How to Put Up a Shelf

Hanging shelves on a wall is often the finishing touch that a room needs, and it’s a great space-saving solution too. Whether you prefer floating shelves or traditional bracket shelves, there are styles and materials available to suit all tastes.

Installing a shelf is something that anyone can do, even if drilling into your walls may seem daunting. But have no fear, we're here to make this DIY right-of-passage a super easy process with our helpful step-by-step guide. Finding the best way to put up a shelf is all about taking your time and having the right tools.

We’ve also got a handy how-to video for you to watch as part of this guide, so give that a watch for a more visual step-by-step.

Useful links

When installing a shelf, mark your bracket positions accurately by measuring the width between your brackets, halving that number, and measuring outwards from the centre mark on your wall.
When installing a shelf on a brick wall, use a masonry drill bit and matching plugs, but for plasterboard walls, use a multi-purpose bit and plasterboard plugs.
Always scan your wall with a stud detector before drilling to avoid hidden pipes or live wires and use a spirit level to ensure your brackets are completely flat.

What material should the shelving be?

Shelves are available in a variety of materials, from MDF to high-quality hardwoods. Solid wood shelves such as pine, oak or beech can be painted, varnished or treated to increase longevity, and MDF or composite wood shelves are often wrapped in hard-wearing melamine, or a wood-effect laminate layer.

Glass shelves benefit from a truly modern look. If you choose glass, safety glass with rounded edges is most suitable for the home. If you’re wondering how to put up a floating shelf, they often come in these same materials but use a hidden internal bracket instead.

What is the right bracket spacing to use?

For maximum stability and weight-bearing capacity, the type of brackets you choose makes a big difference. How far apart you fix them will depend on the shelf material, and what you intend to put on the shelf. Heavy items like books need strong brackets spaced closer together, while light decorative items are less demanding.

Putting up a shelf: A Step-by-step guide

Drill bits
Stud Detector
Power Drill
Spirit level
Tape measure
Pencil or Marxman pen
Hammer
Shelf (we used this one)
Shelf brackets (we used these ones)
Wall plugs (suitable for your wall type)
Masking tape
Safety goggles
Dust mask

Work out the height at which you'd like your shelf to sit and make a mark on the wall. If you want to avoid marking directly onto your wall, place some masking tape over the spot and draw on that.

Next, measure across from the edge of your wall area and mark the centre.

When installing a shelf with brackets, you'll need to know where on the shelf they will sit. To do this, measure an equal distance from each side of the shelf and make a mark at both ends.

Next, measure the width between your brackets. Half the resulting number and use it to measure from either side of the centre marking on your wall. Your markings will now be centred and accurately show you where to put your brackets.

Don't forget to use a spirit level to make sure all these points line up.

Place your brackets onto the wall, aligning their top edge with your wall markings. Use a pencil to indicate where you'll need to drill your holes. If the holes in your brackets are too narrow for your pencil, use a Marxman pen to create a clear dot on the wall. Again, it's important to use a spirit level here to ensure your shelf will sit flat.

Before you pick up the drill, scan over your wall with a stud detector. This will alert you if it finds any pipes or wires in your wall. You don't have to worry about accidentally drilling a hole into something you shouldn't.

Make sure you've got the right supplies for your wall type. When learning how to put up a shelf on a brick wall, you'll need a masonry drill bit and matching wall plugs. For how to put up a shelf on a plaster wall, you'll need a multi-purpose drill bit and a plasterboard plug. You determine that your drill bit and wall plug match by holding them next to each other and comparing their widths by eye.

Wrap a piece of masking tape around your drill bit as a guide for how far to drill into your wall. This will stop you from drilling too far and weakening the stability of your shelf.

Put on your PPE and drill into your markings, making sure to hold the drill straight and secure. You can tape an envelope under the drill to catch any dust.

Insert your wall plugs into the drilled holes. They may need a little persuasion with a hammer as you'll get some resistance.

Align the holes on the bracket with the fixings in the walls, insert the screws, and tighten up with a screwdriver or drill. Double check that each of your brackets are perfectly horizontal using a small spirit level and ensure that the top of the brackets are level with each other.

Place your shelf onto the brackets, making sure each bracket is an equal width from each edge.

Use a drill to screw the shelf to the bracket for added stability.

Carry out a final check with the spirit level to make sure your shelf lays flat.

And your shelf is ready to dress. Give it a quick clean, add your books, family photos, or potted plants, and there you have it.

We hope this guide and the accompanying how-to video give you all the support you need for putting up a shelf. This is a really simple task that can add some interest to your walls, and most importantly, increase your storage space. If you’re looking for some shelf inspiration, check out our guide on how to style your shelves.

FAQs

Yes, you can easily put up a shelf on a plasterboard wall. You will just need to make sure you use a multi-purpose drill bit and a specialist plasterboard plug. This ensures the fixings will properly grip the plasterboard and keep your shelf stable.

To attach your brackets to solid brick, you'll need to use a masonry drill bit and matching standard wall plugs. Check that your drill bit and wall plug match by holding them next to each other and comparing their widths by eye before you start drilling.

Many people ask how to put up a shelf without drilling. While some heavy-duty adhesive strips are available for very lightweight display ledges, the safest and best way to put up a shelf is by drilling into the wall and using wall plugs. This gives your shelf the maximum weight-bearing capacity so you can use it for heavier items safely.