. It's not a very feminine sound eh?! :blush3:


Oh VM, you could even add one o' those fancy schmancy stables with the grinning horse! With extra stalls for the homeless battered women!

Ca'an, glare at me again... :D

[viscousmemories]

I don't think the apartment management would like me knocking walls down.

[Deadlokd]

I don't think the apartment management would like me knocking walls down.:chicken:

[Kyuss Apollo]

Your new arrangement will hold more than just feathers, which is what I was going to suggest is all you should be loading onto that first horrorshow of a shelving system.

Studfinders are stupid useless and probably some kind of communist plot. Chuck will bear me out on this.

Just make sure the screws are very well anchored. See comment #1 above for clarification on this.

Also, the bunkbed idea is perfectly valid; sleep on top, storage underneath.

But bed, shmed. You could also save space by sleeping in a hammock. Have you thought of that, a hammock?

[Qingdai]

I hammock would also be a dandy way to store your bricks, (preferably over your bed because I can tell, you like danger!) incase you get another hairbrained brilliant idea for home improvement, like a barbecue!

Lot's of earthquakes where you live?

[Pendaric]

I don't think the apartment management would like me knocking walls down.

How many rooms do you actually have? Are we seeing the full extent of the space available to you in just the one rented room, or do you have further rooms as well?

[Ymir's blood]

Throw the bricks at the homeless. You know you want to.

[freemonkey]

Also, the bunkbed idea is perfectly valid; sleep on top, storage underneath.

But bed, shmed. You could also save space by sleeping in a hammock. Have you thought of that, a hammock?

I have seriously considered both these options for myself. I can be such a klutz, though, so maybe neither is a good idea.

[viscousmemories]

How many rooms do you actually have? Are we seeing the full extent of the space available to you in just the one rented room, or do you have further rooms as well?
We share a two bedroom apartment, but the living and dining room are pretty much full. Besides, the living room has two sets of bookshelves built into the walls, so there's no real need for shelving out there. My objective in this was just to reduce clutter in my bedroom.

[Sock Puppet]

Every time I see this thread title, I think of "Does this look infected?"

[Kyuss Apollo]

Does this look stable, er, infected?