Floating shelf

[jmagg]

So I finally got to pulling down the pink granite on this pia fireplace, got the tile up, and now want to float the mantle. Its a 30-40 lb slab of Maple. You can see the brackets holding it up looks meh, so I'd like them to disappear. I'm thinking sink the wall side bracket into the sheetrock, then patch and paint, and stab what is now the under bracket, into the slab. The opening in the slab to accept the bracket, needs to be super accurate in both directions in order to be level in both directions. I dont have a drill press. Am I missing a simple solution?

 

[Greenman]

You can pin into the framing behind it in a couple of different ways. Buy floating shelf anchors or just countersink a couple of timberlocks right through the front and cut plugs for the holes.

 

[mindless1]

... or take the candles out of the fireplace and position in front of the brackets.

 

[jmagg]

While searching floating shelf anchors, I found a doweling jig which may solve the original stab penetration dilemma, which could save some work and hardware. Thanks

 

[bigi]

So, speaking from experience...

IMO, try to avoid the brackets especially in your situation. What I did instead - I got floating shelf anchors which screw directly into 2x4s.

This helps because you can drill and install those into the shelf and then mark the holes off that. It really helps with fitting.

 

[jmagg]

So, speaking from experience...

IMO, try to avoid the brackets especially in your situation. What I did instead - I got floating shelf anchors which screw directly into 2x4s.

This helps because you can drill and install those into the shelf and then mark the holes off that. It really helps with fitting.

Thanks bigi, the brackets would save some patching. Floating it will have to wait for after the holidays since she has it loaded up already.