Airing Cupboard Shelving

[unigirl]

I've recently had a new Combi boiler fitted into my airing cupboard. During the fitting, a shelf- like framework that supported an indirect cyclinder that I had used to hold bedding and clothes was removed by the plumbers and discarded. This was because new pipework had to be installed and a condensate pump was sited on the floor.

I've now got hold of a number of lengths of timber each 64mm by 38 mm and 2.5 meters in length - the airing cupboard is 2.4 meters from floor to ceiling. . I'd like to build a framework by using lengths of this timber from floor to ceiling in the form of a square. I'd then like to connect two sides of the framework using battens and place a number of smaller battens along the top of the latter battens to act as shelves.

My difficulty is that I'm not certain how to secure the uprights to the floor and ceiling properly. The ceiling is plasterboard and the floor is tongue and groove planks. I was thinking of screwing angle-brackets

http://www.wickes.co....156728/?source=123_74

to the uprights at the top and bottom and screwing these into the ceiling via suitable plugs and screws and screwing them straight into the floorboard at the other end.

I'm not much good with woodworking joints and I don't have the tools but could anyone come up with any ideas for a girl in distress? The framework can't be too permanent as I may need to remove it if something goes wrong with the boiler so screws seem the best option to me.

Thank you.

[methyl]

Any reason to not fix the battens to the side walls directly? Like are there pipes in the way or are the side walls thin?

[Pea Pod]

I put one of these in mine. Not the prettiest of things but sturdy enough not to need fixing to anything.
http://www.diy.com/na...-Shelf-White-10687548

[unigirl]

Thanks methyl. Yes, the side walls are thin and there are electric cables coming from a switch to the boiler that have been clipped to the wall. The back of the airing cupboard contains a plastic pipe about 40mm diameter that's clipped to the wall and takes the condensate to the pump.

[unigirl]

Thanks Pea Pod. It's a sound idea, but I've already been given the stuff to do the job at no cost to me so I'm trying not to spend any more!!!

[methyl]

Not really sure where this Combi boiler is within the airing cupboard.
So you can't get a two vertical runs top-to-bottom and touching both side walls?
First inclination is to consider a removable structure which rests on the floor on at least 4 legs. To secure each leg to the floor screw two solid battens to the floor with a gap of the exact width of the leg. Then drill a horizontal hole to take a bolt-and-wingnut to hold the leg in place. Build triangles into your structure for strength (a pure box shape will be floppy) in all directions. Not happy about involving a ceiling unless you can find a ceiling joist behind the plasterboard to secure to. No harm in going into the loft and doing some serious measuring or even drilling tiny holes downwards at the side of the beam to mark where the beam is and poking bits of coat hanger through. If you screw into floorboards again look for joists under the floorboards and beware of pipes and cables. You don't want to put a screw into a pipe or cable.

[unigirl]

The combi boiler is slightly to the left of centre attached to the back wall of the airing cupboard. It's mounted on a floor to ceiling panel. the boiler takes up half the depth of the airing cupboard. In addition, there is copper pipe on the LH wall from the rising main going up into the ceiling to a bathroom shower. The RH wall contains the switch and cabling to the boiler.

The house has steel girders on all levels rather than wooden joists, so I suppose I could bolt a batten across the bottom of two girders and screw up into it from underneath. The girders are at right angles to the airing cupboard. Thanks for the tip about screwing into the floor.

Thanks

[unigirl]

The rising main was stopcocked by the plumber and divided into two feeds. One for the combi and one to the shower.

[HowardKennitby]

Your text description is not that clear. Can you post a picture of the situation?

[methyl]

Applying a bit of lateral thought. Could you attach a structure to the inside of the door which only protudes into safe space?

[unigirl]

I'm afraid not methyl. The doors are too flimsy.

[The Builder]

Make up your frame as you want it, Unigirl. Use the "L" brackets in your link to fix it to the ceiling, even if there's no joist available. Use a red Rawlplug (preferably the type with a "lip" that stops it pushing through the plasterboard.

For the floor, pre-drill the 38mm batten so the screw slides in easily. Use a 50mm screw so that you don't go through the floorboard. All easily removeable then.

[cathfromsaron]

to not answer your question directly, but why not simply pop an airer from argos in there and arrange clothes on that?

we have two 'shelves' of battens, and would also be very easy for a workman to install!