Custom Mug Shelf
I've been seeing so many adorable mug shelves all over the internet and I decided that I needed to have one. The issues I had with buying one were price and the fact that I wouldn't be able to get one in the exact size or finish I had in mind. So, DIY it is!
I started by planning out my shelf and making a cut list. I am using scrap plywood but you could also go with solid pine and your project would still be pretty budget friendly. First I cut all of my wood to the proper width using a table saw.
Next I cut all of my pieces to length using a radial arm saw.
I took my two sides and laid out where each shelf piece would go. I decided to just do simple butt joints but you can get as fancy as you'd like by using dado joints or mitering the corners.
Next, I glued and nailed my shelves to one of the side pieces.
Time to glue and nail the other side on! I used wood glue and an air strike nail gun.
Since I used plywood and it has a very rough end grain, I decided to add 3/8 inch pine strips to the entire front of my shelf. I cut them to size using a table saw and a radial arm saw.
Next I glued and nailed on all of the pine strips. This will give the front of the shelf a nice smooth edge. I also filled all of the nail holes with stainable wood filler.
Once I sanded the entire shelf with an orbital sander, it was time to stain! At this point, you can pick any type of finish you'd like.
Once the stain was applied I allowed it to dry. If you aren't using scrap, you would probably get a more even and pretty finish with your stain. This doesn't really matter to me though since this won't be my final step. 😊
After the stain dried I used a dry brush technique to apply white paint. This gives me a rustic and worn look which I love. (And once I grow tired of it I can easily change it up!)
Here it is, all finished up!! (I had to borrow a few mugs for this picture but I'm working on growing my collection.😉) Thanks for following along!
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Mary Russell on Mar 09, 2021
Like that slide on your table saw!
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