How to Hang a Keyhole Shelf

Installing a shelf with a keyhole hanging system is a simple job that can be completed in minutes. Instead of using steel hangers, keyhole-shaped holes are pre-drilled into the backsides of the shelf brackets using a plunge router. The shelf is quickly mounted to the wall by hanging the keyhole cutouts onto screws installed in the wall. The screws should be attached to framing studs. If the studs are not aligned to the shelf brackets where you intend to hang the shelf, however, winged wall anchors may be used to secure the shelf to the wall.

Things You'll Need

• Measuring tape
• Chalk pencil
• Carpenter's level
• Drill with drilling and driving bits
• 1 1/2-inch wood screws
• Winged nylon wall anchors (optional)
• Mallet (optional)
• Screwdriver

Instructions

1. Measure and note the distance between the centers of the keyhole cutouts on the backsides of the shelf brackets. Also measure and note the distance between the tops of the cutouts and the upper surface of the shelf. The screws will be installed in the wall in a horizontal line, spaced as far apart as the keyhole cutouts.

2. Mark the wall with a chalk pencil at the desired height of the shelf. Measure and make a second mark, below the first, the same distance as the measurement from the top of the shelf to the top of the keyhole. Wipe away the upper mark on the wall.

3. Place a carpenter's level on the mark, where you intend to install the shelf. Using the level as a straight edge, draw a horizontal line on the wall, approximately to the length of the shelf. Mark the line where you want to place the center of the shelf.

4. Divide the distance between the keyhole cutouts by two. Mark this distance on either side of the center mark on the horizontal line. Using a drill bit that is smaller in diameter than the threaded shanks of the screws, drill a pilot hole through each outer mark. If you feel the bit drill into studs, insert a wood screw into each pilot hole, then advance the screws so they protrude 1/4 inch from the surface of the wall.

5. Install winged wall anchors if you have drilled into a hollow portion of the wall. Enlarge the holes in the wall using a bit large enough to fit the compressed anchors. Pinch the wings of the anchor together, then pass the wings through the holes. Use a mallet to tap the anchor so it is flush with the wall. Insert a wood screw into each anchor, then advance the screws so they protrude 1/4 inch from the surface of the wall.

6. Wipe away the chalk marks. Position the shelf so the keyhole cutouts are aligned to the screws in the wall. Push the shelf against the wall so the screws enter the round portions of the cutouts. Slide the shelf downward. If the shelf is not firmly seated against the wall, remove the shelf. Use a screwdriver to adjust the depth of the screws, then replace the shelf on the wall.