# Need advice building a shelf walkway for cats



## colin72 (Feb 8, 2010)

Hi

I need some advice on how to design and build something for my family's cats. 

Basically it would be a long shelf high on a wall. Here is a picture (not my room) as an example. The red lines show what would be some simple shelf "steps" that lead up to a long shelf that runs high across the wall. Also, as I tried to show in the picture, I want to make the shelf turn the corner of the room to go to the next wall.

I have some basic woodworking skills but I don't know what would be the best way to build this and what materials to use. 

The walls have panelling which is over studs.

One shelf would be 12' and it would turn the room corner and run another 10'.

I would like the shelf to be 8" wide. I looked at 1 x 8 x 12 Kiln-Dried Whitewood at Lowes but I can't estimate how much the board weighs.

I'm concerned about weight and the type of brackets I should use. Obviously, the shelf needs to be stable and secure. There could be 5 cats laying/walking on the shelf which would be about 60-65 lbs.

I would like the shelves to look as modern and simple as possible. For example, I don't want big bulky brackets every 3 feet.

Is there something better than metal brackets? Is there an alternative? I thought about making wood brackets but again, I have no way of estimating what their strength would be or what would be the best way to build them.

If anyone has any advice, it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
colin72


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

Installing a shelf like that you will need to attach some kind of brackets to the studs. If you are looking for a modern appearance you might try one of these. http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl...en&sa=N&biw=1024&bih=673&tbm=isch&um=1&itbs=1

I think a 1x8 might be too narrow for the shelf. I believe I would use a 1x12 with multiple cats because they will need to pass by each other. I think I would also cover the shelf with carpet to keep one from maybe falling off.


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## Dave66 (Apr 6, 2012)

Are you sure that the cats would use the shelves? Over the years, I've built 3-4 scratching post/stands for them and they were ignored. Turned out to be a lot of work for nothing. - lol


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## colin72 (Feb 8, 2010)

Thanks for the great comments and questions guys! So glad I came here.*


Steve- *

Thanks for the link. Those brackets look great. I have trouble estimating how much weight they would support (there's no indication). Any thoughts? Would three be enough to support the 12' board plus a possible 65 lbs?

You're probably right about going with a 12' shelf. I was trying to be mindful of weight.

I considered carpet but I think it would make cleaning the shelves harder. I did think about the cats falling (even though they have claws). I didn't mention it but I planned on going with a 3 1/4" base moulding at the edge of the shelf. 

*Dave- *

Our cats have claws and love to climb and get up high. They actually do use the big scratching post I built for them (instead of the furniture!). They also have a climbing tree which they love.

But yeah, I hear you. If I built these shelves and they didn't use them, I would be slightly ticked off! ... but honestly I'm sure they will.


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

colin72 said:


> Thanks for the great comments and questions guys! So glad I came here.
> 
> 
> *Steve- *
> ...


I think three brackets would hold the shelf and the cats up with a 12' run. The 3 1/4" base molding on the edge would help but I think in time you will have trouble with the shelf sagging between the brackets. Structurally it would be best if you put a bracket on every other stud in the wall but I can understand you don't like the appearance. What would help would be to put dowels in the shelf and run them a couple of inches into the studs where you don't have a brackets. This way it would give some support to the shelf without being visible. 

I think you would be safe in that the cats would use the shelf. My wife has had 15 to 20 cats for the last 20 years. Very few of them don't climb. We have one that will climb the door casing on my daughters bedroom and hang from the horizontal piece at the top of the door.


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## colin72 (Feb 8, 2010)

Steve Neul said:


> I think three brackets would hold the shelf and the cats up with a 12' run. The 3 1/4" base molding on the edge would help but I think in time you will have trouble with the shelf sagging between the brackets. Structurally it would be best if you put a bracket on every other stud in the wall but I can understand you don't like the appearance. What would help would be to put dowels in the shelf and run them a couple of inches into the studs where you don't have a brackets. This way it would give some support to the shelf without being visible.


I didn't think about the board sagging over time. I love the dowel idea. Really smart Steve. Like I've said, I'm not knowledgeable about this stuff. I'm so glad to be able to get this kind of advice.




Steve Neul said:


> I think you would be safe in that the cats would use the shelf. My wife has had 15 to 20 cats for the last 20 years. Very few of them don't climb. We have one that will climb the door casing on my daughters bedroom and hang from the horizontal piece at the top of the door.


It's funny that you mention your cat doing that. We have one that when she was younger would make quick jumps from a chair, to my shoulder, to the top of an open door. The door would swing a little and she would stand on top of the door perfectly balanced. Pretty amazing!


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

colin72 said:


> I didn't think about the board sagging over time. I love the dowel idea. Really smart Steve. Like I've said, I'm not knowledgeable about this stuff. I'm so glad to be able to get this kind of advice.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


I probably should have told how to dowel the shelf to the wall. It would be easier if you had a doweling jig but if not you can first drill the dowel holes in the shelf as straight and square as you can into the edge of the shelf on intervals where the studs are. You can use a electronic stud finder to locate the studs. Then install the three metal brackets. If you have some dowel centers insert them into the dowel holes on the shelf and put the shelf on the brackets where you want it and lightly bump the shelf with a rubber mallet. The dowel centers are a steel button that fits in the dowel hole that have a point on them and will make a mark on the wall where the dowel holes are. If you don't have access to dowel centers you can put the shelf where you want it and turn it up vertical and mark with a pencil the center of each dowel hole. When you drill into the stud wobble the drill a little so the hole you drill is a little large. It's difficult to get these dowel holes to all line up exactly so if you make the holes a little sloppy it will help. You are just wanting to support the shelf and not make a glue joint so this will be ok. I would glue the dowels in the shelf and not into the wall.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

You could make simple shelf supports out of wood, like this, which you might like better than metal. If you are using ¾" shelving boards, the largest common size dowel would be ½", which may be tricky to line up dowel holes. You would only be able to get one per stud. I'm thinking that they may not be sturdy enough, and could warp over time.








 







.


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## Itchytoe (Dec 17, 2011)

Have you considered supporting it from the top instead of the bottom? Cats like to go through and around things right? I was thinking something like c-man's idea, but flip the pic over. That way, you could put one at every stud and make them all different. Say it was designed that way to give the cats something to play with. A bracket on the top instead of the bottom would be less visible. You win, the cats win...


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