What do I need to put up shelves?

Your wall plugs will probably be the most important part to get right. They need to be strong enough to hold your shelf and must be suitable to use with your wall type. If you’re installing a shelf onto a plasterboard wall, a plug that expands or anchors itself behind the wall will add strength and stop the shelf from falling off. The wall plug needs to be a tight fit or it will just fall out of the hole, but it shouldn’t be so tight that it’s a real struggle to put in.

Once you’ve picked out your wall plug, you’ll need a drill bit that matches its size. To do this, you need to hold the fixing next to your drill bits and choose the one that matches its diameter. Bear in mind that if you’re drilling into a brick wall, you’ll need a masonry drill bit, and for plasterboard you can use a standard multi-purpose bit. The search for the right drill bit can be made even easier by purchasing a full kit that has all the matching components you’ll need without having to worry about going out and buying everything separately. Kits like this one include masonry and multi-purpose drill bits, wall plugs, and even a handy screwdriver head set. Your drill bit will be compatible with most drills, so you’ve got lots of choice depending on your budget or whether you want to use a corded drill or a cordless drill.

It’s often useful to have a hammer at hand when you begin a DIY project. While it may not always be necessary, sometimes a wall plug needs a little encouragement to get into its final position. This is where you can lightly tap it with a hammer to make sure your shelf sits flush against the wall.

Once you’ve drilled your hole and inserted a wall plug, you’ll need a screwdriver to attach the brackets or floating shelf. Some wall plugs come with integrated screws or in a box with matching screws included, but others won’t. For these, you’ll need to get a separate set of screws that fit the plug.

It’s important that your shelves sit completely flat, or all of your valuables will fall off. This is where a spirit level comes in. A must-have for any home interior DIY project, this device helps you to make sure that your shelf is perfect from both a functional and design point of view. Just place it on top of your shelf or brackets, and it will tell you whether it’s straight. You can then adjust accordingly.

Before you put up your shelf, you can save a lot of hassle if you mark out where you’ll need to drill your holes, and this can be done in a variety of ingenious ways. If you’re using brackets, you can use a Marxman Pen. Place the brackets on the wall, making sure they’re level and in their correct position, and use the pen to mark where to drill. This is especially helpful if the holes in your brackets are too small for a pencil. If you’re installing a floating shelf, place masking tape onto the back, and mark on it where you’ll need to drill your holes. Then peel off the tape, stick it to the wall (using a spirit level to make sure it’s flat) and copy the marks onto your surface. You can also use masking tape on your drill bit to mark how far you’ll need to drill into the wall.

One of the worries that DIY novices have when drilling into their walls is whether they’ll accidentally hit any pipes or wires. If you invest in a stud detector, you’ll know exactly where to avoid when drilling as it will beep if it detects any metal or electricity when you run it across your wall. If you’re drilling into a stud or plasterboard wall, it can also find the stud frame, helping you to locate the best place to secure your shelf for a more secure final result.