Do Those Shelves Look Straight From Where You're Sitting?

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Shelves. Every home has them, and every home needs them. These are good for everything from displaying ornaments, to presenting your family library. They’re also a fantastic way to provide a point of interest on blank walls, or fill alcoves. In short; shelves are splendid.

Lucky for you, they’re also incredibly easy to do yourself. In fact, putting shelves up is one of those DIY musts that all homeowners should know. We certainly all need them in some capacity. Even if you avoid any other home renovation, it’s worth turning your hand to this.

First, stock up on wood, and dig out that much-neglected toolkit. Then, turn your hand to the only tricky part of this job - getting those shelves even. That’s right; this may be a simple task, but wonky shelves aren’t good for anyone. As such, this job requires precision and adherence to the following points.

There’s a reason builders keep a pencil behind their ears

If you ever wondered why builders always tuck pencils behind their ears, you’re about to find out. You don’t even stand a chance at building level shelves without a pencil to hand. Or a pen, if it’s all you have access to. First, you need to get out your tape measure and decide roughly where you'd like your shelves. Using these measurements, you should draw two marks where you need to drill. Do this by using your brackets as a guideline. Place them on the wall and use the drill holes as a template. Don’t worry; the marks won’t show if you drill in the right places!

Spirit level security

Before starting work, it’s time to turn to your spirit level. Your tape measure can only take you so far, after all. And, it’s near enough useless when it comes to ensuring everything is even. That’s where your spirit level comes into play. These genius little tools use liquid to show you whether your points are in the right places. Bear in mind that you’ll need quite a long spirit level here. You need something which connects your two points. Otherwise, you could get this wrong. Once you’ve found a spirit level long enough, check, and check again. Make sure to take time over this stage. Rushing could lead you to a false reading. And, that would mean wonky shelves for you.

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A drill to hit the bullseye

Drilling even slightly off from your pencil marks can throw the whole shelf. As such, it’s important you stock up on power tools which can hit the bullseye. Electric drills are your best bet here. Think, too, about the bit you use. If your drill head is too large, or too small, your brackets won’t fit. Take time to measure everything up before you start.

Make sure, too, that you have a steady hand. Even a slight wobble when you start to drill could lead to disaster. Have a cup of tea beforehand, and take things slowly. Perfect shelves are worth the effort.