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Arbor Valley Custom Cabinetry
20 Questions

Shelving

Adjustable Shelving

Boring & Pin Specifications

Are the interior shelves adjustable? +
Yes. We use 5mm 'system holes' with high-capacity metal shelf pins, allowing you to reconfigure interior heights as your storage needs change.

A versatile system of pre-drilled 5mm or 1/4" holes allowing for customizable shelf heights to accommodate changing storage needs.

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Angled Shoe Shelving

Ergonomic Angled Storage

How do you design shelves for shoes? +
Shoe shelves are installed at a 20-30 degree downward angle with a "fencing" or "toe-rail" at the bottom. This allows for better visibility and fits more pairs into a standard-depth closet.

Adjustable shelving angled at 15–30 degrees with a front-edge "stop" to provide clear visibility and organization for footwear.

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Door-Mounted Shelving

In-Door Gravity Storage

Can shelving be mounted to the inside of the door? +
Yes. We build shallow 3" deep "door bins" for spices or condiments. These require the interior cabinet shelves to be "short-boxed" (recessed back 4") to allow the door to close fully.

Shallow-depth wood trays mounted directly to the interior of pantry or wall cabinet doors to maximize unused space.

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Finished Shelf Undersides

Visible Surface Detailing

Are the bottoms of the shelves finished? +
In custom work, yes. Any shelf located above eye level is finished on both sides. For open shelving, we use "edge-wrapping" to ensure no raw substrate is visible from any angle.

The application of matching veneer or lacquer to the bottom of wall cabinets for a clean, furniture-grade appearance.

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Floating Shelf Support

Internal Wall-Mount Supports

How are floating shelves secured to the wall? +
We use internal steel "blind" brackets (like Hovr or Shep) bolted directly into the wall studs. The wood shelf is then bored out to slide over the steel arms, providing a clean look with weight capacities up to 100+ lbs.

Internal steel "blind" brackets bolted to wall studs, capable of supporting significant weight without visible external supports.

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Glass Shelving Specs

Tempered Load Requirements

What kind of glass is used for cabinet shelves? +
We use 3/8" or 1/2" tempered safety glass with polished edges. Tempered glass is 4-5 times stronger than standard glass and is required for any display cabinet featuring integrated interior lighting.

Polished-edge tempered glass (6mm to 10mm) used in display cabinets, featuring non-slip rubber-padded shelf clips.

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Heavy-Duty Spans

Structural Load Deflection

How do you prevent long shelves from sagging? +
For spans over 30", we upgrade to 1" thick plywood or integrate a solid wood "front nosing." This increases the moment of inertia, allowing the shelf to hold heavy stacks of plates without bowing (deflection).

Structural reinforcement using solid wood edges or 1" thick plywood to prevent sagging in cabinet spans exceeding 36 inches.

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Integrated Drying Racks

Ventilated Garment Storage

Can drying racks be built into laundry shelving? +
We design "pull-out" or "fold-down" slatted shelves specifically for air-drying delicates. These are constructed from water-resistant species like Teak or White Oak to prevent warping.

Collapsible or pull-out slatted wood frames designed for air-drying delicate garments inside laundry room cabinetry.

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L-Shaped Corner Shelves

Blind-Angle Optimization

How do you handle shelving in a corner cabinet? +
In "L-shaped" corner units, we use "Lazy Susan" rotating trays or fixed "pie-cut" shelves that follow the contour of the cabinet, maximizing the usable square footage of the corner.

Fixed or pivoting shelf designs shaped to maximize the footprint of "L" or "U" shaped corner cabinet interiors.

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Lighted Glass Shelves

Low-Voltage Circuit Routing

How do you light up glass shelves? +
We use "back-lit" LED panels or "edge-lit" glass clips. Alternatively, we can route a recessed LED channel into the cabinet gables to provide a continuous wash of light across all shelf levels.

Shelves featuring CNC-routed channels for low-voltage LED strips, providing shadowless accent lighting for displays.

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Live-Edge Wood Shelves

Natural Slab Mounting

Do you offer live-edge shelving? +
Yes. We source locally milled Alberta slabs (Maple, Elm, or Poplar). These are kiln-dried and flattened, then mounted with heavy-duty hidden brackets to maintain the natural bark-edge look.

Natural-edge hardwood slabs used as decorative shelving, highlighting the organic character and bark-line of the timber.

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Media Shelf Ventilation

Electronic Heat Dissipation

What are the requirements for electronics shelving? +
Cabinets housing AV gear require "vented" shelving with CNC-slotted patterns. This allows heat from receivers or servers to rise through the stack, preventing hardware failure.

Shelves featuring perforated patterns or rear-wall gaps to allow heat dissipation for amplifiers, servers, and gaming consoles.

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Pantry Slide-Out Towers

High-Density Vertical Access

What is a 'Chef’s Pantry' shelf system? +
A heavy-duty vertical pull-out that features 5-7 adjustable chrome or wood baskets. The entire tower slides out on 200lb-rated runners, giving you access to both sides of the shelving at once.

A tall, narrow shelving unit mounted on heavy-duty top and bottom slides, providing dual-sided access to pantry goods.

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Pilaster Strip Systems

Flush-Mount Vertical Tracks

What are 'Pilaster' shelf supports? +
A high-end alternative to 5mm holes. Metal recessed tracks (pilasters) are installed flush into the cabinet sides, using adjustable clips that provide a more industrial, heavy-duty aesthetic for libraries and pantries.

Vertical wood or metal tracks recessed into cabinet sides for a classic, high-end adjustable shelving aesthetic.

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Pull-Down Shelf Systems

Accessibility Lift Mechanisms

How can I reach the top shelf of a tall cabinet? +
We install "iMove" or similar pull-down mechanisms. The entire shelf unit pivots downward and out toward the user, making upper-tier storage accessible without a step ladder.

A gas-spring or mechanical linkage system that lowers the contents of high wall cabinets to a reachable height.

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Pull-out Shelf Conversion

Retrofit Slide Integration

Can static shelves be converted to pull-outs? +
Yes. We install full-extension undermount slides onto adjustable "pilasters." This allows you to pull the entire shelf out of the base cabinet, bringing items from the back into full view.

Internal drawer-like shelves mounted on full-extension slides to provide ergonomic access to items in deep base cabinets.

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Radius End Shelving

Curved Finished Terminations

What are 'Radius' or 'Curved' end shelves? +
Decorative open shelves at the end of a cabinet run that feature a 90-degree curve. This "softens" the transition into a room and prevents sharp corners in high-traffic walkways.

Custom-shaped shelves that transition from a cabinet gable to an open end, softening the visual flow of a kitchen or hallway.

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Seismic / Locking Shelf Pins

Anti-Tip Locking Hardware

How do you stop shelves from sliding forward? +
We use "locking" shelf clips that snap onto the shelf edge. This is a safety requirement for mobile installs (RVs/Vans) and a luxury standard in high-end homes to prevent shelf "tip-up" when removing heavy items.

Specialized hardware that "locks" the shelf onto the pin, preventing accidental tipping or displacement during movement.

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Vertical Tray Dividers

Organized Partition Layouts

How should I store cookie sheets and cutting boards? +
We use "slotted" shelving with removable 1/4" dividers. These allow for narrow vertical storage slots, keeping flat items upright and organized rather than stacked horizontally.

CNC-routed vertical grooves used to hold adjustable dividers for organized storage of baking sheets, platters, and cutting boards.

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Wine Rack Shelving

Bottle Storage Geometry

Can you build custom wine storage into the cabinets? +
We offer "X-cube" inserts or "scalloped" horizontal rails. Scalloped shelving is designed to cradle individual bottles securely, preventing them from rolling and ensuring corks remain moist.

Precision-cut diamond or x-pattern inserts designed to store wine bottles horizontally, maintaining cork moisture.

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