How to Hang a Shelf – and Other Stuff – with Dot Marks the Spot

You know that keyhole style fastening system you often find on shelves, mirrors, fixtures, etc? It provides a relatively secure way to attach things to your walls, but installation can be a little hit or miss in terms of accuracy. How to hang a shelf or other wall fixture with hidden screws isn’t exactly an intuitive process for many. Usually what I do is measure how far apart the holes are and then use a level to mark where to drill for the screws. The problem with that approach is that sometimes the keyhole hardware itself isn’t installed perfectly level at the factory. So annoying! Even if a shelf is just fractionally out of level, it torments me for the life of the installation. At this year’s National Hardware Show, we were happy to discover a clever and simple solution for hanging things accurately and professionally on your wall.

Susan Grillo gave us a quick demo of how easy it is to hang goodies on your wall with Dot Marks the Spot:

How to Hang a Shelf using Dot Marks the Spot

As you can see from the video above, the process is incredibly simple. As they like to say, “Easy As 1,2,3″

Where the magic happens

1. Place the sticky DOT TARGET MARKER, target side face down, on the back of the project.
   The center hole of marker(s) should be placed where the fastener will end up in the hanger
2. Press the project firmly to the wall to transfer the marker(s)
3. Install fastener(s) in the center of the DOT TARGET MARKER(s); remove the marker(s)
4. Hang your project

OK, so technically that’s 1,2,3,4, but you get the idea. We think Dot Marks the Spot offers an elegant solution that streamlines and improves a variety of hanging projects. The kits are priced $14.95, $7.99 and $6.50 respectively in the three package options below:

PREMIUM Picture Hanging Kit – 50 Pieces
50 pieces including 12 DOT target markers, 3 wire tracks, 3 landing pads, 6 accessory pieces, a sticky level, drywall hooks and nails.

BASIC Picture Hanging Kit – 19 Pieces
19 pieces including 6 DOT target markers, 3 wire tracks, 3 landing pads, 6 accessory pieces, and a sticky level.

Those two kits can be ordered directly from DotMarksTheSpot.com, or you can get an even less expensive kit from our sponsor Rockler for just under $6. That’s about as cheap as convenience and simplicity come these days. Now, go hang some stuff!