DIY problem

[The Halk]

I bought some shelves from Homebase. They're floating shelves so you attack a metal bracket to the wall and the shelves slide over the top.

They don't work properly. 3 out of 3 shelves don't sit on the wall, and the edge of them drops down by about an inch.

I've now got a ruined wall as a result and shelves that don't work.

Homebase know the shelves don't work, however they continue to sell them (they're half price so perhaps they're getting rid of them).

There's many many reviews online saying the shelves don't work.

Given that they knew they were selling me rubbish, and I've now got over a dozen nasty holes in my wall, and useless shelves.

I'm about to head down there later on to speak to the manager to get things sorted. Are Homebase responsible for making good the mess on my wall?

 

[The Halk]

Really? That's disappointing, they've sold me something that they knew doesn't work, and as a result my wall is damaged. That's directly their fault...surely?

 

[The Halk]

No, I didn't read the reviews. I was in the shop and saw them at half price and bought them. I trusted that they wouldn't intentionally sell a faulty product.

 

[The Halk]

That's not possible Buckus, the only brackets that could possibly work at the ones that come with the shelves. The product doesn't work.

Here's some reviews from Homebase's own site.

Spoiler

Incredibly poor

Byskibs82 .
06 May 2012.
We put 2 of these on these in the kitchen and 1 lent so badly I couldnt trust putting anything on it so we returned it, strangley the design has changed the bracket at the back is longer, they have put mdf on the gaps at the end to make it more sturdy; does it make a difference? No. Still very poor and leans to excess. pathetic design.
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Review 2 for Floating Shelf - White - 120x25cm
Very poor quality and design

ByAnonymous .
10 April 2012.
The brackets have a punched hole causing the tube part to be distorted. The hole is far too large in the shelf and has nothing in the construction to give a snug fit . The shelf remains loose even after all fixings are used. Very disappointed with the design. Did not expect it to be to be of such poor quality. Will be returning the shelves.
1 of 1 found this review helpful.
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Review 3 for Floating Shelf - White - 120x25cm
Rubbish

Bypete .
10 April 2012.
I expected better things from Homebase,the shelf would not sit correctly,it sloped at an angle.I spent a morning attempting to get it to fit but the product was very poor.It wasnt cheap and i expected better.
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Review 4 for Floating Shelf - White - 120x25cm
Not up to the job!!

ByGranny .
05 April 2012.
Although the self looked fine it was totally useless for the purpose it was sold. The fixings were not long enough or strong enough to support the shelf - I even weighed what I was putting on the shelf to make sure I had not exceeded the weight limit.
Totally useless.
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Review 5 for Floating Shelf - White - 120x25cm
Dissapointed

Byslopingshleves .
03 April 2012.
Bought these for displaying teapots and cups-so nothing heavy. Shelves sloped forwards despite being fixed in 9 points to the wall. We have a new build with plaster board walls but even using correct 'butterfly' fixings that grip the board from behind, the shelves still moved forward. We have ended up putting brackets under the shelves, which defeats the object of 'floating' shelves!
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Review 6 for Floating Shelf - White - 120x25cm
Flimsy and flawed construction

ByNatSat .
30 January 2012.
I should have read more of the reviews which say they are flimsy - they are. The positive reviews are a bit surprising. Essentially the factory bored holes in the shelf are too big for the bracket that screws to the wall (which the shelf slots on to). This means as soon as you put anything on it the shelf slopes as opposed to stays level. Not just a slight slope but a difference of probably 2-3 cm between the back and the front of the shelf which is really obvious on the eye - things look like they will slide off the shelf!
They are all fitted now and the only way to level them is to fit some supporting timber to the wall - quite awkward and won't look great!
Frustrated
3 of 3 found this review helpful.
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Review 7 for Floating Shelf - White - 120x25cm
Awful

Bylumby .
30 August 2011.
absolutely awful, they are not sturdy in the slightest. The brackets do not work. Do not buy!!!!!!
1 of 1 found this review helpful.
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Review 8 for Floating Shelf - White - 120x25cm
Cheap a & Tacky

ByPaul .
24 August 2011.
Just wish I'd read some of the reviews on here before buying 3 of these for my daughter's room. They are not sturdy at all. The brackets might as well be made of tin foil, and the screws used to secure the shelf to the bracket were not not included in one of the packs. There's nothing to like about these, avoid like the plague.
2 of 2 found this review helpful.
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Review 9 for Floating Shelf - White - 120x25cm
Not very sturdy

ByPOD .
13 July 2011.
I'd seen reviews that these shelves weren't too sturdy, and I didn't have much to put on them that was very heavy, so I thought I'd still give them a go. A bit foolish, as when I attached them to the all, the screw that locks them into place was moving around so much that they were very wobbly. They are't well made because the mechanism for the screw to lock them in has too big a hole. Probably some of them are OK if the whole is in a slightly different place, but I bought 2 and these were definitely not worth it.
Even if you don;t have anything of any great weight to put on the shelves, I would NOT recommend them and wish I'd spent more money.
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Review 10 for Floating Shelf - White - 120x25cm
Not good

Bywoo monster .
04 April 2012.
Shelves look good because there is no visible bracket but they are poor quality. The description says they will hold 30kg - they don't. A few books and they are already to starting to flew downwards. The bracket just doesn't go deep enough into the shelf and they are completely hollow by the sounds of them.
Advice on buying this product...buy something else!
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RUBBISH

Bywelshgirl .
29 February 2012.
totally wonky. nothing wrong with my wall its dead straight but these shelves are not sturdy at alll. Absolute rubbish
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Review 2 for Floating Display Shelf - Walnut - 25X25cm
Poor quality

ByJoe .
19 January 2011.
Installed it according to instruction but this should be called wobbly shelf. Although I used a level to mount the bracket the shelf was sitting lose on it and was wonky and wobbling. Even with some DYI competence this cannot be adjusted. I took it off and returned it.
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Review 3 for Floating Display Shelf - Walnut - 25X25cm
Poor

ByDIY Man .
28 August 2009.
The shelves from this range are called as they should be Floating. They float off the wall when you place something on them. They obviously come without fittings because no fittings are suitable for these shelves. A complete waste and keep clear, especially if you have bought one and sit underneath it..
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Review 4 for Floating Display Shelf - Walnut - 25X25cm
Fair

ByKat .
03 February 2011.
fixing quality poor screws put through shelf into metal bracket don't tighten just stop shelf falling off makes shelf wobbly
2 of 2 found this review helpful.
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Review 5 for Floating Display Shelf - Walnut - 25X25cm
OK but....

ByTrenchfoot .
02 February 2012.
Bought this to site the telephone on in the corner of the room near the sofa.
Relatively easy to fit to the wall with a few basic tools, but because it is not very accurately manufactured it was difficult to get it to sit properly level on the 'forks' that support it, and I had to make a slight modification of packing the lower edge out where it sits against the wall, so that it didn't 'appear to sag'.
Otherwise it was certainly ok for the money, but I felt it lacked quality both in design and finish

Terrible Quality

ByLinda. .
01 May 2012.
I bought 6 of these to replace a book case - they are awful, quality is shoddy, brackets were bent. Not worth the sale price. If we hadnt already drilled holes i would have taken them back.. Will not take weight stated, i only put a couple of books and shelf tipped and brackets bent. Ok for light objects..
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Review 2 for Floating Shelf - Walnut - 80x25cm
Unusable

ByGemma .
12 February 2012.
Says it can hold 9kg weight, but put a couple of books on it ( weighing probably less than half this ) and it leaves the shelf hanging off the wall. If you want to use it to display a couple of ornaments it would be fine, but can't seem to cope with any kind of weight on it.
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Review 3 for Floating Shelf - Walnut - 80x25cm
poor poor poor

Bypompey .
08 October 2010.
very disappointed. the shelf does not fit the bracket poorley made. returned to store for a refund
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Review 4 for Floating Shelf - Walnut - 80x25cm
basic

Bymummy136 .
14 March 2012.
very nice shelf, but does not come with wall fixings which is a disappointment, as had to get them extra. Shelf itself is ok, would not use it for heavy items, and certainly not upto the advertised weight limit.
Looks nice on the wall, bought at hald price, would not however get this item at full price.
1 of 1 found this review helpful.
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Don't bother

ByKaz .
19 April 2012.
Just had this shelf put up in my new kitchen to hold my very small stereo. This shelf is not fit for purpose, it leans down and does not hold the stereo at all. If I take it down I will be left with 9 holes in my newly plastered and painted wall!! We are now looking at buying additional brackets. Package says it holds 25kg, IT DOES NOT!!
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Review 2 for Floating Shelf - Ebony - 80x25cm
poor quality

Bykay .
03 February 2012.
like paper coating, disgusting quality for the price, too late when i'd got it out of the wrapper.
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Review 3 for Floating Shelf - Ebony - 80x25cm
Top 250 Contributor
Slightly disappointed

ByGiordano .
08 October 2010.
The whole idea of floating shelves is great if you use them for decorative purpose. As far as putting any weight on the shelves - forget about it.
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TOTALLY USELESS

Bygoonergirl .
24 April 2010.
SHELVES DO NOT FIT SNUG ON THE WALL THEY SLANT FORWARD WHERE THE POLES ARE TOO LOOSE IN THE SHELF!!STAY AWAY FROM THEM!!!!!!
2 of 4 found this review helpful.
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Review 2 for Floating Shelf - Walnut - 120x25cm
Not bad

BySuper7 .
18 November 2011.
Good shelves but hard to keep up as used as book shelves and they dip with weight
1 of 1 found this review helpful.
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Disappointing

ByBowzer .
10 May 2012.
The actual shelf looks great but when fitted to the wall it hangs forward so much that a bracket has to be fitted at the front attached to my kitchen cabinet side in order to use it. If this had been for my lounge I would have returned item. This item needs withdrawing from sale as the design is faulty.
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Review 2 for Floating Shelf - White - 60x25cm
Waste of money!

Byinteriordesigner .
02 May 2012.
Half price or not I will be returning these shelves...I purchased a number of these for various rooms and not one of them sat straight on the wall as the fittings were not snug causing the shelf to tip forward and look wonky...I am gutted as they simply look cheap and nasty...
I paid a professional to come and fit these shelves and even he said they were terrible, I now have no shelves, holes in walls and as an extra kick, l still had to pay the fitter his day rate!!
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Review 3 for Floating Shelf - White - 60x25cm
waste of money

Byfancyfish .
04 April 2012.
Bought two of these shelves of differant sizes in the sale so glad I did,nt pay full price for them.The brackets are a poor fit and very cheap hence the shelves tilt forward and look terrible.We will have to replace them with better shelving.Very dissappointed.
2 of 2 found this review helpful.
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Comment (1)
Written by: bucko , edinburgh
Posted 20 April 2012
utter rubbish what a waste of money, now will have to pay out more money because this product went in the bucket.
Review 4 for Floating Shelf - White - 60x25cm
OK

ByDEBSIE .
14 March 2012.
BOUGHT 3 OF THESE SHELVES ALL THE SAME LENGTH. THE BRACKETS THAT FIT TO THE WALL WERE DIFFERENT LENTHS, AND NOT SQUARE SO VERY DIFFICULT TO FIT SHELVES ONE ABOVE THE OTHER. EXPECT MORE OF HOMEBASE. QUITE DISSAPOINTED
1 of 1 found this review helpful.
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Review 5 for Floating Shelf - White - 60x25cm
poor quality

Byellie .
05 November 2010.
This is the second shelve we bought to hold a Sky Box and DVD Player and not one of them was any good.
Even from new the shelves were not level, they leaned down. Securing screws through the shelves would not tighten up.
Finally gave up with them.
Do you have any use for three bits of wood???
1 of 1 found this review helpful.
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Comment (1)
Written by: Anonymous ,
Serious design error
Posted 06 April 2012
Strange that some people have reviewed this product well, while others have found it unusable. I fall into the latter category. I can see no way that these shelves can ever work properly, and - my goodness - that isn't asking much of a shelf, surely! Perhaps there are two versions of it.
Returned mine to store.
Review 6 for Floating Shelf - White - 60x25cm
poor poor poor

Bypompey .
08 October 2010.
very disappointed. the shelf does not fit the bracket poorley made. would have returned to store for a refund if i hadn't alreayd drilled the holes in the wall! stuck with a loose wobbly shelf now
1 of 1 found this review helpful.
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Review 7 for Floating Shelf - White - 60x25cm
Disappointed

ByMiss_Sunshine .
16 November 2011.
I was disappointed with these shelves, I purchased them when they were on sale and am glad I did not pay full price for them. The screws to 'secure' the shelf to the bracket did not screw fit into anything, the stickers to cover the screws on base of shelf - fell off, the bracket itself does not appear to hold the shelf correctly as the holes in the shelf itself are hollow. I found once the shelf was placed on the bracket there was a downward tilt and I ended up packing the holes to ensure the shelves sat level. In short - I will not be purchasing these shelves in the future.
1 of 2 found this review helpful.
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[The Halk]

Perhaps it's a recent thing Moss, but really, there's no way they can be selling them with that kind of feedback without knowing.

Realistically I'm going to have to get brackets to go underneath the shelf, which will ruin the whole floating shelf effect. Which means even more drilling holes into the wall (it's black ash so it makes a nasty mess and takes a long time to drill) and hope that after doing that the hollow shelves are held in place by normal shelf brackets. Either that or I get wall sorted and repainted.

 

[The Halk]

It's the same shelves - well mine have a wood effect finish.. but same shelves.

I'll try packing the holes with some packing foam and see what effect that has. That might be the solution!

Failing or perhaps in combination I'll try a wedge up the back.

 

[The Halk]

I don't have a bit of wood to hand, nor any way to cut wood down to size. Nothing else really comes to mind for shoving down there.

Edit : Found a bit of chipboard, heavy stuff like you would get in a kitchen worktop. I'll see if I can get my dad to lend me his dremmel and see if I can cut off bits suitable to go down the poles. Do you think it's best to shove them in to the holes where the screws go, or do you think I should shove wood right up the hole?

 

[The Halk]

Won't the dowel be loose inside?

 

[The Halk]

I wonder if yours is different to mine. Where the hole for the screw is, there's a bit indent, meaning that I could put a dowel in, but I couldn't get one that was snug.

 

[The Halk]

 

[The Halk]

Same as mine.

You need something that fits in the groove. You also may have to snap off the metal punched part that is inside the hole.

I appreciate that you're trying to help, but I just don't understand you.

I understand the dowel concept, and I understand that the screw grips the dowel and that holds everything straight.

However I don't understand how I can get a dowel up there without it being loose. I don't understand what you mean by a groove, and there's a metal punched part up there?

 

[The Halk]

Homebase is rubbish quality shocker!

Slightly more seriously, this thread is exactly the sort of reason I stopped buying stuff from homebase, the quality of a lot of their goods is appalling - screws that break or bend (often less than halfway into the supplied rawplugs), kits (like these shelves) that require you to know you have to add something to rectify a basic design fault (you shouldn't need to pack it to get the screw to fit properly).

I got the rawlplugs and screws from there too... they don't work either. I even got them to choose them for me because I wanted to make sure it was the right ones. The rawlplugs and screws are in the same pack and they don't work properly. They seem to small for the size of hole they have you drill, and the rawlplugs grab the screws and spin inside the hole. I've eventually got them in by just leaning heavily on the screwdriver and forcing it in as it turns. Once they're fully in they're tight...

I'm still unsure what to do. If I try and fix things and it doesn't work then I'm stuffed because I then have modified their stuff and I don't see how I can complain successfully.

I think the best option is to go down and see the store manager and ask them what they think the best option is. If they offer just a refund or a goodwill gift voucher I won't accept that.

I've been reading up here and I've at least got something to go on.

 

[The Halk]

That's how I understood it... the stamp on the metal tube though is much more indented than yours might be... I'm now a lot more informed having just returned from Homebase.

Asked to speak to the manager, and I explained what had happened. He came back with saying he's not aware of returns, or a problem, he's got some up at home. I then produced the 18 page printout of bad reviews from their own site. I think that helped. He's going to go to head office about it and see what they say.

In the mean time I said I wasn't really looking for this to be expensive, or time consuming, and I still wanted shelves so if he could get something that worked then it'd be fine by me. I suggested dowels and he came back with small individual ones you would use for cabinet making, I took him instead to the long decorative dowel area and we found quadrants which would work better as they'd go past the punched out holes.

My worry was how could a circular dowel be snug inside a circular tube if it had to be smaller to avoid the punched hole. The answer I think is that it can't, it has to be non-circular, which is what I've got home with me. Homebase didn't charge for them.

We also found out that there's several different designs, even for the same shelf there were up to 3 different barcodes and some quite different metal fixings. The one I have is short and squat while others are thinner and longer. More importantly the one I have had much, much larger punched out holes contorting the metal much more. I think that might be the problem.

In any case I've got the quadrants home and I'm about to shove em down the tubes and give it a shot.

 

[The Halk]

Pinter and that's my complaint with kits that don't have everything needed and don't say you need to do something like that

the_halk, if the rawplug is spinning in place you can either use something like nonails to help fill the excess (leave it to dry for a while), or there is a specific filler for loose plugs, but I can't think of what it's called.

I found the best thing to do was just lean heavily into the wall and it eventually 'took'. Enough procrastinating though, it's time to get the hardwood out and shove it up a tight hole!

Edit : Nah the shelves all have the same packaging and same supplier. Just a different spec - maybe cost cutting?

 

[The Halk]

Fail :/

The screw doesn't catch into the dowel, the reason being that the punchout on the metal support is too deep which means the dowel can't be as high up as it needs to be for the screw to catch.

Next step.. find longer screws I think.

Edit : I have no longer wood screws, I'll check at my dads, I'm off there for a Sunday roast later...

 

[The Halk]

Ok does this help explain what is happening, and how you fix it?

It is a very simple hack!

The bit where it says Screw is pulled upwards should be Shelf is....

I was lazy and copied and pasted!

Ok.. I've now properly tried this and it doesn't work.

I suspect the shelves are supposed to sit on the metal rails and only be retained by the two screws. I don't think the two screws would be enough to bear the weight of the shelves.

I've tried cramming as thick a quadrant as is possible to fit in the pipes, I've tried 3 lengths of screws... I've even tried the shelves the other way up.

In any case, they still don't work and I'm down hours of effort on them. I'm waiting now on Homebase head office speaking to the manufacturer. Homebase did call me last night to say that. Until then I'm unwilling to try anything else that may be eventually get blamed as the reason they don't work.