By Simon Harris
I know that the installation of decorative wall shelving can be a hassle, particularly if you are not a whiz in construction or don't use tools very well -- so I have prepared this set of easy to remember points to guide you over the rough spots.
R: READY All Your Tools and Supplies
Your first step, of course, is to make sure that before you actually begin work you have all the necessary tools and materials. You are going to need a drill, screwdriver or power screwdriver, a pencil and a level at a minimum. There's no sense in getting started, only to discover that you're missing a crucial piece of equipment, so get everything together before hand.
E: EVALUATE Your Planned Location
The next step? Before you even put a nail in the wall, you need to take a good look at the place where you want to mount your shelves. Many people discover -- too late -- that the location of their shelves are just not appropriate. You need to make sure there will be enough room for your shelf once it has been mounted and is on the wall -- it should not be located in a place where people will bump their heads or brush up against it. Decorative wall shelving is not designed to support heavy weights, and some units can be knocked down quite easily.
S: SIZE and Measurements Count
Once you know your general location, you'll next need to get some measurements. What you are looking for here is to make sure that the length of shelf that you want to have on your wall will fit comfortably. You want to get a sense of the correct proportions -- what length is appropriate for the size of the wall area where it will be located.
T: TEST the Length
The next step is, to test your length. Using your pencil and a carpenter's level, draw a line lightly across your wall for the size of shelf you want to have. This will serve as your guide later on when you actually mount your shelves. Once you have drawn the line on the wall, step back and take a look: is it at the right height? Is it level? If it isn't, go back and redraw -- and don't proceed until it looks perfect.
E: EVALUATE the Materials
If you haven't done so already, now is the time to evaluate the various shelving materials that are available. You can install decorative wall shelving made from metal, plastic, wire, or wood. Only you can be the judge of what will work best in your home in a particular location. For convenience, you may choose to purchase wall shelving in kit form -- decorative wall shelving kits will include the shelves themselves, the necessary brackets and all of the other mounting hardware that you will need.
A: ASSEMBLE Your Shelf
Once you have all of your materials together, you can actually begin work on the construction of your shelves. If you are making them from scratch then you will need to cut the boards to the appropriate length and do all of the necessary sanding, painting and finishing. If you are using a kit you probably won't have to do these things. My recommendation is: don't try and make shelving from scratch unless you have experience -- or are willing to invest the time to learn how to do it properly.
S: SECURE the Mounting Brackets
No matter what materials you select, or type of design, your shelves will need to be attached to the wall. Typically you will be supplied with (or can purchase) wall mounting brackets and standards which attach to your wall. These must be installed correctly -- you must use the appropriate wall anchors for your type of wall, and they must be attached to your wall so that they are straight (up and down) and level (side to side).
Y: YIELD to Capacity Warnings
One final note: as mentioned before, decorative wall shelving is not designed for bearing heavy loads (that's why they call it decorative) -- so make sure that you do not overload your shelves with heavy objects once the shelf is on the wall. If you have small items such as curios and small picture frames and the like, these can be safely placed on your shelves. Avoid heavier objects, and read any included manufacturers instructions for information about the maximum load-bearing capacity of your shelves. Failure to observe these capacity warnings could cause your shelving to be pulled out of your wall, and you might just be left with a number of very ugly-looking holes that will need to be repaired.
Learn more about Decorative Wall Shelving by visiting http://www.shelving-guy.com/ where you can also learn about Wire Closet Shelving
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Simon_Harris
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