One of the methods of decorating a room is the use of shelves. But they are not just a decoration item. Much more often they are functional. They hang shelves on the wall, put them on the floor, some are hung from the ceiling or beams. But best of all, they are easy to make yourself, with your own hands.
Types of shelves in the house
At the place of installation, the shelves are wall-mounted, floor-mounted and suspended. If the floor shelf has a large height - from a meter and above it is often called a rack. A few words about hanging ones: usually these are decorative structures that hang on a pipe or a specially driven bracket. This option is popular in those rooms where heating pipes run under the ceiling: they just ask to be hung on something. Shelves are hung on the pipe in the kitchen and in the bathroom: it is convenient there.
They are made of wood, fiberboard, there are glass shelves. The same materials are used as racks, but they are also made of metal, plastics and other absolutely incredible things - for example, pipes or bottles.
In living rooms, it is not so important what material the shelf is made of. It is important that its design is in the same style as the interior. Even the functionality is not always important: some play an exclusively decorative role. On them, if there is something, then one or two items. Their role is to give the interior of the home a special style and color.
The laconic style of the apartment design and the same laconic shelves in a contrasting color. In this interior, they are the main element. The free space above the sofa is organically filled with shelves to match the walls.
If we talk about shelves in technical rooms - the kitchen and the bathroom, in particular, then practicality requirements are added to aesthetic considerations almost everywhere. Even decorative shelves in the kitchen should be washed well. For shelves in the bathroom, in general, the requirements are high: periodically there is very high humidity and materials are required that tolerate it without any harm. There aren't many of them. It is plastic and stainless steel. They also make MDF bathroom shelves, but they are normally used with good ones.
Shelves on the wall
In any room on the wall there are places where you just need to hang something. After all, most modern furniture occupies only the lower part - sofas, tables, couches. The upper part remains empty and dissonance arises: an overloaded lower part of the room and a half-empty or completely empty upper part. These voids on the walls are organically filled with shelves.
The whole system, and the most "dead" space is used - the corner
Structurally, most of the shelves consist of the actual shelves and jumpers. But these components are combined in such a number of options that it is impossible to count. A simple design is good: you can make any shelves with your own hands. Moreover, these products can be the first self-made things. It's really simple.
How and what to mount
It is not in vain that we start with fasteners. The design of the shelf on the wall largely depends on the type of fastening. Or maybe vice versa. Looking from what to dance ...
Traditional loops
There is a traditional way - on loops. It is suitable for wood and fiberboard, any other material that is thick enough to attach. Screwed on with screws on the sides. Then, between the centers of the holes of the loops, the distance is measured, deposited on the wall (watch for horizontality). At the marked points, holes are drilled for the dowel, the dowel is inserted and a dowel-nail with a small cap is screwed into it, which enters the loop or bracket (the pin is slightly bent upwards). Then a shelf is hung on them.
Not all materials can be drilled. For example, glass shelves. You definitely can't screw anything into them. Mounts for glass shelves are special: they consist of two parts, between which glass is inserted. Often, elastic spacers are installed between the holders. The bottom fastener usually has a small clamping screw for fixing.
Fasteners for glass shelves
The most popular mount for glass shelves is called "pelican" - for its peculiar shape. It looks good and is available in different colors. The thickness of the glass that it can hold is from 8 to 34 mm. You can insert into it not only glass, but also any other material of this thickness. It just looks cool with glass.
It is easy to make glass shelves on the wall with it: buy a mount, order pieces of glass with processed edges of the right size and shape in the glass workshop (or cut it yourself if you know how). What remains is the actual assembly:
- Attach the "pelicans" to the wall. Two dowels. The case is collapsible - the decorative trim is removed, and there are two holes in the mounting plate. One in the case above, the second - below. Fixed, installed in place a decorative overlay.
- Inserted glass.
- Turned the screw. All.
There are other forms of similar fasteners. The photo below is a few of them.
Decorative brackets
Another type of fastening is brackets. They are reliable, some are decorative, so much so that they themselves are an ornament.
Concealed installation - shelves without support
And the most amazing device for secret mounting. It makes it possible to hide fasteners. At the end, a seat is cut out for the pin and the body of the holder and the shelf is simply put on it.
As you can see, even a simple board or a piece of glass on such mounts is already not bad. But there is still a sea of all sorts of ideas.
Bookshelves
The requirements for strength are imposed on bookshelves: they hold significant weight. Therefore, the fastening and materials and design must be reliable. Traditionally, book shelves are made of wood, laminated or veneered fiberboard. And then fiberboard with a long span (more than 90 cm) sags over the years.
When planning shelves on the walls for books according to your own size, keep in mind that the distance between the supports should not be more than 90 cm. Then even when fully loaded, it will not bend. And there are two types and varieties of shelves: wall and floor. Both of them can be angular.
In the simplest case, this is a board fixed in one of the ways. Some options, especially when presented correctly, look very good.
And in the presence of imagination, several planks turn into a very interesting thing, which can even be the main element of decor. Ideas for self-production are collected in the photo gallery.
And this is a serious way to expand the space due to the angles between two windows Non-linearity - they are always interesting, and you can put books of different heights on such a shelf
Floor bookshelves can be loaded more seriously. Here the forms are different: there are racks to which shelves are attached. The highlight can be a broken or unusual line of shelves as well as interesting racks.
This is more of a bookcase or even a cabinet, but the essence remains the same - the original color and interesting small shelves in the central part and the structure looks interesting 
A very interesting idea - non-linear shelves and lintels made of thick glass
Read about the manufacture of fountains (both small indoor ones and more solid ones for a summer cottage, backyard or garden plot).
Suspended
Not very numerous, but original type. The most important thing is that you can do it easily: a few planks, four ropes or two belts and you can get to work.
It's not an easy block system...and the shelves can be at any level Two planks, four ropes and half an hour of time is all it takes to make this shelf How to make a hanging shelf - graphic step by step instructions
To the nursery
While the child is very small, I want functional shelves, but with children's drawings. But where can you get these? Make it yourself. Any shelf of the configuration you like can be pasted over with non-woven wallpaper or thick wrapping paper (glued on PVA). After drying, coat twice with water-based varnish. Such shelves can be washed, but the most interesting thing is that the shelf can change along with the child. Rip off the old decor, glue the new one. The idea is simple, it works perfectly.
For children, the shelves are not very different in design. If we talk about floor or shelving, then they must be strong: taking into account the fact that older children will definitely want to climb on them. Therefore, often even those shelves that are on the floor are attached additionally to the wall: so that they do not collapse and crush young climbers. Based on these considerations, they are not made high: even if they fall, it’s not scary.
The shelves in the children's room are also different in color - they are brighter, they can be made in the form of letters, boxes for toys can be installed in them: it's easier to keep them in order. In general, functionality and safety should be combined.
Drawer system - clean up is quick Combination of open and closed shelves - convenient for preschoolers
Shelves and shelves for the kitchen
Whatever you say, but in the kitchen the main thing is functionality. There is not much free space even on the walls: lockers take up a large area. Therefore, one of the tasks is to maximize the use of free space. There are interesting ideas for small or even very small gaps between the wall and the refrigerator or other appliances. Strictly in size, you can make a poke on wheels, which leaves and completely hides there. It is wide and narrow (see photo).
It is not difficult to make such a sliding shelf-rack on wheels for different jars. Everything you need is at hand and does not interfere
There are other interesting ideas about saving space. If a sink or a hundred are standing near the window, you can take the sidewalls. There is an interesting hanging option - a lattice on chains, to which all utensils are hooked. But such a shelf is possible if the desktop is not against the wall. Another option to save space is if the kitchen-dining room is zoned with a counter, you can also make a shelf above it, which will be partially suspended. One part of it rests on the wall, the second - on the counter or "hangs" on the ceiling.
Hanging the entire wall above the desktop with lockers is not the best way out. They look heavy. You can solve the problem with glass doors, but not everyone likes it. The way out is to make open shelves between the cabinets. They will give more lightness to the interior and the work area will not put pressure on the rest of the space.
Glass and open shelves will “lighten” the interior The style is different - the idea is the same Closed and open shelves in one system - convenient and non-standard
Decorative and original
Often, shelves on the wall play an exclusively decorative role. They are designed to attract attention and this goal is achieved by an unusual shape, contrasting with the walls, color. You can’t put much on it: one or two little things, but how interesting they are.
Another option for "square" shelves. Two identical sets arranged differently If traditional square shelves are decorated with curly frames around the edge, the style is completely different.
Another interesting topic is glass shelves. Just one glass is not very interesting. Its combination with wood and steel is more attractive. The effects are sometimes unexpected. Glass is assembled on guides: the material is fragile and heavy, and it must be held. It is under the power of steel.
In fact, these systems are designed to create interiors of shops, but also in an apartment in a modern style or look stylish.
Suitable for vintage style too.
What shelves are made of. Even from pipes. Metal and plastic. Do you have any left over from the repair? Use in business, and get a designer thing, which is interesting, collected from the trash.
Such an interesting variation of a bookshelf made of pipes
May 26, 2017Specialization: a professional in the field of construction and repair (a full cycle of finishing work, both internal and external, from sewerage to electrics and finishing work), installation of window structures. Hobbies: see column "SPECIALIZATION AND SKILLS"
The question of how to hang a shelf on a drywall wall has several correct answers. It all depends on what kind of load the structure will exert on the gypsum plasterboard sheathing, and what materials we will have at our disposal.
I will tell you how you can hang light shelves with minimal labor, and also describe the installation technology for heavier structures.
For lightweight structures
Method 1. Adhesive mounting
After completing the sheathing and finishing, we may have a question about how to attach the shelf to the plasterboard wall. The problem is that drywall is a rather fragile material, and therefore it will crumble under load. This means that when hanging shelves, we will have to use a variety of devices that will allow us to compensate for this lack of drywall.
The choice of mounting method directly depends on two parameters:
- The weight of the shelf itself.
- The planned load on it.
We will build on them when planning work.
For decorative shelves, stands for small photos or keys in the corridor, you can use adhesive mounting. This method is the easiest to implement:
- We apply markings on the wall for the installation of a decorative object.
- According to the marking on the surface sheathed with GKL, we apply a thin layer of contact adhesive.
- We apply the same layer of glue to the back of the shelf.
- We withstand the glue for a while (depending on the type of composition) and press the shelf against the wall. The clamp should be tight, but not too tight: it is desirable to dose the effort so as not to crush the drywall.
The described technique practically does not require labor costs, but its reliability is also low.
Method 2. Fixing on self-tapping screws
If we are dealing with a structure whose mass is small, but does not allow the use of the adhesive method, you can simply fix the shelf with self-tapping screws. The choice of fasteners depends on where we will carry out the work:
- if the shelf will be installed simply in drywall or in a wooden frame element, then we use wood screws (black);
- if the position of the shelf can be adjusted so that the fasteners fall into the metal profile under the skin - we take self-tapping screws for metal with a drill.
The length of the self-tapping screw must be sufficient to completely pass the GKL and go deep into a wooden beam or steel profile. With a single-layer sheathing, it is desirable to use elements from 25–35 mm.
The instructions for doing the work are extremely simple:
- Choose the installation location. As I noted above, it is desirable that the fasteners fall either into the vertical racks of the frame or into the horizontal crossbars.
- Put marks on the wall.
- We attach the shelf to the wall and tighten the screws according to the marks. It is advisable to use a screwdriver: this way the hole will not “break”.
With excessive tightening, the fastening reliability may decrease due to a violation of the integrity of the cardboard layer. And it is also undesirable to unscrew the self-tapping screws and re-tighten them back: the thread destroys the gypsum, and when re-attached, it will hold much worse.
For heavier shelves
Method 3. Expanding and drop-down dowels
Now let's figure out how to hang a heavy shelf. Here, ordinary self-tapping screws cannot be dispensed with - it is advisable to either use special dowels, or solve the problem in other ways.
Let's start with a description of special fasteners - fortunately, it is on the market in a fairly wide range:
| Illustration | Name and principle of operation | |
 |
6–12 | Butterfly.
Lightweight two-bladed dowel that is inserted into a pre-drilled hole. When the locking screw is tightened, the blades open and are pressed against the skin from the inside. |
 |
20–30 | Driva
Plastic or metal dowel with deep thread. It is installed by twisting into drywall along the starting hole with a diameter of 5–6 mm. Fixation is provided by spiral blades, which, when the locking screw is screwed, expand inside the gypsum layer. |
 |
15–16 | Fischer Pd
It is made of plastic, consists of a sleeve with a massive trailer. When tightening the fastener, the trailer is pressed into the sleeve, opening it and bursting it into drywall. |
 |
Up to 50 | Molly
Probably the most popular type of fastener. It is installed in a hole with a diameter of 8–10 mm, while the teeth on the neck are stuck into drywall. When the locking screw is tightened, the inner part of the dowel opens, tightly pressing against the gypsum board and distributing the load from the hung shelf over a fairly large area. |
Perhaps, the described mounts have one significant drawback - a rather high price. But given that we need only a few of these dowels to hang the shelf, then this drawback can be considered insignificant.
Method 4. Through anchor
However, sometimes you have to decide how to screw the shelf to the drywall if the load on it is high, but you can’t use a special dowel. This situation occurs, for example, when there is a minimum gap between the casing and the wall, which does not allow the installation of an expansion sleeve.
Here you can do it like this:
- First, using a drill or a screwdriver with a drill installed, we make holes in the plasterboard sheathing. The diameter of the holes must be equal to the diameter of the fasteners used.
Here, the rigidity of the entire system comes to the fore, so I recommend working with dowels of 8-12 mm or more, even if a thinner product is enough for reliable fixation. The thing is that a thick dowel will not sag under the weight of the shelf, and the load on the edge of the hole in the plasterboard will be minimal.
- Then we change the drill to a puncher and use a drill to make a socket for the anchor sleeve in the load-bearing wall. The depth of the nest must be no less than the distance from the load-bearing wall to the outer surface of the plasterboard.
- We insert an anchor sleeve made of durable plastic or metal into the drilled hole.
- We fix the sleeve with a locking screw with a cap or a hook. When screwing, the sleeve will gradually open, and most of the load will fall on the main wall.
When implementing this method with your own hands, it should be borne in mind that when drilling a nest with a puncher, and when hanging a shelf, the hole in the gypsum board will increase slightly. So it’s worth installing fasteners in advance - then at the finishing stage we will be able to mask the defects that have arisen.
Method 5. Mortgage
And finally, the universal answer to the question of how to fix a shelf on drywall . If you want the hinged structure to hold “tightly”, it is better to provide for its installation in advance:
- When installing the frame for the cladding of the GKL, we select a place on the wall for installing the shelf.
- In the chosen place, we fasten a wooden beam or a thick board with anchors to the main wall. We select the thickness of the element in such a way that the gap between its surface and the wrong side of the plasterboard sheathing is minimal.
Tip: be sure to mark at the level of the mortgage on adjacent walls, floors and ceilings. This will make it easier for you to find it!
- After sheathing, we find a mortgage (by marks or by tapping drywall). We hang the shelf on ordinary self-tapping screws, twisting them through the gypsum board into a tree to a depth of at least 40 mm.
- If the shelf is heavy, use the method described in the previous section. The use of a embedded beam will not only not interfere with the installation of through anchors, but will also strengthen the fastening unit.
There is nothing better than shelves for organizing space in rooms, as well as for decorating the interior. Comfortable, functional, original form, they help to conveniently arrange a lot of things and give the rooms a more comfortable look. Making shelves on the wall with your own hands is not at all difficult, and you can use a wide variety of materials - wood, fiberboard, glass, pieces of tin, plywood.
| Types of wall shelves | Description |
|---|---|
| Classic | This type of shelves is the most common because of its simplicity, aesthetic appearance and ease of installation. They are a huge flight of fancy: from simple squares to creative asymmetric shapes. |
| corner | This type of wall shelves differs in the method of fastening - it is carried out on adjacent adjacent walls. Most often they are mounted in utility rooms and bathrooms. |
| Suspended | This original way of creating a shelf involves attaching a simple structure to the ceiling using cables or vertical racks. |
| floor standing | This wall shelf is a floor support structure. This type of product is especially relevant in hallways, as well as large rooms where you don’t have to think about wasting space. |
| Open and closed shelves on the wall | Wall shelves can be designed, for example, with or without glass |
Making a simple wooden shelf
Wood is the most convenient material for work. Wooden shelves are simple, complex, open and closed, vertical, horizontal and angular. Taking the basic version as a basis, you can assemble a shelf from several modules and give it the most incredible look. In order for the product to serve for a long time, you should choose the right wood: the boards must be perfectly even, completely dry, without cracks, voids and mold.
During the assembly process you will need:
- hacksaw;
- drill;
- building level;
- pencil and ruler;
- boards 16 mm thick;
- stain;
- varnish for wood;
- grinder;
- screws, brackets, dowels.
As an example, a simple rectangular shelf 250 mm wide, 300 mm high and 1100 mm long is used.
Step 1. Markup
The boards are laid flat on the table and measurements are transferred from the drawing. The height of the side walls should be 268 mm, since they will be located between the top and bottom: wall height + board thickness x 2 = 300 mm.
Step 2. Cutting the boards
If the markup exactly matches the pattern, you can start cutting. It is best to use a jigsaw for this, then the cuts are perfectly even and neat. You should get 2 long blanks and 2 short ones.
Step 3. Processing blanks
Before proceeding with the assembly, each workpiece must be sanded, stained and varnished. If you plan to simply paint the shelf, the blanks are processed - this way the service life increases, and the paint lays down more evenly.
Step 4. Assembly of the product
The bottom board is laid flat on a flat surface. 8 mm retreat from the ends of the workpiece and draw 2 straight lines parallel to the cuts. Now on these lines you need to mark two points at a distance of 5 cm from the edge, and drill holes for the screws there. Do the same with the top piece. When all the holes are ready, side blanks are installed on the bottom board and screws are screwed in. A second board is applied on top and the side walls are also fixed with self-tapping screws.
Brackets are fixed at the ends of the side walls, holes for dowels are drilled in the wall, self-tapping screws are inserted and twisted so that they protrude by about 5 mm. The dowels must be located strictly horizontally, therefore, before drilling, a line is drawn using a level. Now it remains only to attach the brackets to the fasteners and hang the shelf. If desired, the back wall of the product can be hammered with a piece of plywood, and glass can be inserted in front.
To make such a simple shelf more original, you can replace one side wall with a stump of a thick branch. To do this, choose an even branch with a diameter of about 7-8 cm with a smooth clean bark, saw off a piece 28 cm long, cut off all the lateral processes. Chock is treated with a primer, dried and varnished. The bark does not need to be removed. After the varnish has dried, the workpiece is inserted between the upper and lower boards and screwed tightly with self-tapping screws.
Based on this drawing, you can make various variations of wall shelves. For example, reduce the length to 400 mm and make 3-4 blocks at once. Then install them on top of each other in a checkerboard pattern and secure them together with metal plates. Or simply fix them on the wall separately, placing them at a short distance from each other.
Often, to save space, shelves are made angular, and they can be mounted both in the inner and outer corners.
The blanks are made according to the scheme described above, only the upper and lower boards consist of two elements, with ends sawn at an angle. The process of making such a shelf is quite simple:
- the halves of the top board are smeared at the ends with glue and clamped with clamps;
- repeat the same steps with the bottom board;
- when the glue dries, all the workpieces are stained or primed;
- fastening lines are marked on the upper and lower blanks and holes are drilled;
- insert the side walls and fix them with self-tapping screws.
| Wall shelf materials | Advantages and disadvantages |
|---|---|
| Wood: plywood, chipboard, MDF and others | This material is relatively easy to work with, it looks beautiful, natural and spectacular, its service life is quite long, especially if pre-treatment is carried out. |
| Plastic | This material is the most versatile, it can imitate both wood and stone, while removing their imperfections. |
| Metal | Such wall shelves will be very strong, reliable and durable, but they will hardly fit into a classic interior. In addition, corrosion can also become a problem, so special processing and conditions will be required for metal products. |
| Glass | Transparent wall shelves will create an atmosphere of lightness and comfort in the house. Of course, it will be difficult to make a glass structure with your own hands, but if you nevertheless decide to do all the work yourself, then you will have to work with glass for quite a long time and very carefully, especially if various cutouts are planned in the design of the shelf. |
Original book shelves
Shelves of non-standard shape are in increasing demand, so if you wish, you can try to assemble something original. For example, a bookshelf in the form of a simplified labyrinth is used.
For manufacturing you will need:
- edged board 20 mm thick;
- wood glue;
- clamps;
- roulette;
- hacksaw;
- miter box;
- Sander;
- stain;
- furniture screws, self-tapping screws;
- decorative shelf holders.
If you have everything you need, you can start making the shelf.
Step 1. Markup
On the prepared boards, cut lines are marked with a pencil under the ruler. Measurements should be transferred very carefully, since all horizontal parts have different lengths.
Step 2. Trimming blanks
The ends of each workpiece are cut at an angle of 45 or 90 degrees. The diagram shows the first option, so you need a miter box for sawing. It is very important to correctly install the miter box on the board so that the cuts are symmetrical. If the ends are cut off incorrectly, it will not work to fold the shelf.
Step 3. Assembly of the structure
The ends of the parts are smeared with glue, tightly compressed and additionally fixed with slotted furniture screws. Ordinary self-tapping screws do not fit here. At least 2 screws are required for each joint. Both parts of the shelf are applied to the wall, leveled and the attachment points are marked with a pencil. After that, holes for dowels are drilled, brackets are screwed to the shelf with self-tapping screws and the structure is hung on the wall. Instead of brackets, decorative pelican shelf holders are often used.
Hanging shelf with straps
If you need a decorative shelf for small items, the next option is perfect - a board suspended on belts.
To make a shelf you will need:
- 2 edged boards 300x750 mm, 30 mm thick;
- 4 leather belts 75 cm long;
- 4 long screws with plastic dowels;
- 4 short screws;
- building level;
- ruler;
- sharp knife;
- drill.
Step 1. Preparing the straps
The cuts of the belts must be perfectly even, therefore, if necessary, they are cut with a knife. Fold each belt in half, press the ends against the table, retreat from the edge 2 cm and drill a neat through hole with a drill. Do the same with the remaining three.
Step 2 Attach the straps to the wall
On the wall, using a level, two points are determined at a distance of 60 cm. Holes are drilled and plastic dowels are inserted. A belt folded in half is applied to one of the holes and fixed with a long screw - a large loop is obtained on the wall. Another such loop is attached nearby.
Step 3 Installing the Shelf
A polished board is inserted into the loops and aligned horizontally. To prevent the shelf from moving, the parts of the belts adjacent to the wall near the board itself are screwed with short self-tapping screws. Now another one is hung under this shelf, exactly repeating the steps described above. The result is a light and neat bunk shelf. If desired, you can add 1-2 more tiers.
For the manufacture of the shelves described above, you can use not only wood, but also plywood, as well as chipboard sheets. The latter option is used most often, since chipboard is light in weight, high strength, practicality and durability. When assembling shelves from this material, all sections must be pasted over with a melamine edge to match the color of the sheet.
Making a glass shelf
Glass shelves harmoniously fit into any interior, and the installation process does not take much time. For work you will need:
- strained glass;
- a hammer;
- electric drill;
- building level;
- aluminum profile;
- dowels;
- adhesive tape;
- ruler;
- pencil.
Not everyone knows how to cut glass correctly, and therefore it is better to order cutting blanks in the workshop. They will also perform grinding and polishing of the edges, so that when installing the shelf, you will not be cut on sharp edges. Everything else can be done on your own.
Step 1. Marking for fasteners
The section of the wall where the shelf will hang should be as large as possible. Using a building level, draw a horizontal line on the wall with a pencil. On the line mark the location of the fasteners, drill holes.
Step 2: Install profiles
An aluminum profile is applied to the wall surface and the conformity of the mounting marks is checked. Then dowels are inserted into the holes, the profile is baited with one screw and leveled horizontally. After that, tighten the rest of the screws.
Instead of a drill, insert the bracket screw 
Screw in the bracket screw 
Leave the bracket screw protruding from the wall 
Checking the position 
We have shelves Step 3 Attaching the Shelf
The rear edge of the glass shelf is closed with adhesive tape. You can use separate spacers from the tape, placing them where the glass will touch the heads of the screws. The shelf is inserted into the profile, the edges of the profile are closed with protective caps. If two shelves touch on the sides, their edges are fastened with metal fittings.
If you have free time and a desire to experiment, you can create very unusual wall shelves from improvised materials. For example, the corner shelf made of plastic pipes looks original. For its manufacture, you will need sections of sewer pipes and corner cuts. The shelf is attached to the wall with screws and dowels.
Old suitcases and diplomats also make great wall shelves. To do this, they are cut in height to half, cover the back with plywood and fix on the wall with screws or on brackets.
Drawers from unnecessary bedside tables are quite suitable for making shelves. To give them an elegant look, the boxes should be carefully sanded, primed and painted in bright colors. Then they are leaned with the back wall against the surface, the attachment points are marked and holes are drilled for them. Even one such shelf looks very original, and a composition of 2-3 drawers will become a real decoration.
Video - Shelves on the wall with your own hands
Interesting wooden shelf. Master Class
You will need:
- Rope;
- Board at least 2 cm thick;
- 2 corners (mounts) for shelves;
- Steel washers;
- Lighter;
- Drill;
- Saw.
(Last Updated On: 01/21/2018)
Shelves make our homes and offices much more convenient, because you can place a bunch of different small trash on them, put fragile and valuable items, add variety and volume to a simple wall. However, shelves often have one big minus - with their fasteners they spoil the whole picture, do not fit into the interior, visually make the structure heavier, etc. Therefore, in many cases, hidden fastening of the shelf to the wall is practiced, in this case, the usual wall shelf looks like it is hanging in the air. Of course, such a solution is very, very attractive, but today not everyone knows how and with what fittings such a mount can be made.
Preparation for concealed fastening of shelves
It is best to carry out such fastening in stages, until the sequence is worked out to automatism. Otherwise, due to the omission of this or that moment, all the work may go down the drain.
The first step is to make sure that the wall can support the weight of the shelf and the items placed on it. The main parameter by which such an assessment is performed is its thickness. If the walls are made of 25 cm brickwork or 10 cm reinforced concrete slabs, then you can safely mount hanging shelves with hidden fasteners. If the wall thickness is less than the specified values, or if the fastening is carried out to the plasterboard lining, then the installation of shelves with hidden fasteners will also be possible, but the shelf can only be used to store light small items.
Now you need to decide on the thickness of the shelf. This can be done without any complicated calculations - just evenly place a load of a certain mass on the shelf and see how the shelf behaves. If it bends, then you need to make it thicker or reduce the planned load. In general, it is better to make the shelf thicker - an excess of thickness can be superfluous only in rare cases when it violates the concept of the interior, but too thin ones will make their use inconvenient.
Shelf with hidden fastening (photo):
Also, the depth of the shelf depends on the mass of things stored on the shelf. The larger the mass, the smaller the depth should be. For example, if no more than 10 kg of cargo is placed on the shelf, then you can make a shelf up to 35 cm deep. And if you want to store items weighing up to 30 kg on the shelf, for example, 10 cans of apple compote, then the shelf should be no more than 15 cm. True, in this case, jars with compote will not fit on it.
Fastener options
Fittings for hidden fastening are presented today with a variety of options, so choosing and buying the right one will not be difficult.
The most popular option is special hidden hinges that are placed on the surface of the shelf pressed against the wall. Working with them is done as follows:
- the gap between the center points of the loops is measured;
- along this gap, with the help of a ruler and a level, the points of attachment of the hinges to the wall are marked;
- holes are drilled in the wall, then they are clogged with cork, and screws are screwed into the cork;
- the screws must be screwed as close to the wall as possible, but without forgetting to leave space for hanging the shelf;
- the hinges are screwed to the back of the shelf, after which it is hung on the screws.
A more reliable option is to use metal pins:
- a line is drawn on the wall along the level of hanging the shelf and along the width of the shelf;
- segments equal to the triple thickness of the shelf recede from the edges of the line, holes are drilled at these points for the extreme pins;
- central pins are mounted between the extreme pins, the heavier the shelf, the more pins are needed;
- the pins enter the body of the wall strictly perpendicular to a distance of about 10-15 cm, so this method is only suitable for houses with brick walls;
- pins should penetrate into the body of the shelf to a depth of at least three times the thickness of the shelf, but not more than 2/3 of its total depth.
Also, the hidden fastening of the shelf to the wall can be done in other ways, however, the above methods are the most common and reliable.
They are ideal for accommodating a whole mass of small household items. The presence of shelves allows you to create not only an additional useful surface in the interior, but also bring additional decorative decoration to the design of the room.
Methods for attaching shelves to the wall
There are many ways in which you can mount the shelves to the wall. However, it is worth dwelling on only a few of the most simple, affordable and convenient ways. Among them should be highlighted:
Traditional shelf mounting involves the installation of various brackets, wooden and metal racks. However, the installation of shelves on racks in this case looks rational only if the design of such supporting elements matches the interior features.
Significant progress in translating the most daring design ideas into reality, along with the development of the construction industry, allows not only to quickly select suitable fasteners for installing wall shelves, but also to create the illusion of their “hovering” in space, carefully hiding the fasteners. So, hidden fastening of the shelf is possible if there are brick, plasterboard or cinder block walls with a thickness of at least 10 cm. Otherwise, the shelves can be used exclusively as a decorative element.
How to install a shelf mount: basic nuances
Before proceeding with the installation of fasteners, it is worth making sure that the support is of sufficient thickness, which must correspond to the weight and dimensions of the shelf being installed. You can use it as a template for fastening. It should be placed on the back side of the shelf, making small holes in the places where the fasteners are mounted. In this way, errors can be avoided when creating holes for fasteners in the wall.
Then you can proceed directly to drilling. Here it is extremely important to remain as accurate as possible, especially if drilling occurs in several stages. The initial holes should be made with a drill of the minimum diameter, and only then expanded to the required size.
If the shelf mount requires screwing in a large diameter, in this case it is better to carry out such work with an electric screwdriver. Threaded couplings are an excellent tool for securely fastening bolts. The installation of such fasteners contributes to the longest possible operation of wall shelves without the need for repair.
Tools and materials
For reliable fastening, you will need the following arsenal of materials and tools:
- template rail;
- manual or electric drill;
- wood glue for fixing the shelf on the fasteners;
- fastening set;
- threaded rods and couplings;
Shelf mount: installation features
Wooden round pins, previously lubricated, are driven into the holes drilled according to the prepared template. Next, the wide side of the shelf is mounted on the pins. In order not to damage the surface of the shelf when mounted on the pins, it is enough to use a rubber mallet, gently tapping on the outer edges of the structure.
As an alternative, you can use a shelf mount in the form of hidden hanging loops, which are placed on its back, hidden side. In this case, a replacement for wooden pins can be the installation of a shelf on bolts and screws, planted on dowels, and other fasteners.
- Before finally fixing the structure to the wall, it is necessary to check how secure the shelf mount is.
- It is worth making sure that the surface of the wall has sufficient thickness and strength to withstand it.
- Fasteners are best selected in accordance with the type of a particular shelf.
- When selecting a mounting set, one should proceed from the purpose of the structure, the expected loads, and the weight of the items that will be stored there.
- When ordering shelves, it is necessary to make sure in advance that the walls are thick enough, the fasteners are strong, that suitable fasteners are available, and that measurements and calculations are checked.
Finally
In the absence of experience in fixing wall shelves, it is better not to hesitate to seek help from specialists. Naturally, calling the masters requires additional costs, but the quality of the work will certainly be an order of magnitude higher.
If you have the skills to work with drywall, brick, cinder block and other surfaces, in this case, you can start installing fasteners under the shelves without postponing the matter indefinitely.
Reliable fastening of wall shelves, all kinds of cabinets, small interior accessories can be performed using a variety of fasteners. The main thing is to approach their selection and choice of mounting method wisely.