Article: Built-in Details

The floors of most houses are built to hold 40 pounds per square foot. A load of books can be as much as 120 pounds per square foot, so make sure your floor joists can bear the extra weight.

Shelves made of standard 3/4-inch plywood should be no longer than 30 inches or they will begin to sag in the middle. Thinner wood requires even shorter spans. "With 1/2-inch-thick plywood, I like to keep a shelf two feet or less," says architect Reena Racki.

Shelves typically need to be about 12 inches deep ...

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