# Hanging shelves on walls without brackets!



## condoowner (Sep 9, 2013)

I am not sure if this is the right sub-forum to post this but here it goes!

Hello fellow Houserepairtalk members!

I am trying to figure out how to securely install nice modern looking shelves on my living room wall.  These shelves will be 100% made by myself from pine wood, unless I find good quality pre-made shelves.  These shelves will be hund without apparent brackets, so I need a way to secure them with anchors or something like that.

I am not sure if such anchors already exist, but I couldn't find any looking in the hardware stores around my house..  This is why I am thinking about my own design. See attached picture.  


Basically, a hole sufficiently large enough to pass a 3/8" hollow wall hanchor butterfly (whatever they call it) is drilled through the sheetrock and the furring strip behind it.

A shallow (1/16" perhaps) 7/8" OD counterbore is cut on the previously drilled hole.  This counterbore will be used to sink the 7/8" washer.

A 3/8" nut is screwed onto the 3/8" hollow wall anchor's threaded rod until the anchor is secured onto the wall by pinching the sheetrock and furring stip firmly together.  A smaller washer can be used between the nut and the large washer if the large washer's center hole is bigger than the nut.

At this point, there will be a (somewhat) strong steel rod coming out of the wall.

The 5/8" OD x 3/8" ID smooth threaded insert is firmly crewed onto the 3/8" hollow wall anchor.

The shelf is inserted onto the smooth inserts.


Ive done this before for all kind if things, mirrors, heavy frames, even TV's but normally, the protruding length of the anchor is not much (under 1/2").  I am fairly comfident this would work but as you can see, it involves a fair bit of work and a certain level of craftmanship, otherwise, the studs will not be 100% level and the shelf will not slide onto them easily (at all).  Another potential issue is the perpendicularity of the anchors in respect to the wall.  If they are not exactly 90 degrees to the wall, the shelf will not fit or wont be straight on the wall.

If someone has better ways to do this, I am hearing!!  Other than that, there must be a proven efficient way to do this...  Im not sure how Ikea's shelves of that type are hung on the walls.... 

These shelves will only support up to 20 pounds (decorative items, small picture frames, etc....) so no superior strength is required.

So I am waiting for comments/recommendations!

Thanks!!


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## bud16415 (Sep 9, 2013)

I don&#8217;t like the washer being buried in the drywall and the bearing area is to small IMO. 

I would rather see a design where the shelf is split and a runner the thickness of the shelf is attached to the wall and into the furring or better the studs. The runner then would have the posts sticking out to mate with the shelf. There is still a lot of force against the drywall but over much more area. 

This method would also allow you to build all the precision in the shop by drilling all pieces as an assembly. And then use anchors as you show or long screws into the studs.


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## nealtw (Sep 9, 2013)

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EvmAgtW0ELo[/ame]


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## condoowner (Sep 9, 2013)

bud16415 said:


> I dont like the washer being buried in the drywall and the bearing area is to small IMO.



Funny, but me neither... The paper is what gives lots of strength to the drywall..  If I cut a hole like that, the drywall may just crumble..

neal, geez, thats exactly what I need!!! Now looking for prices...   Thats also what seems to be italian, so may be difficult to get in Canada!?


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## nealtw (Sep 10, 2013)

How does Montreal sound? http://www.italianaferramenta.it/more/italiana-ferramenta-in-the-world.php
Click on the map of Canada


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## bud16415 (Sep 10, 2013)

That&#8217;s a fancy little gizmo Neal. Good find. 

It still will only be as strong as the anchors into the drywall, furring strips or studs though. The spacing of the holes looks like it might be wider than a stud. It&#8217;s a little hard to tell from the movie. 

Any design needs the greatest distance you can get between the center line of the attachment point and the bottom corner of the shelf or in this case the housing. The greater that distance (wheel base) the less the resistance force will be keeping the shelf up. Then there is the PSI in contact with the drywall. With posts like Neal shows assuming the posts are anchored in solid the drywall won&#8217;t see any reaction it will all be taken by the long pins, but if the bases are pulled against the drywall that&#8217;s where there will be a lever arm and a small contact area made smaller because the housing is hollow. 

This idea isn&#8217;t too bad but would like to see the wall strip longer. They do have the mounting holes high and together to get two screws into a stud. 
http://dddesignideas.blogspot.com/2011/06/floating-shelf-mounting-brackets.html

Here are a few ideas.
http://7thhouseontheleft.com/2012/05/semi-diy-floating-shelves/#.Ui8Oql3D99M

Here is a longer version and install tips.
http://www.makeuptalk.com/t/92058/installing-floating-shelves

Here is the whole kit. 
http://www.wall-shelf.cn/floating-shelf-installation.htm

Not quite invisible but looks like a good design. 
http://interior-design.wonderhowto.com/how-to/install-invisible-shelving-brackets-300419/


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## bud16415 (Sep 10, 2013)

Double post


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## nealtw (Sep 10, 2013)

When you are making your own shelf you place the where you want them so you could get one screw in each studs, they do look expensive.


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