The primary difference between a floating shelf and a bracketed shelf is the visibility of the support system. One hides its hardware for a minimalist look, while the other displays it as a key part of its style.

Floating Shelves: The Invisible Support

A floating shelf's defining feature is its hidden mounting system, which makes it appear to float effortlessly on the wall.

• Mounting System: A steel frame with a set of rods is screwed directly into the wall (preferably into studs). The wood floating shelf itself has precisely drilled holes and slides onto these rods.
• Aesthetic: Clean, minimalist, and modern. It places all the focus on the wood shelf and the items it holds.
• Best For: Contemporary, minimalist, or any design where a clean, uncluttered look is desired.

Bracketed Shelves: The Visible Support

A bracketed shelf openly and intentionally displays its support system as an important part of its overall design.

• Mounting System: External brackets are mounted to the wall, and the wall shelf rests on top of them.
• Aesthetic: Highly versatile. Brackets are available in countless styles, from simple metal L-shapes for an industrial look to ornate wood corbels for a traditional or rustic feel.

Best For: Holding heavier loads and for design styles where the hardware adds to the character of the room (e.g., farmhouse, industrial, traditional).

There are many different types of brackets available, but they generally fall into three common categories based on their visibility and material.

Hidden Brackets (Bracketless)

This is the system used for a true "floating" look, like an invisible shelf. While the shelf appears bracketless, it actually contains a hidden interior bracket that secures it to the wall.

• Mounting System: Typically a rod-based system where metal posts slide into pre-drilled holes in the back of the shelf.
• Aesthetic: Creates a clean, minimalist, and modern shelf look.
• Included Hardware: A complete floating shelf kit from NookWoodworking will always include this hidden mounting bracket.

Visible Steel Brackets

These brackets are made of heavy-duty steel and are designed to be seen as part of the shelf's industrial or modern aesthetic.

• Mounting System: The bracket is first secured to the wall, and then the shelf is locked into the bracket.
• Aesthetic: Offers a visible yet sleek support structure that is popular in industrial and contemporary design.
• Use Case: Excellent for floating wall mounted shelves where a visible metal element is desired.

Decorative Wood Brackets (corbels)

These common brackets provide both support and style, making the hardware a key decorative feature.

• Mounting System: The wood brackets or corbel brackts are mounted to the wall, and the shelf rests on top of them.
• Aesthetic: Ranges from simple L-shaped designs to intricately carved oak shelf brackets. Ideal for creating a classic, traditional, or rustic look.

Design Note: Wood bracket shelving can add beautiful texture but also takes up more visual space than a floating shelf.

Determining if your wall can support wood floating shelves depends on the wall's construction and the total weight the wall shelves will bear. Here is a simple process to assess your wall's suitability.

Step 1: Identify Your Wall Type

First, you need to identify what your wall is made of. The most common residential types have very different sounds and textures.

• Drywall: This is the most common wall type and sounds hollow when you knock on it between the internal wood or metal studs.
• Plaster and Lath: An older construction method, plaster is harder and less resonant than drywall.
• Masonry: Made of brick, concrete, or block, this type is very hard and solid with no resonant sound when knocked on.
• Tile: A surface material, not a structural wall. It is typically installed over a substrate like drywall or cement backer board. Drilling requires a special drill bit to avoid cracking, and the mounting method depends on the material behind the tile.

Step 2: Locate Structural Supports (Studs)

The key to a securely mounted floating shelf is to anchor it into the wall's structural elements, which are most often studs. Use an electronic stud finder and run it horizontally across the wall. The device will beep or light up when it detects a stud. For the most secure installation, you should aim to attach your shelf’s mounting bracket to at least two studs.

Step 3: Consider Weight Capacity and Anchors

If you can’t align your shelves with studs, high-quality wall anchors are your next best option. Anchors provide additional support and prevent screws from pulling out of the wall. However, they have limitations.

• For heavy-duty floating shelves intended to hold significant weight, it is not recommended to rely only on drywall or plaster anchors.
• The exception is masonry. The appropriate masonry anchors are extremely strong and can often support very heavy loads without the need for studs

Installing a wall anchor (also known as a wall plug) is a straightforward process that is essential for securely mounting shelves to drywall. Wall anchors expand behind the drywall, creating a strong anchor point where there is no stud. Without an anchor, the screw would likely pull out of the brittle drywall, causing your solid wood floating shelves to fall.

Step-by-Step Installation

1. Mark Your Location: Once you’ve determined that there is no wall stud in your desired location, use a pencil to mark where you want to place your screw. This applies whether you're installing bracketless open wood shelves or shelves with visible wood shelf brackets.
2. Drill the Pilot Hole: Drill a hole at the location you marked. The drill bit should be the same size as the body of your wall anchor (the size is often listed on the anchor's packaging).
3. Insert the Anchor: Gently tap the wall anchor into the hole with a hammer until its head is completely flush with the drywall surface.

Secure the Screw: Position your metal shelf bracket over the anchor and drive the screw into the opening. As the screw tightens, the anchor will expand behind the drywall, creating a sturdy point for your wall mount shelves.

While floating shelves can theoretically be installed on most wall types, the weight they can safely hold and the installation method required vary significantly. Here’s a breakdown by wall type.

Drywall

This is the most common residential wall type. Floating shelves can be easily installed, but with important considerations for weight.

• Best Practice: For heavy loads (like books) for floating bookshelves, you should secure the shelf's mounting bracket to at least two wall studs.
• For Light Loads: If you cannot align with studs, high-quality wall anchors are sufficient for lighter decorative items like shelves for trinkets.
• Caution: Drywall is brittle. Relying only on anchors for a heavy shelf increases the risk of the screws pulling out over time.

Plaster

Like drywall, plaster walls are also brittle and require careful installation, especially for heavy loads.

• Best Practice: Mount the floating shelf directly into the underlying wood studs or the horizontal wood lath for the most secure hold.
• Anchors Required: Always use high-quality wall anchors if you are not mounting the floating wall shelf directly to a stud or lath.

Masonry (Brick or Concrete)

These ultra-sturdy walls are excellent for supporting heavy-duty floating shelves, even with very heavy loads.

• Hardware Needed: You will need a specific masonry drill bit and anchors designed for concrete or brick, which are available at any hardware store.
• No Studs Required: The strength of masonry anchors is sufficient to support sturdy floating shelves and their items. You do not need to locate studs in this type of wall.
• Installation Note: Masonry is much harder to drill into than drywall, so be prepared for more effort.

A Note on Shelf Depth

For deep floating shelves, we often recommend using visible brackets rather than a hidden floating system. Anything deeper than a 12 inch deep floating shelf, such as a 14 inch deep or 16 inch deep floating shelf, creates more leverage on the wall mounting. While our floating brackets are very strong, a heavy-duty visible bracket, like a corbel, can provide superior support and peace of mind for extra-deep shelves intended to hold significant weight.