A shelf[1]​ is the support made on site (brick, plaster, etc.), wood, metal or other resistant material, such as those derived from glass and plastic, which applied or installed horizontally on walls, walls, furniture or cabinets, or having legs, serves as a base surface for a wide variety of uses in homes, sales establishments, industries, workshops, etc.[2]​ A shelf is also known as a "counter", "shelf", "shelf shelf". chimney" or "shelf".

A shelf may be attached to a wall or other vertical surface, suspended from a ceiling, be part of a free-standing frame unit, or may be part of a piece of furniture such as a cabinet, bookcase, entertainment center, some headboards, etc. Typically, two to six shelves form a unit, each shelf being attached perpendicularly to vertical or diagonal supports and placed parallel on top of each other. Freestanding shelves can be accessed from one or both sides. longer. A shelf with hidden internal supports is called a floating shelf. A shelf or case designed to hold books is a bookcase.

The length of the shelf is based on the space limitations of its location and the amount of weight it is expected to hold. The vertical distance between shelves is based on the space limitations of the unit location and the height of the objects; Adjustable shelving systems" allow the vertical distance to be modified. The unit can be fixed or some form of mobile shelving"). Heavy duty racking is called pallet racking. In a store, the front edge of the shelf below the stored item can be used to display the name, product number, price, and other information about the item.

Shelf comes from the word estar and -nte, from the Latin stans, -antis.

Shelves are typically made of sturdy materials such as wood,[3]​ bamboo, or steel, although shelves to hold lighter items may be made of glass or plastic. DIY shelves can even be made from an old door,[4]​ crayons[5]​ or books.[6]​.

Julio Casares, in his ideological dictionary, notes as synonyms for shelf: anaquel, anaquelería, platform, platform, shelf, plúteo, estrada, table and closet; adding "repisa", "shelf", "velonera" and "poyata" as similar appliqués. In the context of traditional kitchen furniture, it also proposes vasar, vasera, "leja", sobrado, "revellín" (in "Home (fire)" fireplaces), "aparador", "alcarracero", "escudillero" and "cantarera" or "zafariche". In architecture, for "cantilever".[7]​ In Latin America it is applied to the compartments of refrigerators and other storage, conservation and incubation appliances.[8]​.