Putting the brackets above the shelves

[ciphergoth]

We want to put some bookshelves above our living room window. We'd like to create as much space as possible and the brackets aren't very attractive, so we're thinking of mounting the brackets above the shelves instead of below.

I'm not sure, but I think this will reduce the amount of weight the shelf can carry before pulling the rawlplugs out of the masonary. I'm guessing that it won't reduce it so much that we have to worry, but does anyone know better?

Thanks!

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/_nicolai_/]

If you are thinking of right-angle brackets and shelves, they should work with the brackets above the shelf, but won't take as large a load as they might have taken in their normal position. Make sure that you use strong fixings between the shelf and the bracket, as any supplied for the usual arrangement will not be intended to hold the entire weight of the books.
There are other possible arrangements. Here is an example from IKEA of one with hidden fixings in the wall.
I also have some shelves which hang from built-in brackets that are fixed above the shelf and intended to be that way, but I don't know of a source for them now, they are quite old. This arrangement conveniently has the effect of acting like a book-end as well.

[zotz]

Lara and Seth have one of those Ikea shelves with books on. It's been there a while, and seems stable. Sensible books, mind, not coffee-table books.