DIY Kits for Strong, Slim-Profile Floating Pantry Shelves.

Published on 05/30/2025•Product Idea Validation / New Product Ideas (Non-SaaS)

The user on Reddit wants to build slim pantry shelves, but their proposed DIY design using 1x lumber and pocket screws is getting a lot of flak from commenters. They're saying the design just won't cut it for holding heavy pantry items. The main issues are that pocket screws aren't strong enough for this kind of load, there's no proper support (like triangular bracing or z-axis support), and the shelves could easily fail under the weight.

This discussion highlights the need for solutions that allow DIYers to create shelves that are both visually slim and capable of supporting significant weight—a common requirement for pantry storage.

Product Opportunity: A DIY kit for building heavy-duty, thin-profile floating pantry shelves.

Specific Product Recommendation: A comprehensive DIY kit that includes:

Concealed Heavy-Duty Internal Support Brackets: These would be robust steel brackets (like flat bars with welded support rods or L-brackets) designed to screw directly into wall studs and hide within the shelf structure. They'd provide the primary load-bearing capacity.
Engineered Shelf Core Components (Optional but recommended for a premium kit): Pre-cut, lightweight yet strong engineered wood components (such as high-grade plywood or structural MDF) designed to form a torsion box or a reinforced frame around the steel brackets. This ensures the shelf is rigid and can effectively transfer weight to the brackets.
Specialized Fasteners: All necessary high-tensile screws for mounting brackets to studs and assembling the shelf components securely.
Clear, Illustrated Instructions: A detailed step-by-step guide covering stud location, bracket installation, shelf assembly, and finishing tips, with an emphasis on achieving maximum structural integrity. Include clear weight limit specifications based on proper installation.
Drilling/Alignment Templates: To ensure accurate placement of brackets and assembly of shelf components.

Expected Benefit: This kit would give DIYers the confidence to build sleek, minimalist floating shelves that are genuinely strong and safe for heavy pantry items like canned goods, bags of flour, and small appliances. It directly addresses the common problem of DIY floating shelves lacking the structural integrity for heavy loads, bridging the gap between desired aesthetics and functional necessity, and preventing frustrating and potentially dangerous DIY failures.

Origin Reddit Post

r/woodworking

Is this style of shelf strong enough for pantry shelves?

Posted by u/nobahdi•05/30/2025

It’s seems pretty common to use 2x2’s and wrap them in plywood but the end result seems so clunky to me. I’m trying to make a thinner shelf using 1x’s, gluing 1/2” plywood on top and maybe

Top Comments

u/fatduck-

Needs more triangles.

u/chaoss402

If you take the labels off the cans, the shelf should hold the labels ok. I'd store the cans elsewhere though.

u/itwillmakesenselater

*Something* on the z axis

u/Tibbaryllis2

You technically have the one triangle in the corner where that one brace hooks to both walls. But then it’s literally doing major heavy lifting if it’s by itself.

u/Build-it-better123

If your pantry items consist of paper airplanes, then yes.

u/slow_cooked_ham

This won't fair well with a shelf on it

u/Thossle

Adding plywood on top and bottom will make the shelf fairly sturdy because all of that glue will reinforce the pocket screws (which on their own aren't very strong). However, you'll be relyi

u/tap_6366

Simply said, no.

u/sweet-n-spicy-wings

I wouldnt trust it. Thats a lot of torque on those screws, especially once you start loading it up with canned goods, bags of flour, etc. I have some floating shelves in my living room that

u/021fluff5

Hopefully OP is on a rice noodle and cotton candy diet

u/CowNo5203

u/mutt6330

Inmo. Not gonna hold up. Those pocket screws are gonna rip out first sign of any weight. Now if they turned all the arms 90 degrees so it’s perpendicular and also turned down the stretcher

u/TheyKnowWhoIAm156

For a thinner profile I would use metal rebar into a stud for support.

u/zaskar

No way.

u/Whole_Combination_63

I don't think the pocket screws are stong enough for this application. I haven't had much success when attaching with pocket screws in that direction. The plywood on top will add a significan

u/zee_dot

Here’s where high school physics comes in handy. That 1” board is 3/4” thick. You are stcrewing through the middle, let’s say with a 1/4” hole, so you have .25” between the edge of the boar

u/Wonderful-Bass6651

No. This won’t even hold a goldfish bowl. Those pocket screws are going to fail spectacularly when you toss a bag of rice or a bag of sugar on there!

u/GooberDoodle206

it’s good for about 8 minutes.

u/easymoney0330

Very true. When I design floating shelves I use a FS-10 bracket. 1/2” steel rod fixed directly to the stud. One bracket supports 150lbs. Your design unfortunately will surely buckle under any

u/jmm166

Keep the cans at the very back. Also limit them to maybe 3 per shelf, should be fine.

u/B2bombadier

If you supporting the open ends with a bracket should be fine. I would glue and screw the plywood.

u/hobesmart

"these shelves will work for a pantry if you don't put anything on them"

u/knoxvilleNellie

My rough guess it will not fair well with weight on it.

u/NotQuiteDeadYetPhoto

Need \*any\* triangle.

u/sudonem

Generally when you do floating shelves like this you need a metal structure internally. As this stands, if you load this up with anything significant weight wise the wood is going to shear.

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