DIY Floating Shelves Tutorial

One of the hottest interior design trends over the last few years is floating shelves. They basically give the illusion of unhinged wall ornaments which fit easily into any part of the house.

Not only are they really easy to install, but most homeware centres come with some type of variation if you don’t want to battle it out by yourself.

What you need

1 sheet of 1/4 plywood

10 1×2 pine boards

1 inch brad nails (tiny tack nails which don’t require a hammer)

2 inch screws

3 inch screws (for mounting onto the wall)

Wood filler

Sand paper

Paint (your desired colour)

Tools

Measuring tape

Drill with countersink and drill bits

Saw (not essential if your wood is already made to measure)

Hammer

Sander

Paint brushes

Stud finder

Level

Instructions

1. Cut the plywood into 7 3/4 inch strips from the hardware store, or simply just do it yourself at home. We are essentially creating the foundation for each shelf, and want each piece of wood to be level.

2. Pre-drill the countersink into the frame, then use glue to keep it all together. Work from the inside out, and keep edges flush.

3. At this stage we’re building the trim, so it’s important to fasten the trim ends to the face.

4. Tack the plywood to the top and bottom of each shelf, and make sure it fits well into the sleeve. Sometimes you may need to slightly sand it down before it fits in perfectly.

5. Fill all holes with the wood filler for a flawless finish. Then make sure to sand it really well to create an even base.

6. Prime your shelves, then move onto paint once they’re completely dry. This may take up to 2 hours until everything has dried.

7. Look for any beams in your wall, and locate the anchor point in the muddle of each shelf. Keep everything straight by using a level.

8. Once you’ve made at least 6 incisions into the beam, slip the shelf sleeve over the frame. It should fit tightly and without any issues.

Images and tutorial via Young House Love, and Shanty 2 Chic