How to hang a shelf beautifully and correctly?

Storage system is an important component of any interior. But to hang a shelf in the bathroom, the nursery, in the kitchen is not as simple as it seems at first glance. To make the new shelves look beautiful and of high quality, there are many things to consider. For example, choose the right mount based on the type of wall surface. We offer to study the topic from two sides at once - aesthetic and technical.

Shelf design

Shelves are not only an additional place for storing things, but also an important design element that can both decorate a room and spoil the whole appearance.

Correctly choose shelves, starting from 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 shelves altogether.

• • For minimalism the use of strict forms is characteristic. If you plan to place a lot of objects on a shelf, it is better to give preference to lockable glass or wood products.

• • Classic style conservative. Here, wooden shelves mounted on the wall are more appropriate. If you want to focus on the design, it is better to choose beautiful brackets that fit the overall interior design.

• • Provence as demanding. As a material for shelves, wood and its derivatives are allowed. Usually these are white racks that deliberately age.

• • Loft style replete with creative ideas. A rough, uncouth plank can serve as a shelf. It blends perfectly with the bare brick wall characteristic of this style. You can hang an angular structure, which will hold 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 Luck. She will perfectly fit into any style. Adherents of creative ideas will not be disappointed.

Simple shelves will look beautiful and advantageous if:

• hang them on an unusual mount: rope, belts, chains, rails, original brackets (twisted, in the form of a pipe and others);
• add LED backlight;
• decorate the shelf with Orakal self-adhesive film with a pattern, acrylics, fabric;
• to build shelves in a bizarre figure: a polygon, a labyrinth, a ladder, complex braided cubes.

For bedroom

Shelf in the bedroom is often used for pleasant things: photos, souvenirs, books. Designers recommend giving preference to light monophonic products with a thickness of not more than 40 mm. Today, it is important to place hinged open structures above the bed. If the room has bright color accents, such as curtains, then the shelf can be picked up in the same shade.

For the living room

A shelf in the living room is, first of all, an element of decor. As a storage system, it should be considered only when the space is very limited in area. Here, asymmetric illuminated designs on unusual brackets will be appropriate. When choosing a design should be based on the style of the apartment or the house as a whole.

For bathroom

Shelves in the bathroom are designed to store personal hygiene items: shampoos, toothpaste and brushes, lotions, etc.Usually they are placed in a corner near the sink so that the necessary accessories are always at hand. Designers are advised to take a closer look at glass shockproof structures that visually expand the room. A telescopic shelf is very convenient for the bathroom, in which you can change the height of the crossbars.

For kitchen

In the kitchen, shelves can to some extent replace the set. For example, if the room is small and the closet does not fit into it. In this case, convenience is paramount. It is necessary to place the design so that the products and the necessary devices are at hand. Massive shelves made of the same materials as the countertop look good as decor in large kitchens. From the bottom to the shelf you can attach hooks for mugs or railing.

For children

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 the option without sharp corners. Priority shelves with many compartments to fit things, toys and office. For the student, the best option is to hang shelves above the table.

Shelf fixing

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

There are several ways to hang a shelf:

• Using anchors and dowels. This mount is the most reliable and can withstand 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 a trace.
• With hidden brackets. Concealed fastenings make the shelf practical and elegant. They hide in the body of the product. Choosing 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.
• With bracket with fixing screw. Such fasteners are designed for glass and are 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.
• Using decorative brackets. Such products are affordable and can look very beautiful: with decorative coils and shapes. The main structural element is the L-shaped part, which is fixed with dowels and self-tapping screws.

Installation on different types of surfaces

To hang the shelf nicely, you will need tools. The universal kit includes:

• electric drill;
• joiner's glue;
• threaded rod;
• set of fasteners;
• threaded sleeve;
• template rail.

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

The following nuances must be taken into account:

• Concrete, brick surface is highly durable. Here you can’t do without a punch. The holes are made at a predetermined level, insert the bracket, and, having attached the shelf, screw it with screws.
• The 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 step of 300 mm.
• The brackets are attached to the drywall 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 should be repelled from the base. Commonly used are long anchors that extend to a concrete wall.
• Special care must be taken with the tiled surface, otherwise it will crumble during drilling. Tiles are drilled at low speeds. You will also need additional carbide tipped drills.
• It is easiest to install a shelf on a wooden surface. It is enough to measure the holes, bring the product with fasteners to them and screw them with screws.

Important technical points

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

So, the important technical details:

• When installing shelves on drywall or metal, 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 5 mm below its surface is drilled in the end part. It should ideally coincide with the hole for the dowel in the wall. It is good to use a rail for reconciliation. It should be attached to the rear end of the shelf when drilling, and then attached to the wall.
• If you plan to use the shelf for heavy objects (books, a microwave, a TV), you should pay special attention to the carrying capacity and use exclusively reliable metal mounts.
• The brackets should correspond to the depth, width and height of the shelves. Also, they need to choose the right screws.
• It is important that the shelves are aligned. For this, the construction level is used. It is very difficult to determine the slope by eye. But you can cope without a level. For example, check on a bottle filled 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 suffice. 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 set.

Shelves save space. This is not a closet or sofa for which you still need to look for a place. They make a useless corner functional and at the same time have every chance to transform the interior. Hinged structures can emphasize the design of the room. You can approach the issue creatively and make do-it-yourself decoupage on the product, assemble the shelves into an intricate figure. But it’s important not to forget about the technical aspects. It is necessary to consider the type of surface and choose the right brackets. Then the shelves will look beautiful to the joy of the owners and guests.