Shelf fell off wall, embarrassing mistakes?

[Adam Herman]

I have aluminum floating shelf brackets and put them on the wall with 8 75 lb screw in type hollow wall anchors. placed speakers and some other things on the shelf above the TV, mounted to the wall below, and it all fell down by pulling out the anchors and putting big holes in the drywall. luckily it looks like only my turntable is junk, also sad because it's a 1972 B&O. The TV is fine. SWMBO would like it fixed before we have a dinner party on Friday, what will the relatives say about my repairs to their homes if they see this??? :eek:

very embarrassing.

new plan is to screw a length of 1x4 to the studs, 2 screws in each and then mount the bracket with its screws. does this sound sane? I think the leverage on the compressible drywall was the major failure point.
The brackets are a kind of C shape that a 3/4 thick shelf fits into and there are screws you can run in from the bottom to pin it from getting pulled out.


any embarrassing mistakes you would like to share?

[Derek Meyer]

The 1x4 solution will probably work well but it will be visible. If you have to repair the drywall anyway, you might consider cutting a slot out and putting 2x6 blocking between the studs and then drywall over that, giving you solid backing to attach your brackets.

Alternately, you could use a stronger anchor for your brackets, such as toggle bolts, or the zip-tie-toggle anchors. I've seen those used to install monitor arm/computer arm stations in hospitals and they are super strong and solid.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

If you can get it into studs, you will have a lot more holding power. I don't know if a french cleat is appropriate here, but, Depending on the shelf, if it is free hanging and there is nothing that connects the outer edge of the shelf to the wall, it will surely put more stress on the attachment point.

I have hung many things and never had a problem, but, most of what I have hung has either a good surface against the wall (such as large peg boards or cabinets), or, the other supports that I mentioned. My most consistent failure has been towel bars in the bathrooms. I suspect that children decided that maybe they could use them as support bars. I know that when a curtain came down, a child had been pulling as hard as they could on the heavy curtains; apparently my daughter did not like the color that my wife chose and she wanted them gone out of her room.

[Jacob Mac]

I hung a TV on a 2x4 attached to a wall three years ago. So far so good

[Roger Feeley]

somewhat off topic: There is a unit of time called the ohnosecond. It is that interval of time where it just dawns on you that you have really screwed up ("Oh No").

[Edwin Santos]

How wide are the brackets? Are they wide enough to span two studs, usually 16" OC? If so, you may only need to drill some mounting holes in the brackets in the correct locations to hit the studs. This would be the easiest solution in my estimation.

Blocking between the studs is the ideal solution if you're willing to cut and repair the drywall.

I know a contractor who has a practice of cutting a strip of drywall the length needed, removes it and replaces with 1/2" plywood screwed to the studs. Then tape, mud and paint the patch as best as you can. Usually it will blend in especially if the thing you are mounting to it covers most or all of the strip. This keeps whatever you are mounting flush to the wall, unlike a french cleat. Very important that the strip is screwed to studs, I'd do two screws per stud.

Don't punish yourself. If the casualty was a vintage B&O turntable, then I say you've already paid a handsome fine. Onward and upward.

Edwin

[Neil Gaskin]

We use steel rod sticking out from the studs.

The rods are are as deep as they need to be depending on the depth of the shelf. For a 12” shelf we typically go 7-8” out of the wall. The steel rod is welded to 2.5” flat stock roughly a foot tall. It creates a t so that the plate can be screwed to the side face of the studs. At least two per shelf or every 32” on center.

For solid shelves we Drill and mortise out the piece. Box shelves can be make to sit on the brackets.

It can take some extra effort but it’s solid.

[Adam Herman]

thanks guys, i had about 75 lbs on it and 8 anchors and a 3 in screw into a stud. haha. the bracket is only about 1.5 or 2 in tall. I think even screwing it to studs on the drywall will make it sag/crush the drywall because of the leverage on the lower edge. the 1x will not be too visible behind the bracket and its a quick fix. it's in a room that will get total re-trim and paint eventually. we are moving through the house one room at a time.

rakks is the manufacture of the bracket system.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Personally - I favor a piece of plywood over 1 by whitewood if it's some sort of load bearing support.
I just feel screws hold better in plywood than in 1 by whitewood.

[Adam Herman]

i have some nice poplar on hand that is pretty dense.

[johnny means]

Try these.

[Adam Herman]

drywall is too damaged to use hollow walls now. I would rather not set up the drill press to redrill and countersink the holes the brackets. i screwed the 1x4 poplar to the wall with 3 in spax #8 2 in each of 5 studs. pre drilled to 50% root diameter (which according to NIST gives you the best pull out strength) and then screwed the brackets with supplied screws to the poplar. i'm sure that will be strong enough. brackets lined up about 1/8 above the bottom to avoid leverage on the corner. actually looks quite nice.

[glenn bradley]

1972 B&O turntable damaged!?! Arrrrgh!!!!

[Patrick McCarthy]

I'm thinking it is best to reschedule the dinner party. Whatever fix you select, it isn't going to look presentable (to her eye) by tomorrow evening . . . . . .

[Jeff Duncan]

75 pounds is asking a LOT for a floating shelf. Generally I think of them as places to put a handful of knick-knack stuff. If your trying to hold up that kind of weight you need to run steel rods as Neil mentioned. Even a strip of wood is likely not going to work very well with that kind of weight. And the deeper your shelf the greater the leverage. I'd bet the seams wherever you mud up to will crack in short time.

good luck,
JeffD

[Matt Day]

Agreed 75# is a lot for a shelf like that. Those types of shelves get picture frames and that’s about it. But I’m sorry to hear you learned the hard way!

I’d just add some shelf brackets below the shelf, might be able to reuse the same shelf to hide the wall damage.

[Lee Schierer]

Agreed 75# is a lot for a shelf like that. Those types of shelves get picture frames and that’s about it. But I’m sorry to hear you learned the hard way!

I’d just add some shelf brackets below the shelf, might be able to reuse the same shelf to hide the wall damage.

Remember that those weight ratings are for a straight vertical pull down right against the wall. As soon as you add a lever arm the ratings don't mean much.

[mreza Salav]

Over the weekend I hung this expensive silk carpet/frame that weighs over 30lbs on a single screw that is anchored to the drywall. I'm concerned it might be too much but have put it on/off/on/off multiple times as I was working to make/run that light above it. So far it seems to be holding fine!

410362

[Larry Frank]

I wish you luck with the 30# on a single drywall anchor but be prepared.

[John K Jordan]

Over the weekend I hung this expensive silk carpet/frame that weighs over 30lbs on a single screw that is anchored to the drywall. I'm concerned it might be too much but have put it on/off/on/off multiple times as I was working to make/run that light above it. So far it seems to be holding fine!


I'd hesitate to rely on a single plastic anchor in drywall but it has a good chance of staying up. The force on that screw is straight down at the surface of the drywall, unlike nearly straight out from the wall like the levering of the failed shelf with the heavy weight and tiny brackets. I didn't see how wide the shelf was but if wide enough for speakers the pulling force could have been significant.

But maybe put some cushions or soft throw rug on the floor! :)

Very nice look with the lighting.

JKJ

[John K Jordan]

1972 B&O turntable damaged!?! Arrrrgh!!!!

I almost had a heart attack when I read that. Maybe it can be repaired.

[Brian Holcombe]

75 pounds is asking a LOT for a floating shelf. Generally I think of them as places to put a handful of knick-knack stuff. If your trying to hold up that kind of weight you need to run steel rods as Neil mentioned. Even a strip of wood is likely not going to work very well with that kind of weight. And the deeper your shelf the greater the leverage. I'd bet the seams wherever you mud up to will crack in short time.

good luck,
JeffD


Remember that those weight ratings are for a straight vertical pull down right against the wall. As soon as you add a lever arm the ratings don't mean much.

I agree with these, 75lbs is a lot. Drywall just isn't very strong against anything other than straight down.

Most floating shelves are limited depth, rarely are they more than 6" deep and for good reason. I did a couple floating shelves when I started in business and then decided on all future shelves I would do something to break the lever arm, either by tying them into a corner or making multiple shelves tied together or both.

[Ole Anderson]

Yep, the mistake was putting 75# on a floating shelf. Not the right use for that type of shelf, as several others have said. That is a lot of weight for any single shelf.

[Sam Murdoch]

I agree that since you need to repair the drywall anyway - cut out a section and set in some blocking between the studs that can serve to carry that shelf when you reattach. Though a little dustier to cut out more drywall the end result will be secure and look good too!

Sam

[scott vroom]

1972 B&O turntable damaged!?! Arrrrgh!!!!

This is completely off topic, but that got me thinking about my first stereo system I purchased in 1968 from McDaniels Hi Fi in Menlo Park: Kenwood Trio separate amp/tuner, German made Dual 1212 turntable with a Shure HiTrack cartridge, and a pair of Stanford Californian Beta floor speakers designed and built by McDaniels...so rare the only pic I could find is an uncovered pair.

[Lee Schierer]

Here is part of the instructions for a brand of aluminum floating shelf brackets:

410395

For your 75# load your shelf would have needed to be 8 feet long and would have had to have anchored it to the studs. Their shelf supports are only for an 8-1/2: wide shelf.

[Matt Day]

Remember that those weight ratings are for a straight vertical pull down right against the wall. As soon as you add a lever arm the ratings don't mean much.

Not sure why you quoted me Lee? I took physics (and Statics and Dynamics)!