Is 36" an acceptable span for a 3/4" thick x 14" deep melamine shelf? Shelf will be in a closet and be holding folded clothes.
From contributor ja
We put a 1.5" solid wood lip on all shelves over 32", cheaper than the fix later
From contributor Ri
36" is fine for clothing, common dimension in closets.
From contributor Le
32 is my limit for plywood shelves. Particle board is worse and I limit that to 28.
From contributor mi
I've done some in closet systems that were 36". They will often end up with a slight sag. I only did shelves this length when they were placed up high above hang over hang sections (closet rods), so the position usually limited how many items could be placed on them. I never got any complaints about these, so far. I also typically used a better grade of melamine than the less dense type, similar to that found at a box store.
From contributor B.
The problem with building a 3/4" thick shelf for lightweight items like clothing is that sooner or later someone is going to load it up with something much heavier.
While I think 3/4" is adequate for the shelf situation as described I would encourage adding 3/4" x 1 1/4" bands to both the front and back edges. This both adds strength and gives you a solid wood edge that can be decorated with a bead or something similar to dress up the shelves.
BH Davis
