Fitting Instructions

Step 1 of 7 – Safety (please do not skip this step)

Use a wire/pipe power detector to ensure that there are no electrical cables or water pipes in the wall where you intend to position the shelf. You do not want to electrocute yourself, or flood your house!

Step 2 of 7 – Vertical positioning of your shelves

Use a tape measure or your spirit level to mark the vertical positions for each of your alcove shelves with a pencil. Your mark should be for the top of the batten/bottom of the shelf.
You may want your shelves evenly spaced or not, depending on what you are intending to store on them. Our advice is to try and keep the height of the shelves balanced on each side of the fireplaces/pillars if you are installing in two or more alcoves, this provides the best visual effect.

Step 3 of 7 – Horizontal positioning of your shelves

Use a spirit level and pencil to mark the horizontal position for each of your shelves. Remember that these lines will indicate the top of the supporting battens and bottom edges of the shelf.

Step 4 of 7 – Drill holes into battens

Use a wood bit to drill screw holes no more than 300mm apart through each batten. Use the supplied timber battens only.

Step 5 of 7 – Mount the battens to the wall

Position the first rear batten on the wall, with the top edge underneath the horizontal mark line. Use a masonry bit to drill slightly through your pre-drilled screw holes (keeping the batten perfectly level at all times). Once all holes have been slightly drilled, remove the batten. Use a masonry drill bit to drill your holes and insert rawl plugs into each of the holes.

Position the batten back in place and use a screwdriver and countersunk screws to attach the batten to the wall. Position the first side batten, ensuring that it is level with the rear one and is level with the pre-drawn horizontal line. Attach to the wall in the same manner as the rear batten and then repeat the operation for the other side batten. Repeat this entire operation for each of your shelves.

Safety tip – Ensure you use long sturdy screws and applicable rawl plugs. These will be taking all the weight of your shelf and its items.

Step 6 of 7 – Finishing the battens

Your battens will be supplied sanded and finished to the same standard as your shelves. However, some customers do prefer to paint them the same colour as the wall to make them more discreet. If you intend to do this, please lightly sand before applying the paint. Also, if you have used countersunk screws as suggested, cover the heads of the screws with wood filler first and leave enough time for this to dry and then sand away any excess.
Then apply one or two coats of base coat and finish with an emulsion or gloss that matches your wall colouring.

Step 7 of 7 – Fix the shelves

Slide the shelves on top of the battens so that they sit perfectly. Your shelves should be perfectly sturdy, but if you are worried about the possibility of them sliding on and off the battens then you can fix small screws from the underside of the shelves, through the shelf and into the battens.