How to Hang Shelves on Plaster Walls: Tips and Tricks?

If you’re looking to add some extra storage space to your home, shelves are a great option. But if your walls are made of plaster, you may be wondering how to go about hanging shelves on them. Don’t worry – it’s not as difficult as it may seem! In this blog post, we will discuss some tips and tricks for hanging shelves on plaster walls.

We’ll also provide some helpful installation instructions. So whether you’re a DIY novice or an experienced builder, you’ll be able to hang shelves on plaster walls with ease.

Things You Will Need

• Tape measure
• level
• Pencil
• Stud finder
• Drill
• Sledgehammer
• Wall anchors (if needed)
• Screws
• Shelves

Plaster Walls with Available Studs

If you are lucky enough to have a plaster wall with studs, you can easily hang shelves.

Locate the vertical studs in the wall

The best way to find the stud is by using an electronic stud finder. Mark the location of each stud on your wall with pencil marks in several places so that you don’t lose them when placing your shelf.

If there aren’t any usable locations on which we could mount our brackets – no worries because there are still other options available.

Mark through the bracket-mounting holes onto the wall with a pencil

After finding the studs, use a level to draw horizontal lines across the wall where you want your shelf brackets to go. Make sure these are in line with the vertical marks that indicate the location of each stud behind the plaster. Once everything is marked and ready – it’s time to drill some holes!

Drill a pilot hole through the plaster and into the stud at each mark

Drill pilot holes into the wall at each mark. These will help keep the screws from splitting the wood.

Position the first bracket on the wall and fasten it to the stud

Attach the first bracket hardware according to package directions, being especially mindful of how much weight your shelves will hold. After mounting the first bracket, it’s usually a good idea to measure the distance between it and the other one to make sure they are even. If not, you can always adjust at this point before proceeding.

Place the second bracket on the wall and adjust the carpenters level

Now that you’ve mounted one side of your shelf, it’s time to put up the other! Place the second bracket on the wall and adjust as needed until both sides are level with each. Remember not to go all out when drilling in those holes so they don’t split apart too soon after the installation has been completed (and always wear safety goggles)!

Drill pilot holes and install them with wood screws into the stud

Once the second bracket is in place, drill the pilot hole and install screws into the stud. Again – be careful not to drill through your plaster wall!

Attach the shelves to the walls

Attach your shelf to the wall using two screws on each side of the bracket and make sure it’s level before tightening all four down completely (and don’t forget about that carpenter’s pencil again). Be careful not to overtighten or you could split apart both brackets!

Plaster Walls without Available Studs

If you don’t have any studs in the wall but need to hang shelves you can use toggle bolts. Toggle bolts are a great option for hanging shelving on plaster walls. They will allow you to mount your shelf without having exposed screws that could cause damage to the drywall or plaster underneath! Here’s how they work.

Mark the locations of all of the bracket mounting holes onto the wall

Mark the locations of all of the bracket mounting holes onto your wall. These will be where you insert the toggle bolts. Once everything is marked and ready – it’s time to drill some holes!

Drill a small pilot hole into each mark made

Drill a small pilot hole into each mark made on your wall. This will help keep the toggle bolts from splitting the wood. Be careful not to damage your plaster wall!

Drill a larger hole to the diameter indicated on the size of the toggle bolt you are using

Drill a larger hole to the diameter indicated on the size of the toggle bolt you are using.

Insert toggle bolts

After you have drilled the holes, it’s time to insert the toggle bolts. Insert the toggle bolt into the small pilot hole until the wings of the toggle bolt are open. Then, insert the toggle bolt into the larger hole until it is fully inserted. Once all of your toggle bolts are in place, it’s time to Install the brackets!

Install the brackets and the shelves

Position the first bracket on the wall and fasten it with a toggle bolt. Attach the first bracket hardware according to package directions, being especially mindful of how much weight your shelves will hold. After mounting the first bracket, it’s usually a good idea to measure the distance between it and the other one to make sure they are even.

Place the second bracket on the wall and adjust as needed until both sides are level with each other using a carpenter’s level. Hang your shelves by inserting the screws into the brackets. Tighten all screws until they are secure.

Other ways to attach the shelves to the walls

If there aren’t any usable locations on which we could mount our brackets – no worries because there are still other options available. For example, one option is to use L-brackets or monkey hooks.

L-brackets can be screwed directly into the plaster without having to go through the hassle of drilling pilot holes (although this may cause some damage to your wall in the long run).

Monkey hooks are another option that can be attached to the plaster via adhesive. This is a great choice if you’re looking for something temporary or want to avoid drilling into your walls.

No matter which route you decide to take, just make sure that you take precautions and use the correct hardware for each surface. With a little bit of patience, anyone can hang shelves on plaster walls!

Another option available like using anchors instead. Anchors can be used with drywall or plaster walls without any studs and come in many different types such as winged ones that expand when driven into place (i.e., Molly bolts) or screw-in type fasteners made from plastic material molded around its head so it looks like a mushroom cap.

Can I Install a Floating Shelf on My Plaster Wall?

If you want to install a floating shelf on your plaster wall then the answer is yes, but it’s going to be much more difficult than installing one with brackets. The process begins by using an electric drill and making two holes into the wall where they will need screws inserted into them before putting up this piece of furniture (this can take some time).

Once all that’s done, we would then have access points for both drywall anchors – which are needed because there isn’t any stud behind these areas in order for us to secure things properly! This means having enough patience during installation as well as knowing how everything works so when you get started nothing goes wrong.

Conclusion

Although hanging shelves on plaster walls may seem daunting at first, with a little bit of know-how it can be a breeze. Just make sure you use the right hardware for your surface and take your time when measuring and installing brackets. Go ahead and add some much-needed storage to your home with ease!

If you’re looking for more tips and tricks on home improvement, check out other articles on our blog for more helpful advice.