How to Install Floating Shelves with Hidden Anchors

First, figure out where you want the shelves. Measure the width of the wall space and divide by two to get the center. Quick trick: hold your tape measure across the span and just look for the halfway point instead of doing the math. Make a light pencil mark at the center, at whatever height you want the shelf.

Flip your shelf over and look at the bracket plate on the back. Measure to find the center and make a pencil mark on the top edge. Then mark where each anchor hook sits - those are the points that need to line up with screws on the wall. The bigger part of the bracket is the bottom, and the shelf hangs from the small hook at the top.

Hold the shelf up to the wall and line up the center marks. Get it at the height you want, then pencil in the anchor point locations on the wall, one on each side. That's where your screws or anchors will go.

Grab a level before you drill anything. Hold it across your two anchor marks and make sure the bubble is centered between the lines. Then make crosshair marks at each anchor point - one horizontal line from the level and one vertical plumb line. This gives you a clear target for your screws.

Skip the basic plastic expansion anchors. The shelf pulls down on them like a lever, and they'll eventually come loose. Screw-in drywall anchors are the way to go here. They thread right into the drywall and hold much better. Plus you don't have to pre-drill, so it's one less step.

Before putting in anchors, see if there's a stud behind either crosshair mark. Just drive a screw into the center of the crosshairs. If it grabs and gets tight, you hit a stud - leave the screw in and you're good on that side. If it spins freely through the drywall, pull it out and use an anchor instead.

Where you didn't hit a stud, pull out the test screw and grab a screw-in drywall anchor. The pointed tip helps you get it started - just place it in the hole and give it a tap with a hammer. Then screw it in by hand or with a drill until it sits flush with the drywall, or just slightly below the surface.

Put screws into both anchor points. The important thing here is don't tighten them all the way down. Leave each screw sticking out about 1/8 to 1/4 inch from the wall. The bracket hooks on the shelf need to slide over and drop down onto the screws, so if they're too tight against the wall it won't work.

Line up the bracket hooks with the screws and push the shelf onto them. You'll feel it drop down and catch. If it's a little loose, take it off, tighten the screws a turn or two, and try again. Once it feels solid against the wall with no wobble, you're all set. Clean up any pencil marks and do the same for the rest of your shelves.