How to fix loose pantry shelf?

andyroo

Hi,

I've noticed my pantry shelf pulling lsightly apart, it doesn't have major weight on it, actually we specifically made it lighter things, however if I move it I do notice there is some give. I'm worried over time it might fall. The image shows the two screws in the back, I tried tightening them but it didn't do much. Should I put another screw in the middle or a nail in between? What is best to do here or just leave it?

MitchellMc

Welcome to the Bunnings Workshop community @andyroo. It's brilliant to have you join us, and many thanks for your question about repairing shelves.

Can you tell if it’s just that single shelf that’s coming loose, or if both shelves are affected? It sounds like it might be the one that’s simply screwed into the other.

If tightening the existing screws hasn’t helped, I’d be inclined to fit a right-angled bracket underneath and screw it up into the bottom of both shelves. That will give it a lot more stability and take the strain off the screws at the back.

You could try adding another screw in the same area where the two existing ones are, but if they haven’t firmed it up already, I’m not sure a third would make much difference. It would also be tricky to drill a new hole neatly in that spot. Another option would be to replace one of the existing screws with a longer one, say around 75mm, which might grab better. Still, a small bracket underneath is probably the simplest and most reliable fix.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mitchell