How to Add One Whole Shelf on Top of a TV Stand

Measure the length of your television stand. Unless the shelving you plan to install is not the exact same length as your TV stand, you need to ensure the shelving is centered on the wall above and behind the stand.

Have a helper position the shelf on the wall where you want it installed. Check that it’s level and centered above the TV stand and at an appropriate height. If you plan to place a remote-controlled device on the shelf, you don’t want it too high, otherwise you’ll have to lift your arm up high to use the remote. Once the shelf is just where you want it, mark the wall with a pencil where the bottom corners of the shelf meet.

Choose where you want to place the L-shaped brackets that will hold your shelf to the wall. A common placement is a few inches in from each side of the right and left edges of the shelf. Measure the space and mark the spot where you want to install the brackets on the wall.

Install the brackets using screws. If wall studs lay behind the sheetrock, you don’t need to use anchors. Otherwise, using the studs is a good idea to ensure that your shelf is securely fastened to the wall.

Place the shelf on top of the brackets. Make sure there is an equal amount of space between the left side bracket and the left edge of the shelf, and the right bracket and the right edge of the shelf.

Screw the shelf to the top of the brackets by inserting the screw upward from the bracket into the shelf. Exert downward pressure on the top of the shelf as you insert the screw in and up into the shelf. Be sure the screws you use for this portion of the installation are not so long that when fully screwed in, they poke out the top of your shelf surface.