Fixing a wobbly shelf, Part One

So about 2 months ago I put up two "floating" shelves in my living room (you can find the post below). One of the shelves I put up did not feel secure at all, but I decided to leave that little problem for another day.

Yesterday was finally that other day. I had a vague idea of how to do it, I asked around a little, but I was still nervous. So to be sure I knew what I was doing, I turned to the best invention in the past 20 years...the internet. I read up and watched videos, and when I finally felt confident I went out to get what I needed.

My plan was to remove the offending shelf, then cover the holes, paint over the spots and put the shelf up again. It could have been a little higher anyway. One thing I did learn about covering the holes that I didn't know, was putting a patch over it before the putty. I don't know how much of a difference this makes, or if it makes it easier, but I felt more confident having it.

I may have put the putty on a little too thin in some places, but now that it's all dry and painted over it actually looks pretty good. You would have to get up really close to notice the little squares from the screen patch. I read somewhere to stuff the hole with paper, and I did. I still don't know if I should have, but the way I see it, I can't see it, so for now it isn't a problem.

I was worried that because the paint in the can has been sitting for a few months the colour might not blend in exactly and I'd be able to see the spots. I know I shouldn't have been worried about this...and it turned out perfect anyway. Not that any of this really matters because when the shelf goes back up you won't really be able to see any of it.

I'm waiting to put the shelf back up because it's really hard to do these floating shelves with only one set of hands. The bar you have to hang isn't light and it's hard to hold it with one hand while screwing things in with the other. Especially since it's higher on the wall.

So for now my one little shelf on the wall looks lonely, but the wall behind it looks great!