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A small timber shelf attached to a wall with black brackets

Overview

You can never have enough storage around your home. Shelf space is a great way to store things out of the way in your laundry, kitchen or bedrooms. They’re easy to build and look great when they match your décor and furnishings. 

Steps

1Find the wall stud

After you've decided where you want your shelf to go, use a stud finder to locate the stud behind the wall. Mark the left and right hand side of the stud. Use the tape measure to find the middle of the stud and mark it. This is where the top of your shelf will sit.

A person marking a wall using a stud finder

2Mark where the bracket will go

Place the bracket against the wall so that the top of it is level with the mark on the wall. Use the spirit level to make sure it's straight. Then with a pencil, mark the three holes in bracket.

A person positioning a bracket on a wall using a spirit level

3Fix the bracket to the wall

Using a 3mm drill bit, pre-drill three pilot holes where you've marked on the wall for the bracket. Then with the bracket in place, use 40mm screws to attach the bracket to the wall. We spray painted the top of the screws black so they match the colour of the bracket.

A person drilling a small hole in a plasterboard wall using a cordless drill

4Measure and mark for the second bracket

From the bracket, measure across to where you want to fix the second bracket. Our shelf is 700mm long and we want 100mm overhang on each side of the bracket, so we've measured 500mm from the first bracket. Use the spirit level to make sure the mark is level.
A person marking a wall using a measuring tape

5Mark the drill holes for the second bracket

Place the second bracket so that the top of it is level with the mark on the wall. Use the spirit level to make sure it's straight, and then mark where the three holes will be drilled on the wall.

A person marking the holes for a bracket on a wall

6Install the wall anchors

For this second bracket, we don't have a timber stud to drill into. So we're using wall anchors to secure the bracket. Use the 3mm drill bit to drill holes for the wall anchors, and then push an anchor into each hole. Drill the anchor into place until the toggle locks, and then remove the wall anchor screws.

A person drilling a large hole in a plasterboard wall using a cordless drill

7Fix the bracket to the wall

Place the bracket against the wall in-line with the holes. Use the drill and wall anchor screws to fix the bracket to the wall.

A person screwing a bracket to a wall using a cordless drill

8Position the shelf

Place the shelf on the brackets. Make sure that the shelf is centred on the brackets with an equal overhang. Mark the holes and use the 3mm drill bit to pre-drill the four bracket holes.

A person measuring from a bracket to the end of a shelf

9Fix the shelf to the brackets

Use the drill and black 30mm timber screws to fix the shelf to the brackets. Make sure the screws you use are shorter than the thickness of the shelf.

A person screwing a bracket to a timber shelf from underneath using a cordless drill

10Just add your items

Now your new shelf is complete it's time to style it any way you choose!

A small timber shelf attached to a wall with black brackets
Health & Safety

Asbestos, lead-based paints and copper chromium arsenic (CCA) treated timber are health hazards you need to look out for when renovating older homes. These substances can easily be disturbed when renovating and exposure to them can cause a range of life-threatening diseases and conditions including cancer. For information on the dangers of asbestos, lead-based paint and CCA treated timber and tips for dealing with these materials contact your local council's Environmental Health Officer or visit our Health & Safety page.

When following our advice in our D.I.Y. videos, make sure you use all equipment, including PPE, safely by following the manufacturer’s instructions. Check that the equipment is suitable for the task and that PPE fits properly. If you are unsure, hire an expert to do the job or talk to a Bunnings Team Member.