My attempt to build a floating shelf ended with a trip to the emergency room

I was so proud of my level line until the whole thing, brackets and all, came down on my head while I was admiring it. My husband walked in, saw the gash, and said, 'I thought you were hanging a shelf, not reenacting a cartoon.' Anyone have a foolproof method that doesn't involve head trauma?

3 comments

3 Comments

shane_ross1mo ago

The stud finder is your real enemy here, not the shelf. People blame the anchors or the brackets but nine times out of ten they skipped the stud and went straight for drywall with some cheap plastic anchors rated for a picture frame. A gash on your head beats a shelf full of books taking out your TV or your dog. You were admiring your level line but the wall was laughing at you for trusting a toggle bolt with any real weight. Maybe the real lesson is that your husband was right and you should have just hired someone who knows how to hit a stud on the first try.

ivan_perez2mo ago

Feel your pain, I once tried to mount a TV and the whole wall anchor system just gave up. Maybe it's just me but I'm sticking to picture hooks now.

ray_webb62mo ago

Guess my wall decided it was time for a floor TV instead!