Ten Green Modular Shelving: shelving and tables using glass bottles

Step 5 Experiment!

This is an epilogue to suggest some other Ten Green-type furniture that I have worked on since: A kitchen shelving unit, which is more of a kit really, and two coffee tables which were made to commission/to suit specific bits of wood!

The tables are just the same as the shelving modules but flipped upside down, and without holes in the shelf at the base of the bottles (the table top).

More info at www.zero-waste.co.uk.

I would be up for trialling the new 'Collaborate' feature of instructables with someone on this project. Message me if you're interested.

Comments

[Pyrotect]

Very Clean and green design. I love the idea and am starting my own . thanks for the idea.

[LuzminasCorner]

Love that idea!, is just amazing!!

[INTHERMA]

Great idea! Thanks

[juanoporras]

Oh man thanks, I needed some tables and shelves, was thinking on buying some, but this is a really cool idea, thanks for sharing. ;) maybe a tip to make then better; On the tables where the bottles are upside down touching the ground; if the place where is located is not soft like a carpet you have the risk of breaking the bottles, you can maybe add corks or plastic/rubber caps so the bottles wont break easily or maybe scratch the floor. thanks again!

[Einarjon]

Whatever the surface, popping in some champagne corks would be a good idea. It would be easier on the bottles and the ground.

[drbill]

Plastic corks for feet. Good idea.

[svfox69]

You could make this for $1.00
Time to head over to my brothers for some wood.

Steve
http://scrabblecheat.com

[red9er]

how much weight can it hold? great idea but if the bottom bottles can only support... oh, 25lbs, what good would it be?

[royshearer]

I would recommend anyone making this instructable to load up the bottom unit beyond what they expect it to have to hold as way of testing, before building the units up properly. I did this when prototyping, by standing on the bottom unit. The critical weights of course depend on the timber used, what you're going to put on the shelves, and the strength of the bottles, all of which might vary significantly from person to person. If anyone has any test results, do post them here.

For my part, I used 250mm high beer bottles here, with approx. 30mm thick timber, each unit weighing approx. 8 kilos. The lowest unit would need to take 16 kilos before loading, so I tested it to my weight, about 55 kilos (yes, I'm real skinny!). That way I knew I could put on at least 39kg of stuff.

Hooray for empiricaldata!

[svfox69]

The weight would vary on the type of bottles used.
You would have to experiment to find out your bottles capability.

steve
http://scrabblecheat.com

[cleargreenfire]

Thanks for sharing this I'm always looking for new ways to use wood scavenged from construction site scraps.

[DeadlySurfer]

Awesome. I can imagine my self grabbing the bottle thinking it was real and breaking the thing. :)

[fpd]

Your original is very nice, but this "hiding the trees in the forest" is brilliant.

[royshearer]

Thanks, not quite sure what you mean!

[fpd]

I was commenting on your "Step 5," second photo (I did not know the comment would also show on the "Intro" page). The placement of the support bottles (trees) and the normal kitchen items (the forest) surrounding them, makes the shelves look magically supported.

[kirnex]

Very true. That's really a clever look. I'm thinking that'd be a great way to display the homemade vinegars, liqueurs, and other concoctions that always clutter up the kitchen. A smaller-scaled application seems to be the answer. This concept has endless possibilities. Love it.