Shelf End Panels

When I became a new library director, I found some unused shelves in a storage room and decided to install them.  They were cantilever style shelves but I didn't have any end panels for them.  I looked on the standard library supply websites and was staggered to see that they charged $200-$400 per shelf end panel!  As far as I could tell they were just press board with laminate coating.  I walked around my local hardware store to see if there was something I could use instead.  No real luck there.  Then I was cruising on Amazon and found Lorell Utility Table Tops.  They were the right width, 24 inches, for my cantilever shelves and had the cherry finish I needed to match the other shelves in my library.  They had different lengths, longer for my tall shelves and shorter for my shorter shelves. The lengths weren't exactly right, but I am handy with a jigsaw, so I ordered them.  When they arrived I was pleased with the quality and look.  Here is how I installed them.


I measured how tall I needed, and then cut off some from the bottom with a jigsaw.

I used clamps to hold the panel in place, cut end against the floor.

Found holes in the metal shelving and drilled through them into the wood.  Then fastened them with screws.



Ta da!  Beautiful shelf end panels at a fraction of the cost!

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