Expedit Owners - Should this be stable?

bhundu · Dec 16, 2009

A 5x5 shelf with a cement sheet backing and fixed to the rear and right walls of a room. I will cut out the skirting boards so it can be fixed flush.

Record storage has been a cause for contemplation for years now. I don't like buying new/cheap/crappy furnishings but building a recylced hardwood custom storage system will not get done with the time I have available at the moment. I'm going to go ahead and get a 5 x 5 in Birch.

It's just the 13kg per shelf spec that worries me. I've read through a few threads over the time and wall fixing seems highly recommended. Would I have more piece of mind with a 4 x 4? Does anyone have a 5 x 5 that is full and stable?

Would love to hear your experiences on fully loaded Expedits

pmsummer · Dec 16, 2009

I have a 4x6 (a 4x4 with a 2x4 on top) fully loaded with LPs, open back, anchored to the wall per the instructions. It's rock solid.

the_nines · Dec 16, 2009

Given the steps you've taken, there should be no problem at all.

similost · Dec 16, 2009

They are stable without all that. I have a 4x4 not attached to any wall, no back, and on carpet fully loaded, and with two additional LP boxes on top loaded down..

bhundu · Dec 16, 2009

pmsummer said:
I have a 4x6 (a 4x4 with a 2x4 on top) fully loaded with LPs, open back, anchored to the wall per the instructions. It's rock solid.

Thanks, this gives me some confidence. In an Expedit thread I remember seeing an image that may have been yours of a 4x4 & 2x4 combo.

Next concern is the 5x5 in the back of the Daihatsu Charade. The website lists three packages. In "package dimensions" it says 410 x 360 x 1860mm. It will be touch and go.

I'll take a handsaw with me in case I need to make any adjustments

bhundu · Dec 16, 2009

Great to see some respectable names to this. I will proceed now with confindence. Thank You!

Lastplace · Dec 16, 2009

bhundu said:
Thanks, this gives me some confidence. In an Expedit thread I remember seeing an image that may have been yours of a 4x4 & 2x4 combo.

Next concern is the 5x5 in the back of the Daihatsu Charade. The website lists three packages. In "package dimensions" it says 410 x 360 x 1860mm. It will be touch and go.

I'll take a handsaw with me in case I need to make any adjustments

Take a truss, the large boxes are heavy as hell.

I have the 59" x 59" unit almost full, it's attached by 2 "L" brackets and is very stable.

the_nines · Dec 16, 2009

I have a 4x4 and a 4x2 next to each other (4 high, 6 across).

Like similost I too have not anchored anything to the wall, maybe I should have but I didn't. The units have not budged a millimeter. What I did do, however, was to put an extra white felt sticky pad on the bottom front of the units, this way the units will tilt back against the wall ever-slightly. Small step taken for extra insurance.

You should have no problem.

Clmrt · Dec 16, 2009

If a tornado takes my house, the Expedit rack with all the LPs and Nat Geos will be the only thing left.

Cactus Bob · Dec 16, 2009

They dropped the price on the 2 x 4 units to $69 from $89 FYI

the_nines · Dec 16, 2009

Cactus Bob said:
They dropped the price on the 2 x 4 units to $69 from $89 FYI

That's great.

I should pick up two of them. My wife keeps asking me when she'll be able to see the floor again? My 4x6 is full and I've bought some vinyl recently. :smoke:

similost · Dec 16, 2009

Here's a picture of mine loaded up. Like I said.. just free standing and solid as a rock..

inaptitude · Dec 16, 2009

Here's a question, somewhat related...

How tight do you have your records jammed into each square? I sometimes worry that I have too many in there and that they may warp a bit from the pressure. I can slide each record in and out, some squares are a little more filled than others, but they don't sit at an angle like they do in the image above. For some reason I thought that if they sit at an angle it would be more likely that they may warp a bit.

Or am I just being a little too anal?

similost · Dec 16, 2009

I usually have them tighter, but they are sitting as they are now because I was sorting them and still filling spaces.. all the ones to the right have not been gone through..

So long as you can slide them in and out easily without jamming them in there.. and no, the way I have them now will not cause them to warp. LPs are a lot more resilient than people give them credit for..

DougMac · Dec 16, 2009

Expedit

pmsummer said:
I have a 4x6 (a 4x4 with a 2x4 on top) fully loaded with LPs, open back, anchored to the wall per the instructions. It's rock solid.

I have the same setup. I too was concerned about loading. I read IKEA's recommended load, then weighed a stack of records and calculated. I also checked here and was assured that IKEA's load recommendations were extremely conservative, which is understandable.

I keep the 78's on the bottoms shelf since they are very heavy. I wouldn't hesitate to fill up a shelf with LP's, though. I like my shelves about 90% full, enough to keep the records vertical, but not crammed.

I originally built custom shelving, as seen in the photos below the Expedit. I calculated that I couldn't buy the materials for what the Expedits cost, plus I didn't have the time to do more custom shelves.

My custom shelves:

The other side of the closet:

Read more: Home Theater Systems - Electronics and Forum - HomeTheaterShack - Edit Post http://www.hometheatershack.com/forums/editpost.php?do=updatepost&postid=216243#ixzz0ZrrmFqI7

bhundu · Dec 16, 2009

Thanks Guys... give me a few weeks and I'll post a photo

targeteye · Dec 16, 2009

I have my 2 x 4 free standing but it is horizontal. However, I wouldn't dream of standing this thing upright without anchoring it to the wall. Perhaps i'm a bit anal but the thought of all those records coming down ontop of someone or something would keep me awake at night.

Not likely to happen but kids have a tendancy to like to climb on things and it only take one unlikely event to ruin the rest of your and theirs life.

Steve

similost · Dec 16, 2009

If I had kids I would tie it to a wall, but since it's only me and my wife, we have no problem worrying about it falling over.

jgordon · Dec 16, 2009

Expedits

I have two 2x4s, one horizontal and one vertical. Another 5x1 vertical. All are stuffed way fuller than people recommend. I'd think that between too loose (discs leaning at a severe angle) and too tight (stuffed in) warping would be more of a concern with too loose. After all, the cure for warped vinyl is to press them, right?

Mine are against the floorboards, not the wall. no backing. Secure as hell. I have no kids climbing on them. Then again, it'd probably teach the kid a quick and good lesson. Note: I'm in an apartment building with solid concrete floors.

Edit: Make sure you put the big expedit up the right way. Right way up, it's extremely solid. 90 degrees off (on its side) and it's very weak. There's a thread with a picture of one that's collapsed, and it's not pretty. Anchored to the wall, backing, and everything else you've described, and you could probably build a loft on top of it.

bhundu · Dec 17, 2009

Now to wash some records

Went down to Ikea today and picked up the 5 x 5. I had to take out the passenger and rear seats of the Daihatsu so the three boxes would fit.

After the responses to this thread I decided not to put a backing on it. Just used the two rear brackets and the side bracket. Feels stable enough.

I was only going to put my washed records in here but I can't wait to start filling it up. All my cleaned records have new outer sleeves so I should know which are which.

Thanks again to you guys who gave me the advice on this.

Expedit Owners - Should this be stable?

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