Easy Floating Shelf

Melissa
by Melissa
7 Materials
$15
1 Hour
Easy

This will seriously be the easiest floating shelf you will ever make! You just need two pieces of wood and an hour of your time! Let’s get started!

Cutting Your Wood


I am making my shelf 26” wide to hang above my kids toilet in their bathroom. I purchased one 1x4x6 and one 1x6x6.

First, I cut two pieces from the 1x6 at 24.5” long. Second, I cut the 1x4 into three pieces. One at 26” and two at 5.5”.

Time to Sand and Assemble


Sand all of your wood pieces. I started with a 120 grit and then a 220. We are already on to assembly! First I choose the best looking side of my first 24.5” board, as this will be the bottom of my shelf. Lay it face down. Attach your 5.5” boards, best side facing out, using wood glue and small finishing nails. These will be the sides of your shelf.

Continuing on you will take your 26” board and attach to the front of your bottom and side pieces with wood glue and finishing nails.

Finally, attach your last 24.5” board as your shelf top. Again, be sure to have the best side facing up as it will be the visible side.

Your Shelf Is Complete! Now Let’s Make The Support


Your shelf box is assembled and I gave mine another quick sanding to get rid of sharp corners and that was it! Next you will need a support to hang your floating shelf. I used my scrap 1x4 and ripped it on a table say to make it 1x2. You could also purchase a 1x2 but I was being thrifty. Cut your first 1x2 piece to about 23” long. Long enough to fit “inside” your box. Cut three more pieces of your 1x2 to about 3” long and attach them from the back of the long support piece with wood screws. One in the middle, two at either end. See my photo above.

Time to Stain


Make sure your shelf is smooth, free of debris and dust and has no residual wood glue. Then it’s time to stain! Early American by Minwax is my go to but choose any stain you’d like. I chose not to use wood conditioner but you can opt to apply that before your stain.

Time to Hang


Wasn’t that so fast and easy? It’s already time to hang your new shelf! Make sure to use a level and that your support is screwed into the studs in the wall. Only one stud was behind my support so I used a drywall anchor behind my second screw. Then just slide your shelf “box” over the support. I secured mine in the back with two wood screws instead of nails. That anchored the shelf to the support and made it easy to be able to remove later if I need to.

Ta-da!


That’s it! Less than one hour and $15 and we have a beautiful shelf!

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  1 question
  • Barbara Barbara on Aug 19, 2020

    I sent for this shelf and this is what came. I don't know how to hang it?

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  • Donna Donna on Aug 16, 2022

    Thank you so much for a clear and simple way of showing how to make floating shelves! I've been looking for the past several years, but haven't found anything this straight forward and clear. I'll be doing this again and again in the future ...with your excellent help.

  • Patricia ruffino Patricia ruffino on Aug 15, 2023

    I am in love with floating shelves! I made mine like that only I glued a piece of cardboard to the under side of my support piece. This way when the shelf is pulled out it is a hidden shelf for .... anything like money or jewlery.. nothing heavy. No one knows it's there but you!

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