A multi-piece shelf for an electronics rack, the electronics rack having a base and at least two vertical posts; the multi-piece shelf comprising: at least two side brackets and a removable shelf, the side brackets being separate components from the removable shelf, each side bracket having a vertical wall, and a shelf mounting flange, the shelf mounting flange being integrally attached to and extending laterally from the vertical wall, the vertical walls having a front edge and a rear edge, a post mounting flange being integrally attached to at least a portion of the vertical wall and extends laterally from the vertical wall in a lateral direction opposite from the direction that the shelf mounting flange extends from the vertical wall; wherein the removable shelf includes a substantially planar bottom portion, the bottom portion having a width that is less that the width between the two adjacent side brackets when the side brackets are attached to adjacent vertical posts, characterized in that the removable shelf having a front edge with a return flange on at least a portion of the front edge, the return flange including a leg that is substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the planar bottom portion so as to form a gap sufficiently wide to capture a forward edge of the shelf mounting flange, the removable shelf having at least two shovel lances formed on the shelf, each shovel lance extending downward and rearward from a lower surface of the bottom portion, each shovel lance having a locking section that is spaced apart from the bottom shelf portion; and wherein each shelf mounting flange includes at least one aperture sized to receive a shovel lance, and wherein when the shovel lance is located in the aperture, rearward sliding of the removable shelf relative to the vertical wall causes the locking section of the shovel lance to slide under a portion of the shelf mounting flange and the leg of the return flange to slide under another portion of the shelf mounting flange, thereby removably securing the removable shelf to the side brackets. at least two side brackets and a removable shelf, the side brackets being separate components from the removable shelf, each side bracket having a vertical wall, and a shelf mounting flange, the shelf mounting flange being integrally attached to and extending laterally from the vertical wall, the vertical walls having a front edge and a rear edge, a post mounting flange being integrally attached to at least a portion of the vertical wall and extends laterally from the vertical wall in a lateral direction opposite from the direction that the shelf mounting flange extends from the vertical wall; wherein the removable shelf includes a substantially planar bottom portion, the bottom portion having a width that is less that the width between the two adjacent side brackets when the side brackets are attached to adjacent vertical posts, characterized in that the removable shelf having a front edge with a return flange on at least a portion of the front edge, the return flange including a leg that is substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the planar bottom portion so as to form a gap sufficiently wide to capture a forward edge of the shelf mounting flange, the removable shelf having at least two shovel lances formed on the shelf, each shovel lance extending downward and rearward from a lower surface of the bottom portion, each shovel lance having a locking section that is spaced apart from the bottom shelf portion; and wherein each shelf mounting flange includes at least one aperture sized to receive a shovel lance, and wherein when the shovel lance is located in the aperture, rearward sliding of the removable shelf relative to the vertical wall causes the locking section of the shovel lance to slide under a portion of the shelf mounting flange and the leg of the return flange to slide under another portion of the shelf mounting flange, thereby removably securing the removable shelf to the side brackets.