Floating Shelves

[thisisme]

I want some floating shelves in our study above the computer desk but have been told that the walls will need to first be reinforced by the beams.

I hope this isn't required as I am not even sure yet which room will be our study :S

Our house is brick veneer.

Have you had any experience with floating shelves? Would love to hear from you :)

[thisisme]

Here is an example of "wall bracing" for the shelves in the second pic.

[Julie-Ann]

I have no experience with this as we build double brick homes here in the West. But that makes perfect sense to me. The weight of the shelves and the books could be very heavy. Perhaps you are best to plan on a bookcase instead. And a tip with tall bookcases is to screw them to the wall so they don't fall over when little ones are nearby.

[stormy]

I have floating shelves in my study nook in the family room. They are IKEA 'LACK' ones, and I do not have any extra noggins in the wall.

http://www.ikea.com/au/en/catalog/products/20186182

They have been screwed into the studs so they really won't go anywhere. The shelves are rated to a max of 15kg, and I certainly don't overload them.

http://www.stormygirl.net/house2/studynook2.jpg

I 'should' have got some extra noggins in the entrance hall to hang the 25kg mirror, but we overcame the issue with a steel bracket screwed into the studs in 2 places and 2 metal hooks welded onto the bracket to hang it....the studs were not where I wanted to put the mirror, unfortunately!

The only place we have extra noggins (done by the builder) is where they put the towel rails and toilet roll holders, as they would have been just into the plaster board and not wood had they not added extra. They would have fallen out in no time...

If you can decide on a room and wall, probably best to install extra noggins...just in case! OR you could do many walls and rooms in case you change your mind! It's easy for the chippy to do and shouldn't cost much at all. Although my kitchen overhead cabinets have just been installed into the studs with no extra noggins, and they have kg's of glasses in them...

If the studs are in the right place for the floating shelves, then it may not matter, but if they aren't you will need them. I was lucky with the study nook that they are 'almost' in the middle, but I wasn't so lucky with the entrance hall mirror (hence the need for a custom made bracket.)

[thisisme]

Thanks for that stormy!
And thanks for reminding me about towel rails and toilet holders :)

[Julie-Ann]

Thanks for all that information Stormy:kiss:. It is really is a different way of building to using double brick. With double brick you generally only have to worry when hanging a picture that you don't drill through the gas pipe. Yep - you guessed it my DH using an electric drill went straight through the gas pipe:eek:. Thank goodness there was no explosion:D

[dmplus3]

I agree with what Stormy has said. If you put the shelving hardware into the existing noggins or studs, you'll be fine. However, seeing you have had the forethought to plan for this, I would put extras in, if you can decide where!

In Big Girl's room, one of her shelves is sitting perfectly, whereas another one (which may have just missed the stud) is hanging slightly precariously.

[mjm]

I guess from what stormy was saying, if you aren't planning on loading these shelves with lots of stuff then just putting into your existing studs might be enough? So if they have to add extra support I am assuming they have to rip your wall off first? which means repainting maybe?

[Julie-Ann]

All of a sudden I love the idea that we build in double brick in Perth. To have to worry about all of this. It could seriously restrict my decorating decisions:eek::D.

[Cheltenham Home]

We have gone for feature floating shelves. They are each directly attached to the stud wall (actually our pantry wall) and then infilled between. You can probably work out how from scrolling through our blog posts (http://cheltenhamhome.blogspot.com/search/label/bookshelves) that include them.

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_FQEJcQu08qc/TQSbdfnpzeI/AAAAAAAAKh4/Ixm0Fy5GdHc/s400/IMG_5447.JPG

With the size (width and length) of them and the weight they may have to support, it was the only sensible thing to do. We actually moved walls in the design stage to fit them in.

I think there is quite a difference between the stylish floating shelves, for a few ornaments/feature pieces and shelves for actual storage of books and toys. All should be attached to studs though, if in a plaster wall.

[tryingtodecorate]

I love that ^ :clapping:

[Julie-Ann]

Hello Cheltenham Home - welcome to the Decorating Forum:). I hope you have fun chatting with us here.
Your shelves look gorgeous. What are you planning on putting on them?

[Cheltenham Home]

Hello Cheltenham Home - welcome to the Decorating Forum:). I hope you have fun chatting with us here.
Your shelves look gorgeous. What are you planning on putting on them?

Hi Julie-Ann, they are in our former main living area, which will now be a play room for our children. The shelves will probably end up with boxes of toys along the bottom and books higher up (we are all big readers). The shelves are quite wide and therefore suited to boxes or books.

Over time, hopefully less toys and more books!

[Julie-Ann]

Over time, hopefully less toys and more books!

Lol it will happen eventually. How old are the kids?
Making them extra wide was smart. So now you have stylish and practical storage:thumbs up: