Shelves we put up
- Floating shelves with concealed brackets fastened to studs
- Bracket, cleat and rail shelving in kitchens and living rooms
- Closet, pantry and linen shelving
- Garage and laundry room storage racks
- Shelf lips, rails and museum putty for items that should stay put
- Bookcases and tall units strapped to the wall
Walls and shaking
The City’s historic resources survey describes housing built largely between the 1920s and 1950s. Many of those houses have plaster on wood lath, which cracks when drilled carelessly and does not hold an anchor the way drywall does. We locate studs, drill through slowly with sharp bits, and fasten into wood.
The City’s Housing Element environmental study notes that “San Gabriel is mainly affected by ground shaking.” Open shelves in kitchens and above beds benefit from a front lip or rail, and tall freestanding shelving should be strapped to studs, which the CPSC’s Anchor It! campaign also urges.
How we install shelves
Plan the load
We ask what will sit on the shelf and choose brackets and fasteners rated for it. Heavy loads always go into studs.
Find framing safely
We confirm studs and check for pipes and wiring before drilling, using a small test hole where a finder cannot read through plaster.
Mount, level and test
Brackets go on from a level line, the shelf is fastened, and we load it by hand to test. Test holes are patched.
What we refer out
Built-in bookcases and cabinetry, hanging platforms from garage ceilings, and shelf lighting that needs new wiring go to a carpenter or electrician.
Photos that help
A photo of the wall, the shelf or system you have chosen, and what it will hold.
Shelf questions
Can you hang a heavy mirror or medicine cabinet at the same visit?
Yes. Mirrors and surface-mount medicine cabinets go on the same way, into framing with hardware rated for the weight, and we often do them alongside shelves.
What about shelves in a garage with bare studs?
That is the easiest case. We fasten standards or cleats straight into the studs and keep the shelving clear of the water heater, the panel and the door track.
Can shelves go on a stucco or brick wall?
On exterior walls or masonry we use masonry anchors rated for the load, drilled with the right bit so the surface does not spall.
Can a floating shelf go on plaster?
Yes, if its bracket lands on studs. We set the bracket into framing and drill the plaster carefully to avoid cracks.
How do I keep things on shelves in an earthquake?
A front lip or rail, museum putty under small items, and heavy items on lower shelves. Tall units should be strapped to the wall.
Do you install closet systems?
Yes, boxed systems with a top rail and standards. We hang the rail into studs so it carries the load.
Can you put shelves above a bed?
We can, but we suggest only light items there, with a lip, given the risk of shaking.
Will you remove old shelves?
Yes. We take them down, fill the holes and prime them, ready for your paint.
Related guides for San Gabriel homes
- Hanging curtain rods, blinds and shelves in thick wallsHow to hang curtain rods, blinds and shelves in the thick plaster walls and deep window reveals of San Gabriel's Mission Revival and adobe-style homes.
- Hanging art the old way and the new wayHow to use original picture rail molding in an older San Gabriel home, and how we hang gallery walls on plaster without cracking it.
We’re a handyman in San Gabriel for small repairs like this one, with an upfront price by text.
This job sits in our mounting, hanging and assembly group. For other repairs, see the services overview, or start with the repair guide for San Gabriel’s older homes.