How to Put Up Shelves
Solid, level shelves on any wall type - get the fixings right and they will never come down.
Difficulty
Easy
Time
1 hour
Cost
£15 - £60
Before You Start
Use a pipe and cable detector before drilling into any wall. Pipes and cables can be hidden just behind the surface. Wear safety goggles when drilling masonry - brick dust and fragments fly back at your face. If drilling above your head, wear a dust mask too.
Putting up shelves sounds simple, but shelves that pull out of the wall are one of the most common DIY failures. The reason is almost always wrong fixings for the wall type. A plasterboard wall needs completely different fixings to a brick wall. Get the fixings right and a shelf will hold heavy books and ornaments for years. Get them wrong and it will collapse, damaging the wall and anything on the shelf.
What You Will Need
Tools
- - Drill (combi drill for masonry and wood)
- - Masonry and wood drill bits
- - Spirit level (600mm or longer)
- - Stud finder / pipe and cable detector
- - Screwdriver
- - Tape measure and pencil
- - Rawlplug setting tool or hammer
Materials
- - Shelf (timber, MDF or floating shelf kit)
- - Brackets (L-shaped or concealed for floating)
- - Wall plugs appropriate to wall type
- - Screws (length depends on wall type)
- - Plasterboard fixings (if no stud available)
Step-by-Step Instructions
Identify Your Wall Type
Knock on the wall. A solid thud means brick or block. A hollow sound means plasterboard on timber studs. Use a stud finder to locate studs in plasterboard walls - fixing into a stud is always stronger than using plasterboard fixings alone.
Choose the Right Fixings
For brick or block: use a masonry drill bit, wall plugs and screws. For plasterboard on a stud: use a wood drill bit and long screws directly into the stud. For plasterboard with no stud: use spring toggles or heavy-duty plasterboard fixings (never standard wall plugs).
Mark the Position
Hold the shelf against the wall at the desired height. Place a spirit level on top and adjust until perfectly level. Mark the bracket screw positions on the wall with a pencil. Double-check by measuring from the floor at both ends - some floors slope, which can make a level shelf look crooked.
Drill and Plug
Drill holes at the marked positions. For masonry: use the hammer drill setting and a masonry bit the same diameter as your wall plugs. Push wall plugs in flush with the wall. For studs: drill a pilot hole slightly smaller than the screw diameter.
Fix the Brackets
Screw the brackets firmly to the wall. Check they are level with a spirit level placed across both brackets. Tighten fully.
Attach the Shelf
Place the shelf on the brackets. If using L-brackets, screw up through the bracket into the underside of the shelf. For floating shelves, slide the shelf onto the concealed bracket rods. Check level one final time.
Pro Tip: Spacing Brackets
For most shelves, place brackets no more than 600mm apart. For heavy loads (books), reduce this to 400mm. Always place a bracket within 50mm of each end to prevent sagging.
Pro Tip: The Level Check Trick
After fixing the first bracket, hold the spirit level against the wall from that bracket to where the second bracket will go. Mark the exact position. This is more accurate than measuring from the floor.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- - Using wall plugs in plasterboard - they pull straight out under any weight
- - Not checking for pipes and cables before drilling - one wrong hole can be very expensive
- - Not using a spirit level - even a small error is obvious once books are on the shelf
- - Brackets too far apart - the shelf sags in the middle
- - Drill bit too large for the wall plug - the plug spins in the hole instead of gripping
When to Call a Professional
If you need to hang very heavy shelves (over 30kg total load) on plasterboard walls, or if you are unsure about hidden services in the wall, it is worth getting a professional to install them. Also for built-in shelving units that need carpentry skills.