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FAQs
Here is a collection of our most frequently asked questions – click the individual question to display the answer underneath.
If you can’t find your answer here, please contact us and we will do our best to help!
Ordering and General Installation
When will I receive my item if I order today?
All of our product lead time estimates are displayed below the “Add to basket” button.
This gives a guide as to our current dispatch schedule and we aim to keep this updated as regularly as possible.
Generally, most items are dispatched in 1-3 working days. Items marked as “available on backorder” usually take 7-14 working days.
Delivery times depend on the option chosen at checkout – please see our delivery page for more information.
Can I return my order if it is no longer required?
Yes, we accept returns within 30 days of receipt, providing the order has not been used or opened, if supplied in branded packaging.
Please email us directly if you wish to return any hardware item.
What is it that prevents the shelf coming off of the brackets once fitted, as they are loose in the holes before being fitted?
Although both types of bracket seem loose in the holes in the back of the shelf before fitting, when installing this is usually not the case and the recommended hole sizes have been specified to account for this. The Multi Wall Concealed Floating Shelf Bracket has an offset thread, which allows the fitment to be tightened if need be, by turning the offset outwards so that it pinches the outer edges of the shelf.
With the Heavy Duty Floating Shelf Bracket, you will find that due to slight differences in their angle after fitting, they will pinch the sides of the holes and make the shelf a tight fit. If for any reason you find the shelf to be a loose fit, this can be easily adjusted with a few turns of masking tape or similar on the shelf barrel to tighten the fit.
I am moving house and need to remove my floating shelf fixings - what is the best method for this?
For the solid wall and dot and dab variations of the Multi Wall Concealed Floating Shelf Bracket;
Generally the floating shelf fixings are not reusable due to the fact the threads are often damaged upon removal. Replacement components however are available to purchase via our website here.
To remove a fixing: unscrew the fixing barrel a small amount so that a lever (a claw hammer or pry bar works best) can be positioned behind the base of the barrel. Use this to pull the entire fixing, and often the wall plug as well, out of the wall. The thread and plug will likely need to be replaced.
If the barrel separates from the thread without removing it, then the remaining thread will need to be removed with pliers or mole grips.
Are any of your floating shelf brackets suitable for fitting into metal stud work?
No unfortunately none of our floating shelf bracket range is suitable for fixing into metal stud work.
I previously ordered oak shelves from you but cannot see these on the website anymore, are you still making them?
We are no longer making or selling any oak shelving.
For tree shelves, the designs are being licensed exclusively to The Woodland Shelf Company, who make them to order.
Multi Wall Bracket Installation
What size of shelf is recommended for the Multi Wall Concealed Floating Shelf Brackets?
We recommend a minimum depth of 90mm and maximum depth of 250mm. We also advise a minimum 20mm thick shelf in order to comfortably accommodate the 12mm holes required in the back of the shelf.
Which length of barrel should I use for my shelf, 80mm or 120mm?
We recommend using the longest one possible for your shelf. However this should stop short of the front of the shelf by at least 1cm to avoid potentially drilling through the front of the shelf.
I have just fitted my shelf using the Multi Wall Concealed Floating Shelf Brackets, but they do not seem to be holding securely – what should I do?
Assuming that you have used the correct brackets for your wall type and shelf size, please double check the following;
Solid Wall Variation – If you remove the shelf is the fixing loose and wobbly? If so, this may be due to a soft, crumbly wall or the fixing being partially in a cavity. To correct the wall and the issue, remove the fixing, fill the hole entirely with chemical resin and let it set. Then re-drill the hole through the chemical resin which should now give you a solid hole, install the fixing as normal.
Dot and Dab Variation – If you remove the shelf is the fixing loose and wobbly? If so, this may be due to a soft, crumbly wall or the fixing being partially in a cavity. To correct the wall and the issue, remove the fixing, fill the hole entirely with chemical resin and let it set. Then re-drill the hole through the chemical resin which should now give you a solid hole, install the fixing as normal. It may also be the case that the cavity between the plasterboard and the solid wall is larger than the size specified for our brackets. Our brackets are suitable for cavities up to 25mm. If your cavity is larger, then an additional support method may be required.
Plasterboard Variation – Two important things to review/check are that firstly, the fixing needs to be oriented the correct way, vertically. This is indicated by the thin grey insert tab, which should be on the bottom or top of the fixing and horizontal.
Secondly, the fixing needs to be correctly tightened. This fixing gets its strength from sandwiching the plasterboard with the Duotec plug on the back side and the washer/white collar on the front side of the board. Until these two are tightly sandwiching the board it will have next to no strength. Also ensure that you do make sure not to over tighten and crush the face of the plasterboard, once the board is damaged due to over tightening it is likely that a repair will be needed.
If your shelf isn’t holding securely ONLY after loading it with your items, it is likely that the shelf has been overloaded beyond the weight or size capacity of the fixings used.
I have a plasterboard wall. Which wall variation should I select if I am intending to secure the brackets into the wooden studs?
In this case, we would recommend using the solid wall variation of the brackets. You can use the plasterboard variation as well, as the plasterboard plug also functions as an expansion plug in solid material. However we recommend the solid wall variation because these have a higher weight rating per bracket. You can secure these into timber studs or battens with or without the wall plug. If opting for the latter, a 5mm hole is required as opposed to a 10mm hole when using the plug.
Can I fit the plasterboard variation of the Multi Wall Brackets to insulated plasterboard?
If you are fitting onto insulated plasterboard, the insulation will need to be cleared away from behind the board in order to allow room for the fixing to properly set behind the board. This is common place with any high load plasterboard fixing. The easiest way to approach this is to put an Allen key into a drill, hook the short angled end through the hole in the plasterboard and spin the drill to clear away the insulation behind. This will then give sufficient clearance to set the fixing as you would on a standard plasterboard wall.
I’ve ordered the dot and dab variation of the Multi Wall Concealed Floating Shelf Bracket and want to use the chemical resin method when fitting, please can you explain this method?
Drill a hole in the fixing position through the plasterboard only. Insert the chemical resin nozzle into the hole until it is touching the solid wall behind. Inject resin into the hole to create a dab, backing the nozzle out as you go with the aim to create a dab or bridge between the plasterboard and the solid wall at the fixing point. If the cavity is particularly large this may need to be done in several stages letting the resin set up in between each.
When the resin has set you can then re-drill your fixing hole through the plasterboard, new dab and then into the solid wall behind.
If you have filled the original plasterboard hole with resin (which is quite likely), take care when then drilling the hole through the chemical resin. You will now have a hard spot of resin surrounded by soft plasterboard and it is easy for the drill to slip of course when starting. Pilot drilling with a small bit first will help to stop this happening. You will also want to try and ensure the cured face of the resin is flat without peaks to give a good drilling surface to start from.
I’ve drilled into my wall and realised it’s a different type of wall to the bracket type ordered – what should I do? (MULTI WALL)
The Multi Wall Concealed Floating Shelf Brackets are designed to be interchangeable, as the same barrels and washers are used for all wall types. Therefore you just need to swap the threads and plugs to the correct wall type, which can be ordered individually here. (Please make sure your size of shelf and fixing quantity is correct for the differing wall type.)
Heavy Duty Bracket Installation
What size of shelf is recommended for the Heavy Duty Brackets?
We recommend a minimum depth of 275mm and maximum depth of 400mm (we have not tested these brackets in depths over 400mm). We also advise a minimum 35mm thick shelf in order to comfortably route out the pocket required at the back of the shelf that houses the retaining plate. This minimum thickness also provides plenty of tolerance when drilling the long holes in the back of the shelf.
Why do you recommend a minimum shelf thickness of 35mm?
We recommend a minimum 35mm shelf thickness primarily due to the bracket’s retaining plate. This plate is 20mm wide and if you are routing a pocket out in the back of the shelf to sit this plate into, we recommend this is 25mm wide. A 35mm thick shelf means you have 5mm from the pocket to the shelf edge on either side; any thinner and it’s likely that the shelf material with break or splinter due to it being so thin. This minimum thickness also provides plenty of tolerance when drilling the long holes in the back of the shelf.
Why do you advise drilling 14mm holes in the back of the shelf, when the main bar of the Heavy Duty Brackets has a 12mm diameter?
Sliding the shelf forward onto the brackets during installation is almost impossible to do with 12mm holes and even 13mm holes (something we discovered through previous tests). 14mm holes provide the tolerance needed to make fitting easy, but aren’t so big that the shelf will be loose on the brackets once fitted. If for any reason you find the shelf to be a loose fit, this can be easily adjusted with a few turns of masking tape or similar on the shelf barrel to tighten the fit.
I’ve drilled into my wall and realised it’s a different type of wall to the bracket type ordered – what should I do? (HEAVY DUTY)
The rear portion of the heavy duty bracket must be fitted entirely into solid material, as this is where the main strength of the bracket lies. If fitting to a dot and dab wall, see answer below. If fitting to a plasterboard wall, the rear portion of the bracket must be installed into a timber stud.
Is it possible to fit the Heavy Duty Brackets on a dot and dab wall?
Yes it is, but the rear portion of the bracket must be fixed into the solid wall beyond the cavity, as this is where main strength of the bracket comes from. This means that the retaining plate on the bracket needs to sit flush against the solid wall, so in this instance you need to cut away the plasterboard so that the bracket can be fitted against the solid wall. (Normally when fitting direct to a solid wall, you would cut out a pocket on the back of the shelf and the retaining plate sits here.)
Is it possible to fit the Heavy Duty Brackets on a plasterboard wall?
Yes it is, providing you have timber studs or battens behind the plasterboard to fix into, as the rear portion of the bracket must be fitted entirely into solid material. When fitting the heavy duty brackets horizontally into timber, we recommend going slightly smaller than the advised 14mm hole for the rear section. 12 or 13mm will give a tight fit in the timber; ideally tight enough that it can be tapped in lightly with a hammer.
Can the Heavy Duty Brackets be cut down to use with shallower shelves?
Yes the main bar can be cut down as necessary, with a hacksaw or similar that has a blade suitable for cutting steel.