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Found a 1978 study saying particle board shelves sag at 30 lbs, and I've been overbuilding for 20 years
I was digging through some old woodworking journals at the library last Tuesday and came across a 1978 study from a furniture research lab that tested 3/4 inch particle board shelves. The study found they start to bow noticeably at just 30 pounds of load over a 30 inch span, which made me go back and count how many bookcases I've built with a center support that probably wasn't doing much. Has anyone else found an old study or spec sheet that made them rethink a habit they picked up early in the trade?
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phoenixk645d ago
Twenty years of center supports and I've probably been building shelves for ants this whole time. That 30 pound number is way lower than what I would have guessed too, so you're not alone in feeling a little silly about it. My own bad habit dates back to a shop teacher who told us 3/4 inch board would hold anything we could stack on it, and I never questioned it once. Guess the old studies are worth digging through after all, even if they do make us feel dumb for a minute.
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