In article ,
"HeyBub" wrote:

Larry W wrote:

I do have a freestanding mdf bookshelf in an upstairs room with 42"
shelves. When they started to sag, I grabbed a few old oversize books
nobody was reading and crosscut them to height on the tablesaw, so
that I could jam them into the bookshelf near the center for an
additional vertical support.

Heck of a good idea. You could even tear out 50 or so pages and imbed a
wooden support.

As for finding "oversized" books, I often see free encyclopedia sets on
Craigslist.

If the shelves will only ever hold light Nick-Nacks than MDF might be
fine. If you are going to load them with hardback books, then MDF will
be a real problem in a year or two, you can make the shelves so they can
be taken out and turned over quarterly, and you will have less of a
problem.

I use 1 by what ever for my shelves for books. For built in Floor to
Ceiling (I have about 60 linear feet of them in the house - about 420
linear feet of shelf). I build them the following way.

1. I anchor a pair of 1x4's (for 12 inch deep shelves) at 2 foot
intervals. One at the wall and one at the front edge of my shelves (less
the depth of the kick plate). I run them floor to ceiling and anchor
them into the floor and into the ceiling (Sometimes I have run plywood
on the ceiling and floor to tie into the joists).

2. I rip a 2x6 to 2x4 for the kick plate and put it down along the
length of the front and cut pieces of 2x4 to go at the back along the
wall.

3. Then I cut the bottom shelves of 1x12 (narrower if you want less deep
shelves)

4. I then use a variety of 1x to make verticals. I stand the verticals
at each end of the bottom shelf and pin them to the 1x4's. So if I want
a 7 inch shelf - I use 1x8 to cut my verticals. For tall shelves, I use
1x12 on end.

5. I lay in the next shelf and pin it.

6. I repeat to the top of the bookcase.

7. I get moulding from the lumber yard and cover the front of the ends
of the shelves - floor to ceiling.

My shelves hold Annuals from 3 professional societies - each volume is
in the 8 to 12 pound range. They are packed solid.

In 21 years, I have not had a problem.

Hope this helps.