Hanging Shelf Advice

ConorC1

I have the above shelf and want to cut off the 2 vertical legs there (outside the red square) and then hang what's left (inside the red square) in the middle of a wall so the top of it is about 6 feet off the ground. The wall I'll be attaching it to is block on flat. What is the best method to attach it to the wall?

The Continental Op

Might depend on how much weight you want to put on it. I have similar shelves around the place and have a mixture of shelf brackets and picture hanging brackets depending on the weight.

If you are filling that with books then you'll need to have some support at the bottom. Worst case would for massive weight support would be 6 brackets but they needn't be huge something like this might do https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07TTQ79X3. Two under each of the top two shelves then two inside and screwed into the top face of the bottom shelf.

On the other hand if its light stuff then I'd use two brackets inside and 2 or more picture hanging brackets on the inside of the uprights https://www.amazon.co.uk/Large-Picture-Flat-Hanging-Brackets/dp/B076T8CK7H/

I assume you will be turning the shelf unit upside down so the cut legs are hidden at 6ft above floor level.

Drilling - use an SDS drill ;-)

ConorC1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119881516#Comment_119881516

Thanks for the detailed response. Have no plan to put books on it right now but may in the future. I'll go with the shelf bracket option just in case. The 2 on the inside and screwed into the top of the bottom shelf.....is that for aesthetic reasons? ..as opposed to underneath.

Great tip on turning the unit upside down. I wouldn't have thought of that! Thanks

The Continental Op

You need to play around with the bracket positioning to get the best aesthetic. Books would cover up the brackets but brackets will be noticeable if the shelves aren't filled so you may want 3 pairs of brackets supporting the shelves from underneath even if there is no weight. If its just light ornaments then the picture hanging brackets will do the job. Trouble is shelves get used and more and more stuff ends up on them so maybe assume a max load from the beginning.

It would even be possible to use the brackets linked to in an almost concealed way. Two pairs one at the top the right way up and one at the bottom the wrong way with them positioned so they are at the very edge of the unit and screw into the bottom and top of the uprights at either side. The part of the bracket going into the wall would then be behind the uprights.

bamayang

A less obvious way of doing it is to install a length of timber underneath each shelf. Rawl screw the timber into the wall and then the shelf sits on top of the timber, screw down into the shelf with timber screws. If you can paint the timber the same colour as the shelf, it is not that obvious or stands out too badly.

The Continental Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119881821#Comment_119881821

That's not a bad idea as if there was a lot a weight on the middle of the shelf you wouldn't get "chipboard sag" which often happens when those sort of units get overloaded.

Edit> The upside down idea depends on how the unit is put together. If each self is supported it doesn't matter but if it has those round twist locks they may not survive upside down on their own.

ConorC1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119881833#Comment_119881833

It is held together by the round twisty things! If I support the horizontal shelves underneath with the brackets then I presume I'll be ok. The round twisty things will essentially be only supporting the weight of the 2 vertical uprights on the edge

The Continental Op

Thats what I meant and yes they will only be supporting the uprights. But think I'd add a couple of the flat picture hanging brackets to the uprights to be sure.