Parcle Shelf Rattle
This Technical FAQ (How to...) has been carefully compiled by John Handford
Just to follow up my own post regarding the parcel shelf:
I was going to try the silicone oil but the creaks are not only from around the edge but well inside too - and silicone oil is messy and spreads and you don't want it on the nice matte finish or the cloth.
I was trying to avoid taking it apart but it turns out not to be too dificult. Just use a couple of thin smooth edged dinner knives. Starting from one of the mountings, gently prise up the edge of the top half moulding to release the internal clip edge and work your way along until the whole thing comes apart.
The cloth is held to the lower half with an elastic cord strung around hollow posts on the lower moulding. The creak comes from where the two moulding halves make contact - so you're talking the edge where you prised it apart, the hollow pillars and many other features. The best fix seems to be to get some silicone rubber bathroom sealant (clear or colour matched black) and cover all contact areas with generous beads of sealant. Be careful NOT to get it on the visible areas of cloth or the edge of the upper moulding that touches the cloth. I used nearly half a standard cartridge as you can see (click to enlarge).
When you clip it back together some will ooze out from the outer edge gap but not the inner where the cloth is because you avoided that didn't you? Clean off any excess with Isopropyl Alcohol or similar de-greasant to restore the matte finish.
Job done - no creaks.
ADDENDUM:
It's important to be gentle when prizing the two halves apart - don't force it so much that you start to permanently deform the edge of the plastic - you don't need to use that much force and the force should not be applied to the sharp plastic edges at the gap.
The top half of the shelf wraps around the bottom half with an internal clip ledge feature. Thin smooth flexible type dinner knife blades can be slipped into the gap and worked up and under the top half - prize it slightly away but don't use too much force. Leave one knife in place as a wedge and get another knife in and work it along the edge and away from the first. It's a bit like taking a bicycle tyre off a rim with tyre levers! Eventually you'll separate enough and the whole thing falls apart.
I was eventually quite generous with the sealant. The first time I applied it, I only put it on the clip feature near the gap but it still creaked inside so I had to take it apart again and then cover all surfaces that looked likely to touch - as you can see in the pictures.
Get any sealant off the matte surfaces quickly before it sets. IPA and kitchen towel clean it off really well once it's back together and restore that nice matte finish.
Now the shelf is dead quiet when you flex it - not spookey at all .
