HOW TO INSTALL FLOATING SHELVES

HOW TO INSTALL FLOATING SHELVES:

Congratulations, you’ve made an excellent choice by selecting AltHomeCo. brackets for your DIY floating shelf project! Now that you’ve decided on the hardware (arguably the hardest part of the whole process), you’re likely left wondering how you’re going to install them. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! The short answer is…it’s easier than you think! With a little preparation and a few tools, you’ll have your shelves up and ready to be styled in no time. 

FLOATING SHELF INSTALLATION: 

The general rule of thumb: It's always best to install the wall brackets directly into wall studs, but that's not always an option.

HOW TO FIND ANCHOR STUDS IN MY WALL: 

Studs are vertical boards that frame and support your wall. They’re generally spaced either 16 or 24 inches apart. An electronic stud finder is a quick and easy way to locate where your studs are. Once you’ve located a stud, find two more and measure between the points to make sure they have typical wall stud spacing (16 or 24 inches). If not, you’ve likely found something you don’t want to be drilling into! 

THE AREA YOU’VE CHOSEN DOESN’T HAVE WALL STUDS, OR THEY AREN’T IN THE RIGHT SPOT! 

Fear not, if this is the case, we recommend using a toggle screw wall anchor, these are heavy duty and match the loading of the brackets. Install directions are similar. 

TOOLS FOR BRACKET INSTALLATION: 

• Fasteners - Wood screws or toggle screws. Select which ones you need for your specific project. 
• Electric Drill / Impact driver & square head drill bit 
• Electronic stud finder. If you're a seasoned DIY'er you might prefer the old knock test, or download a stud finder app on your phone.
• Level 
• Masking tape 
• Pencil

STEPS: 

Make sure the bracket and shelf are the right size and fit together. Have all the necessary fasteners on hand for install. Choose and execute the exact placement of your shelf. As a visual aid and to protect your walls, place your masking tape horizontal on the wall the total length of your shelf. Use your level to mark a level line along the tape. Using your electronic stud finder, locate the studs in the wall and mark all studs along the level line. If there are no studs, use the toggle screws instead. With a 3/16” bit, use your electric drill to pre-drill a hole where your level line and studs intersect. Remove the masking tape from the wall. Install brackets with your provided screws using the drill/impact driver. Place shelves into brackets (We recommend pre-drilling an Elle bracket shelf, as it is screwed directly into the bracket arm.) 

INSTALLING BRACKETS WITHOUT STUDS 

When you don’t have any wall studs to work with, we recommend using toggle screws. Don’t be fooled by their appearance, they’re actually really easy to use! We have them available to purchase under HARDWARE in our shop.

INSTALLING BRACKET INTO TILE 

Whenever working with a tile backsplash, we recommend to pre-drill thru the tile WITHOUT going thru the wall stud. You will need a 5/16” carbide-tipped or diamond-tipped drill bit, (available for sale on our site). We recommend using the tape here to, as penetrating and keeping the drill bit straight on tile can take same effort due to the hard surface. Once you’ve drilled, install the brackets with wood or toggle screws per directions above.

BRICK OR CONCRETE INSTALLATION 

You’ll need a 1/4” masonry drill bit for this install. With any solid masonry surface pre drill your 1/4” hole then secure the brackets with specific masonry bolts which are available for purchase under HARDWARE in our shop.