Normally, no. Properly installed, the bracket can hold so much weight that the weight of the shelf is mostly irrelevant. That said, you may run into load capacity issues when installing non-standard installations like solid concrete, marble or granite shelves with a total depth of more than 8 inches. Not only would we recommend the installation of the male bracket to the wall be performed by a professional, but we advise you may want to opt for the steel bracket in those instances as well.