Shelving (Fablon)

Gromit wrote:Hi Sally

OK, so I'm a peasant, but I wouldn't bother too much about what your shelves look like when they are hidden inside a cupboard? You've made them and they do the job, which is great! 

Without any false modesty, my shelves are probably among those you would admire, but they are not very pretty, nor are they covered with Fablon.

My crockery storage cupboard is a good example. The racks look utterly naff, but they work perfectly and are infinitely better than the space waster that came with the van.

Can I be bothered to paint or varnish them?? One day . . . . maybe . . . . perhaps!! 

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The trouble is, as a (now ex) Group Quality Manager I’m pedantic and exacting to a fault.  So do my shelves need Fablon.....no.  But will I be doing it......yes 

I like your storage solution.  I think the existing design is rather poor, so this may be my next challenge 

Pity you didn't work for Auto Sleepers!!    

So I’ve made my 2 shelves. I used hardwood ply with 15mm battens on the edges, so they are very strong but lightweight. I then primed them with acrylic primer then rubbed them down with glass paper, so nothing shows through the fablon. I covered them today and I must admit I’m pleased with the finish. I just need to fit them to the van over the weekend. I’ve made myself a drill jig to ensure that the holes for the support pegs are all at identical heights. 

Phew. I’m exhausted. 
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Why use support pegs Sally??

You have to drill holes for them, and if you want to change your mind about the positioning when you've used the shelves for a while (and I bet you will - we did!) you will have to drill more holes. 

Just cut a couple of pieces from offcuts of your ply to sit against the end walls of your cupboard. Fix them there with a few bits of double sided tape and sit your shelves on top. Then later on if you wish you had fitted the shelves a bit higher or lower, it's dead easy to fix and you haven't had to perforate your van any more.

If the ply isn't thick enough, any bit of board will do, but it will have to be covered in matching Fablon of course!! 

Your shelves do look very nice. Much more attractive than mine! 

(Hope this all makes sense!)

Gromit wrote:Why use support pegs Sally??

You have to drill holes for them, and if you want to change your mind about the positioning when you've used the shelves for a while (and I bet you will - we did!) you will have to drill more holes. 

Just cut a couple of pieces from offcuts of your ply to sit against the end walls of your cupboard. Fix them there with a few bits of double sided tape and sit your shelves on top. Then later on if you wish you had fitted the shelves a bit higher or lower, it's dead easy to fix and you haven't had to perforate your van any more.

If the ply isn't thick enough, any bit of board will do, but it will have to be covered in matching Fablon of course!! 

Your shelves do look very nice. Much more attractive than mine! 

(Hope this all makes sense!)

That does indeed make sense.  It’s a very good suggestion so I’ll have to have a think about that.

Great idea 

I don’t suppose you know/can recommend a good make of double sided tape suitable for this do you. The choices are endless!!!

Sally wrote:I don’t suppose you know/can recommend a good make of double sided tape suitable for this do you. The choices are endless!!!

Many yeras ago I stuck our van first aid kit onto a bulk head with industrial strength Velcro. On the only occasion I had to use it I couldn't get the wretched thing off the wall without a considerable effort. 

Industrial strength Velcro would be my choice as you can put the shelf back in the same position if you need to remove it, it is VERY strong  and the whole lot can be re-used in another position at least once.

Or double sided carpet tape.

Anything really, just to make sure it stays put.

I'm not even sure you need industrial strength Velcro. It really is industrial strength, and it's far stronger than is necessary. A bit of ordinary adhesive Velcro at each corner will do the job. Have a look in your sewing box. 

I don't think you will regret going for this method of supporting your shelves. We (or to be more accurate) the boss decided I hadn't set ours at quite the right height, so it was dead easy to remove the side supports and adjust them as necessary.

No butchery of the van either!

Dave

These are shelves I made, plywood with a hockey stick moulding along the front to add strength and stop things falling off as I take corners far too fast.
Then stained to match (nearly) the cupboards.

Supported on pieces of ply stuck to sides of cupboards and shelves stuck to supports with double sided tape to stop possibility of movement or noise. Did this to avoid drilling/screwing into cupboards and ability to alter heights or depth of the shelves.

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Mike

Stone me - why didn't I think of that! 

IanH wrote:Sally
Done on last van, can't remember supplier, but someone like this...
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Get your build number, call AS and they'll give you the name/"species" of the woodgrain in your van. Google that or visit above, we got it easily enough (quite expensive though if you're of the Yorkshire variety!!)

Out Harmony had bleached film on rear of toilet and rear of galley through UV through rear windows. See pics, I left what was left over to do the chest of drawers I built for it, near perfect match.

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Sorry re duplicate pic, it seems to be compulsory when adding pics on here, never found a way of deleting..............

Hi IanH - looking to get the same part of our Harmony done - do you have the name of the 'species' to hand?  Looks the exact same as ours!!

Thanks,

Andy

Whilst not an exact match, I’m pleased with how they turned out. 
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Looks really great...........and you still have hanging space for very short clothes

Askit wrote:Looks really great...........and you still have hanging space for very short clothes  

You’ve never seen my little black dress