Expert: Jamie Yocono - 1/5/2009

Question
I have a tall broom pantry/closet cabinet and the outside wall is bowing out by about 1/2 inch and the shelves no longer meet the brackets that they hang off of. Any ideas on how to repair?


Here are photos

http://www.flickr.com/photos/whattheflickr/sets/72157612172845310/

Thanks,  

Answer
Bob,

If I were doing this repair, I would buy a set of angle brackets, similar to this:

http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/woeimages/00003012.jpg

You can find these in any hardware store, make sure the screws aren't longer than the panel material is thick. I'm guessing the panel material on your cabinet is 3/4" stock, so you want your screws to be 1/2" or 5/8". If they're longer, they could possibly pop out the other side.

I would pull out the shelf (the one that's falling out) and attach one of the brackets to each corner, on the underside of the shelf. Then - put the shelf back in place, and screw the brackets into the left side of the cabinet. Make sure the shelf is tight against the left cabinet side, so that when you screw them together, you get a nice, tight fit.

Then - have someone lean on the cabinet on the right side, to eliminate the bow. While they're holding the cabinet tight against that shelf, attach the angles to the right hand side of the cabinet. If you carefully position these brackets, they will virtually disappear under the shelf, and you'll never notice them.

These brackets will make this shelf become a "fixed" shelf; it will no longer be adjustable. But the angle brackets will keep the shelf pulled back to it's original shape, thus eliminating the bow.

Good luck. Write back if you don't understand what I've described, and I'll try to help again.

Jamie Yocono
Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry
Las Vegas, NV
www.wooditis.com
My woodworking blog: www.wooditis.blogspot.com