How to install floating shelves comes down to one decision made before you pick up a drill: what is behind your wall. Solid brick or block takes a plug and a screw. Plasterboard on a timber or metal frame needs you to find the studs or use fixings made for hollow walls. Once you know which you have, the job is five steps: check, mark, drill, fix, finish. This guide covers them for our solid oak floating shelf, and the same order works for most wall-mounted shelves.

We make the shelves. We cannot see your wall, so where this guide gives a rule, it is a general one. Follow the fixing instructions supplied with your shelf, and if you are unsure what your wall is made of, ask a qualified fitter before you drill.

What you need

  • A spirit level (a long one is easier than a short one)
  • A pencil and a tape measure
  • A cable, pipe and stud detector
  • A drill and the right bits for your wall: masonry for brick or block, wood or general-purpose for studs
  • A screwdriver, or a driver bit for the drill
  • The fixings supplied with your shelf, plus extra plugs or cavity fixings if your wall needs them
  • A second person to hold the shelf while you check it

Step 1: Check what is behind the wall

Tap the wall and look at the wall type before anything else. A solid sound and a cold, hard feel usually mean brick, block or concrete. A hollow sound usually means plasterboard on a frame. If you cannot tell, drill a small test hole somewhere hidden and look at the dust: red or grey powder is masonry, white or paper-lined powder is plasterboard.

Then scan the area with a detector. It is not infallible, so test it on a place where you know there is a stud, and treat any reading near sockets, switches or a boiler as a reason to look harder. Pipes and cables often run in straight lines up and down from sockets and switches. Keep your holes away from those lines.

Step 2: Decide where the shelf goes

Work out the height before you mark anything. Stand where you will normally use the shelf. Leave enough headroom for the tallest thing you want to put on it, and keep it clear of door swings, radiators and taps. The kitchen shelf in our photo sits above a worktop with room to reach underneath.

For length and depth, see our guide to choosing oak floating shelf thickness, depth and length. Our shelves are 4cm thick, from 30cm to 150cm long, and 15, 20, 25 or 30cm deep.

Step 3: Mark the holes level

Hold the shelf, or the bracket if you ordered the black bracket version, against the wall at the height you chose. Put the spirit level on top and adjust until the bubble sits in the middle. Mark the fixing points with the pencil, then step back and look at the line against the room. A shelf that is perfectly level can still look wrong next to a sloping ceiling or worktop, so check it against the things your eye will compare it with.

If your wall has studs and you are using them, mark the stud centres first and fit the shelf to those, not the other way round.

If your shelf has concealed fixings, it arrives pre-drilled for a floating look. Follow the instructions that come with it for how those fixings go on the wall.

Step 4: Drill and fix

Drill at the marks, using the bit size that matches your plug or fixing. Go slowly, and keep the drill straight so the fixing sits true. Then fit the plugs for a solid wall, or the cavity fixings for plasterboard.

What suits which wall, in general:

  • Brick, block or concrete. A masonry bit and a plug of the right size. This is the easiest case.
  • Plasterboard on studs. Screw into the stud wherever you can. A standard plastic plug in plasterboard alone is rarely enough for a shelf that will carry weight.
  • Plasterboard with no stud in the right place. Use cavity fixings made for hollow walls and check the weight they are rated for before you rely on them.
  • Anything else (lath and plaster, stone, tile over board). Get advice from a fitter. Do not guess.

Hang the shelf or fix the brackets. If the shelf is a heavy one, hold it up against the fixings before you tighten anything, so you can see it sits level.

Step 5: Check it, then load it gradually

Put the level on top again. Press down firmly on the shelf. It should feel solid, with no give or movement. If it does not, take it back off and look at what the fixings are holding on to.

Then add your things. Start with the lighter objects and build up. We do not publish a load rating for our shelves because it depends entirely on the wall and fixings you use. If you plan to put heavy books or crockery on it, talk to a fitter about the wall first.

What about oil and finish?

Our shelves come in six oil colours: White, Light Grey, Grey, Dark, Old Oak and Clear. We can finish the shelf before dispatch, or supply the oil for you to apply yourself if you ask before ordering. If you oil it yourself, do it before you fix it to the wall if you can, and keep drips off the paint. Our post on oak oil colours compared shows the choices side by side.

Oak is a natural material. Grain, small knots and hairline cracks vary from shelf to shelf, and that is normal in solid timber.

Questions people ask

How do you install a floating shelf on plasterboard?

Find the studs with a detector and screw into them where you can. If the studs are not where you need the shelf, use cavity fixings made for plasterboard and check their weight rating. Plain plastic plugs on their own are rarely enough. If you are not sure, ask a fitter.

Can you put up a floating shelf without brackets?

Yes. A shelf with concealed fixings has no visible bracket under it. Ours arrives pre-drilled for that look. What holds it up is still fixings in the wall, so the wall rules apply in the same way.

How high should I put up a floating shelf?

It depends on what you will put on it and who uses it. Stand where you will use it, hold the tallest item against the wall and move the shelf until you can reach it and see the front edge. Keep it clear of doors, radiators and taps.

What if the wall is not straight?

Level the shelf first, then look at the gap against the wall. Oak is hand-planed and its size can vary slightly, so do not plan an alcove fit tighter than about 6mm. Our shelves guide covers measuring alcoves.

Ready to choose your shelf? Browse the full range of solid oak shelves, or look at our solid oak coat racks if you are fitting out a hallway.