# Need some construction advice, sort of...



## JustAnotherNut (Feb 27, 2017)

I need to reorganize my stuff in the worst way and that is the new current project that needs done before I can add any more to it. I want to put a lot of my home canned stuff on those Rubbermaid shelving units and even stack jars, with cardboard or something in between to not mess with seals. That stuff gets pretty heavy and I don't want the plastic shelves to break, plus each shelf has odd holes that the jars or bottles don't sit straight or flat. I have some 1/2 inch plywood that would just about fit the bottom of each shelf, giving me a flat sturdy surface to load on...……..but would the plastic unit be able to hold not just the plywood, but whatever else was loaded onto it? I'm guessing a couple hundred pounds per shelf, maybe?


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

Impossible for the rest of us to know what your 'plastic' shelves are capable of. But if they're not capable of bearing the load, adding a bit of plywood is only going to be a temporary solution... the plastic will still start to fail due to the weight.

Why not just drop the dime and buy some heavy-duvy shelving at the local home center and sleep well at night?


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## dwight55 (Nov 9, 2012)

Back Pack Hack said:


> Impossible for the rest of us to know what your 'plastic' shelves are capable of. But if they're not capable of bearing the load, adding a bit of plywood is only going to be a temporary solution... the plastic will still start to fail due to the weight.
> 
> Why not just drop the dime and buy some heavy-duvy shelving at the local home center and sleep well at night?


I'll second the above motion.

Plastic starts out great, . . . given time, . . . and a static load near it's limit, . . . it will buckle, . . . your broken jars will be on the floor.

Will not be a happy day.

May God bless,
Dwight


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## JustAnotherNut (Feb 27, 2017)

Cause I don't really have the dime to spare for something like that and I'm too cheap to buy something I basically already have. 

Doing a check on their website, says the 4 shelf unit holds 1,000lbs, 250lbs per shelf. So it should be good for what I need...…….now I'm just not sure if the added plywood would just add more weight or would help disperse or support the added weight


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

JustAnotherNut said:


> ........... I'm just not sure if the added plywood would just add more weight or would help disperse or support the added weight


It will do both. My money is the shelves will still start to sag, it will just take longer.


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## JustAnotherNut (Feb 27, 2017)

dwight55 said:


> I'll second the above motion.
> 
> Plastic starts out great, . . . given time, . . . and a static load near it's limit, . . . it will buckle, . . . your broken jars will be on the floor.
> 
> ...


ok, I guess that makes sense. Thanks


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## Old SF Guy (Dec 15, 2013)

add a 2 x 4 or 4 x 4 support running up the center of each shelf you can cut and stack them shelf to shelf or cut a long 2x4 with notches for each shelf to run of the center (front and back). or do what the others recommend. You can build a sturdy shelf with 2x4's and ply wood fairly inexpensively.


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## JustAnotherNut (Feb 27, 2017)

Back Pack Hack said:


> It will do both. My money is the shelves will still start to sag, it will just take longer.


ok, ok......back to square one. Thanks.


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## JustAnotherNut (Feb 27, 2017)

Old SF Guy said:


> add a 2 x 4 or 4 x 4 support running up the center of each shelf you can cut and stack them shelf to shelf or cut a long 2x4 with notches for each shelf to run of the center (front and back). or do what the others recommend. You can build a sturdy shelf with 2x4's and ply wood fairly inexpensively.


That may be doable, thanks.


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

JustAnotherNut said:


> That may be doable, thanks.


Sticking a support member smack dab in the middle of every shelf severely limits what you can put on it. Canned goods, not much of an issue. But boxes.....?


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## paulag1955 (Dec 15, 2019)

The load bearing capacity of each shelf and the overall load of the unit will be on the box. We have plastic shelving in our garage and it's very sturdy. I believe they're rated for 150 pounds per shelf. We have some of them maxed out and there's no sagging. I'm pretty sure the plastic will outlast me as long as it's not exposed to UV light.


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## Deebo (Oct 27, 2012)

I ran 16 inch wide 3/4 plywood, with 12 or 18 inch supports in my pantry, and am very happy with the results.


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

I tried the plastic shelving and it didn't work well after a while. Wire shelving, if you can get it at a decent price, is what we are using. They are also on wheels so moving them when needed is easy. I bought them one at at time to spread out the cost. We have three.


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## paulag1955 (Dec 15, 2019)

inceptor said:


> I tried the plastic shelving and it didn't work well after a while. Wire shelving, if you can get it at a decent price, is what we are using. They are also on wheels so moving them when needed is easy. I bought them one at at time to spread out the cost. We have three.


Our heavy duty plastic shelving has the same load bearing capacity as the chromed steel wire shelving we got at Costco. I'm not sure what all you guys who are down on plastic are picturing, but it can't be the same thing I'm talking about.


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

paulag1955 said:


> Our heavy duty plastic shelving has the same load bearing capacity as the chromed steel wire shelving we got at Costco. I'm not sure what all you guys who are down on plastic are picturing, but it can't be the same thing I'm talking about.


That's 'cuz there's about a billion different types of plastic shelving.


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## paulag1955 (Dec 15, 2019)

Back Pack Hack said:


> That's 'cuz there's about a billion different types of plastic shelving.


Exactly. I'm pretty sure that @JustAnotherNut is thinking of the heavy duty plastic shelving sold at Home Depot and Lowes. That stuff will suit her needs with capacity to spare. The shelves won't warp or sag. It's probably stronger and more durable that inexpensive metal shelving, and it's available at a fraction of the cost.

This is what we have and it's rated for 200 pounds per shelf. I was wrong when I said 150 pounds. That means these are rated even higher than the chromed steel shelving from Costco.


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

paulag1955 said:


> Exactly. I'm pretty sure that @JustAnotherNut is thinking of the heavy duty plastic shelving sold at Home Depot and Lowes. That stuff will suit her needs with capacity to spare. The shelves won't warp or sag. It's probably stronger and more durable that inexpensive metal shelving, and it's available at a fraction of the cost.
> 
> This is what we have and it's rated for 200 pounds per shelf. I was wrong when I said 150 pounds. That means these are rated even higher than the chromed steel shelving from Costco.


I had those and gave them away. Yes they are heavy duty but I found the wire racks at Costco suited my needs. They hold more and are moveable. The shelves are also adjustable so you can have a short one for canned good and more room for taller items.


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

paulag1955 said:


> ..........This is what we have and it's rated for 200 pounds per shelf. I was wrong when I said 150 pounds. That means these are rated even higher than the chromed steel shelving from Costco.


No way would I put half a ton on one of those. Maybe 200 lbs across the 5 shelves. But not 200 each.


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## paulag1955 (Dec 15, 2019)

inceptor said:


> I had those and gave them away. Yes they are heavy duty but I found the wire racks at Costco suited my needs. They hold more and are moveable. The shelves are also adjustable so you can have a short one for canned good and more room for taller items.


Nice. The shelves aren't adjustable on the ones we got from Costco, but we do appreciate the wheels.


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## paulag1955 (Dec 15, 2019)

Back Pack Hack said:


> No way would I put half a ton on one of those. Maybe 200 lbs across the 5 shelves. But not 200 each.


I'm not sure but they may be rated only for 750 max. So you can put 200 on each shelf, but not on every shelf. We have ours pretty loaded (of course we haven't weighed anything) and haven't had any problems. You may be underestimating just how sturdy they are. Plastic gets a bad rap because so many things made of plastic are cheaply made. I used to work at a plastics distributor and there are plastics that are neither inherently cheap nor weak.


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

paulag1955 said:


> I'm not sure but they may be rated only for 750 max. So you can put 200 on each shelf, but not every shelf. We have ours pretty loaded (of course we haven't weight anything) and haven't had any problems. You may be underestimating just how sturdy they are. Plastic gets a bad rap because so many things made of plastic are cheaply made. I used to work at a plastics distributor and there are plastics that are neither inherently cheap or weak.


You're underestimating my original comment about a billion types of plastic. :vs_smile:However, since we know nothing about what the OP really has, we can't just assume it's the best plastic on the face of the planet.


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## 1skrewsloose (Jun 3, 2013)

If something is rated for certain load it will withstand more than that. Probably not max load right in the middle, but spread out. Recommended capacity are always lower than actual capacity due to liability crap. Goes that way with everything, except maybe chicom stuff.


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## Old SF Guy (Dec 15, 2013)

basic rule of thumb...if you place an item that disperses load acros a greater surface area you increace the lbs per in/foot it can sustain....load that bitch up...when it sags...put a board under it.....shaka khan.

ya'll sound like those folks screaming oil change every 5,000 miles...... shut up...engine ain't complaining....only you are.... shaka khan.....

says coat hanger holding exhaust for 20 plus years....


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## Old SF Guy (Dec 15, 2013)

Sorry, I've spent to much time on the Harley Site...friggin Captain Obvious wouldn't stand a chance there.... "Hey I had this happen to my bike...has anyone else ever had that happen?" "answer...no...only new people who are total nubes ever had that happen, although I can't tell you why it happened...it happened because your newer to the site than I am....pussy!!!!


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

JustAnotherNut,

If your shelves are like the Rubbermaid Shelves we have in our basement pantry, they can hold a shat ton of weight and will probably outlive you.

The key is make sure the shelves are level and I don't mean "Sort-A-Level"...I mean LEVEL. Also make sure you pound the legs into the shelving unit until it sets in place.

These shelves have been at Slippy Lodge for a number of years and Mrs Slippy swears we bought them in 2006. (Why she has shit like that in her brain is beyond me, but I digress! :vs_smile

We have a few more of these types of shelves and one of them has a bunch of Tile left over from our build, plus bags of grout and paint cans etc. We've never had a failure. I don't know when Rubbermaid began manufacturing them in Chicom but I think my shelves were US made at the time that I bought them. Or so I think.

We have some of our self canned goods on the bottom of one of these shelves but most of our self canned goods are on a couple of shelves that are made of galvanized pipe and fittings and 1" common boards that I sanded and stained...they are pretty ritzy looking and cost a lot more than I'm sure you want to spend so I'll spare you the pics...

View attachment 105927


View attachment 105929




JustAnotherNut said:


> I need to reorganize my stuff in the worst way and that is the new current project that needs done before I can add any more to it. I want to put a lot of my home canned stuff on those Rubbermaid shelving units and even stack jars, with cardboard or something in between to not mess with seals. That stuff gets pretty heavy and I don't want the plastic shelves to break, plus each shelf has odd holes that the jars or bottles don't sit straight or flat. I have some 1/2 inch plywood that would just about fit the bottom of each shelf, giving me a flat sturdy surface to load on...&#8230;&#8230;..but would the plastic unit be able to hold not just the plywood, but whatever else was loaded onto it? I'm guessing a couple hundred pounds per shelf, maybe?


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## paulag1955 (Dec 15, 2019)

Slippy said:


> JustAnotherNut,
> 
> If your shelves are like the Rubbermaid Shelves we have in our basement pantry, they can hold a shat ton of weight and will probably outlive you.
> 
> ...


Yes! That's the kind we have too (not Rubbermaid brand though) and you're right, they're going to outlast us.


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## Slippy (Nov 14, 2013)

paulag1955 said:


> Yes! That's the kind we have too (not Rubbermaid brand though) and you're right, they're going to outlast us.


Paula,

Did you notice our cans of Veg-All! :vs_wave:


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## paulag1955 (Dec 15, 2019)

Slippy said:


> Paula,
> 
> Did you notice our cans of Veg-All! :vs_wave:


I did. Even I can understand the benefit of having Veg-All on hand. So easy to throw into soup or stew.


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## MountainGirl (Oct 29, 2017)

JustAnotherNut said:


> ... .&#8230;&#8230;.now I'm just not sure if the added plywood would just add more weight or would help disperse or support the added weight


I've done what you're thinking. It disperses it and takes care of the 'holes' issue. And it doesn't have to be plywood or thick. I don't recall exactly what the material was, but it was hard and thin like cheap paneling, and only 1/8" thick.


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## Old SF Guy (Dec 15, 2013)

MountainGirl said:


> I don't recall exactly what the material was, but it was hard and thin ... and only 1/8" thick.


That's what she said....


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## MountainGirl (Oct 29, 2017)

Um.....


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## MountainGirl (Oct 29, 2017)

Old SF Guy said:


> That's what she said....


:vs_laugh:


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## Old SF Guy (Dec 15, 2013)

MountainGirl said:


> :vs_laugh:


Hell I like those standards.... I might come across as quite a "Big Deal"...wink wink...big wheel.


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## KUSA (Apr 21, 2016)

Slippy said:


> Paula,
> 
> Did you notice our cans of Veg-All! :vs_wave:


Throw that crap in the trash. You can never make them taste worth a fart.

I did notice that you only have one can of ro-tel left.


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## Denton (Sep 18, 2012)

Old SF Guy said:


> Hell I like those standards.... I might come across as quite a "Big Deal"...wink wink...big wheel.


Oh, jeez. Is this going to turn into a member-measuring contest? I insist that no pics are offered as proof. :vs_closedeyes:


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## paulag1955 (Dec 15, 2019)

Denton said:


> Oh, jeez. Is this going to turn into a member-measuring contest? I insist that no pics are offered as proof. :vs_closedeyes:


Thank you. Bless you.


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## 1skrewsloose (Jun 3, 2013)

Good thing this isn't a "Gay" forum!


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## Old SF Guy (Dec 15, 2013)

I will just say I torque to 68 foot lbs.... that is all.....69 if your feeling good....


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## Back Pack Hack (Sep 15, 2016)

1skrewsloose said:


> Good thing this isn't a "Gay" forum!


Yeah, that would suck.

Wait............... did I just say that? :vs_frown:


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## JustAnotherNut (Feb 27, 2017)

paulag1955 said:


> Exactly. I'm pretty sure that @JustAnotherNut is thinking of the heavy duty plastic shelving sold at Home Depot and Lowes. That stuff will suit her needs with capacity to spare. The shelves won't warp or sag. It's probably stronger and more durable that inexpensive metal shelving, and it's available at a fraction of the cost.
> 
> This is what we have and it's rated for 200 pounds per shelf. I was wrong when I said 150 pounds. That means these are rated even higher than the chromed steel shelving from Costco.


Yes, that looks like one of them I have. The other 2 are the Rubbermaid, like this


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## JustAnotherNut (Feb 27, 2017)

Slippy said:


> JustAnotherNut,
> 
> If your shelves are like the Rubbermaid Shelves we have in our basement pantry, they can hold a shat ton of weight and will probably outlive you.
> 
> ...


Yes to both of those shelves. I have those and are being used with about as much stuff on them...&#8230;.but I'm wondering about filling them with full canning jars, double stacked...which would probably be about double or even triple the weight you have on yours now.


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## JustAnotherNut (Feb 27, 2017)

Spent the day at the hardware store. Got some 1/2in plywood and a bunch of 2x4's and 2x3's that were in the free pile, and set out to build my own shelving. Let's just say I suck at carpentry. And from the looks of it, I may go back to the Rubbermaid shelves instead. 

Here's a pic of the first shelf across the back, then with all of them...except I do have another shelf for the back I didn't get up yet. None of the shelves are attached to the others, nor attached to the walls, which I was going to do tomorrow to anchor them all in place...…...but I just don't know they are any better than the Rubbermaids I had in there before.

And I can't figure out how to rotate the pics on this site. I did on my computer, but it didn't transfer correctly.


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

JustAnotherNut said:


> Spent the day at the hardware store. Got some 1/2in plywood and a bunch of 2x4's and 2x3's that were in the free pile, and set out to build my own shelving. Let's just say I suck at carpentry. And from the looks of it, I may go back to the Rubbermaid shelves instead.
> 
> Here's a pic of the first shelf across the back, then with all of them...except I do have another shelf for the back I didn't get up yet. None of the shelves are attached to the others, nor attached to the walls, which I was going to do tomorrow to anchor them all in place...&#8230;...but I just don't know they are any better than the Rubbermaids I had in there before.
> 
> And I can't figure out how to rotate the pics on this site. I did on my computer, but it didn't transfer correctly.


First, if you click on the photo then double click, they will straighten out.

For not knowing carpentry, that's a pretty good job. :vs_closedeyes:


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## JustAnotherNut (Feb 27, 2017)

inceptor said:


> First, if you click on the photo then double click, they will straighten out.
> 
> For not knowing carpentry, that's a pretty good job. :vs_closedeyes:


Thanks, but I see so many mistakes...&#8230;.namely the shelves are just the flat surface with legs, stacked one on top of the other. Even with 2 screws in each 2x4, they don't stand straight. If you bump them, they'd crash.


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## inceptor (Nov 19, 2012)

JustAnotherNut said:


> Thanks, but I see so many mistakes...&#8230;.namely the shelves are just the flat surface with legs, stacked one on top of the other. Even with 2 screws in each 2x4, they don't stand straight. If you bump them, they'd crash.


Still for not knowing how you've got a pretty good start. Check youtube. There are tons of videos there for nearly everything. Yes, you'll run into some moron's but if you watch enough you can figure out who is an idiot and who is worth listening too.

You have the attitude and the drive to do this, I admire this. Just remember, no one was born with this knowledge. We all had to start somewhere. You've made a pretty good start. Now take what you have and refine it. Keep at it, you'll do fine.


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## paulag1955 (Dec 15, 2019)

JustAnotherNut said:


> Yes, that looks like one of them I have. The other 2 are the Rubbermaid, like this


These will work perfectly for you.


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## jimb1972 (Nov 12, 2012)

I have some Rubbermaid shelves, for about 20 years now. I don't know how much they will hold, but one shelf has ammo on it. They don't sell them anymore, but I think they were rated for 300-350# per shelf IIRC.


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## paulag1955 (Dec 15, 2019)

JustAnotherNut said:


> Yes to both of those shelves. I have those and are being used with about as much stuff on them...&#8230;.but I'm wondering about filling them with full canning jars, double stacked...which would probably be about double or even triple the weight you have on yours now.


Remember, the weight bearing capacity of each shelf is probably 200 pounds. Are you going to stack 200 pounds worth of jars on a single shelf?


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## JustAnotherNut (Feb 27, 2017)

paulag1955 said:


> Remember, the weight bearing capacity of each shelf is probably 200 pounds. Are you going to stack 200 pounds worth of jars on a single shelf?


Probably not, but just guesstimating. But if it's loaded with full canning jars, say 15 or 20 dozen jars per shelf(again, just guessing).....that's a lot of weight


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## JustAnotherNut (Feb 27, 2017)

Spent the day working on the wooden shelves again. Even anchored the side shelves to the wall on one end, but will have to do the other end soon. I'm not as worried about those in the back, it's a pretty tight fit back there with less than 1/8 inch give, Except maybe the very top one might do some walking in an earthquake, that is about 4 inches shorter (deep) than the rest. Even lined the shelves with some decoration. 

I also need to figure out a way to keep the stuff held back on the shelves. Either a lip or maybe just tie some baling twine around the edges.


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## paulag1955 (Dec 15, 2019)

Are the 2x4s short pieces? If they are, the shelves are inherently unstable. It would be better to store your jars on the Rubbermaid shelves. You could possibly make what you have there more stable by using metal brackets at the top and bottom of each 2x4, but I still wouldn't store jars on them. They will turn to jelly in an earthquake.


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## danben (Mar 23, 2020)

Whenever I've done something like your project there, I've put in steel L braces under each shelf corner anchored to the upright. If you use those, it should end up stable. I've gotten too old and lazy to do that, so in your position I'd do the Rubbermaid schtick.


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## JustAnotherNut (Feb 27, 2017)

paulag1955 said:


> Are the 2x4s short pieces? If they are, the shelves are inherently unstable. It would be better to store your jars on the Rubbermaid shelves. You could possibly make what you have there more stable by using metal brackets at the top and bottom of each 2x4, but I still wouldn't store jars on them. They will turn to jelly in an earthquake.


Yes, as you see in the pics, the shelves are 1/2 inch plywood and legs are the 2x4's.....each shelf was made separately like a table, then stacked one on top of the other. 5 shelves on each wall. Those in the back aren't going anywhere, being wedged in the tight space, then with the side shelves in front of half of it. I did put a bunch of canning jars in the back shelves, but lighter weight non-breakable stuff on the side shelves. All of it should be fine unless we get the big one, and in that case, nothing would be safe.


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## Old SF Guy (Dec 15, 2013)

JustAnotherNut said:


> Yes, that looks like one of them I have. The other 2 are the Rubbermaid, like this


I have a garage full of those that have been there, fully loaded for about 12 years....no sags... nothing...and I mean loaded with stuff like ammo...and heavy stuff. I tend to just put the heavier stuff towards the ends and place a lighter package in the middle to ensure I don't have any sagging issues...cause lets face it...at our age....any sag at all is just not attractive. The fact that they hook into the next shelving unit at every shelf level adds to the stability as you string them along...It also helps to anchor them to a wall at the uprights with some metal strapping material.

But I do find that the slots in them make for problems balancing things like shaker paint cans or smaller bottles...so putting a board across will aid in that.


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