Insulators Home > Suggestions > Increasing Shelf Space
A common problem with standard shelves is for them to be further apart vertically than the height of insulators (aside from multiparts and suspensions). This makes for a lot of wasted space above the insulators on each shelf. If you can't afford a fancy custom display unit, and aren't allowed (or don't want) to attach additional shelves, this could be a useful alternative. In this case, the existing shelves are a built-in unit in an apartment.
I purchased three pieces of "Top Choice" white pine lumber at Lowe's (48 inches long, 12 inches wide, 1 inch thick), for $5.50 each. (I could have bought one 12-foot piece instead, but it would have been more awkward to transport.) A wide variety of different sizes of wood are available for different shelf dimensions. Each of my three existing shelves is 34 inches long, 12 inches wide, 1 inch thick, and 15 inches apart.
Each of these units stands freely on one of the shelves, doubling the display space by splitting each shelf in half vertically. I made them a couple of inches shorter than the existing shelves' length, so they'd be easier to get in and out.
Here is a GIF of the AutoCAD drawing I created for my plans. The dimensions would of course vary for different circumstances. A full-page PDF file is also available.
Thanks to Chris S. for helping me cut the boards and screw the pieces together, since I don't have many tools. We used "Painter's Touch" primer and white spray-paint to make them match the existing shelves.
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Tada! More effective use of space, with room to put twice as many insulators 'up front'.
Insulators Home > Suggestions > Increasing Shelf Space
Contact: A.C. Walker
