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- Sebastian Żmijewski
- Material Insights
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A good floating shelf looks as if it grows out of the wall. The trick is a concealed bracket: steel rods hidden in holes in the back edge of the shelf. Fitting one is not difficult, but a few millimetres of error when marking out is easy to spot later. Here is how to install a Viperys solid oak or rustic pine floating shelf, step by step.
How the Viperys concealed bracket works
Every Viperys floating shelf comes with concealed brackets. They are steel rods, 12 mm in diameter and 120 mm long, which are fixed into the wall; the shelf then slides onto them from the front. The shelf arrives with 14 mm holes already drilled in the back edge, so you never need to drill the timber yourself. The brackets also have an offset cam that gives you roughly 10 mm of height adjustment – handy when a wall is not quite flat or one hole ends up a touch low.
The same system is used on our solid oak floating shelves (4 cm thick, 15, 20, 25 or 30 cm deep, 40 to 180 cm long) and on our 4.5 cm thick rustic pine shelves.
Step 0: check what your wall is made of
Rod-style concealed brackets are designed for solid walls only: brick, block, concrete, or timber studs. They are not suitable for plasterboard (drywall). If the wall sounds hollow when you knock on it and the drill dust is white and powdery, you are most likely dealing with plasterboard. In that case, choose our shelves on metal brackets instead, or read our guide to putting shelves on plasterboard walls.
| Wall type | Viperys concealed brackets | What to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Concrete, solid brick | Yes | Hammer drill and plugs for solid masonry |
| Hollow clay block | Yes, with the right plug | Drill without hammer action, use plugs made for hollow masonry |
| Aerated concrete block | With care | Plugs designed for aerated block, keep loads lighter |
| Timber studs | Yes | Every hole must hit timber, not the gap between studs |
| Plasterboard on its own | No | Choose a shelf on metal brackets |
Before drilling, check for cables and pipes with a detector, especially above and below sockets and switches.
Tools you will need
- a drill (with hammer action for brick and concrete),
- a masonry bit matched to the wall plugs you are using,
- a spirit level, ideally 60 cm or longer,
- a tape measure, pencil and masking tape,
- a cable and pipe detector,
- a vacuum or blow pump to clear dust from the holes.
Fitting the shelf, step by step
1. Mark the height and a level line
Decide where the shelf will sit and draw a light level line along its full length. Hanging several shelves? Plan all the spacings before drilling the first hole.
2. Transfer the hole positions from the shelf to the wall
A template is the most accurate method. Lay a strip of masking tape along the back edge of the shelf and mark the centre of every hole, plus its distance from the bottom edge. Stick the tape to the wall along your level line and you have an exact copy of the spacing – no need to measure each point by hand.
3. Drill straight into the wall
Keep the drill square to the wall: an angled hole points the rod down or sideways, so the shelf will not slide on or will tip forward. Drill to a depth that suits your plugs and clear the dust out afterwards.
4. Fix the brackets
Insert the plugs and fix the rods following the instructions supplied with the brackets. All rods should stick out of the wall by the same amount and run parallel to each other.
5. Slide the shelf on and level it
Slide the shelf onto the rods, place your spirit level on top and check it. If it needs correcting, take the shelf off and turn the offset cam on the brackets – you have around 10 mm of adjustment. Once it sits level, push it firmly back against the wall.
6. Load it gradually
Put the heaviest items close to the wall and over the brackets, and keep lighter decorative pieces towards the front edge. A Viperys shelf fitted correctly into a solid wall holds up to around 35 kg – our guide on floating shelf weight capacity explains what affects that figure.
Common installation mistakes
- Fitting concealed brackets into plasterboard instead of a solid wall.
- Drilling by eye without a template, so the wall holes do not line up with the shelf.
- Drilling at an angle, which makes the shelf droop at the front.
- Using plugs that do not suit the wall material.
Remember that wood is a natural material
We use air-dried timber, which settles to your home's temperature and humidity after delivery, so let the shelf sit in its room for a while before fitting. Pine is finished with beeswax in 12 colours, oak with a natural oil – our wooden furniture care guide explains how to look after both.
FAQ: installing a floating shelf
Do I need to drill holes in the shelf?
No. Viperys shelves come with 14 mm holes pre-drilled in the back edge, sized for the 12 mm bracket rods.
Are the brackets included?
Yes. Concealed brackets come with every Viperys floating shelf.
Can I fit a floating shelf to plasterboard?
Not with our concealed rod brackets. They are made for solid walls such as brick, concrete and timber studs. For plasterboard walls we recommend our shelves on metal brackets.
What if the shelf is not level after fitting?
Take it off and adjust the offset cam on the brackets, which gives about 10 mm of correction. If the error is larger, a hole was usually drilled in the wrong place or at an angle.
How long does it take to put up a floating shelf?
For one shelf on brick or concrete, allow under an hour – most of it for accurate marking out.
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