# Need help hanging a shelf for a heater in the shop/garage.



## Vodo (Dec 2, 2012)

Greetings all.

I want to hang a heater on a wall in my shop/garage for the winter.

The heater is 12×12x16.









The wall looks like so:









There are 2 studs in between the left cabinet and the breaker box. I was thinking of making the shelf long enough to put the heater on, as well as maybe some other things. I would think it would need to hold at least 50 pounds.

The "shelf" would need to stick out about 17 inches from the wall.

I do have supporting "rails" like this in abundance:









I also have a ton of MDF, screws, etc..

I was hoping to do this without having to go out and buy steel shelf brackets.

I had thought of something looking like one of these:









I'm looking for thoughts and suggestions about how to fasten it to the wall to be sturdy, and to prevent the shelf from "sagging" forward and thus spilling everything off of it.

What do you think?


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## TopamaxSurvivor (May 2, 2008)

Heaters like that usually have minimum clearances for air flow and fire prevention.


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## stonedlion (Jan 12, 2011)

I would be leery of putting a heater on a shelf, period. Too much opportunity for impeded air flow.

And, since heat rises, it seems like it would be more effective if it was placed on the floor.


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## Smitty_Cabinetshop (Mar 26, 2011)

Looks like hanging might be an option. And put some sheet steel above it to dissipate heat…


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## dhazelton (Feb 11, 2012)

ASSUMING you can put that heater on a shelf - your support legs are undersized on your sketch. They should come out probably as far as the shelf is deep. I'd build a 2×3 or 2×4 frame that is a bit wider than your studs, screw the frame to the wall, then add some legs at a 45 degree angle, also screwed into the studs. Put your shelf material on top of the whole affair. Or go buy some steel shelf standards and brackets and make sure they go into the studs. Stay away from putting a screw into the wall on the same height as the wall outlet in case the wire runs to another box through that area.


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## Toolz (Feb 26, 2008)

I have a 220V version of that same heater. I placed mine on fire bricks on top of a 3 drawer metal file cabinet. The bricks are just to raise the heater a little so I could place a stronger fan in front of the heater to get the heated air projecting further out into the shop. I was limited for placement due to cord length and 220 outlet location. I have a 150K kerosene heater as my main heat source and use this little heater to help maintain temp after the kerosene heater's thermostat kick it off when it reaches the desired temp. Placing it on the file cabnet I already had for non flammable storage worked best for me.


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## madts (Dec 30, 2011)

You could hang the outboard end with wire rope from the ceiling


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## Vodo (Dec 2, 2012)

Thanks for the advice so far guys. I think I will entertain the option of hanging it or putting it on some stand. I still plan on putting some functional shelves there anyway though.

Thanks again!


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## dhazelton (Feb 11, 2012)

If you still pursue the shelf idea just get a sheet of the cement backer board (the stuff that's a base for tile in the shower) and cut that into a couple of pieces to use as a fireproof barrier.


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## JoeinGa (Nov 26, 2012)

I bought this same heater last year. Cant tell which model yours is but mine's 220volt. Anyway… At first I tried to hang it from the rafters with 2 short pieces of chain. Problem is, my workshop is open to the top (i.e. no ceiling, just the rafters), so the heat went mostly UP. My ceiling fans helped some, but I felt that it was taking too much to heat the area I wanted to be warm enough to work in.

So I welded together a simple open-box shaped stand and put some small casters on it. I made a 20' long extension cord that is plenty heavy enough to carry the load and now I can roll it around my shop to get more (or less) heat where I'm working.

You could just as easily use wood for the stand.

In the winter I covered it with a trashbag and stored it on a high shelf out of the way.


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## JoeinGa (Nov 26, 2012)

Here's a pic of the stand I made for mine.


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## RussellAP (Feb 21, 2012)

I would leave that on the floor out in the path and move it when I'm working. maybe put it on something non conductive and not flammable. That way you stay in contact frequently and can see if it needs blowing out. I opt'd for the radiator type heater and a small fan on the other end of the room to circulate air.


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

I have installed a lot of heaters similar to yours, only larger, and we hung them from the overhead using pipe or all-thread rod.


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## Vodo (Dec 2, 2012)

That is a cool stand.

The more I think about it, the more it's going on a stand.


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## HorizontalMike (Jun 3, 2010)

Joe,
That looks like the right answer for you. That way you could even have it directed in your direction when it is really cold. Nice job.


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