How to hang a shelf beautifully and correctly?

The storage system is an important component of any interior. But hanging a shelf in the bathroom, nursery, or kitchen is not as easy as it seems at first glance. To make the new shelves look beautiful and of high quality, many points should be taken into account. For example, choose the right mount based on the type of wall surface. We propose to study the topic from two sides at once - aesthetic and technical.

Shelf design

Shelves are not only additional storage space, but also an important design element that can either decorate a room or ruin its entire appearance.

Choose the right shelves based on the style of the room:

• • Modern style allows the use of any materials and forms. Functional modular designs and any mobile shelves will be relevant. If the wall decoration is neutral, you should give preference to bright and original options. In a room with a catchy design, it is better to use plain designs or abandon the shelves altogether.

• • For minimalism characterized by the use of strict forms. If you plan to place many items on the shelf, it is better to give preference to lockable items made of glass or wood.

• • Classic style differs in its conservatism.Wooden shelves mounted on the wall are more appropriate here. If you want to focus on the design, then it is better to choose beautiful brackets that match the overall interior design.

• • Provence just as demanding. Wood and its derivatives are allowed as shelf material. These are usually white shelving that is deliberately aged.

• • Loft style full of creative ideas. A rough, rough board can serve as a shelf. It pairs perfectly with the bare brick wall that characterizes this style. You can hang a corner structure, which will be held by an improvised water pipe. Or hang shelves on thick ropes.

If you don't know which shelf to choose, take something simple. For example, Ikea Lakk. It will fit perfectly into any style. Adherents of creative ideas will not be disappointed either.

Simple shelves will look beautiful and advantageous if:

• hang them on an unusual fastening: rope, belts, chains, slats, original brackets (twisted, in the form of a pipe, and others);
• add LED lighting;
• decorate the shelf with self-adhesive film “Oracal” with a pattern, acrylic paints, fabric;
• arrange the shelves in a bizarre shape: a polygon, a labyrinth, a ladder, complexly woven cubes.

For the bedroom

A shelf in the bedroom is often used for pleasant little things: photographs, souvenirs, books. Designers recommend giving preference to light, monochromatic products with a thickness of no more than 40 mm. Today it is important to place hanging open structures above the bed. If the room has bright color accents, such as curtains, then the shelf can be chosen in the same shade.

For the living room

A shelf in the living room is, first of all, a decorative element.It should be considered as a storage system only when space is very limited in area. Asymmetrical backlit designs on unusual brackets would be appropriate here. When choosing a design, you should start from the style of the apartment or house as a whole.

For bathroom

Shelves in the bathroom are designed to store personal hygiene items: shampoos, toothpaste and brushes, lotions, etc. They are usually placed in the corner near the sink so that the necessary supplies are always at hand. Designers advise taking a closer look at impact-resistant glass structures that visually expand the room. A telescopic shelf is very convenient for the bathroom, in which you can change the height of the bars.

For kitchen

In the kitchen, shelves can, to some extent, replace furniture. For example, if the room is small and a closet does not fit in it. In this case, the primary goal is convenience. It is necessary to place the structure so that the products and necessary equipment are at hand. As decor in large kitchens, massive shelves made of the same materials as the countertop look good. You can attach mug hooks or railings to the bottom of the shelf.

For children's

For a children's room, it is important to choose strong and safe products with reliable fastening. If you plan to hang the shelf low, you should choose an option without sharp corners. The priority is shelves with many compartments that allow you to fit things, toys and office supplies. For a student, the best option is to hang shelves above the table.

Fastening the shelves

There are two types of shelves: wall and floor. Most often, they buy structures that are mounted on the wall, since they save space.

You can hang a shelf in different ways:

• Using anchors and dowels. This mount is as reliable as possible and can support even the heaviest shelf. Especially if it is hung on a concrete wall. The maximum supported weight can reach 50 kg. The only negative is that after installing the anchors, the shelf cannot be removed without leaving a trace.
• With hidden brackets. Hidden fastenings make the shelf practical and elegant. They hide in the body of the product. Having chosen a hidden shelf holder, you will need to make grooves. And for this you need a sufficient thickness of the board - from 16 mm or more. It is important to consider that such a mount can support a weight not exceeding 20 kg.
• Using a bracket with a fixing screw. This fastener is designed for glass and is most often used in the bathroom. For example, to install a shelf near a mirror. When choosing, it is important to pay attention to the permissible width of the product.
• With decorative brackets. Such products are affordable and at the same time can look very beautiful: with decorative curls and figures. The main structural element is an L-shaped part, which is fixed with dowels and screws.

Installation on different types of surfaces

To hang a shelf beautifully, you will need tools. The universal set includes:

• electric drill;
• wood glue;
• threaded rod;
• set of fastenings;
• threaded coupling;
• template strip.

The further course of action depends on the type of installation surface.

The following nuances need to be taken into account:

• Concrete and brick surfaces are highly durable. You can’t do without a hammer drill here. The holes are made at a pre-marked level, the bracket is inserted, and, having attached the shelf, screwed it with self-tapping screws.
• Foam block is much easier to drill than concrete.For reliability, it is recommended to fasten the shelf to it with anchor bolts with a pitch of 300 mm.
• The brackets are attached to the plasterboard wall using dowels. It is best to screw the shelves to the frame racks. If the product is heavy and bulky, you will need strong mounting hardware. Before drilling, it is important to make sure that there are no wires or pipes at the drilling site.
• When installing on plastic panels, you should start from the base. Typically, long anchors are used that extend to the concrete wall.
• Special care must be taken with the tiled surface, otherwise it will crumble when drilling. The tiles are drilled with a drill at low speeds. You will also need additional carbide-tipped drill bits.
• The easiest way to install a shelf is on a wooden surface. It is enough to measure the holes, bring the product with fasteners to them and screw them with self-tapping screws.

Important technical points

Installing shelves is a very responsible process that requires attention to detail. Any mistake can be fatal, and the entire structure will collapse.

So, important technical details:

• When installing shelves on drywall or metal, you should use a butterfly dowel. If the installation surface is wooden, it will be correct to choose expansion dowels.
• Before attaching the shelf to the wall, a hole is drilled in the end part 5 mm below its surface. It should fit perfectly with the dowel hole in the wall. It is good to use a rod for verification. It should be attached to the rear end of the shelf when drilling it, and then attached to the wall.
• If you plan to use the shelf for heavy objects (books, microwave, TV), you should pay special attention to the load capacity and use exclusively reliable metal fasteners.
• The brackets must match the depth, width and height of the shelves. You also need to choose the right screws for them.
• It is important that the shelves are level. A building level is used for this. It is very difficult to determine the slope by eye. But you can do it without a level. For example, check a bottle filled almost to the brim with water. If the shelf is level, the air bubble will be exactly in the middle of the container. For a short shelf, 2 brackets will be enough. If the product is long, then the distance between the fasteners can be from 300 to 800 mm. The greater the load, the more often they need to be installed.

Shelves save space. This is not a closet or a sofa for which you still need to find a place. They make a useless corner functional and at the same time have every chance of transforming the interior. Hanging structures can act as an accent in the design of the room. You can approach the issue creatively and make decoupage on the product with your own hands, and assemble the shelves into an intricate shape. But at the same time, it is important not to forget about technical issues. You need to consider the type of surface and choose the right brackets. Then the shelves will look beautiful to the delight of the owners and guests.