If you’d like more storage at home — and who wouldn’t? — a good do-it-yourself project is installing shelving. Our mission today is to learn to put up a floating shelf that appears to come right out of the wall with no visible support. Floating shelves have a clean, modern look that goes with any style of decor.

In big-box home improvement stores, you can buy a floating shelf kit, packaged with all of the mounting hardware you need. The shelves come in various materials, lengths and colors: black or white laminate, wood and glass.

So, whether you’re looking for a shelf to hold books, or one that can showcase a collection, you’ll find a large number of choices to fit your home decor. Floating shelves also come in a narrow width with a groove along the top front that are designed to hold photographs, art or award plaques.

The tricky part of installing any kind of shelving is making sure it’s firmly attached to the wall. Whenever possible, drive screws into the vertical framing boards called studs that are behind drywall and plaster walls.

If you can’t find a stud, use drywall anchors bolts, also called “molly plugs,” to give the shelf more strength.

Time:

1 hour

Difficulty:

Easy

Cost:

Kits, including the shelf and hardware, range from $16-$35, depending on length and material.

Wood stud finder ($5-$50)

Measuring tape ($3)

Pencil

Power drill and drill bits ($30 and up) or a screwdriver

Level ($5)

Step 1: Pick a spot for the shelf

Hold the shelf up to the wall where you want it to go, and mark the spot, including both ends, with a pencil. Using a measuring tape and level, draw a light mark on the wall that’s the length of the shelf.

This gives you a guide to install the mounting plate on the wall.

Step 2: Find the wall studs

Use a stud finder to locate the studs (or vertical boards) behind your wall.

A stud finder has a magnet that can find the nails or screws that are in your wall studs. If there isn’t a wall stud in the location where you want to install the shelf, use the plastic anchors that come with your shelf kit to give your shelf more strength.

Step 3: Install the back plate

Hold the mounting plate against your wall marks, and make sure it’s straight by putting a level on top.

Use a pencil to mark through the screw holes. Using a power drill or screwdriver, drive screws into the wall stud, or drive screws into anchor bolts so the back plate is securely attached to the wall.

Step 4: Slide shelf onto back plate and install underneath screws

Slide the shelf onto the back plate, and then line up the holes on the bottom of the shelf to match the holes on the back plate, and drive screws into the holes on the bottom of the shelf.

Voila! You’ve got new storage on the wall. If you did it yourself, then high five to you. Enjoy filling your elegant new floating shelves with books, collectibles and other stuff you’ve always wanted to display.

— Reporter: ahighberger@mac.com