I'm building a long shelf that will stretch the length of one wall in a small bedroom. The thick 10in x 97in wooden plank being used is quiet heavy in and by itself, and will be retaining a large amount of heavy photo albums, books, and keepsakes across the length of it. My estimated guess of the shelf weight will be in the 50-80lb range, probably more near the 80lb. (On the safe side, I would prefer sturdy brackets ready to withhold weight slightly above the 80lb weight range that I guessed.)The cheapest brackets I first found on OKorder and the main type I was seeing there were very flat ruler-looking 90 degree angled brackets that screw into the wall and the bottom of shelf. I asked the OKorder seller about its ability to withstand weight and the seller advised me to not put any shelf too heavy on those brackets.So what type of shelving brackets should I get for my long, load bearing shelf?
build simple legs that is the same width as the board. And they can be nailed to the end of the walls. That holds the board up and you can put10 angle brackets along the other wall if you can find the stud to screw into , other wise same boards like the ends and either put in one or space it out for 2 extra mid supports which are resting on the floor. If the floor gives away then you got a rotten floor, if it is concrete you can hold 800 lbs. Wood is the cheapest and easily obtainable.
I suggest using brackets which have a diagonal brace running from front edge of shelf down to the base of the bracket. These will hold more weight than the ones made of pressed metal without the diagonal. Use enough brackets - for an 8ft shelf with a heavy load, I would use at least 3, maybe 4 brackets. If you go too far apart, the shelf may sag, and more brackets equals more anchors. How you anchor the brackets will be very important, perhaps more important, than the type of bracket. If possible, anchor into studs. If you have to anchor into drywall, use the high-quality drywall anchors, with the plastic base which screws into the wall - these will hold a lot more weight than the cheap expanding ones.
