IVAR shelving - help!

[lloer]

We've acquired some second hand Ikea IVAR shelving but have no idea how it goes together - can anyone help?

Emma

[Chris J Dixon]

Basically you have four uprights, one at each corner, with the shelves sitting between.

The bolts (presuming they were included) go through the holes in the uprights into the pre-drilled starter hole in the piece of wood across the end of the shelf. Depending on the number of uprights (and hence bays) you have, you can share uprights between adjacent sets of shelves. Otherwise, it is your choice whether to use the inside or outside set of holes. Each run of shelving should have at least one x-shaped cross brace tieing a pair of adjacent uprights together.

If there is a specific problem, could you describe it in more detail.

Chris

[Tony Collins]

I've got loads of the stuff in the kids bedrooms.

You should have got a number of metel pegs with the shelving. If you haven't got these, then Ikea can supply them separately.

These go into the holes in the side pieces. If you look under the shelves, there is a metal "slot" in each corner, which fits over the metal pegs. In its simplest form, you have two side panels with the pegs pointing inwards -

4 for each shelf, all at the same height. This can be expanded as far as you like, with more side panels and shelves (you only need to add 1 side panel for another "column" of shelves - ie 2 shelf width = 3 side panels, 4 shelf width = 5 panels and so on.

I've screwed the side panels to the wall with one screw at the top of each side panel. Once the shelves are in place, this arrangement is rock solid. I've also cut out at the bottom rear for the skirting board.

[Colin Wilson]

Sounds to me like the Sten I have behind me, not the Ivar he was asking about...

[The Natural Philosopher]

It all goes together into the bin, like any other IKEA product :-)

[Colin Wilson]

Have to say i`ve been happy with my Sten shelving (2 sets) - been up for about 8 years carrying quite a bit of weight (just like myself :-} ) and no signs of warping

[David W.E. Roberts]

Note that Tony has screwed the side thingies (like a ladder) to the wall. If you just put up IVAR shelving, with the cross brace (metal folding cross) screwed to the back to provide some rigidity, there is still quite a bit of wobble, and getting everything vertical can be a problem. The strategy of resting the shelf ends on pegs does not provide a rigid structure! Not an issue for bookshelves etc, but not so good for built in cupboards. I tend to add additional bracing of some sort. For tall shelving, there is also a strap which should be screwed to the top of the 'ladder' and to the wall as an 'anti-topple' device.

HTH Dave R

[chris French]

In message , Colin Wilson writes

Indeed, we have some in the shed that is doing fine.

I doubt that I could have bought the wood and bolts myself either and made it as cheaply.

[Chris J Dixon]

Sorry, my mistake :-(

Chris.

[lloer]

Thanks to all!

It turns out that we were missing some cross braces - we worked out the rest quite easily but couldn't find anything in the big bag of bits that would reduce the wobble! The shelving came from my parents shop which they have recently closed down due to serious illness and so its understandable that they got forgotten. IIRC, they're only £1 or so from IKEA so we'll pick some up next trip.

Thanks again,

Lloer