You’ve heard of the magic floating shelf, right?? Well, they really aren’t that hard to make. Especially this one that we made for our bathroom. Devin is actually the mastermind behind this project. I was away at my Army training and Devin decided to surprise me with this perfect floating shelf! The reasoning behind it?? “So that I don’t have to yell for you to go get me toilet paper”… I decided to dress up the shelf with some artwork and a few candles.
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TOOLS
| Miter Saw or Circle Saw |
| Tape Measure |
| Speed Square |
| Kreg Jig w/ drill bit |
| 1 1/4″ Pocket screws (fine) |
| 2-2 1/2″ Drywall screws |
| Cordless Drill |
| Nailer with 1 1/2″ Brad Nails |
| Wood Glue |
| Wood Filler |
| Putty Knife |
| Hand Sander |
| Sanding Paper |
| Level |
| Stud Finder |
| White Paint |
| Paint Brush / Roller |
LUMBER LIST
| (#) | DIMENSION |
| (1) | 1″ x 6′ x 8′ Poplar Plywood |
| (1) | 3/4″ x 3/4″ x 8′ Trim Piece |
| (1) | 3/4″ x 1 1/2″ x 8′ Trim Piece |
CUT LIST
| (#) | WOOD | LENGTH |
| (1) | 1″ x 6″ | @ 39 3/4″ (Shelf) |
| (1) | 3/4″ x 1 1/2″ | @ 39 3/4″ (Shelf Trim) |
| (1) | 3/4″ x 3/4″ | @ 39 3/4″ (Long Wall Support) |
| (4) | 3/4″ x 3/4″ | @ 4 5/8″ (Short Wall Supports) |
STEP 1: CUT MATERIALS
The cut list above is according to our 39 3/4″ floating shelf. You can easily change the dimensions of the shelf if you want it to be shorter or longer!
***If you need a shelf that can hold a lot of weight I suggest you buy a floating shelf bracket so it can hold the extra weight! our DIY shelf is perfect for holding toilet paper and a few decor items.
STEP 2: DRILL POCKET HOLES
Drill 3/4″ pocket holes in each of your 3/4″ short support pieces.
STEP 3: SAND
Sand down the shelf and trim piece using a coarse grit sand paper then moving to a finer grit sandpaper. You only need to sand the shelf pieces that will be visible.
STEP 4: ASSEMBLE FRAME
Using 1 1/4″ pocket screws, secure the short frame pieces to the long frame piece. We ended up screwing two pieces at each end and two in the middle (pictured in step 8).
STEP 5: APPLY TRIM TO SHELF
Apply your 1 1/2″ trim piece to the shelf using wood glue and brad nailer (1 1/2″ nails). Make sure that the 1 1/2″ long side of the trim is facing the front. Clamp these together for extra holding power!
STEP 6: WOOD FILLER
Use wood filler to fill and nail holes or gaps in the shelf/trim. After the wood filler dries, do a quick sand to get the excess off.
STEP 7: PAINT
Paint or stain your shelf! We decided to use some white paint that we had used for previous projects.
STEP 8: INSTALL SHELF!
Pick a spot on your wall and nail in your frame using 2-2 1/2″ screws. Use a level to make sure that your shelf is level. If you can, use a stud finder and screw the frame into a stud in the wall. Place your shelf on top of the frame and use a brad nailer to nail the shelf to the frame.
***Our shelf was a little below eye level so you can’t see underneath it. If you plan to place the shelf high up, I suggest adding a thin plywood piece to the bottom so that you can’t see the framing.
