How to Anchor Wood Shelves to a Concrete Wall

Hold one shelf bracket against the concrete wall. Adjust the bracket's position to its finished vertical and horizontal position. Butt a level against the side of the bracket; in other words, snug the level against the bracket's vertical surface. Use the level to plumb, or vertically level, the bracket.

Place the pencil's tip into one of the bracket's screw holes and make a mark on the wall to indicate the hole's position. While holding the bracket plumb, mark the position of the remaining screw holes.

Insert and tighten a masonry drill bit into a combination hammer drill. Set the drill to the hammer setting. Choose a bit equivalent to the diameter of your concrete screws' shanks; consult your concrete screw manufacturer's guidelines for precise drill bit sizes. Drill into each marked hole to a depth approximately equal to the length of your screws' shanks.

Insert and tighten a driver bit into the combination hammer drill. Set the drill to the driver setting. Mount a concrete screw onto the drill bit. Hold the shelf bracket against the wall and align the bracket's holes with the pilot holes. Drive the concrete screw through the bracket's screw holes and into one of the pilot holes. Drive concrete screws into the remaining pilot holes to secure the bracket to the concrete wall.

Hold the remaining bracket against the concrete wall. Lay a level across the top of the secured bracket and the loose bracket. Adjust the loose bracket's vertical position until the level indicates that the loose bracket is level with the secured bracket. Position the level against the side of the loose bracket and adjust the bracket to plumb, or vertically level. Use a pencil to mark the position of the loose bracket's screw holes on the wall.

Attach a masonry bit to the drill, set the drill to the hammer setting and drill pilot holes for the remaining bracket. Attach a driver bit to the drill and set the drill to the driver setting. Align the remaining bracket with pilot holes. Drive concrete screws through the bracket and into the pilot holes to secure the remaining bracket to the wall.

Lay wooden shelving across the secured brackets. Attach a twist bit to the drill and set the drill to the driver setting. Working from underneath the shelving material, use the drill to bore pilot holes through the brackets' holes and into the underside of the shelving. Attach a driver bit to the drill. Drive wood screws through the bracket's screw holes and into the pilot holes to secure the wood shelf to the shelf brackets.