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Which one?

A floating shelf or a shelf on brackets?

Updated

Both are screwed to the wall, so the choice is not about drilling. Each one's own maker sets its limit, and the wall fixing's figure is the other limit we can show.

A floating shelf

Where it goes
On the wall with no bracket showing, fixed with the fittings its maker supplies or names.
What it needs
A drill, a plug or fixing that suits your wall, and a check for cables and pipes first. B&Q says: Before fitting a wall plug, always use a detector to check there are no cables or pipes behind the area where you want to drill.
How it comes down
Unscrewed, and the holes stay. Shelter lists holes in walls or doors among the things a deposit can be charged for in England.
Which maker's figure applies
The shelf maker's own rating, where it gives one, and the wall fixing's recommended load for one fixing. We hold no floating shelf maker's own figure, so we show none. Wickes' words on how much a floating shelf takes are in our shelves guide.

Sources: B&Q, How to fit wall plugs. Checked ; Shelter England, Damage and missing items (deposit deductions, last updated 6 May 2024). Checked .

A shelf on brackets

Where it goes
On brackets screwed to the wall, with the shelf fitted on top of them.
What it needs
A drill, a plug for each bracket screw where the wall needs one, and a level line. On a plasterboard wall, Wickes says these walls are generally supported by a frame so there will be vertical and horizontal sections that feel a little more solid, and It’s advisable to screw your fixings into this frame as it will better support weight.
How it comes down
The shelf lifts off and the brackets are unscrewed; the holes stay. Shelter lists holes in walls or doors among the things a deposit can be charged for in England.
Which maker's figure applies
No more than the lower of two makers' figures: the bracket maker's own rating, and the wall fixing maker's recommended load. Wickes notes that brackets do still vary in their weight capacity so it’s worth considering this when looking for a pair that’s right for you. What's my wall? gives the fixing for your wall with fischer's figure for one fixing.

Sources: Wickes, Where to start with putting up a shelf. Checked ; Shelter England, Damage and missing items (deposit deductions, last updated 6 May 2024). Checked .

Why is there no load per fixing for a shelf?

A shelf sticks out from the wall, whichever way it is held, so we do not compare a weight with a figure per fixing for either one. We give the fixing and its maker's figure for one fixing, and the shelf or bracket maker's own rating stays the limit.