How to Install Floating Shelves

Select Your Shelf

In order to install floating shelves, you will need first need to select a color and material that suits you. Visit your local home improvement store to browse available shelves and to get an idea what style will work best for you home. You can also shop around online to find the best floating shelves. Then, be sure to purchase the following items after deciding on a floating shelf design: pencil, stud finder, level, plastic wall anchors, hammer, drill and screw driver.

Decide Where to Hang Your Shelf

The first thing to do when installing floating shelves is to map out on a wall where the shelf needs to be hung. Once the area of the wall has been found, take the stud finder and scroll it over the wall in the area. Once all the studs have been found, mark them with the pencil so they can be found again. Next, take the bracket from the floating shelf and place it on the wall in the area where the shelf will be hung. Most brackets have either one or two holes on each side where the screws will go through in order to attach it to the wall. Move the bracket over the wall until the one or both of the holes are placed over a stud which has been previously marked with the pencil. Once the placement of the bracket has been figured out, hold it against the wall and place the level on top of it. Tilt the bracket slightly side to side until the level states that the bracket is level on the wall. Once that is done, take the pencil and mark the screw holes in the bracket so the position can be found on the wall.

Anchor the Brackets

Next, take the drill and pick a drill bit that is smaller than the screws that came with the floating shelf. Drill into the center of the pencil marks that were made from the bracket holes. Drill through the wall into the stud. Next, take a plastic wall anchor and place it into the prefabricated hole. Take a hammer and lightly tap it against the plastic wall anchor until it slips all the way into the wall. These will ensure that the screws will anchor into the wall with enough strength so the shelf can hold anything placed on it. Once the plastic wall anchors have been hammered into the holes, place the bracket back against the wall over the plastic wall anchors, and grab the screws and screw driver. Secure the bracket to the wall by screwing the screws into the holes, making sure they secure into the studs. This will be felt as it will give a little resistance as they are going deeper into the wall. Once the bracket has been attached to the wall, the next step is to attach the shelf itself.

Mount the Shelf

Now, take the shelf, and slide it over the bracket arms. Line up the tip of the arms with the open holes in the shelf, and just slide it down over the bracket. Once the shelf has been slipped over the bracket arms, it is mounted against the wall. Now, most floating shelves will have two or four small screw holes on the top or the bottom of the shelf. These are for the second pair of screws that came with the floating shelf in order to secure the shelf to the bracket. Take the proper size of screw driver, and secure the screws into the holes so that the shelf is mounted to the bracket which is mounted to the wall. Once those last screws have been put into place, the floating shelf has been successfully installed into the wall. This process can be repeated for any number of floating shelves being installed into a wall.