What Is Cantilevered Shelving?

Types

• All cantilevered shelving uses a rear support system. Many have upright supports in which metal shelf brackets are inserted at variable heights depending on the desired use and the type of materials being stored on the shelf. Another type of cantilever shelving uses individual metal support brackets. These “L”-shaped supports fix to the wall by the short side and support a bench or workshop shelf that is fixed on top of the long side. Their strength makes them ideal for homemade computer workstations or workbenches as there is no need for support posts under the front edge.

Home Decor

• Because cantilevered shelves appear to float, they are ideal in many home decor schemes where a clean, modern or minimalist look is desirable. It’s possible to make cantilevered display shelving from hollow doors by attaching wooden cleats to the wall and slipping the hollow end of the door, which is cut into shelf-sized portions over the supporting cleat. The shelf juts out from the wall at a neat right-angle without any visible means of support.

Warehouse Uses

• Warehouses, and many home improvement or building stores, use cantilevered shelving to hold long items such as lumber, pipes or tubing. Metal bracket-arms slot into a supporting rear post that has shaped holes to hold and support the weight of the load. Because no side supports are needed, long items can overhang the sides of the shelves, which offers added storage versatility.

Libraries and Stores

• Libraries make use of the versatility of cantilevered shelving to create customized bookstacks with adjustable shelf heights to snugly hold any size of book. Magazine retailers use cantilevered shelving in sloping display units to display periodicals, video games or CDs, and newspapers.