Reclaimed industrial chic floating shelves

Here’s a detailed look at how to prepare and install alcove shelves made from reclaimed scaffold boards and mounted on black iron brackets.
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[@lukeyd13]

Thanks for all the details. I'm glad I'm not the only one who puts bigger and bigger plugs in when it goes wrong!

[@nicharvey7211]

Great tips again! Thanks for sharing.

[@mafflete]

Brilliant, angle iron, great idea. Thank you!

[@williamleach6082]

Really useful video. Just what I was going for in our old cottage! Great, simple mounting solution - can't believe I didn't think of that! Amazing channel! Thanks!

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Thanks for commenting, glad you like the content!

[@o.g.bwoodwork]

Great idea and well executed

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Thanks 👍

[@CharlieSkapentry]

Just stumbled across your channel looking for tips on alcoves as i've been asked to make some alcove units and floating shelves. 90% of my work is hanging doors so bit of new territory to me so cheers for the advice!

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Charles Gabriel it’s nice to hear this and I’m glad it’s been helpful!

[@nahladel]

Thanks for this, came to find out the timber treatment (Briwax) but l learned some other stuff too. Cheers.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

nahladel glad it helped, thanks for commenting!

[@noskills9577]

👍 getting someone to pay good money for reclaimed timber items seems to be an art in itself. I'll have to start keeping some of our RSA offcuts. If anyone reading needs a lot of this angle get phoning round your local steel suppliers, surprisingly cheap in 7m lengths.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

No Skills if I start doing more of this it will make sense to buy locally, lots of suppliers around here in Sheffield!

[@noskills9577]

@@Alastair_Freebird yes I bet there are 😁😁😁

[@alan36753]

Great job as usual. Couple of things to consider. Prepping sawn wood, I blow torch first which burns all the splinters before sanding and I use a laser for heights coupled with my home made 'dexion' steel support which holds the laser magnetically or for repeats I use the holes to screw 100 x 100 platforms up at the required heights and just move the laser up and place it on the little platforms

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Nice tips thank you

[@nicholacm]

Looks great, but as I'm a visual learner it would have been great if you showed the actual process of hanging the brackets and the shelf

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Fair comment sorry about that

[@beehayes393]

This is a great video! I’ve been wanting to do these in my living room 😊 so thanks for the tips. I’ve done scaff plank shelves in the past sitting them on carriage bolts but it was really fiddly. The shelves I’m going to make will be about 195cm long and I want to use them as book shelves. If I put a third angle iron in the centre of each shelf do you think they’d be load bearing enough? Thanks for any advice you can offer 👍

[@jacobhandyside5863]

Guy from Sheffield buys his steel of eBay!? Joking, another top job

[@TranTheClever]

This looks GORGEOUS, Rachel! You did such a great job! Quick question: how does one make sure each shelf is completely level? You made it look so perfect! 4:26

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Tran The Clever who is Rachel? 😂 I used a spirit level to mark level along the rear wall, then a short spirit level to return the marks forwards around the side wall, then lined things up to the marks.

[@davidampofo8991]

Great channel! So much useful information! Can I ask what model nail gun you use? And have you had any problems with installation on out side walls and condensation, With fitting wardrobes? Great work and great videos👍

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Hi David thanks for commenting! I have an 18 gauge paslode (IM50) I think, but more recently I started using a Dewalt battery powered 16 gauge (DCN660...) which is what I use for fitting battens quickly in position to plastered walls prior to drilling through, plugging and screwing. I have once or twice had moisture issues where I have fitted fully boxed up wardrobe carcases against a wall with damp problems and it has made me wary whenever there is any hint of a damp problem.

[@stuartcairnie9985]

Great work as usual, quick question.What blade do you have in your track saw?

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Stuart Cairnie thanks. I think it’s an Irwin one. Next time I need to buy one I’m going to try one of those Key Blades and Fixings ones that everyone seems to be raving about on Instagram.

[@Neil-Hanson67]

Hi there, you have a new subscriber today, very clean and clear vids thanks, just one thing though ,please look at the camera itself not the screen,i know its a small thing and sometimes you have to look at it but it's so distracting,sorry may be i have some ocd in me lol,keep up the great work.Regards Neil.

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Hi Neil, this has been said to me before and ever since then it has bothered me too!! It's surprisingly difficult to do, but I am trying and you should see a slight improvement in more recent videos. I'm glad you like the content otherwise.

[@adriandotsmall]

👍

[@user-uk7mj6gg7w]

Hi there I got the same bracket and wall plug. I have a lot of book and am a bit concern if the wall plug will be enough. Do you drill into the stud for the fixing?

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Hi I was drilling into solid brick, if you have a stud wall then yes finding the studs is probably best however you’d be surprised how strong a fixing into plasterboard can be if the drill hole is neat and tight and the plug pulls tight without over tightening and spinning

[@ackec-umsekkruch-ekucki952]

I believe timber cups the other way round to what you were showing?

[@Alastair_Freebird]

aaa aa it would be good to know if I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure I’m right if we’re talking about the timber drying and shrinking. If it increased in moisture content it would go the other way. Happy to be corrected if you can show me a link or something saying otherwise.

[@paulmcfadyen689]

Timber always cups towars the outside (where the bark of the tree would have been)

[@katherinewestbury796]

Hi do you have a link for the brackets please? Thanks

[@certifiedguvna9058]

What is the thickness of the angle iron you have used? Also what is the approximate max load?

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Certified Guvna 3 or 4mm thickness at a guess! And I think they were 40x40mm. In a solid wall if you get a really good solid grab with the plugs and screws I’d say they could hold a full shelf of books, vinyl records might be pushing it at this length with no rear support. You could use 3 screws and plugs per bracket to be sure.

[@certifiedguvna9058]

Freebird Interiors thanks

[@samhyde2366]

what sort of weight could these carry? Vinyl?

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Sam Hyde funny you should ask that about this type of shelf because I just tested our painted mdf shelves to breaking point and established they could easily cope with being loaded with vinyl (this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/p32kc4FjnqmMn68). So as regards these solid wood ones; in terms of the strength of the timber yes I’m sure they could, they are old scaffold boards so have to be strong. To go belt and braces you could add a. bracket along the rear or in the middle to be certain of no deflection. The other issue is the strength of the fixings into the wall, and again based on how well the same fixings held on the other shelf style I would have no worries.

[@DownPro1]

What type of wood is this

[@Alastair_Freebird]

Scaffolding boards.... Google says the timber used is European whitewood