Thanks

I'm real happy with the way it looks and the functionality. It's like having the space equivalent of a small 4 drawer dresser. 

Cliff: Outstanding! Hope you won't mind if I shamelessly copy your good idea! And Lowe's, BTW, has a decent selection of baskets. We're leaning toward wicker-styled plastic ones rather than the actual wicker.  I'm a little concerned that the real wicker might snag my "dainty unmentionables". 

And John in Idaho:  Here's a link to a Roth & Allen shelf at Lowe's that sure looks like Podster's.  Hope it helps.  The shelf is 6' long.  The width of our Pods is ~6'2". So, it looks like it could get some support from the window valance plus additional from the 3" L-brackets Podster mentioned.  I'm thinking some 1x4" cedar (or whatever) might make a good shim at each end.  Would mean a little less weight on the valances.  Anyway, I'm thinking out loud. Sorry.

http://www.lowes.com/pd_339255-95251-WSWS-VS1672-1C_4294936624__?productId=3378928&Ntt=roth+%26amp%3Bamp%3B+allen&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Droth%2B%2526amp%253Bamp%253B%2Ballen&facetInfo= - http://www.lowes.com/pd_339255-95251-WSWS-VS1672-1C_4294936624__?productId=3378928&Ntt=roth+%26amp%3Bamp%3B+allen&pl=1&currentURL=%3FNtt%3Droth%2B%2526amp%253Bamp%253B%2Ballen&facetInfo=

I meant to ask: Did you position the shelf so that it's up against the sloped wall? Or would that rob too much shelf space? But .. being up against the wall would allow a couple of the wall clips - or a rail - to be used for mid-span support.  What to do, what to do??

The baskets fit perfectly onto the width of the shelf, sitting inside the given channel to keep them from shifting. The shelf has to be forward of the rear roof to allow for clearance of the back of the baskets. 

I positioned the shelf just far enough back to allow the baskets to clear the sloping roof. Admittedly, it's light duty but should be fine. If it fails, I will extend the length of the self to the full 74" (well 73.5") and install a rail for it to sit on. We travel with the baskets loaded sitting on the bed and when we camp, we place them on the shelf. 

I found the wicker baskets at Lowe's to be very "sheddy" and ruled them out because I didn't want to load the bed with sticky itchy wicker wickets. 

Howdy Podgirl!

I don't know how many inches it is and my POD has been put away in storage for the winter, so it may be later that I can measure, maybe this weekend. That said, I really think the best thing you can do is place the shelf, temporarily, into position so you can try different angles and uses before you commit to a perm install. This is where all the real work is...take some time and figure out a way to support the shelf with shims, tape, blocks, whatever you can to keep it into position so you can give it a spin so you can experience the cause and effect of the mounting position, to include how it will be mounted. Load with whatever you will use it for, baskets, clothes, towels. If needed simulate this by using cardboard to lighten the load while testing. Once you get it into position check the views and head clearances and adjust accordingly. This can be a bit time consuming and a little frustrating, but worth it in the end.   

Thnaks Larry158

I removed the valence and the top of the sliding blind (cornice board?) so I could place front L bracket behind the metal part of the blind, it is also resting on top of the aluminum frame of the window. The metal part of the blind is re-installed over the L bracket. The back L bracket is lower because I wanted to have a slight angle down in back to help keep them in place. 

The location is ideal for me because my baskets clear but don't touch the rear roof wall and when standing next to the bed the shelf sits back far enough to not be an issue. Also, no problem getting into our out of bed, even crawling over. Dropping the rear some helped me get the clearance I wanted without having to move the shelf forward. 

Getting the valence off and back on is kinda tricky, Good luck Sir!

Thank you very much for your response. I look forward to implemneting yur idea in  the spring.

Larry158

I finally got a change to measure. The distance from the back of the shelf to the back of the wall 9¼". 

Thank you for the measurement. Cant wait for the spring thaw to add that mod to my new 178.

Larry158

EDIT:  Just found the link the LUV2Q posted on this same thread that will take you to the source. The shelf is 72" wide and 16" deep. 

??? Done? An Pics?

I'm new to this group, new pod owner and loved this idea, but wasn't crazy about putting holes in my brand new 178.  So, I came up with a different approach to mounting a 72" shelf across a ~74 1/4" space.  I used 3M Extreme Mounting Tape - outdoor rated to 80lbs.

First I purchased a 1x2" and cut 3 pieces to the 16" width as the shelf I purchased at Lowes.  The way the math worked for me was I needed 74 1/4"  across the back of the pod and each 1x2 is actually 3/4" inch wide, so three of them = the 2 1/4" I needed + 72" of the shelf = 74 1/4".  Two on one side and one on the other.  Well my pod is just a smidgeon wider and I wanted to keep slight positive pressure on the mounting tape so everything was snug.  So, I cut a paint stirring stick and shimmed the gap.  I tested the fit by laying everything on top of the valences.  Satisfied with the fit, I stained the boards with some left-over stain that was close enough to the color of the shelf, didn't matter to me because I'm color blind , but the wife said "close enough".

I screwed a 1x3 to each side with 3" L brackets - making sure to pre-drill in the shelf so I didn't split the wood.  Then I removed a board from one side, leaving the L bracket ready to remount to that board when I installed it.

I then measure the distance to the back of the pod, so that the baskets fit snug against the front lip of the shelf and stuck the boards (the undrilled one + the one i previously mounted to L bracket) against the wall right over the valences with the two sided mounting tape.  

Then I mounted the shelf, with the L bracket to one side, on the other I used 4 1 1/4" dry wall screws to screw the two 1x3 boards together.  Tested everything - put up the 4 perfect sized baskets we found at Target - Sweet!

-McPod178

-Scott

I live in Cali now, and just got back from 1st trip with new shelf to Jalama Beach and it worked great, temps 50-75F.  In two weeks I'll be taking the pod for a week of skiing in Mammoth and storing it there for subsequent spring skiing.  We'll see how the tape handles sub-freezing temps, when I store it.

I honestly have not tried it. I like doing things once and I don't see any tape as a permanent mounting solution. Maybe times are changing and this super tape IS the ticket, but I'm not there yet. 

The valance is held to the wall by screws directly through the fabric. You will have to search and probe between the folds at the corners and between the trim. 

Baskets are 50% off at Michael's

Thanks,

Podgirl

Thanks

Jackwho,

Podgirl

I think we need to have the right size baskets purchased before positioning the shelf.

Thanks,

Irish Tom

2015 RPod 178

 

Well forgot to ask what size t nut did you use? Thanks

Podgirl

twodues, How do you extend the pads to create a enough tension? Or is the valance bearing the weight?

I need a new shower curtain rod for my home and I had the thought to use two curtain rods to span the width over the bed, then rest the shelf on the curtain rods. Any thoughts on a good, or bad idea? I found curtain rods on Amazon that will extend long enough and can support 30 lbs each. 

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00KA3DS1U/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=ATVPDKIKX0DER

I'm not a fan of any solution that results in putting any force, at all, against the sidewalls. I mean like zero. 

The only ventilated wood shelves I can find are 72" but my space is 74.25. Thus, the expanding foot is excellent, however, I can't tell if you have yours on both ends ?

Yeah, I have them on both ends.

thanks !