Shelf Sag Tables – 16″ Deep Shelves


These tables contain comparative shelf sag measurements for 16″ deep shelves ranging in width from 30″ to 54″.  Six types of shelving materials (all 3/4″ thick), three shelf loads (20, 30, 40 pounds per linear foot), and several shelf support techniques are represented. Sag measurements are to the nearest hundredth of an inch. As a general guideline, shelf sag should be 0.10″ or less.

8″ shelves | 12″ shelves | 16″ shelves | About these sag measurements

Shelf Width: 30″           (Optimal sag: 0.05″ or less,  excessive: 0.13″+ )

End Support Front Support Rear Support Lbs per ft Lbs total MDF Plywood Pine Poplar Cherry Oak
Float No No 20 50 n/a .03 .01 .01 .02 .02
Float No No 30 75 n/a .04 .02 .02 .04 .02
Float No No 40 100 n/a .05 .03 .03 .05 .03
Fixed No No 20 50 n/a .02 .01 .01 .01 .01
Fixed No No 30 75 n/a .03 .02 .02 .03 .02
Fixed No No 40 100 n/a .04 .02 .03 .03 .03
Fixed Yes No 20 50 n/a .02 .01 .01 .01 .01
Fixed Yes No 30 75 n/a .03 .01 .01 .02 .02
Fixed Yes No 40 100 n/a .03 .02 .02 .02 .02
Fixed No Yes 20 50 n/a .02 .02 .01 .02 .01
Fixed No Yes 30 75 n/a .04 .02 .03 .03 .02
Fixed No Yes 40 100 n/a .04 .03 .04 .04 .02
Fixed Yes Yes 20 50 n/a .01 .01 .00 .01 .01
Fixed Yes Yes 30 75 n/a .02 .02 .01 .01 .01
Fixed Yes Yes 40 100 n/a .02 .02 .01 .02 .01

 

Shelf Width: 36″           (Optimal sag: 0.06″ or less,  excessive: 0.18″+)

End Support Front Support Rear Support Lbs per ft Lbs total MDF Plywood Pine Poplar Cherry Oak
Float No No 20 60 n/a .05 .03 .02 .04 .03
Float No No 30 90 n/a .08 .05 .05 .06 .04
Float No No 40 120 n/a .10 .07 .06 .08 .05
Fixed No No 20 60 n/a .05 .03 .02 .03 .03
Fixed No No 30 90 n/a .06 .05 .04 .05 .04
Fixed No No 40 120 n/a .08 .06 .06 .07 .05
Fixed Yes No 20 60 n/a .03 .01 .01 .01 .01
Fixed Yes No 30 90 n/a .04 .02 .02 .03 .02
Fixed Yes No 40 120 n/a .06 .03 .02 .03 .03
Fixed No Yes 20 60 n/a .04 .03 .02 .03 .01
Fixed No Yes 30 90 n/a .06 .04 .03 .04 .03
Fixed No Yes 40 120 n/a .07 .05 .05 .05 .04
Fixed Yes Yes 20 60 n/a .03 .01 .01 .01 .01
Fixed Yes Yes 30 90 n/a .04 .02 .02 .01 .02
Fixed Yes Yes 40 120 n/a .05 .03 .03 .02 .03

 

Shelf Width: 42″            (Optimal sag: 0.07″ or less,  excessive 0.21″+)

End Support Front Support Rear Support Lbs per ft Lbs total MDF Plywood Pine Poplar Cherry Oak
Float No No 20 70 n/a .12 .08 .06 .08 .04
Float No No 30 105 n/a .14 .12 .09 .11 .06
Float No No 40 140 n/a .19 .16 .12 .15 .09
Fixed No No 20 70 n/a .08 .06 .04 .05 .04
Fixed No No 30 105 n/a .12 .08 .07 .09 .07
Fixed No No 40 140 n/a .16 .11 .10 .11 .09
Fixed Yes No 20 70 n/a .04 .02 .03 .02 .01
Fixed Yes No 30 105 n/a .06 .04 .04 .03 .02
Fixed Yes No 40 140 n/a .09 .05 .05 .05 .04
Fixed No Yes 20 70 n/a .04 .05 .03 .04 .03
Fixed No Yes 30 105 n/a .08 .07 .05 .06 .06
Fixed No Yes 40 140 n/a .12 .09 .08 .09 .07
Fixed Yes Yes 20 70 n/a .04 .02 .01 .01 .01
Fixed Yes Yes 30 105 n/a .06 .03 .02 .01 .02
Fixed Yes Yes 40 140 n/a .08 .04 .03 .03 .03

 

Shelf Width: 48″           (Optimal sag: 0.08″ or less,  excessive: 0.24″+)

End Support Front Support Rear Support Lbs per ft Lbs total MDF Plywood Pine Poplar Cherry Oak
Float No No 20 80 n/a .17 .17 .13 .12 .10
Float No No 30 120 n/a .25 .24 .16 .18 .13
Float No No 40 160 n/a .33 .32 .23 .24 .18
Fixed No No 20 80 n/a .13 .11 .10 .11 .07
Fixed No No 30 120 n/a .20 .16 .13 .14 .12
Fixed No No 40 160 n/a .26 .22 .18 .19 .15
Fixed Yes No 20 80 n/a .05 .04 .05 .03 .03
Fixed Yes No 30 120 n/a .10 .07 .07 .05 .07
Fixed Yes No 40 160 n/a .13 .10 .09 .07 .08
Fixed No Yes 20 80 n/a .12 .12 .09 .09 .06
Fixed No Yes 30 120 n/a .14 .15 .11 .12 .09
Fixed No Yes 40 160 n/a .16 .18 .13 .17 .11
Fixed Yes Yes 20 80 n/a .04 .04 .02 .03 .03
Fixed Yes Yes 30 120 n/a .09 .06 .04 .04 .04
Fixed Yes Yes 40 160 n/a .10 .09 .05 .06 .06

 

Shelf Width: 54″           (Optimal sag: 0.09″ or less,  excessive: 0.27″+)

End Support Front Support Rear Support Lbs per ft Lbs total MDF Plywood Pine Poplar Cherry Oak
Float No No 20 90 n/a .25 .27 .14 .18 .13
Float No No 30 135 n/a .37 .41 .24 .27 .20
Float No No 40 180 n/a .52 .54 .33 .37 .27
Fixed No No 20 90 n/a .16 .19 .11 .13 .10
Fixed No No 30 135 n/a .25 .28 .19 .21 .15
Fixed No No 40 180 n/a .35 .39 .26 .26 .21
Fixed Yes No 20 90 n/a .08 .07 .06 .08 .05
Fixed Yes No 30 135 n/a .14 .13 .12 .11 .09
Fixed Yes No 40 180 n/a .21 .21 .17 .17 .13
Fixed No Yes 20 90 n/a .14 .14 .12 .11 .09
Fixed No Yes 30 135 n/a .20 .18 .14 .15 .11
Fixed No Yes 40 180 n/a .26 .24 .19 .19 .14
Fixed Yes Yes 20 90 n/a .07 .06 .04 .06 .04
Fixed Yes Yes 30 135 n/a .12 .11 .07 .09 .06
Fixed Yes Yes 40 180 n/a .15 .17 .10 .11 .10