Finally got my hanging shelf level after 4 tries

Spent Tuesday evening trying to mount a simple wooden shelf in my living room and it took me 4 attempts with the laser level before I got it straight. Turns out the drywall anchors I used from a random kit at Ace Hardware were too short for the job, so I had to drive 15 minutes back for better ones around 8 PM. The shelf only holds about 12 pounds of knickknacks now, but I'm honestly just glad nothing crashed down overnight. Anyone else have a simple project turn into an all day fight?

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torres.drew4mo ago

Oh man, this is so relatable it hurts. I spent a whole Saturday fighting a spice rack that just refused to sit straight no matter how many times I re-measured the studs. Eventually I just said screw it and used way too many anchors and now that thing isn't going anywhere even in an earthquake.

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rose_hart314mo ago

Actually anchors are fine for spice racks and lighter shelves if you use the right kind. The big plastic ones that expand in the drywall can hold way more weight than people give them credit for. You just have to make sure you drill the right size hole and get them seated properly. I put up a wall mounted desk using nothing but heavy duty toggle bolts and that thing has held up for three years with no problems. The studs in my apartment are placed terribly so I stopped fighting them a long time ago. Drywall anchors have come a long way and they work great when you pick the ones rated for the job.

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