How can I put shelves up in a mobile home?
I live in a mobile home and the walls are not substancial enough to hold plain wooden shelfs. what can i use?
Related Discussions
How can I make a frame on a ceiling to put bifold doors up?
Any ideas on how I could use leftover lattice? Inside decorating?
I have leftover lattice and would like to use it for some sort of indoor decorating project. Any ideas on a good use for it? It looks like this, just plain unfinished... See more
Planting under shady tree with roots
I have a jacaranda tree in my front yard with roots growing above ground. The tree has fern-like leaves that have prevented little growth of grass underneath. What ca... See more
Alternate way to install kitchen shelves that doesn't include drilling
I want to display my bowls, and other colorful accessories in my tiny tiny kitchen. There are no cabinets! Except those very high ones that i can’t reach! So all I ... See more
How do I remove a floating shelf?
Hello! We moved in to a new house and the previous owners had installed some floating shelves. How we we can’t work out how to take them off. We’ve tried pulling ... See more
Where to purchase insert tubes that go between plastic shelves?
Does anyone know where I can purchase these tubes? The manufacturer does not sell them separate from the shelves. I also cannot find PVC pipe at 1 1/8" to cut to fi... See more
What should the height/spacing be between 3 shelves in a living room?
Want to hang 3 shelves roughly 29 inches long/ 6 inches high. I’ve got 8 foot walls, cathedral ceiling. We up cycled some old barn wood and some metal troughs. Used... See more
You could use brackets to hold them up
My sister lived in a mobile home and as long as you use wall anchors you can put up shelves- she never had an issue
Here is some other info for you
https://diy.stackexchange.com/questions/109766/hanging-long-shelves-on-a-mobile-home-wall
https://www.hometalk.com/diy/decorate/rooms/q-what-is-the-best-way-to-hang-shelves-on-mobile-home-walls-33104071
What is the best way to hang shelves on mobile home walls
You may need to resort to stand-alone bookcases with adjustable shelving. I have lived in mobile homes and can relate to your dilemna.
Hi, did you see this? Look at the answer below the question
https://diy.stackexchange.com/questions/109766/hanging-long-shelves-on-a-mobile-home-wall
It is not so much the weight of the wooden shelves or items on the shelves being too heavy for the walls that is the issue here. The problem is more so with the insufficient solid lumber behind the thin walls for which to anchor the mounting hardware into.
The brackets that Betsy suggests will still need to be mounted securely into a solid backing irregardless of whether they are holding heavy wooden shelves, or lightweight plastic ones.
Toggle bolts may help.
The paneling is only 1/4” thick so won’t take any weight, even with anchors or toggles. Your only option is to mount your brackets to the wall studs. These are readily available, and inexpensive. Here’s a link to Amazon. Just scroll past the $60 ones and look at the $10 ones. These $60 ones have features you’ll probably never use. They are also available at Walmart, Lowe’s, Home Depot, etc.
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Stud+finder&ref=nb_sb_noss_2
Hello Grmmcffy, hope these help you out,
https://www.hunker.com/13413832/how-to-hang-things-on-vinyl-walls-in-a-mobile-home
https://www.hunker.com/13410890/how-to-hang-pictures-on-mobile-home-walls
If you use toggle bolts you can attach them directly to the wall.
This site may help:
https://vmfhomesblog.com/2019/01/01/how-to-display-decor-on-your-mobile-home-walls/
Definitely use anchors. The toggle type work best
Mobile homes have vertical studs just like a wood frame house. These may be 2x3" x ~8 ft rather than 2x4" as in a fixed structure, but they will still support a shelf if done properly for the expected load on the shelf. The studs will be 16" apart or 24" apart.
You must locate the studs and attach the fasteners through the finished wall (paneling or drywall) into the studs. Also be sure you do not drill into an electrical wire in making holes for the fasteners.
An electronic stud finder is useful to locate the studs, but it does take practice to learn how to use these correctly. Some people use magnets to find the studs by finding the nails used to attach the interior finish wall panels to the studs. Some people can locate the studs by rapping on the wall with their knuckles.
Also, Electrical boxes for receptacles or wall switches in houses are usually attached to the sides of studs so if you have a receptacle under where the shelf is to be, then there would be a stud on one side or the other of the receptacle. But in at least some mobile homes the receptacles are not attached to studs. In any case once you find a stud by some means you would look for other studs 16" (center-to-center) away on both sides, but the distance between studs is not always 16" and some framing is 24" on centers.
Here's a post that might help - https://www.mobilehomesell.com/mobile-home-shelf-ideas/
Maybe the thin veneer like your walls are made of. Hold them up with "L" brackets and hold them to the walls with anchor bolts (the kind that expand once inside the wall).