The following details are intended as a guide. If you are unsure on any points please drop us and email or consult a qualified builder.

Any tools that you are going to require to complete the task are also availible from our site on our tool page

In 2011 we will now be dispatching all shelves over 150mm deep with an adjustable bracket. These are slightly different from the ones below but fit in very much the same way. 100mm deep shelves will have the brackets below. A PDF of the new brackets can be found here [item number 283.33.910 which is the second item down the page] Once fitted the shelf incline can be adjusted with a 10mm open end spanner.

After carefully unpacking your shelf you will see two steel plates in the rear of the shelf. These will need to be removed so that they can be fitted to your wall.

 

Removing the bracket from the shelf

 

Now Using a tape measure  take a measurement from the rear of the shelf between the two hole centers. On some larger shelves you will have three even four brackets and measurements should be take from them all and made a note of. Each shelf size will have different hole centers so please check all shelves supplied. Your measurement should be to the hole centers and not just to the rebate!

 

Mark out these hole centers on your wall where you are going to fit the shelf. Don't worry about drawing on your wall as this will be covered once the shelf is fitted. Ensure you use a spirit level to make sure both brackets are level and the shelf once fitted. In the next picture you will see the the hole centers marked out. I've used a marker pen so you can see the marks in the picture but a pencil will do. You will also see a center mark for the shelf itself, this was to ensure my shelf was in the center of the wall.

 

Once you have your hole centers mark out the holes to be drilled. hold up your bracket to the center lines as shown in the picture below and mark out.


 Now before drilling any holes you need to pick your screws. You will have seen that we don't supply the screws with the shelf to fit it to your wall. This is because it is important that the screw matches your wall type. You will need at least 40mm of thread into solid wall so the thickness of plaster needs to be taken into account. If you wall is made from thermo lite blocks then the screw needs to be longer still. On large shelves anchor bolts are a better idea. The only part of the screw thats important on the shelf side of things is that the screw/bolt is of the pan head type and not countersunk. Once this has been sorted out then you know what size to drill your holes.

 

Top screw shows a pan head and the lower is a countersunk. Countersunk must not be used.

 

 So once you have the right fixing you can then drill your wall. Here we are installing a quite narrow shelf so are using 60mm pan heads with brown wall plugs which requires a 7mm hole. Note the hover pipe in the picture, my assistant held the pipe while I drilled. Just a little tip but saves all the mess and brick dust down the wall.

 

 

Once drilled you can then attach your brackets to the wall ensuring that the screws are as tight as you can get them. The tiniest amount of play in the bracket will allow the shelf to sag once fitted. Once they are both fitted you can offer up your shelf and check the alignment of the pins to the holes in the shelf. If everything is right the shelf will slide on to the pins. This may be tight but don't be afraid to give it a shape push. Should your pins be too far out the holes in the bracket are oval for a little adjustment to be made.

 

If you are unsure on any points please ask or consult a local builder. Now for the boring bit. The Oak Shop can not accept any responsibility for lost, damage, injury or lost of life due to the incorrect fitting of these or any of our products. This fitting guide is meant as just that, a guide and if you don't feel comfortable undertaking the work  then please get in a qualified trades person.