ATLA reader Sera inquires about wall shelving: "I am desperately trying to get some of the files and clutter OFF my desk (home cure!) and have been inspired by the photos I've seen of shelves attached to the wall over desks with brackets, like the one shown in one of the AT:Chicago Color Contest entries.
My condo has regular old drywall walls. Can such walls withstand the weight of two or three shelves stacked with paper files, reference books, and photos? Can anyone give me tips as to how to do this project properly? L brackets vs. those long vertical metal strips attached to the walls? I am sure to those more handy and inclined to home improvement, this seems uber-easy. But I am sadly lacking and could use a square one tutorial.
(Note: Include a pic of your problem and your question gets posted first.)
Link To All Good Questions
Link To All Good Questions
Sera,
Definitely try to find studs.
However, if you really only have drywall to work with, then this is as good a guide as there is:
https://www.marthastewart.com/page.jhtml?type=content&id=channel4460106&contentGroup=MSL&site=living
Most of these floating or bracket shelves come with weight recommendations. Books and paper tend to be quite heavy, so I'd be careful using these kind of shelves and definitely find a stud to attach them to if you plan to hang them. Otherwise, you could get the Elfa solid shelving in either birch, walnut or white. They have visible hanging hardware, but they are way strong. ~Monica
You might want to look into suspended shelving. Very cool looking and strong when properly installed:
http://www.mustang-systems.com/V2/gb/gal_pres.htm
I built some for my store out of hollow core doors and 2 x 4's. I can send you a picture if you would like. This also enabled me to make them 12" deep and 6 " long. The hollow core doors are ready to stain/paint and you can put trim around the edges or not. You will need a table saw or know someone who does. art@framedartstudios.com
Hi
I had dry wall in my last apt and I had everything from heavy art books and magazine collections to a TV on shelving like that. Really sturdy shelving is also the kind that hangs from those metal strips with brackets. Check out the container store's Elfa shelving options, they're online as well.
-good luck
Go to the Container Store and go to the Elfa Shelving section. Buy a couple bags of their drywall anchors. Ask the store clerk to show you how to use them. THey are the best drywall anchors I've ever used and will not come out.
Speaking of shelving, I'm looking for just the **metal hardware** for the wall mounted so-called 'floating' shelves, the kind that look just like a slab of wood is tacked to the wall. I can't use the veneer covered wood products on the market, I'll need to use solid wood (the pets jump on the shelves and destroy the veneer within days), so any resources for just the hardware itself?
TIA!
Hi-
The photos are shelves from my office that was part of the color contest entry.
You definitely need to go into studs if you are going to use to hold books, as they get very heavy. These shelves with brackets hold up to 180 lbs. according to hold everything. Since we are in new construction condo. we had to have wood stud beams installed inside of our wall to hold up the shelves. This way we were able to get the studs exactly where we want to install the shelving. Our contractor only charged a couple hundred to install studs and repait the wall after he completed.
Michael,
What was behind the walls in your condo? I'm curious because 2 friends of ours are buying pre-construction. Will they need to have wood stud beams installed if they want to have a wall mounted shelving system?
Please forgive my lack of new construction education.
Thanks,
Samantha
we had metal studs behind our walls...I would recc. putting up wood beams for support if they are going to hang any sort of heavy wall mounted shelving!
Ditto on the need for hardware for floating shelves. Does anyone know where to find this hardware? Does it exist?
It wouldn't hurt to ask your local neighborhood hardware store for some toggle bolts. They're great and will make the shelves sturdy as heck.
We install shelving in an old horse hair plaster wall (I know, yuck!). So there were no studs. In addition to toggles, there are mollies. The advantage of toggle bolts are that they hold more weight, bt you are left with a big hold, which your shelf should cover up. When you remove the bolt, the toggle falls down into the wall. But this all means that if you are not so good with the level, you have a little more leanway. With mollies, you drill a small hole, and hammer the molly in. Then you can add the screw. The molly stays in the wall, when you remove the screw, so you can remove the screw over and over. We ended up using the toggles, as they can hold more weight, but you'll do less damage to your walls with mollies.
Sava
Oh, don't decry horsehair plaster walls....they are strong and beautiful even after getting wet. Yes, it's a pain to hang things in them, but you can find the studs with a good detector (and I would really try to find the studs, if possible.) Try not to bang on them too much because you will break the plaster "keys" and this could cause the plaster to fall away from the lath.
PS - I love you AT!
I found this page that shows you how to make floating shelving using a piece of hollow-core door. If you're handy, this might work!
http://www.rd.com/content/openContent.do?contentId=18214