How To Install Basic Shelves With Brackets

If you’ve been thinking about adding basic shelves for lightweight storage or decor, but you’ve NEVER been comfortable with even the simplest DIYs, I hope today’s tutorial will help! I’m showing you how to install basic shelves with brackets that can be used anywhere in your home. All tools and materials are inexpensive and widely available. And the final result? Practical shelving with a wide range of uses from storage to books to plants, photos, decor, and much more.

Ready to dive in?

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HOW TO INSTALL BASIC SHELVES WITH BRACKETS

We’ve installed basic shelves with brackets on a couple of occasions, including in our previous apartment rental and more recently, in our guest bathroom. I love how easy they are to install (even I could handle it!) and how versatile these kinds of shelves are for any apartment or home.

And while most DIY shelving requires finding the studs in your walls, you won’t need to for shelves that are being used for lightweight storage (e.g., towels) and decor such as prints, vases, or candles.

If that’s the kind of shelving you need, then you’ve landed on the right tutorial.

SUPPLIES YOU’LL NEED:

*The following links provide specific products to give you a place to start; explore similar brands on Amazon or at your local big box store.

Tools:

Materials:

Wood Shelves AND Brackets

You will find these at any big-box hardware store. My shelves were 3/4 inch thick and 5.5 inches deep.

TIP for beginners: Ask an employee at the hardware store to cut the shelves to the required length so you won’t have to! Places like Lowe’s or Home Depot will typically do this for free in-store.

Screws (2 sizes):

One set to attach brackets to shelves (shorter screws that don’t poke through the wood; mine were about 1/2 inch); one set to attach brackets to wall (mine were about 1 inch long)

Drywall Anchors

NOTE: I recommend you purchase a set that contains anchors and screws of various sizes and forego buying screws and anchors separately.

Pencil
Measuring Tape

INSTRUCTIONS: HOW TO INSTALL BASIC SHELVES WITH BRACKETS

Step 1: Planning

Once you determine where you want the shelves, measure and mark out their placement.

Our two shelves were heading into our guest bathroom, just above the toilet, where I wanted to add some pretty and practical items.

First, I measured the center (vertical line) and then marked where each shelf would sit against the wall with an ‘X’ (see below).

TIP: Have a Magic Eraser ready to remove those pencil marks (especially if you’ve marked up the walls as I have)

Step 2: Prepare Shelves & Brackets

With a pencil, mark where each bracket will be attached on the underside of your shelves.

Now, carefully insert the tip of the pencil into the hole of each bracket and mark each point. My brackets had 3 holes per side, so make sure to mark all 3 on the wood. This is where you will attach the brackets to the wood with screws.

Taking your drill and drill bit, drill a hole where you’ve marked each spot, making sure not drill all the way through the wood.

TIP: Make sure the drill bit is narrower than the screws you will be using to attach the brackets.

NOTE: Drilling holes in advance will prevent the wood from splitting when you attach the screws.

Next, line up your brackets based on the holes you’ve just drilled. Using your screwdriver, attach the brackets to the shelves with screws no longer than the thickness of the wood. (You don’t want the tips poking through on the other side).

Step 3: Installing Shelves

Using your pencil marks as a guide, place your first shelf against the wall. Use a level to ensure it is horizontal.

With the level still on your shelf, use your pencil to mark where each screw will be inserted into the portion of each bracket that you’ll be attaching to the wall (i.e., where the holes are located).

Mine had 3 holes per bracket.

Set the shelf aside.

Using your punch tool, push the tool through the wall where each pencil point is located.

TIP: Although we are not concerned with studs for this project, you still want to be sure that the shelves will stay on the walls once installed. Drywall anchors are a great way to do this as they have ridges that lock into the walls and will not slip out once you install your shelves. Each screw will be inserted into the drywall anchors. Each anchor acts like a ‘pocket’ that holds each screw in place.

Take one of your drywall anchors, place the tip against one of the holes and hammer it all the way through using your rubber mallet.

Below are all drywall anchors inserted into the wall in preparation to install the first shelf:

Next, line each bracket up with the drywall anchors. Using your screwdriver, insert each screw through the hole of each bracket and into the drywall anchors.

Tip: If you are installing small shelves on your own, screw in one screw through one bracket, then a second through the second bracket. This way, you can let go of the shelf and continue adding the screws remaining.

Tip: If you are installing a long shelf, it’s best to ask for a friend or spouse’s help to hold the shelf as you attach the brackets to the wall.

Attach any remaining shelves using the same method.

Before adding storage or accessories, be sure to remove any pencil marks with a magic eraser. Now, your shelves are ready for use!

These basic wall shelves are incredibly versatile. Since ours are in the guest bathroom, I wanted them to be both pretty and practical, too.

SHOP MY ACCESSORIES

***Here is a breakdown of the accessories I used (links are clickable):

Art Print

Natural Oak Art Print Frame

Half-Head Vase (get 20% off using my discount code APRETTYFIX on any item from this shop; valid until end of June 2022)

Small, Air Dry Clay Pot (see my DIY here)

White House Tissue Container

Faux greenery from Michaels craft store.

Round woven tray (thrifted); you can find similar ones here and here.

Long matchsticks were purchased locally; you can find similar ones here and here.

Woven caddy (for toilet paper or other accessories)

With a really tight budget in mind, you can refresh a bathroom and add a bit of personality. This was a nice little update for our builder-basic bathroom. I hope to do a few more small changes before my work here can be called truly ‘done.’

Happy DIY’ing!