An Off-The-Wall Question (Literally) About Snyder Shelving

I don't know of any weight limit, but if you are going into studs with the screws you describe, I don't think you would have any problem with two heavy steamers. I'm sure I have a number of shelves with that kind of load and nary a visible bend in any of them.

I have mine holding engines only. Never an issue. When you get them mounted I think you’ll find that you can **** near do pull-ups on them

I’ve got my entire collection on the Glenn Snyder shelving with no issues at all.  I used stout stainless steel screws into every stud.

Mike

I have both O and G shelf's. Both using studs for support with 2  and 1/2 inch wood screws.

On one 6' shelf I have put a MTH One gauge Bigboy and a MTH One gauge Triplex.

Was displayed for years and just took them down headed to York this month. Never a single issue.

If mounted properly (16" on center) I don't think you will ever bend one with a train O or G.

It's only my experience for whet is worth.

Mike…..there is a fair amount of weight on these 30” sections and no issues for 3 years…..

Likewise on these 50” sections……

We made very sure to mark the studs…..Santa (in 2021), for Christmas brought me a Walabot hand-held ultrasound unit which blue toothed ultrasound pictures to my phone….and marked them with painters tape.

Peter

@Jim S posted:

I’ve got my entire collection on the Glenn Snyder shelving with no issues at all.  I used stout stainless steel screws into every stud.

Nice looking room.  

You should have no problems attaching to studs with proper screws.

I put my 20 lb. standard gauge Lionel Hiawatha engine on these shelves with no issue.

Unfortunately Glenn Snyder Displays never posted weight ratings, but as other members mentioned the shelving can easily support the weight of heavy locomotives, just so long as the shelving is secured into studs.

I adapted my shelving to work with a hanging twin track system (commonly sold under the Elfa or Closetmaid brands) to eliminate drilling hundreds of holes in a solid plaster wall. Instead of drilling into the wall the shelves are bolted to the vertical standards spaced approximately 16" apart; a 6' shelf would be evenly supported by 4 vertical standards. The entire assembly is then hung on a special top track that is secured into the wall with 2" screws spaced 8-16" apart. Although drilling holes in the shelving is easy, my project needed a higher degree of precision that I could obtain with just a hand drill. A local machine shop was happy to drill the special hole pattern on each piece with a Bridgeport machine for a nominal cost; the results were incredible, and everything fit together perfectly. The end result is a rigid structure resembling a garden trellis supported by the top track... and no additional holes in the wall!

-John

You dont need to worry about the shelf.  Just hit the studs, but 1 1/2" screws are too short. Thats the shelf plus 1/2" of drywall, you're getting less than an inch of screw into lumber and the tapered point doesnt count. If your walls aren't perfectly flat, you'll need to stack washers between the shelf flange and the wall, or the shelf will warp when you tighten down the screws.  That adds even more thickness for the screw to pass through.   2 1/2" or 3" screws. If you use flat head screws, countersink the holes in the flange. I used stainless torx drive panhead screws. You can also use the flange head cabinet screws.  A stud plus the drywall is 4", 4.5'" if its a double sided wall with drywall on both sides. If you're going floor to ceiling, be cognizant of where wiring (and pipes) may be running through the wall (it should be blocked by nail plates, but you never know).

I have several of them that are 8 feet long and hold multiple engines and have never had a problem with any of them.  Mine are mounted to a plywood backing and are held on with about 6 nuts/bolts.

I drilled holes 5/32" in diameter in the shelf spaced for the studs and used GRK cabinet screws to attach the shelves to the walls. No issues with weight at all.

You don't need to worry about the shelf.  Just hit the studs, but 1 1/2" screws are too short. Thats the shelf plus 1/2" of drywall, you're getting less than an inch of screw into lumber and the tapered point doesnt count.

Well, too late for that.  I went with what was on the manufacturer's website and used the recommended 1 1/2”  length.  The good news is that if the screws ever come ripping out of the wall some night, sending shelves and  their contents crashing to the ground I’ll  sleep blissfully unaware til the next day , since the room is above a detached garage some 30 feet or so away from the house.  I suppose that would be a good winter project next year….go around to all the 60 plus sections I’ve already put up and remove all the shorter screws one by one and replace with 2” screws.   Time will tell.