Shelf Bracket Spacing Calculator

How many brackets a shelf needs and how far apart to fix them, from the shelf material, thickness and expected load.

Shelf length mm

The full length of the board, end to end.

Shelf material

Hardwood and birch plywood hold a span far better than board of the same thickness.

Shelf thickness mm

MDF is commonly 15, 18 or 25 mm. Hardwood shelves are usually 20 to 25 mm.

Total load the shelf will carry kg

Everything on the shelf, spread along its length. A metre of paperbacks is roughly 25 kg.

Distance from each end to the first bracket mm

No more than 150 mm, or the ends will droop. The tool shortens it automatically when the shelf is short.

Price per bracket

Optional. Used for the bracket cost.

Reset

Free calculator by Handcraft worked examples and methodology No account, nothing stored.