Shelf brackets are used to support shelves; they are typically placed on either side of the shelf to lend support to the shelf. They are usually made of metal but can be made of other materials.
Decorative
Wall Mount Shelfs
There are some very simple one that are L shaped they are almost industrial looking. They typically screw into the wall and the shelf sits on top of the bracket. There are some very decorative types that are made out of very ornate metals, brass, iron and other metals are used and they are shaped in many different scrolls and design to add a decorative touch to a simple shelving system.
Decorative brackets also may come in other materials beside metal. There are some decorative ones that come in composite materials, polymers and even ceramic. These kinds often can provide as much support as metal ones. Some decorative ones are not made to retain any real weight but instead are for occasional shelving which is not very functional but very attractive, a lot more attractive than plain old functional shelving.
Installing
Installing them is a pretty simple process and will take only a few hand tools, power tools will save some time in the installation process but are not necessary. Some tools that will be needed to install it include a screw driver, or drill with screw driver bit, a tape measure, a stud finder and the hardware to install the shelves.
These may not come with any instructions. Typically there are pre drilled holes for the hardware to be screwed into. Finding the studs in the wall can be done by using the stud finder or by measuring the space between the walls where the studs will be located. The distance between studs will be approximately twelve to sixteen inches on center. They need to be screwed securely into the studs so that there is enough support for the shelves. Once they are in place the shelves can be placed on the brackets and secured, some shelves do not require to be fastened because they simply lay on it. Screws should be used to secure it into the wall with anchors if the walls are sheet rock, this will insure that the screws adhere properly to the wall.
Shelf brackets are important pieces of hardware in mounting shelves on the wall. There can be multi tiered shelves that can be mounted one after another with its use.