How to Install Floating Shelves without Drilling? Easy Methods

No one’s going to argue that floating shelves look pretty cool. They just elevate the aesthetic of any room and also serve a practical purpose – more storage. The problem is almost all floating shelves will require you to drill into the walls.

Drilling can cause damage to the wall and also doesn’t offer a good look, if you ask us. Who wants to see giant holes in the wall? Fortunately, if you’re wondering how to install floating shelves without drilling, there are ways you can do it.

There are multiple things you can try, actually. But the best way we found is to use adhesive tape. You can see where we are going with this, can't you? So, let's get on with the details then.

Self-adhesive tapes are one of the simplest ways to install floating shelves without having to drill into the wall. It's not time-consuming and should take you a couple of hours to do it.

Plus, the best part about it all is: even if you’re a beginner DIY, it shouldn’t be too much trouble.

Installing Floating Shelves : Step by Step

Follow the below-mention steps in the correct order;

Step 1: Get Lightweight Hollow Shelves

The very first step is to get yourself some lightweight shelves in the first place. You need to make sure they aren’t too heavy and that the tapes will support their weight without any problems.

Heavy boards and shelves will almost always require nail clippers to hang them. That’s just a necessity since they are so heavy. Otherwise, it becomes hazardous to have them installed, and they can fall at any time.

So, a lightweight hollow shelf is the perfect starting ground when our goal is not to drill into the wall. We recommend that the weight of the shelf shouldn’t go over 1.4 KG. Wood waltz works excellent for this.

Step 2: Get Yourself Some Adhesive Material

Now it’s time to shop for some strong adhesive tapes. What you’re looking out for here is whether the tape can handle the weight of the shelves you just bought. The weight rating should be specified on the packaging.

Make sure to double-check and see if it can handle the weight. A lot of people miss out on a small detail; they only check for the weight of the shelves themselves but forget to account for the things they want to place on them.

Your shelves won’t be empty, right? So, take into account the weight of the items you plan on putting on the shelves as well. This way, your estimations will be much more accurate.

Get duct tapes that have rough Velcro on one of the sides and duct tape on the other. You can check out re-closable fastener tapes.

Step 3:  Prepping the Wall

Once you have all your tools and the shelves ready, it’s time to prep the wall for installation. Walls can be dirty, and dirt is bad news when using these kinds of self-adhesive tapes.

You need to give your walls a thorough clean at this point. This will help the wall get rid of any grease, dirt, oil, or wax that might be on there and allow for a much more secure fit.

To clean it, you can just use a cloth and alcohol. Give both the shelves and wall a good wipe down. Wait for about 5 minutes for it to dry. Now you can start applying the tapes.

Step 4: Attach Strips and Hold for 30 Seconds

Attach your strips to the shelf and press them for a couple of seconds to get a good fit. Thirty seconds or so should do the trick. One side will be the fastening side. Hold the side where the Velcro is with both the mountain brackets if they aren’t attached the first time.

Now, take a tape and separate the protective film. Then you need to apply the new adhesive where the shelf will be mounted. Press them together for 30 seconds or so and repeat the process for the tapes you have remaining.

One thing to note here: make sure you spread each strip evenly; this will give you the best grip and a secure fit. You can also use staples to attach your wood planks to the strips.

Step 5: Hold Your Board to the Wall

When you have put all the tape in place, it’s time to get the shelves and attach them. Remove the left-over linings that you have on the tape. Once done, it’s time to place the shelves onto the wall.

Hold it there for just around 30 seconds or so with light pressure, and it should lock in place. To add more support, you can also tape both adjacent sides with some duct tape. Do this if you can.

Step 6: Pull the Shelves Off to Help the Tapes Adhere

Remove the shelf by pulling the shelf to peel it away. Make sure to apply gentle force and do it in a steady motion. Doing this will make the strips separate. One side should be attached to the shelves. The other side should be on the wall.

Now just push down on individual adhesive strips for roughly 30 seconds to make sure they are completely stuck on.

Sometimes one of the strips might fall out. If this happens, just place a new strip and follow the process again.

Step 7: Replacing the Shelf after an Hour

Wait for an hour to let the tape harden. Once it’s done, you need to attach your shelves again. Connect the sets of adhesive strips and make sure it doesn’t fall. Here is a tip, you can put a pillow underneath it to make sure that it will be cushioned even if it does fall.

That’s all there is to it. You just installed a cool floating shelf without drilling into the wall. Now you can place all sorts of light items on it and use it however you want.

Benefits of Having a Floating Shelf

Some of you might not be convinced if a floating shelf is worth it. If you happen to be in that camp, let us tell you some cool benefits of having one in your room or house.

Storage

This is probably the most obvious one. A shelf is also a great way to increase storage space in your house. You can keep small bits and some showpiece items on top of the shelves.

Doing this can help you get rid of extra clutter somewhere else in the house and thus will make your room or house feel bigger.

It Looks Stylish

Almost all rooms are pretty much the same, aren't they? You can easily spruce up a room by adding a floating shelf to it. Not only do they look great, but you can also play around with the color and the design of the shelves to match your personality. This is a great way to make a place really feel like your own.

Helps You Stay Organized

If you find trouble organizing, a floating shelf can help you with that. Place items you frequently use on top of it, and next time you need them, you can easily grab them from the shelf. That’s a level of convenience you can’t miss out on.

You can also keep the essential things you grab daily on the shelf. Things like your car keys, headphones, or wallet can be on it. So, when you need to go outside or need to leave for work, you know exactly where your car keys, headphones, and wallet are.

Wrapping Up

So, what did we learn today? We learned how to install floating shelves without drilling and found out it isn’t too difficult. Once you know what you're doing, it's a pretty easy thing to do.

Especially if you like small projects and are a DIY-er, this is something you must try. Besides, you can show it off to your friends and get some extra storage and style points for your room as well.

The whole process shouldn't take more than a couple of hours. So, set some time aside in the evening for this cool little project and breathe new life into your room.