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ToolStorageHQ.com.

FINDER 02

Will That Shelf Hold It?

Say what goes on the shelf and how wide it is, and get the load per shelf plus the rating you should be shopping for.

Step 1 · What goes on it (pick any)

Step 2 · How many shelves

Step 3 · Shelf width

Answer

Select at least one thing you plan to store. The load figure and the rating to shop for appear here.

How this is worked out

The rule

  • width_ft = width_in / 12
  • shelf_load_lb = max(lb_per_foot of the selected items) x width_ft
  • required_shelf_rating_lb = round_up_to_25(shelf_load_lb x 1.5)
  • unit_load_lb = shelf_load_lb + (shelf_count - 1) x mean(lb_per_foot of the selected items) x width_ft
  • required_unit_rating_lb = round_up_to_50(unit_load_lb x 1.5)
  • The 1.5 multiplier is a margin this site applies, not a figure from a standard.

What it assumes

  • One shelf is planned around the heaviest thing you selected, filled across its full width in a single layer.
  • Weights per linear foot come from the garage item weights table and are typical, not measured for your objects.
  • Load is treated as evenly distributed, which is the condition most shelf ratings are stated under.

What it does not account for

  • Shelf deflection. A shelf can hold a load and still bow enough to be useless.
  • Point loads. A single engine block on 4 inches of shelf is not an evenly distributed load.
  • Dynamic load. Setting something down hard applies more force than its weight.
  • Floor flatness, anchoring, and whether the wall behind the unit can take an anti-tip strap.

Reference behind it

Categories it points at