Mounting a Shelf Without Drilling: tips and tutorials from experts

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You just bought the most beautiful shelf of your life and your landlord told you: "no, no, no... no holes in my house"?

No problem, there's always a solution!

In this case, we asked the handymen specialized in shelf mounting installation who have completed more than 25 jobs in this field, to give you a hand by sharing their best tips to stay on good terms with your landlord...

Here's what you will find in this page :

Summary

❌ The 3 mistakes to avoid:
Which alternative wall mount to choose when you can't make holes?
Here you go : you know which one to pick

❌ The 3 mistakes to avoid:

Before making mistakes that will be fatal to your Feng Shui, here are the worst blunders listed by the handymen registered on Yoojo that you absolutely need to avoid:

Not considering the weight before buying the shelf: no-hole installation means limited weight. You will rarely exceed the 5-10 kg supported by your shelf... think carefully about what you want to put on it!
Incorrect measurements and ending up with a wobbly shelf: besides making your friends laugh, the weight will be concentrated on one side and your shelf might fall... take the time to do things right, so you don't have to redo them.
Choosing the wrong solution for your wall surface: if you have an old stone wall like the one in the photo below, for example, drilling holes is already going to make it difficult to keep your shelf stable, but without holes, you will never manage:

An old interior stone wall

Which alternative wall mount to choose when you can't make holes?

Here we present the solutions that really work and the associated products to help you find them in the store. For each solution, you will discover tips, advantages, disadvantages, and opinions from the handymen we interviewed.

Extra powerful adhesive glue: the best long-term solution

✅ ADVANTAGE : works on all types of walls; supports very heavy weights
❌ DISADVANTAGE: the glue can leave marks on your walls; let it dry for 24 hours
🆗 EFFECTIVE ON : all surfaces

No lies, multi-surface glue is probably the best solution for installing a shelf without making holes.

Unlike many other solutions, the glue can support a heavy load and can be applied to almost all materials: wood, plaster, PVC, concrete, stone, ceramic, glass, and more!

What are we talking about here? Here are our handymen's recommendations:

Patex "No more nails" removable glue

example of the Patex "No Nails No Screws"

I personally recommend this new version of No Nails No Screws because you can remove the glue from your wall much more easily if needed. It saves you from scraping with acetone for hours when you leave your apartment.

- Christian, handyman in London, on the Patex No Nails

Unibond fixing mastic

exemple of a unibond no more nail product

It's a classic for fixing everything indoors. I find it particularly effective for a shelf because you know you can place heavy objects on it without fear of it collapsing!

- Philip, handyman in Manchester, on Unibond "no more nails"

Double-sided adhesive tape: the easy option

✅ ADVANTAGE : cheap and easy to use
❌ DISADVANTAGE: does not resist water well, do not use in the bathroom
🆗 EFFECTIVE ON : wood, drywall, plastic, glass, stone, ceramic... almost everything!

The ultra-strong adhesive tape is also a solution we recommend because it is easy to use and can often support up to 10kg per 10cm strip... that's enough to hold books and other heavy objects.

Here is the advice from the handymen on our platform:

Double-sided “No Nails No Screws” tape

Example of the unibond no more nails tape

I often use this double-sided tape to fix things to the wall at home. I've never had any problems with my shelves, it's solid, you can use it!

- Jonny, Handyman in Birmingham, on the No Nails No Screws adhesive tape

TESA Xtreme double-sided tape

I always recommend TESA double-sided tape to those who aren't handy because it's really easy to use and you don't need to be super precise when sticking it to the wall. However, you need to be very straight when placing your shelf because once it touches the tape, it sticks immediately!

- Robert, Handyman in Edinburgh, on the TESA double-sided tape

Adhesive screws: the ultra-convenient new option

✅ ADVANTAGE: available for several types of surfaces
❌ DISADVANTAGE: the “wallpaper” version only supports 1kg
🆗 EFFECTIVE ON : stone, brick, paint, wallpaper, tile

Imagine, a screw that you don't need to screw! That's exactly what TESA has done, and it's fantastic.

Basically, you have a screw attached to a base that you can stick to any wall. It's really perfect if you have a shelf with brackets.

TESA Adhesive Screws

I discovered these screws not too long ago and I loved them. I think they are really practical for fixing any hanging object to the wall, like a shelf. They have all the advantages of screws without the disadvantages of holes

- Erin, Handyman in Belfast, on TESA adhesive screws

Wall Velcro: Only for Small Shelves

✅ ADVANTAGE : leaves no trace; easily detach and change shelves
❌ DISADVANTAGE : only for small shelves; risk of losing adhesion over time
🆗 EFFECTIVE ON: almost all surfaces, except PVC; does not resist UV well

Here’s our opinion: wall Velcro is great if you want to hang small shelves that only hold a single small item. We’re talking about this kind of thing:

It can be especially cool if you have mini shelves in different colors and want to interchange them frequently!

However, it’s not really recommended for shelves because the supported weight is not very high. The only positive point is that it leaves no trace on your walls!

💡Did you know?

Yoojo offers a service specifically dedicated to IKEA furniture assembly !

Wall Velcro: Reviews

I think it’s an excellent idea for photo frames because it allows you to easily change their location. However, for a shelf, I would opt for a more solid fixing.

- Saïd, Handyman in Manchester, on wall Velcro

Suction cups: for hanging your shelf in the bathroom

✅ ADVANTAGE: move your shelf at any time; resistant to humidity
❌ DISADVANTAGE: weak adhesion power; it can detach at any moment
🆗 EFFECTIVE ON : glass and tile only

You probably know shelves with integrated suction cups, but did you know that you can also buy suction cups in sets and use them to attach a shelf?

OK, this technique is still limited because the suction cup will only stay attached on an ultra-smooth surface like glass and tile. Perfect for placing a shelf in the shower without drilling into the tile, but that's about all you can do with suction cups!

If your shelf is going to be hung in the kitchen or bathroom, it might be a legitimate option!

Here's what Mohammed thinks:

A suction cup for fixing a shelf in a bathroom

These are really specialized fixings for kitchen and bathroom shelves... Be careful, suction cups don't work on wallpaper or painted walls. If you still choose to buy them, get a high-adhesion model.

- Mo, Handyman in Edinburg, on bathroom suction cups

The Alternative: Fixing Your Shelf on a Wooden Board

✅ ADVANTAGE : inexpensive and you can make holes
❌ DISADVANTAGE : doing this DIY takes time
🆗 EFFECTIVE FOR : doing whatever you want

Rather than struggling to fix the shelf on your wall, why not create a wall on which you can make all the holes you want?

Let me explain:

The idea is to create a wall, a bit like in this video below, but make sure the pallet almost reaches the full height of your wall, so you just need to block it with stoppers!

⚠️ Do You Absolutely Need Brackets to Properly Fix a Shelf ?

You now know all the best techniques for fixing a shelf without making holes, but remember that if you want it to hold up, it needs some support... whether it's brackets or hangers!

I know many readers came to this page because they want to hang a wall shelf with invisible mounting without making holes... it's going to be difficult. With this kind of shelf, really only the extra strong glue can work. As Pierre explains to us:

If you can't make holes at home, I advise you to reinforce your shelf with brackets, even if they are very small. It helps distribute the weight more evenly. Without brackets, you risk seeing the shelf collapse under its own weight.

There you have it, all the information you need to avoid making holes in your walls and fix this beautiful shelf you just bought on any surface.

But how exactly do you apply all these good tips? The answer in the video below

Here you go : you know which one to pick

Depending on the type of shelf you want to install, you can pick the best solution from the expert bellow.

Now, if you are unsure of your skills, we recommend hiring an experienced tasker on Yoojo.

Even more when you see the prices offered by your local taskers :