How Far in Should Shelf Brackets Be?

A shelf bracket is a small device used to mount a shelf to a wall. These are designed to be strong enough to hold the weight of the objects that are being displayed and housed on the shelf.

A Shelf Housing a Number of Comic Books. Image by Flickr.com, courtesy of Doctor Hopkins

Function

If drilled directly into the studs of a wall, a shelf bracket can hold an average of 75 pounds of weight.

Materials

Shelf brackets can be made out of various materials, including sturdy wood and high-quality metal.

Placement

As shelf brackets should be mounted into studs for maximum efficiency, they should be placed as far apart from each other as the studs in the wall are.

Weight

For maximum efficiency, each shelf should be held in place by the same number of brackets as there are studs in the wall over the length of the shelf.

Considerations

Shelves designed to fit into the corner between two walls do not require shelf brackets in order to mount.

References

• Creative Connectors - Frequently Asked Questions