Shelf for equipment: functional features (52 photos)

Many have a set of audio and video equipment, and all have TVs. A small home AV-complex is placed on the wall hanging shelves, so as not to occupy useful space. If the area of ​​the room allows or the design is significant in mass (for example, TV of the old issue), mount floor racks with module shelves.

Classification

Racks, shelves, accessories for equipment (in the language of professional "racks") have always been. They are developed in accordance with the design fashion and taking into account the requirements dictated by the features of the equipment. A variety of support surfaces for home audio-video complex is reduced to the following types:

• TV stand;
• stands for Hi-Fi unit;
• racks or shelves for CD and DVD;
• brackets, hardware.

They can be stationary floor or mounted (wall).

The most solid are the TV stands. Depending on the size and massiveness of the model, they can be up to half a meter wide and made of durable wood or metal. More modern TVs are placed on elegant glass wall shelves with a width of 15-20 centimeters.

Hi-Fi segments are not used for TV, so they are not so wide. Stands for home theater from just television distinguish additional shelves and niches for its components. There are combined models for an extended version of the AV complex. All these are stationary structures.

The second type is a hanging shelf for equipment. They do not put anything heavy on it and always place it on the capital walls of the room. The shelves are equipped with brackets with remote consoles and special clamps. In this way, the equipment installed on them is protected from falling.

A modification of this type is mounted rotary structures with a rotary mechanism. Most often they are installed in the kitchen for a compact TV, so that the hostess watches it on the job or the family during a meal.

Optimum rack dimensions

If possible, supports for the audio system are selected in accordance with the height of the speakers. To fine-tune it, adjustable designs are purchased.

As for the TV shelf, the center of the screen should be at such a level that the viewer sitting opposite does not have to look up, down or to the side, but clearly in the forward direction.

There are no special conditions for stands for audio equipment. However, when you consider that a serious audio system includes at least five to seven units, the optimal rack height is from 40 to 120 cm.

To create favorable conditions for the equipment and sufficient natural cooling during operation, you should not save on the height of the structures.

Material

When deciding what a rack or shelf should be for equipment, they take into account strength and appearance. The most popular materials for the manufacture of shelves:

• glass;
• metal;
• drywall;
• tree and its derivatives.

Reliable load-bearing structures are obtained from steel, aluminum, other metals, wood, and metal plastic.

Tempered glass shelves look spectacular. It is used by many reputable manufacturers: a transparent or frosted surface with a backlight looks bewitching. Thickness is usually one to two centimeters. 20 mm glass shelves withstand up to 100 kg.However, you need to carefully consider the total weight of the equipment (it is always indicated on the package) and not overload the shelf.

Less popular are clear plastic or plexiglass. They quickly lose their appearance due to scratches, microcracks, and other similar defects.

In order not to calculate the mass and not worry about the reliability of the shelves on which the massive TV device is installed, the majority prefers time-tested metal. This is steel (including stainless or chrome), aluminum and its alloys, metal-plastic.

Good vibration-absorbing properties, affordability, durability have made popular shelves made of chipboard, MDF, drywall. They can be made independently, easily painted in the desired color, pasted with wallpaper or decorated in another way to your own taste.

Combined structures, for example, MDF panels, sheathed with hardwood plywood (beech) are in demand. Wood is used as a veneer for decoration and very rarely in whole form. Wealthy people complement the equipment with exclusive exotic wood, granite, and marble.

How to overcome vibration?

Sensitive equipment is affected by shock loads, high- and low-frequency vibrations. Designers, including those under TV, are struggling with this. Most of the materials mentioned absorb vibration. An exception is metal, which conducts sound vibrations and rings by itself. Sometimes the metal supports in the racks for the speakers “sing”.

Designers are trying to neutralize them. Dampers (German: Dämpfer - silencer, shock absorber) are sand, shot, other bulk solids. They fill the cavity of the racks with a diameter of up to five centimeters. Filling not only reduces vibration, but also, increasing the mass, makes the structure more stable. For this, a hybrid composition is used: a fraction, and sand on top. As a result, the center of gravity shifts down.

Flat surfaces are harder. You can apply some viscous coating such as rubber or mastic. But it is outwardly unattractive, so at home there is little demand.

An alternative is to choose a sandwich from MDF plus metal. The layers are stiffly bonded.

To remove vibrations, the shelves for the TV are equipped with wheels that can rotate, gaskets made of silicone or spikes made of metal.

To maximize the amplitude of oscillation, the spikes are made extremely sharp. But they are sagging under the weight of technology, which reduces vibration isolation and damages the floor covering. Therefore, under the spike, put a support hole. All these nuances are redundant in the case of structures made of wood or drywall.

Stylistics

If possible, shelves or racks should be selected in accordance with the general style of the room. So for a room decorated in hi-tech, minimalism, techno, metal or glass structures are suitable. For classic, Scandinavian, country styles, wood or drywall will be organic.

The variety and price availability of materials, designs allow you to choose the most suitable individual option. The main thing is to take into account the features of the equipment and the tensile strength of the support on which it will stand.