Tyler Morris Woodworking Blog

Our shelf brackets vs. IKEA's


Occasionally folks call and ask me to explain why our  Paint Grade Straight 8 shelf bracket costs $13, but IKEA has a comparable shelf bracket for a mere $4. 

To the casual observer, our Paint Grade Straight 8 bracket and IKEA's EKBY VALTER
bracket are similar. However, here are some differences.


Ours are more substantial.
Our three bracket parts are 3/4" thick, whereas IKEA's are 5/8", plus our vertical member is 2" thick, whereas IKEA's is 1 1/4".  Despite ours being more substantial in size, I think both brackets are more than sufficiently strong.  A few years ago I loaded one of our shelf brackets with 500 lbs. and it did not fail.  Since IKEA's horizontal member and diagonal brace are let into shallow grooves, I suspect theirs will handle a large load as well.

Our finish is superior. 
The IKEA bracket is unsanded and only some edges have been crudely eased with a 45 degree champher.  I would expect that most buyers would sand them a bit coming from the box. On the contrary, our bracket's edges are expertly rounded over and are perfectly sanded.  Occasionally I read that our customers inspect ours with intent to sand them, but they cannot find a single flaw.  
Lastly, we drill our two screw holes through the vertical member deep enough to accept (included) button head plugs, whereas IKEA does not and you must accept the appearance of screw heads.

In conclusion, if you are buying brackets purely for economy and strength, perhaps you should choose IKEA's model due to their very low price.  But if you're looking for strength, dependability and perfect fit and finish; you should choose our brackets.  Plus our customer service is excellent and they are made in Fort Collins, Colorado.

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