Put up a shelf with brackets on a metal stud wall

Learn to find a metal stud, choose fixings, and safely hang a level shelf that will hold its weight.

SH-01Plan the shelf and check the loadDecide where you want the shelf and how long it needs to be. Work out the heaviest load it will ever carry - a shelf of books is far heavier than one holding photo frames. Buy a shelf board and brackets rated for that weight, and lay out your tools before you start.

1 each · Shelf board

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1 pair · Shelf brackets

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1 each · Tape measure

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1 each · Pencil

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1 each · Spirit level

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SH-02Work out what your wall is made ofTap the wall - a dull, solid sound is brick or block, a hollow drum sound is plasterboard on studs. Run a stud detector, or a small magnet, along the wall to find the line of screw heads that marks a stud. A pilot hole that brings out fine grey dust means solid masonry or dot-and-dab plasterboard behind; timber dust means a wood stud; fine metal swarf means a metal stud. Older houses with slightly springy, uneven walls under the paint may have lath and plaster instead of plasterboard.

1 each · Stud detector

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1 each · Small magnet

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SH-03Check for cables and pipes before you drillCables and pipes can run almost anywhere in a wall, not just in the 'safe zones'. Use a detector, but still assume something could be there - detectors miss cables that are deep, in metal conduit, behind metal-backed plasterboard, or outside the safe zones, and a metal stud frame confuses cheap detectors further. Find your stopcock now, usually under the kitchen sink, and check it turns, so you can shut off water fast if you hit a pipe. If you have any doubt, isolate the relevant circuit at the consumer unit before drilling.

SH-04Mark the bracket positions and check levelHold one bracket against the wall at your chosen height and mark its screw holes with a pencil. Use the spirit level to mark a level line across to the second bracket position, then mark its holes too. Double-check the line is level before you drill anything - a shelf that's even slightly off is obvious once things are sitting on it.

SH-05Drill and fix the brackets - method depends on your wallSolid brick or block: drill a 6mm hole 40mm deep, insert a wall plug, and drive a 50mm screw into the bracket. Plasterboard on timber studs: drill a small pilot hole into the centre of the stud and drive a 40mm wood screw straight into the timber - never rely on the plasterboard alone. Plasterboard on metal studs: never use a plain plastic plug or an ordinary wood screw, as they strip straight through 0.5mm steel; use a self-drilling metal-stud fixing, or a toggle-type hollow-wall anchor if fixing between the studs, and if the shelf will carry a heavy load, fit a timber noggin between the studs first. Dot-and-dab plasterboard: use a fixing long enough - around 75mm - to pass through the board and adhesive dabs and bite into the solid masonry behind, not just the dab. Lath and plaster: the lath is thin and brittle, so probe gently with a bradawl to find solid timber or the masonry behind, and use a fixing long enough to reach it rather than trusting the lath.

1 pack of 10 · Wall plugs

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1 pack · Masonry screws 50mm

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1 pack · Wood screws 40mm

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1 pack of 4 · Metal-stud toggle fixings

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1 pack · Long fixings 75mm for dot-and-dab

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1 each · Drill with masonry and wood bits

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SH-06Fit and tighten the bracketsScrew each bracket firmly to the wall through the marked holes. Tighten until snug - don't overtighten, as this can crush plasterboard or strip a toggle fixing. Give each bracket a firm wiggle by hand; it should not move or flex at the wall.

SH-07Fit the shelf onto the bracketsRest the shelf board on top of the brackets and check it's level and sitting square. Mark through the bracket's top holes onto the underside of the shelf, then drill small pilot holes so the wood doesn't split. Screw up through the brackets into the shelf underside to lock it in place.

1 pack · Wood screws for shelf (short)

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SH-08Load test and tidy upAdd weight to the shelf gradually up to what you planned for, checking for any movement, creaking, or dust falling from around the fixings - any of these mean stop and refit. Vacuum up drilling dust and wipe down the wall and skirting. Put tools away and dispose of any offcuts.

1 each · Vacuum cleaner

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PART OF A BIGGER PROJECT

Turn a box room into a home office · Set up a utility area

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