How to Make a Floating Wall Shelf
Floating wall shelves create a free look to a room. The idea is that you don’t use brackets to support and keep the shelf in place. The shelf is attached by mounting it over a support bar in a channel in the back of the shelf. You will have to build a simple frame and cover it with thin wooden skins. You can then paint the shelf to match the room. Does this Spark an idea?
Things You'll Need
- Plywood
- Table saw
- Poplar
- 2x1 lumber
- Wood glue
- Nail gun
- Staple gun
- Putty
- Sandpaper
- Paint
- 2x2 lumber
- Power drill
Instructions
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1
Use a table saw to trim two sheets of plywood to the size you want for the shelf.
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2
Make the facing of the shelf out poplar wood. Cut one piece of poplar to 2 inches wide and miter the corners. Once mitered, the poplar should be as long as the plywood pieces.
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3
Cut two more pieces of poplar wood 2 inches wide and miter one end of each piece. Once mitered, these pieces should be as long as the shelf is deep.
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4
Create the internal frame for the shelf out of 2x1 lumber. Saw two depth pieces and two length pieces to create a rectangle the same size as the plywood panels.
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5
Arrange the frame pieces on a table so they're taller than wide, creating a rectangular shape.
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6
Move one of the long frame pieces toward the inside of the rectangle by 2 inches. You should have a rectangle with two legs extending 2 inches farther than the rest of the frame.
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7
Glue the frame together and secure it with nails from a nail gun. Run glue on the top of the frame and place one piece of plywood on top.
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8
Staple the plywood to the frame with a staple gun.
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9
Flip over the frame and put the other piece of plywood on in the same way. You'll have a channel along the inside of the shelf.
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10
Glue the long piece of poplar on the face of the shelf. Staple this piece in place.
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11
Attach the two short pieces of poplar to the shelf's sides with glue and staples. The miters on each piece of poplar will create even corners.
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12
Cover any nail or staple marks with putty. Let it dry. Sand with sandpaper until smooth.
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13
Paint the shelf. Let it dry.
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14
Attach a 2x2 to the wall where the shelf will hang. The 2x2 should fit into the channel along the shelf's edge.
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15
Using a power drill, place several screws in the 2x2 to secure it to the wall. Drilling into studs helps support the shelf.
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16
Slip the shelf onto the 2x2 by fitting it into the channel in the back.
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17
Drill through the top of the shelf into the 2x2 hidden inside. Use at least four screws to hold the shelf.
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Tips & Warnings
Make several shelves and scatter them over a wall for a modern effect.
Make sure that the wall the shelf is hung on is stable and can support the weight.
