You might think, how hard can it be to hang a shelf? All you need are a couple of brackets, some screws, and a board, right? Hours later into your DIY project and all you find yourself staring at a wall full of holes and a crooked shelf. Not to be discouraging, this project can be easy. You just need the right tools and proper step-by-step instructions. But before you even make a mark on the wall, answer these questions.
- What kind of weight are going to be on these shelves? Regardless of the room you hang them in, all shelves need to be well supported. If you are planning to store heavy items such as kitchenware or shop tools, it’s important to have the proper brackets and have them mounted correctly.
- Are all brackets the same? No, they are not. Weight capacity and bracket depth for shelves vary. Standard bracket weight strength can range from 30 lbs. – 75 lbs. and 8 in. – 12 in. long. For kitchens, always use heavy duty shelf brackets.
- How many shelves do you plan on installing and how much height do you want between them? If it’s above a countertop, an 18 in. – 24 in. range above the counter is a good amount of space and at a least 12 in. height between each shelf. A standard diameter for dishes are 10 in. so 12 in. deep shelving is recommended.
With these questions answered, gather the supplies needed and take it one step at a time.
Supplies
- Wood shelf
- Brackets
- Wall anchors
- A long level
- Drill and appropriate bit
- 2 in. long wood screws
- Short wood screws
- Pencil
- Tape measure
- Rubber mallet
- Stud finder
- Screwdriver that has the correct bit for the screws you’re using
How To
- Use a stud finder to locate the wall studs and mark with a pencil.
- If your studs are not lining up to the area that you want to mount your brackets, you will need to use wall anchors.
- Using the level and a pencil, create a grid of horizontal dots or a line on the wall where you want the bottom of each shelf. Brackets should not be more than 24 in. apart and a shelf should not have an overhang of more than 6 in.
- Place the top of the shelf bracket on the marked wall stud and then slide it up to the marked spot of bottom measurement of the shelf. Repeatedly checking that your marks are plumb (vertical) and level (horizontal) with the level. Mark screw holes.
- Repeat step four for the rest of the brackets.
- Drill a pilot hole in each marked screw hole, using a drill bit that is slightly smaller than the long wood screw.
- If your desired spot to mount a bracket isn’t on a stud, you’ll need to drill holes to install wall anchors using the anchor’s recommended bit size and then tap in a wall anchor with the rubber mallet into the pilot hole.
- Install each shelf bracket to the wall with long wood screws (or screws appropriate for the application.) Constantly use the level to make sure the brackets are plumb and level with each other. Use a screwdriver to turn the screw to completely tighten it. This prevents the screw from stripping and holds the brackets in place.
- Place the board on top of the installed brackets and mark the bracket hole locations to the underside of the board with a pencil. Also, double check to make sure the board is level.
- Remove the board and predrill your marked holes. This prevents the wood from splitting and is easier to install.
- Place board back on top of the brackets, lining the predrilled holes up with the bracket holes.
- Secure the board to the brackets by drilling in screws up through the brackets into the bottom of the board. Make sure the screws are not longer than the thickness of the board and follow the same guideline of step eight when installing the screws.
These steps will help you eliminate uneven shelves, and you will have less holes in your wall. But even the experts don’t get it right the first time. Watch PARR Weekend Warriors, Redo With Q, Episode 12, How to Install Open Shelving and see how Cohosts, Tony Cookston and Corey Valdez with Shannon Quimby regroup after a shelf install blooper.
Are you wanting to install shelving? Swing by to any PARR Lumber location for one stop shopping to grab everything you need.
Shannon Quimby is an internationally acknowledged salvage designer.
