Floating bookshelf mounts

[Aaron Liebling]

I'm building some floating shelves (mitered boxes ~5/8" thick with no back) and trying to figure out how to attach them.

The blind shelf supports (like https://www.rockler.com/blind-shelf-support-bulk-pack-5-pairs) require more thickness than I want.

Shelf dimensions are roughly 23" wide an 16" high (again ~5/8" thick material).

I was hoping for something that I could attach in multiple locations on the vertical sides and then in to studs in the wall. Ideas?

[Jamie Buxton]

Keyhole plates. Rockler sells ones which are 9/16" wide. https://www.rockler.com/keyhole-fittings-select-either-single-or-double They can mortise entirely into the wood, so they're entirely invisible.

[Jim Becker]

As an alternative to the keyhole plates that Jamie mentions, you could also use .25" or .375" long hanger bolts into the wall that you can slide the floating shelves onto with appropriately sized holes bored in from the back. This would also be totally hidden and the threaded portion that extends into the shelves would be resistant to it wandering off the wall.

[Lee Schierer]

I made some floating shelves for our office wall. The shelves are 3/4" hickory. I drilled 1/2" holes in the back edge that aligned with the studs in the wall. Then I drilled matching holes into the studs. I inserted 1/2" x 7" steel rods into the holes in the shelves and then into the holes in the wall.

You could do the same thing with 3/8" rod.

[Aaron Liebling]

I feel like a few 3/8" rods would be plenty strong to hold it. Probably easier than the keyhole fittings (which I'd have to mortise in).

[Alan Lightstone]

Fine Woodworking published in their Sep/Oct 2019 issue an article titled "Clean and Contemporary Floating Shelves" which had one of those "I wish I had thought of that" designs for hanging floating shelves. I didn't know if I could include the link, so if it's against the rules, please delete it.

https://www.finewoodworking.com/2019/08/02/clean-and-contemporary-floating-shelves

In any case you can search it easily. You should check it out.

I know I'll be using that method from now on. It uses sideways L brackets and torsion boxes, which you could make out of any wood, or veneer for that matter.

[Tim Andrews]

I built my floating shelves like the enclosed photo (not mine). Works great, no special hardware needed. The bracket is attached to as many studs as possible with the given length.

[Aaron Liebling]

I've used the hidden bracket before and it works really nicely. These shelves are going to be dovetailed solid wood (I have some nice wide walnut that will match the cabinet it is going to mount above) so i need a less integral solution.

Thanks for all the ideas!