Damaged Particleboard bookshelves

[Bob Simon]

One of my bookshelves was damaged in a recent move. Pictures here:

The other three corners of the base have a small plastic foot nailed in. H ow would you repair this corner to keep it from deteriorating further and e nable it to take a foot? This bookshelf will go between two others so the repair won't show but it should be flush with the side of the cabinet.

Also, my floor is not exactly level. What would you use for thin shims (ma ybe 1/16" more or less)?

Finally, I'm going to store old vinyl LPs on the bottom shelf of each 7' ca binet, which will stabilize them. But do you think they also need to be an chored to the studs? Screw eyelets and 20 AWG stranded wire?

[Gordon Shumway]

Throw the particle board in the trash and replace with plywood and edging. stain to match and apply a couple coats of polyurethane.

Umm, have you thought about using shims?

Considering the quality of material used in the construction of these shelves adding additional bracing probably won't hurt, but drilling additional holes could reduce what little structural integrity there is.

[Terry Coombs]

Move the plastic foot in far enough from the edge to get it in undamaged material . I wouldn't worry about anchoring them unless you live in earthquake country .

[Bob Simon]

That's my backup plan. But I'd like to do something to the damaged corner to prevent future erosion. I'd rather have the foot nearer the corner to maximize stability and the filler might anchor the foot better than that crappy board.

Bob New Orleans (hurricanes but no earthquakes)

[Terry Coombs]

So grind it flat with a belt sander , glue a scab of either lumber or particle on (titebond III) and shape to match the existing with the belt sander . No kind of bondo or other patching compound is going to do what you want .

[Bob Simon]

Just found a video on particle board furniture repair using some epoxy product.

Looks like it would work. No?

[Ed Pawlowski]

Agree with that. Particle board does not edge glue well so cutting the corner off and replacing it is not going to work all that well.

If you have young kids I'd anchor it. Many ways would work, wire, chain, screw eyes or drill a hole through.

[Terry Coombs]

No . As I said above , either just set the plastic glide in a bit farther from the edge or repair it the way I explained . That epoxy is going to be expensive and set up harder than the back of your head .

[Gordon Shumway]

LOL!

[Al Borland]

Particle board shelves are junk. When you finish repairing them, your shelves will still be junk.

[dadiOH]

The other three corners of the base have a small plastic foot nailed in. How would you repair this corner to keep it from deteriorating further and enable it to take a foot?

Epoxy and a thickener. Sawdust will do, To keep the repaired edge flush with the non-repaired one, put clear packaging tape on one sidr of a batten like a paint stir stick and tack that along the good edge. Once the epoxy cures, take off the stick, the epoxy won't stick well to thre tape.

[Ameri-Clean]

I had a similar problem when a cabinet got wet on the bottom and the partic le board swelled and got soft. After it dried out I applied wood glue. The glue absorbed into the particle board and after a couple of applications, t he bottom of the cabinet was totally solid. With wood glue you can probably nail in the plastic foot; at worst, you might have to drill a small hole.

[Tekkie®]

Bob Simon posted for all of us...

I would use the epoxy stuff mentioned by others. I don't think Bondo would really adhere to particleboard. In addition I would drive some nails or small screws up, prior to repair, into the particle board to act as a reinforcing "bar" to meld the particle board to epoxy.

Yes

Won't help.

Like the other posters have stated I would absolutely fasten these shelves to the walls say with an L bracket. If someone bumps the shelves the could overturn; it has happened.

Remember particle board is not a structural item. It was developed as a sheathing IIRC. It has wood in it which makes it sensitive to moisture.

[DerbyDad03]

I don't think it's enough to just say "fasten these shelves to the walls sa y with an L bracket".

I think we need to add that he must ensure that the L-bracket is securely fastened to the particle board in such a manner as to never come out.

The particle board is the weak link here. A few 1/4" lag bolts into the studs may do a great job of holding the L-bracket to the wall, but a couple of 8 x 3/4" wood screws ain't going to do much good in the particle board.