How To Hang A Wall Shelf Without Brackets

Hang the shelf on the mounting brackets.

How to hang a wall shelf without brackets.

Shelves without brackets are commonly called floating or bracketless shelves. In either case it s best to attach the bracket s longer arm to the wall and use the shorter arm to support the shelf. I ve used countersink washers for this before. For future use attach the back to the wall first with screws where the shelf brackets will go.

With some setups the shelf rests on top of the brackets. Use a level and draw a very light pencil line where you want the top of the shelf to be. Wall pushed through the two metal pieces that hold the shelf up lined up the shelf to the brackets and slid it on. Fit a floating shelf by pushing it onto the bracket instead.

Screw into the top of the back just under the shelf then tack up a bit of molding there to cover the screws. They have a seamless and clean appearance seeming to float on the wall without any means of support. Next secure the bracket in the drilled hole and use a level to figure out where to drill a second hole for the second bracket. Then check the shelf to make sure it s sturdy and ready to bear the weight of whatever you put on top of it.

The above gif shows all the steps it took to hang the 18 floating shelf which according to the manufacturer s website can hold up to 15 pounds. Mark the site at which you want to hang the object on your wall with a pencil. Make the screws a decorative element. If you need more strength and durability choose brackets with an additional diagonal support.

Position the shelf on the wall. Here s a tip that allows you to make marks that are clearly visible without the need to repaint the wall. If you want to hang floating shelf brackets use a stud finder to find the studs in the wall and drill into the stud where you want to hang your shelf. The first step in any shelf hanging shelf project is to locate the studs so you can anchor the shelf to the studs if possible.

And from the looks of the metal brackets i put through my. It s often sufficient to simply eyeball the location.