Introduction to the Project
Shelves should be easy things for a do it yourself person, and in fact installing a shelf could almost not even be considered do it yourself worthy. However, for the shelf that I mounted it was in the basement on a concrete wall. Concrete is both easier and much harder to work with than traditional drywall.
My first concern was if I was weakening the structural integrity of the concrete by drilling holes into it. I did not find a very clear answer but for the most part it seemed safe enough. The second concern was creating a way for moisture to get it but again this worry seems not to be warranted.
Although the shelf did not get mounted exactly where I wanted it, having the markers from the lines in the concrete made it much easier to line everything up and drill the holes. I would say the hardest part of the project is having the right tools on hand.
The mistake I made was paying five dollars for a drill bit which attaches to a drill. My drill was on the cheaper side and does not include a hammer function for which I found out is critical for drilling into concrete. I made a rather not safe adapter to use the drill bit with an impact wrench I had.
The Installation Process
Don’t be like me and modify the bit to work for your needs use a hammer drill for the project and make sure to buy or use proper masonry bits.
Once the holes were drilled the rest of the project went smoothly and the end product came out rather nice. I would say from a do it yourself perspective that the project is doable but less beginner friendly than it may appear.
First, the project requires a masonry drill bit, a hammer drill, and an impact driver. While the impact wrench may not be completely necessary to drive in the concrete anchors it did make the process easier. If a person has or is okay to purchase the required tools then the project is not so unapproachable as each step went without much issues.
As a side note special screws are needed for masonry and concrete. Here are the ones similar to the wall anchors that I used.
Conclusion
I would still be cautious drilling into concrete so as to not create cracks or damage the moisture barrier. Overall though it was a simple project that a person can get done in a matter of a few hours which is not normally true for my projects. I would rate this project a 7/10 if tools are needed or a 9/10 if tools are already available for the project.