Drilling Holes and Screws: A DIY Shelf Installation Experience

As I began my DIY shelf installation project, I encountered several challenges that required creative problem-solving and careful planning. My first step was to drill holes from the top of the shelf down into the ledger, which would serve as a support for the weight of the shelves. I used a screwdriver to make these holes, but I soon realized that I needed to drive screws in place of the holes to provide additional stability.

After driving the screws into the ledger, I installed the shelf by placing it onto the ledgers and securing it with the counter-sunk screws. However, my attention was focused on the bottom brackets, which were bouncing off the wall slightly. To address this issue, I drilled a hole into each bracket and drove in a screw to the wall, creating an anchor that would provide extra support. Unfortunately, this decision proved to be costly as the walls pushed back too hard, causing the glue joints between the laminated wood pieces of the stair treads to crack.

The cracked area presented a unique opportunity for me to practice my DIY skills. I filled in the gap with wood filler and touched up the paint, creating a seamless finish that blended into the surrounding area. Although this experience highlighted the importance of careful planning and execution, it also taught me valuable lessons about materials science and stress distribution.

One crucial aspect of shelf installation is understanding the type of material being used for the mounting. In my case, I was dealing with laminated wood pieces, which are notoriously weak at their glue joints. To avoid a similar issue in the future, I made sure to countersink holes into the brackets and use longer bits to drill into the wall, rather than relying solely on screws.

In conclusion, installing shelves can be a relatively simple project when properly planned and executed. By taking the time to research anchors, materials science, and stress distribution, DIY enthusiasts can ensure that their shelves are sturdy, safe, and long-lasting. For those new to DIY projects or looking for inspiration, I encourage you to explore various tutorials, online forums, and YouTube channels dedicated to woodworking and home improvement.

Sponsor Spotlight: Ebates

As I was finishing up my shelf installation project, I had the opportunity to discuss a sponsor that caught my attention – Ebates. This online retailer rewards its customers with cash back on purchases made through their platform. With over 1,800 participating retailers, including Home Depot, Lowe's, Walmart, and Amazon, it's clear that Ebates is an attractive option for frequent shoppers.

One of the features that drew me to Ebates was the ability to earn cash back on purchases I already make regularly. By signing up for free and shopping through their platform, users can receive rebates ranging from 1% to 20% off their purchases. To add a twist, Ebates currently offers a special promotion where customers can earn $10 in cash back for their first $25 purchase.

For those interested in exploring online retailers with cash-back incentives, I recommend checking out Ebates. With its user-friendly interface and extensive list of participating stores, it's easy to find deals that fit your shopping habits. By taking advantage of this offer, you can earn some extra money back on the purchases you already make, without having to change your shopping behavior.

Additional Tips and Considerations

For those who are considering installing shelves in their own home, there are a few additional tips to keep in mind. First, it's essential to assess the type of walls you're working with and ensure that you have access to studs. In many cases, DIY enthusiasts will need to use specialized anchors to provide extra support for heavy items.

Another crucial aspect of shelf installation is the design itself. While my initial project was straightforward, there are many creative ways to approach shelving designs, from angled brackets to custom trim work. By taking the time to plan and visualize your design, you can create a unique and functional piece that complements your home's aesthetic.

Finally, it's worth noting that DIY shelf installation can be a relatively inexpensive option compared to buying pre-made shelves or hiring a professional installer. With patience, creativity, and attention to detail, anyone can build their own custom shelves that fit their needs and budget.

Patreon Supporters

For those who are eager to support the creation of more content like this article, I invite you to join my Patreon community. As a patron, you'll have access to exclusive early views of upcoming videos, as well as special perks and rewards that show your appreciation for our shared passion for DIY projects.

By joining my Patreon community, you'll be supporting the creation of high-quality content that inspires and educates DIY enthusiasts around the world. Together, we can build a community of makers who share knowledge, resources, and enthusiasm for all things DIY.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enhey I'm Bob and I like to make stuff today we're going to make some quick and cheap open shelving I wanted the shelves to look a little bit beefier than the typical 3/4 inch pine you would get at Home Depot so instead I bought a stair tread also made out of pine but it's 1 inches thick for the look I was going for I chose to take off the rounded edge but you could leave it on there if that worked better I cut everything down to length and then use the off cuts to cut some brackets out I marked out an area to cut out for the ledger and then drew a 9 inch square from one corner I used a compass to draw a perfect arc I rough got the shape out on the bandsaw and then went back and trimmed it to the line now if you don't have a bandsaw you could also use a jigsaw and it would work just as well I used it as a template on the other off cuts and then I cut out a whole bunch of them I use the end of the belt sander to smooth out the cut marks on the curve then I flattened down the other edges and use the sanding block just to clean everything up to make the panels for the corner shelves I line them up and made marks along those marks I used a biscuit joiner to cut a slot on each one I applied glue down inside the slots along the flat surfaces and then added biscuits to one side the pieces fit together really well and then I put them in clamps both from the bottom and the top to try to keep them from warping after a couple of hours they were dry and I took them out of the clamps sanded the edges and the joint where the glue had spilled out on the top side of each self I laid the brackets in place squared them up and then outline them with a pencil this gives me the area that I can safely drill through it'll go right down into the bracket I drilled a hole in each one of these and then came back with a countersink bit so that the screw head would be flush with the top of the shelf I put some glue on each bracket and smeared it around and then line it up on the underside of each shelf I ran screws in through the top side making sure to keep the bottom of the bracket flushed with the table that I was working on that way it'll be flush against the wall when they go to get mounted follow the same procedure for the straight shelves they just took a lot less time I used some wood filler to fill all the screw holes and voids in the wood and there were quite a few I sanded everything down once it was dry with an orbital sander and a sanding pad then I had to make some strips to put on the wall so that the shelves had something to hang on I cut down some old pine from a previous project down to one and a half inch strips I chop those down to length to match the straight shelves and the corner shelves and then primed and painted everything a man do I dislike painting a little tip when you prime the wood it'll raise the grain so run over it with sandpaper before you put on your paint you'll get a better finish on each ledger and measured in one inch from the edge so I knew where to drill the hole this will help that hole to be covered up by the Shelf when it gets mounted I made sure to countersink all these holes so the screw heads wouldn't get away when I went to mount the shelves in my friend's kitchen I marked out where I wanted the tops of each one of the shelves to be and both sides this just made it easier to know that I was centered and everything was evenly spaced i leveled each ledger and drilled through the hole so I had marks on the wall using a bigger bit I open those holes up so that they would fit the anchors that I was using these anchors can hold about 75 pounds each I leveled it again and then drove the screws into the anchors and it was rock solid did the exact same thing for the other two Ledger's I did find that if you drive the screw into the anchor before you actually put the wood up it fully expands the anchor in the wall and it's even sturdier the shelves fit nice and tightly onto the ledger and I had to use a mallet to line them up because they were so tight that's actually a good thing once I had all three of them in place I drilled holes from the top of the shelf down into the ledger and then drove a screw down this stopped the shelf from coming off the ledger but the bottom brackets were still bouncing off the wall a little bit so I counter sunk a hole into each one of the brackets and drove in a screw to the wall all right so I ran into a little problem there these stair treads are a bunch of pieces of wood laminated together and along those glue joints they can be kind of weak now I didn't think about it when I was screwing in but the wall pushed back it was too much force for the wood and it cracked right along that joint now the good thing here is that actually split very smoothly across where the two pieces were glued together so I can easily add some glue stick it back on there screw it to the wall while it dries and it should be good as new so since I have to use wood filler to fill all of the other holes I'll just fill in around that crack and then touch up the paint should be good to go and so to avoid that on the other ones I'm going to countersink the hole and then get a longer bit and drill into the wall because that's what was forcing the wood to push back and crack all right well I'm touching up the paint let me tell you about the sponsor for this video and that is Ebates now I wasn't familiar with Ebates at all before they came to me and I wasn't sure if it'd be valuable to you but then they explained basically you sign up for free with Ebates and then going through them to online retailers that you already shop at you get cash back on your purchases now that's pretty interesting but it got really interesting when they show me the list of people that they work with 1,800 online retailers including Home Depot Lowe's Walmart Target eBay Amazon places that I spend money all the time I figure if I spend money there you probably do too and this is a good way for you to get cash back on those purchases that you're already making so Ebates saves up that cash and then once a quarter they send it back to you through a PayPal payment or through a check depending on what you prefer and they have a special thing going on right now so that with the first twenty-five dollars that you spend through Ebates you get ten dollars back and you can get that as a gift card to Target Walmart Macy's Kohl's or Ebates cash I'll put links to them down in the description go check them out save yourself some money thanks to Ebates let's go finish those shelves and so then the last thing to clean it up because these are old walls and they're kind of wavy this didn't actually go all the way against it which is to be expected but it's really easy to fill it with some color so there they are they're quick easy and pretty inexpensive to put up and you can make some slight adjustments to change the look of them to fit your kitchen better for example on the brackets instead of a curve if you were to make them angled that would just have an entirely different look but basically the same construction one thing I would change personally on these if they were in my kitchen is make the Shelf overhang the bracket a little bit on the ends that was just something I didn't think about ahead of time in the design process but now seeing them in person I think it would look better to have that overhang now another thing to consider if you're doing this is the type of walls you have and whether you have access to a stud or not so depending on the type of material that you're hanging these on you're going to have to use different anchors just make sure you do your research find an anchor that works for plaster drywall or brick or whatever it is you're mounting these in and of course it's never going to hurt to use more anchors than you think you need that's just going to make them stronger and make them hold more weight you won't have to worry about them coming down if you put too much on so there it is a simple project that you could mount just about anywhere in your house I'd love to know what you think about this or if you have some shelves that you've made you want to share them you can do that on my site I like to make stuff calm there's a link down there or you can share them on my Facebook page or on Twitter Instagram all sorts of options I've got a lot of other projects of all different types that you might be interested in you can check those out here patreon supporters get to watch these videos early if that's something that interests you and you want to support what I'm doing go check out my patreon page that's it for this one guys thanks for watching I'll see you next time youhey I'm Bob and I like to make stuff today we're going to make some quick and cheap open shelving I wanted the shelves to look a little bit beefier than the typical 3/4 inch pine you would get at Home Depot so instead I bought a stair tread also made out of pine but it's 1 inches thick for the look I was going for I chose to take off the rounded edge but you could leave it on there if that worked better I cut everything down to length and then use the off cuts to cut some brackets out I marked out an area to cut out for the ledger and then drew a 9 inch square from one corner I used a compass to draw a perfect arc I rough got the shape out on the bandsaw and then went back and trimmed it to the line now if you don't have a bandsaw you could also use a jigsaw and it would work just as well I used it as a template on the other off cuts and then I cut out a whole bunch of them I use the end of the belt sander to smooth out the cut marks on the curve then I flattened down the other edges and use the sanding block just to clean everything up to make the panels for the corner shelves I line them up and made marks along those marks I used a biscuit joiner to cut a slot on each one I applied glue down inside the slots along the flat surfaces and then added biscuits to one side the pieces fit together really well and then I put them in clamps both from the bottom and the top to try to keep them from warping after a couple of hours they were dry and I took them out of the clamps sanded the edges and the joint where the glue had spilled out on the top side of each self I laid the brackets in place squared them up and then outline them with a pencil this gives me the area that I can safely drill through it'll go right down into the bracket I drilled a hole in each one of these and then came back with a countersink bit so that the screw head would be flush with the top of the shelf I put some glue on each bracket and smeared it around and then line it up on the underside of each shelf I ran screws in through the top side making sure to keep the bottom of the bracket flushed with the table that I was working on that way it'll be flush against the wall when they go to get mounted follow the same procedure for the straight shelves they just took a lot less time I used some wood filler to fill all the screw holes and voids in the wood and there were quite a few I sanded everything down once it was dry with an orbital sander and a sanding pad then I had to make some strips to put on the wall so that the shelves had something to hang on I cut down some old pine from a previous project down to one and a half inch strips I chop those down to length to match the straight shelves and the corner shelves and then primed and painted everything a man do I dislike painting a little tip when you prime the wood it'll raise the grain so run over it with sandpaper before you put on your paint you'll get a better finish on each ledger and measured in one inch from the edge so I knew where to drill the hole this will help that hole to be covered up by the Shelf when it gets mounted I made sure to countersink all these holes so the screw heads wouldn't get away when I went to mount the shelves in my friend's kitchen I marked out where I wanted the tops of each one of the shelves to be and both sides this just made it easier to know that I was centered and everything was evenly spaced i leveled each ledger and drilled through the hole so I had marks on the wall using a bigger bit I open those holes up so that they would fit the anchors that I was using these anchors can hold about 75 pounds each I leveled it again and then drove the screws into the anchors and it was rock solid did the exact same thing for the other two Ledger's I did find that if you drive the screw into the anchor before you actually put the wood up it fully expands the anchor in the wall and it's even sturdier the shelves fit nice and tightly onto the ledger and I had to use a mallet to line them up because they were so tight that's actually a good thing once I had all three of them in place I drilled holes from the top of the shelf down into the ledger and then drove a screw down this stopped the shelf from coming off the ledger but the bottom brackets were still bouncing off the wall a little bit so I counter sunk a hole into each one of the brackets and drove in a screw to the wall all right so I ran into a little problem there these stair treads are a bunch of pieces of wood laminated together and along those glue joints they can be kind of weak now I didn't think about it when I was screwing in but the wall pushed back it was too much force for the wood and it cracked right along that joint now the good thing here is that actually split very smoothly across where the two pieces were glued together so I can easily add some glue stick it back on there screw it to the wall while it dries and it should be good as new so since I have to use wood filler to fill all of the other holes I'll just fill in around that crack and then touch up the paint should be good to go and so to avoid that on the other ones I'm going to countersink the hole and then get a longer bit and drill into the wall because that's what was forcing the wood to push back and crack all right well I'm touching up the paint let me tell you about the sponsor for this video and that is Ebates now I wasn't familiar with Ebates at all before they came to me and I wasn't sure if it'd be valuable to you but then they explained basically you sign up for free with Ebates and then going through them to online retailers that you already shop at you get cash back on your purchases now that's pretty interesting but it got really interesting when they show me the list of people that they work with 1,800 online retailers including Home Depot Lowe's Walmart Target eBay Amazon places that I spend money all the time I figure if I spend money there you probably do too and this is a good way for you to get cash back on those purchases that you're already making so Ebates saves up that cash and then once a quarter they send it back to you through a PayPal payment or through a check depending on what you prefer and they have a special thing going on right now so that with the first twenty-five dollars that you spend through Ebates you get ten dollars back and you can get that as a gift card to Target Walmart Macy's Kohl's or Ebates cash I'll put links to them down in the description go check them out save yourself some money thanks to Ebates let's go finish those shelves and so then the last thing to clean it up because these are old walls and they're kind of wavy this didn't actually go all the way against it which is to be expected but it's really easy to fill it with some color so there they are they're quick easy and pretty inexpensive to put up and you can make some slight adjustments to change the look of them to fit your kitchen better for example on the brackets instead of a curve if you were to make them angled that would just have an entirely different look but basically the same construction one thing I would change personally on these if they were in my kitchen is make the Shelf overhang the bracket a little bit on the ends that was just something I didn't think about ahead of time in the design process but now seeing them in person I think it would look better to have that overhang now another thing to consider if you're doing this is the type of walls you have and whether you have access to a stud or not so depending on the type of material that you're hanging these on you're going to have to use different anchors just make sure you do your research find an anchor that works for plaster drywall or brick or whatever it is you're mounting these in and of course it's never going to hurt to use more anchors than you think you need that's just going to make them stronger and make them hold more weight you won't have to worry about them coming down if you put too much on so there it is a simple project that you could mount just about anywhere in your house I'd love to know what you think about this or if you have some shelves that you've made you want to share them you can do that on my site I like to make stuff calm there's a link down there or you can share them on my Facebook page or on Twitter Instagram all sorts of options I've got a lot of other projects of all different types that you might be interested in you can check those out here patreon supporters get to watch these videos early if that's something that interests you and you want to support what I'm doing go check out my patreon page that's it for this one guys thanks for watching I'll see you next time you\n"