Putting the shelf together was quite easy and I was optimistic with the stick pads to show where to screw, but it is impossible to hold all parts of the shelf level and press it to the wall, and once the sticky pads hit the wall, they stick of course. I followed another reviewer's advice. Put together the bottom shelf, level and hang. Then, I attached the middle piece, and using the painters tape method (google it), was able to locate the right place to screw. Lastly, I did the same on top.  I also agree with others, that I don't like the brackets since they stick out so far on the shelf, and I'm not confident the drywall anchors will hold much weight - my screws were loose in the anchors. BUT, it feels sturdy enough (it held our cat when she jumped on the lower shelf), it looks cool, and my 11 yr old loves it.  We're just not expecting a super long life out of it.