Closet bottoms

[smoky]

We are working on moving in to our new 21RBS. The tall closet next to the stove is a good place for a pantry to hold some food items. The Azdel bottoms in this closet are very flexible and don't seem suitable to hold heavy items like canned goods and other food packages. Does anyone have a good way to strengthen the Azdel? One suggestion has been to put sheets of aluminum underneath the Azdel, but the Al for one shelf might be too $$$. I would love to hear if someone has found a way to strengthen the Azdel.

Update: I added 2 cross pieces per shelf to give more support under the flimsy Azdel. The total cost of materials for 4 shelves was about $65. I purchased 1" Al square tubing at Lowes and cut it to 16" long pieces. Two angle brackets were screwed on each end of the tubing pieces. The cross pieces were evenly spaced and screwed into the existing 1" Al square tubing cabinet frame. This firmed up the Azdel so it will hold
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what we wanted to store. The first photo (left to right) shows the Azdel shelf removed from the cabinet frame. Photo #2 shows the two cross pieces being installed for the bottom shelf. Photo #3 is a self-tapping screw being put into the bracket holding the cross piece. Photo #4 is the finished extra shelf support from underneath one of the shelves. Photo #5 is the finished job with the original Azdel shelves reattached. This was simpler and less expensive than cutting new shelves from plexiglass or Al sheet. (Side note: one shelf had 5 factory screws holding it in place, one shelf had 7 screws, and two shelves had 8 screws? I would expect a little more consistency.)

[charliem]

[font size="3"]Azdel shelves? Thor strikes again. The pre-Thor 21s have aluminum shelves everywhere. The shelves are sheet aluminum, notched for the corner tubes, and held in with screws. Labor intensive? Yes. Strong and easily cleaned? Yes. Depending on how Thor attached the Azdel, you could remove and replace with aluminum sheet or some other more rigid materiel.

What is the date of manufacture on your unit? Found on a label on the tongue.
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[smoky]

It is a 2017 model that we picked up yesterday. The Azdel bows quite a bit when you press down on it.

[thudd3r]

if the azdel is resting on the square aluminum tubing, you could replace it with plexiglass.  i added shelves to my long cabinets using plexiglass.  just cut it t match the inside dimensions and notch the corners to clear the vertical tubing in each corner.

as an added bonus you can see through it to the shelf underneath




[img style="" style="max-width:100%;" src="http://i350.photobucket.com/albums/q439/mushr00min/20150907_091901_zpshnwumviz.jpg"]

and it is pretty cheap too