Standards are attached vertically to the wall with screws driven into studs. Brackets can then be placed in the standards to support shelves. Several types of standards and brackets are available, from light-duty to very heavy-duty uses. For most applications, I find that the double-slotted, heavy-duty products are the best choice. You can usually find these in either white or black finishes at Home Depot, Lowe’s, hardware stores and online retailers.
Standards and brackets are available in a wide range of sizes; the widest selection is offered through online suppliers. To install your shelves, you will need the following tools and materials:
- Stud finder
- Cordless drill, or other tool for driving screws
- Level, preferably 4-feet long
- Awl, or other sharp pointed object
- Screws (2-inch drywall screws with coarse threads should suffice)
- Standards and brackets
- Shelves
It is always a good idea to start a project with the finished goal in mind. Once you decide on a suitable wall for your shelves, make a sketch of your plan. You will need to decide how high and low you want the top and bottom shelves, how many shelves you need and how long the shelves will be.
With that settled, and a rough sketch in hand, you will be able to shop for all the materials you need. Plan to buy standards about 10 to 12 inches longer than the intended distance between the top and bottom shelves.
When you move, the whole shelving assembly can be disassembled quickly. Fill and paint the holes in the wall, and you can leave things just as they were before the shelves were installed.
