When you know how to hang a floating shelf, you'll understand what all the fuss is about. Not only are floating shelves practical but they can add interest to your interior design scheme and by installing floating shelves yourself, you'll save a little cash along the way too.
You don't need tons of tools, just a little know-how, and whether you're working with drywall, masonry or plasterboard, you'll be able to recreate your favorite shelving ideas in no time at all.
James Kalim, founder and CEO at Only Silent (opens in new tab) says, 'When installing a floating shelf you can use mount brackets for support. This will make your shelf sturdy to support items that you will be placing in it. Another tip is to make use of the stud finder to easily locate the studs in your wall. These studs will help you have a well-built shelf.'
You will need:
- A shelf (opens in new tab)
- Fixings for wall type: Drywall/plasterboard anchor plugs (opens in new tab) or masonry wall plugs (opens in new tab)
- Hammer
- Tape measure
- Counterpunch
- Pencil
- Level (opens in new tab)
- Screwdriver
- The best drill (opens in new tab)
- A digital detector
- Sellotape
1. Check the construction of the wall
Before starting, as when hanging a shelf with brackets, check the construction of your wall, this will determine what type of fixing you need to use. For a solid brick or masonry wall you will need wall plugs and for plasterboard or drywall, use worm-style fixings/drywall anchor plugs (opens in new tab).
2. Ensure the wall is free of cables and pipes
Before drilling any holes, run over the area with a digital detector to check it’s free of any pipes and cables.
3. Mark out your fixings
Hold the shelf bracket on the wall at the height you want. Make sure it is straight using a spirit level. Then, using a pencil, mark the fixing hole positions.
Again, double check your pencil markings are straight with a spirit level. Use a counterpunch and a hammer to make a small dent in the centre of each mark, this will stop your drill or screwdriver from slipping.
4. Attach your wall fixings
This step may differ depending on the shelf you are using and the wall material you are mounting it on to. If you are using a drill and wall plugs to mount your shelf, drill a hole in the centre of each pencil mark and then tap into your wall plugs with a hammer.
If you are using drywall anchor plugs (the worm-style fixing as can be seen in our video above), cover the marks in Sellotape to stop plaster cracking and screw in your fixings.
5. Fix the bracket to the wall
With all the holes drilled into the wall you can now screw on the bracket. Hold it into position and, using either a drill or a screwdriver, insert the screws where they are required, making sure the bracket is tight to the wall.
6. Slide the shelf onto the bracket
Once your base is fixed securely, slip the shelf onto the bracket.
7. Secure the shelf to the bracket
On the underside of the shelf there will usually be fixings to ensure the shelf doesn’t slide off the bracket. Insert screws into these holes, screw upwards and the installation is complete.
Top tip: Remember not to overload your shelf – DIY floating shelves are fairly sturdy but they do have limits so read through the manual that came with your shelf to check what weight they can take. And, make sure you keep your house looking beautiful with similar DIY projects you can do in a day.
And for another shelfie!
